Helmets REQUIRED NJ as of 4/8/11

The legislation was signed into law and takes seven months from today.

If you are 18 or younger you must wear a helmet if you ski or board and use a lift.

The parent or supervising individual must pay a fine of $25 for the first or $100 for additional offenses.

Local LE (sworn law enforcement), will enforce the law.

No area will be responsible for compliance.

I have to go back and read some additional chapters because I think in many ways this is a "Doctor Feelgood" joke and  will tie up police, fire police, US Customs and ICE ... IRS agents and ... read my mind.

This was enacted I believe due to a parent that lost a kid at Mountain Creek and never quit lobbying ... like 10 years ago.

The legislation was signed into law and takes seven months from today.

If you are 18 or younger you must wear a helmet if you ski or board and use a lift.

The parent or supervising individual must pay a fine of $25 for the first or $100 for additional offenses.

Local LE (sworn law enforcement), will enforce the law.

No area will be responsible for compliance.

I have to go back and read some additional chapters because I think in many ways this is a "Doctor Feelgood" joke and  will tie up police, fire police, US Customs and ICE ... IRS agents and ... read my mind.

This was enacted I believe due to a parent that lost a kid at Mountain Creek and never quit lobbying ... like 10 years ago.

So, like my wife and I used to do the high school  "chaperone" (ski free bus trip) ... instructors ... trip leaders .... parents ..

Only local LE can enforce this I was taking "liberty" but I note that:

- The operator is exempt .. not an instructor or coach

- The fine may seem small but it will go to municipal court where they tack on like $150 costs, $25 "victim fund" charges for each summons.

- This is a nuisance funding law.

- How many cops will be tied up and directed away from or devoted to this?

- I know my way around many NJ laws and this will manifest itself as a "overtime" mechanism for many.

If you go back and examine all of my posts on helmets, I am certainly in the "pro-helmet" camp.  Why did they just (I love this word), not empower patrol to pull tickets?  I know that answer and that would make the area operator the bad guy and is anti-business.

Question .. who is going to "drop the dime" on offenders?  The operator is not required to right?

My point exactly and I think little old Hidden Valley is a "Membership" area as of late.

Mountain Creek is a zoo anyway.

When one state gets it .......... actually it will be good for business in PA and NY.

Beyond, I fully agree with you.

The victims in an auto crash where the person did not wear a belt or a  cycle accident where the person did not take full advantage of the protection available is passed to you and me through insurance or  Medicaid/Medicare in one way or another.

My issue is with what amounts to a "hold harmless" clause for the hill, burden on instructors as individuals, provisions for really no rational enforcement and the potential for abuse.

Many towns have "safety" regulations that are no more than sting "cash cows" and I have been witness to literal shake downs.  My sentiments are usually on the other side of the fence but I know the smell of ripe fish for sure and this stinks ... ripe for abuse.

I have worn a helmet since first purchase in like ... 1999 or so.

This was passed for two reasons ... Any publicity is good for these quack and corrupt legislators in New Jersey and to shut the doctor up who had a daughter killed a long time ago.

Any other state I would not doubt the intentions .... OK, New York is suspect too .. but here, it is all crooked or feelgood.

Let me give you an example of reality.  We have lots of laws and I got dumped into a particular segment and after issuing a damned good number of serious violations there was NEVER any action or fine .. not even a hearing or wrist slap.  I just got off the phone with a retired friend who headed a group .. same thing, a lot of intro press and in ten years not a single sanction.  But it kept a bunch of people employed on computers "monitoring the situation".  Gag me.

Bill, sorry for the confusion.  I remember the original incident (fatality), and then the constant pressure by the parent (a doctor?).

My favorite hill up there was "Sno Bowl at Milton" ... I like quiet places and except for the terrain I actually liked Hidden Valley.  MC was too busy, busy.

What happened to Vlad from MC?

Let's not forget that NJ has one other area. 

I had to check but Campgaw still has a web site anyway but they were open and shut and then again and ...

One time I was actually asked to remove my helmet to prove I was who I was.  Which is ... 

I had a group of Orthodox Jewish students, very Orthodox with the boys (young men), long black coats and such.  I looked up to see an old fellow running towards us.  The old Rabbi made me take off my helmet to show him that indeed my hair was white since males can only be instructed by older males.

He wasn't a moyle but the tip was big.  ..

and it was, he was quite generous for taking good care.

Start adding it up if it is enforced.

Bill I can almost guarantee that a Bergen County Sheriff will have one officer on duty (at Campgaw), since it is a county area.  Give it into the second year.

Sno over in Scranton used to have 5 or 6 officers on each weekend just to watch the bar.  Not kidding and I was pissed because someone tried to destroy a locked ski rack to get to my skis like 50' away while they were shooting the breeze ... not drinking on duty but at the bar.

Morrison makes a point also, what would they do to make young people prove their age?  I can see lift lines being stopped while some struggle for ID or do you check in the ticket line.

Actually ..... that, is the remedy!  Thanks Morrison.   For every discounted kiddie ticket they sell ... especially because they like to act 16 to get the discount and yeah my kid was doing it and would never carry an ID at the area .. hmmmmmmm?