On your left or right

[Andy_ROC]

Listen, there are rules for a reason. Yelling out doesn’t change the rules. You are still obligated to stop if somebody turns in front of you. Communicating is a good thing and if you think somebody doesn’t know you’re there, calling out may be helpful but the person you’re approaching may be a raw beginner. They might not understand what you mean quickly enough for it to help. You might startle them enough that they yard sale right in front of you. You have to be ready to stop or divert no matter what.

There's little solace in being right (according to the rules) if you collide with someone and get hurt.
I welcome hearing "on your left/right"

 

[MarzNC]

I think of saying "On your Left" or "On your Right" like signaling when driving. I certainly hope the person hears me and doesn't turn into me, but I'm keeping a close eye on them as I pass. When I have regular metal poles, I'll click them behind me as an audible signal as well. That doesn't work so well with the adjustable poles.

At Wolf Creek last week, there was a situation where the skier coming down from behind us on a cat track said "On Your Left" and then proceeded to pass us on the the right. None of us were going that slow and he wasn't going that fast.

 

[raisingarizona]

I'll tell someone not to move if they are standing still, especially if they have already seen me.
If I'm passing someone I wait until they are turning away from my line. If they are turning toward my line there is nothing they can do but turn downhill and accelerate, which they may not be able to do, or may be afraid to do. I've never seen that stuff make anything better.


mm

Obviously, I give myself enough room to the downhill skier that if they make an abrupt change there’s enough space between us or if they do before I’m past I just hit the breaks. If it gets super busy and I run into a cluster I sometimes just pull over, stop completely and let em all get way ahead.

Every time I’ve been hit in recent years it’s when I’m standing still, off to the side on a cat track waiting for my daughter and their friends.

 

[Campgottagopee]

Every time I’ve been hit in recent years it’s when I’m standing still,

I've been hit once
Standing still at the bottom of the summit quad at WF --- it sucked

 

[Ripitz]

I prefer to yell out, “Look out below!” from the top of the mountain.

 

[riverc0il]

Absolutely agree, but I've also seen people abruptly turn significantly out of their cadence/line and into someone. This is especially important on a narrower run. Personally I want to know if someone is behind me and going to come by so I don't do something stupid like turn abruptly into them, let alone being startled. It should NOT be used as a "Get out of my way" tool.

We are starting to get into defensive skiing rather than call outs, but here goes:

I almost always pass someone when they reach the apex of their turn and are starting to turn the other way. That way, even if they deviate from their cadence (I assume people will, most people aren't that consistent), I can't possibly cause a collision because I have timed my pass with their change in direction. I also frequently check my six before expanding my turn radius and stop if I am caught up in traffic.

Relying on someone to call out an unexpected pass isn't the best strategy. Someone skiing poorly enough to cause a collision probably doesn't know that "on your right" is even a thing. Best not to rely on that from someone making a dangerous pass. Downhill skier always has the right of way, but I ski with the assumption that the uphill skier thinks they do.

I can't ever remember being hit or having a close call while moving.

 

[Brownski]

Know the code, bro

 

[Sbob]

Several years ago I was with my cousin who was off to my left and in a slight left hand turn and moving at a good clip . I spotted someone out of control and heading for him with about an one to two second immanent impact. I was about to yell look out but had no way to let him know how to avoid the crash.
I didn’t what him to turn around and get a pole to the face so I just became a spectator.

Fortunately he took most of the impact to the back of his knees so he ended up on top of the Jerry. If he had been turned to look uphill I think he would have had a serious knee injury.

 

[tirolski]

Know the code, bro

View attachment 11520

Looks like ya got yourself a happy kid with some huge hands there Bski

 

[BRLKED]

Skiers downhill have the right of way? So, I'm on your left/right absolves me of fault if the skier below diviates from their line?