Beware of ski thieves & snow jams

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 10, Issue 485, 11 May 1993, Page 11 (Supplement)

Beware of ski thieves & snow jams

Ohakune Police are urging skiers, and more particularly snowboarders, to be careful with their equipment in order to prevent it being stolen this ski season. According to the police, there has been a marked increase in the number of snowboard thefts and boarders are asked to take all precautions to ensure this does not continue. This includes covering up boards in cars and locking car doors, not leaving boards lying around the ski slopes and securing your place of accommodation.

These measures also apply to skiers, and they are also asked not to leave skis on roof racks at any time. Clothing and valuables, such as cameras, should be secured and not left in a heap with bags on the slopes. Mountain roads All those people who use the skifield mountain roads are reminded that they are two-way roads and, if a traffic jam should arise, drivers are asked not to queue-jump or form two lanes across the road. In past seasons when delays have occurred due to ice on the road, cars have completely blocked both up and down lanes on the Ohakune Mountain Road. These snow jams take much longer to 'unsnarl' and are potentially dangerous if emergency vehicles need to travel up or down the road. One possible trigger for people to pull out and try to pass cars stopped in

the uphill lane is when occupants take advantage of the stoppage to put on snow chains. The driver behind then pulls out to pass, thinking the front car has merely chosen an awkward place to stop. Drivers are asked to be sure they have somewhere to pull back into the lane if they pull out to pass stopped cars. "If all drivers try a little patience, everybody will get onto the slopes much faster," said a police spokesman. "In most cases delays are caused by the condition of the road and there is no point in getting irritated with other drivers."