The Pinkbike Podcast: Randomonium - Paragliding, Chairlift Riding, DH Bikes, & AI

 Honest question: where have you experienced this? Been riding lifts all over N.America & fair part of Europe for 40 years, and never encountered a resort that where bars aren't optional.

 @DustOnCrust: Austria - have bars that automatically lower AND lock. Serfaus Fiss Ladis, Kitzbuhel, Zell am See just off the top of my head.

 @boater-rich: must be a newer development I didn't experience when I skied Kitz & Zell in 90s. I find the impulse to lock people down utterly hilarious actually: here in California, where we have more lawyers per capita than anywhere on earth, no one thinks to reduce exposure by locking skiers & riders down against their will, but in Austria, where descending on bulletproof snow at 90mph is the national past-time, it's uphill safety at all costs! Thanks, that made my day.

 Is this a regional thing? I've been skiing/snowboarding for ~30 years, mostly in CA but w/ occasional trips elsewhere (UT/CO/Europe/Whistler) and almost always put the bar down. I've never heard anyone complain about it. I like having a perch to rest my board on rather than having it hang uncomfortably off my foot for the duration of the chair ride. On chairs w/o a foot-rest, it's still nice to have something to lean on.

Haven't done enough lift-served park riding, to say whether the attitude is different amongst mountain bikers.

 On a pow day when I'm shredding hard my feet are SCREAMING at me by the time I get back on the lift, despite having well-fitted boots I still crank them down for high-consequence lines. The little footrest bar is crucial to give them a rest on the way back up. It's also easier to pull beers out of your pockets when you can lean on the bar

 I don't put the bar down. I'm not worried about falling out. I'm afraid of heights and I'm still not worried about it. If someone else jumps on the lift with me and they want it down, then whatever. It doesn't hurt me either way. Just not a concern in the least. I don't do show sports though.

 @SoCalTrev: having skied better part of US & Europe over last 40 years, most skiers expect parents w/ young kids and snowboarders to want bar down (because one leg) and the only time I've ever complained is when some Jerry yanks the bar into the back of my skull without warning (note to newbies: anyone over 6ft tall *will* get hit in the head if you don't let them know the bar is coming so they can lean back & avoid it). At resorts that have footrests attached to bars, most two-plankers don't mind resting their legs with you, even if it isn't a pressing need like it is for you with one boot out. As for safety, I'll pull down the bar if it is crazy windy, particularly on an old-school chair that is routed more than 60ft off the ground. I have yet to be injured by falling from a lift, or even getting on or off, but I've had more nasty blows to the head from the "safety" bar than I can count (yes I wear a helmet, & no it doesn't need more scuffs or dings due to poor communication). No one cares about signaling how cool, tough, or captain-safety you are by wanting bar up or down: just exercise common sense/courtesy & let people know if it is coming down!

 AI got him

 @slowandcontrolled: at least it wasnt a ufo

 Humans: Is there a god?
AI: There is now.

 I’m going to state the obvious. The chair is high enough off the ground that a fall would be bad.

Kinda like sitting in chairs in a car and not wearing seatbelts.

 I upvoted this. Don't tell me what to do.