by NoCleverName » Wed Dec 04, 2013 9:55 pm
What's even more pathetic is the comments under the vid that indicate there's nothing at all wrong with this way to learn. As if crashing into rocks --- or other skiers --- is perfectly acceptable. Maybe even a rite of passage. I've seen this even on the gentlest of teaching slopes: it usually results in a collision with someone else (fortunately slow). Roughly 1/3 of adults getting on their first real green will go uncontrollable right off the bat.
I do remember when I first started out (at age 35, mind you) I was exactly in the same position a couple of times. I can testify that having the wedge "in your bag of skills" as TTS would have it, is not an effective means to bleed off speed if you get going even a little quick. So why bother to teach something that won't work? Worse, because it's the FIRST thing you'll learn, it'll be your automatic "fallback". Sure, I can see teaching it as the "liftline maneuvering" skill. Braking wedge: it's only purpose is to stop in confined space at low speeds.