"Off track"
The Swedish Ski Association's (SSF) traffic and enjoyment rules on the trails advise against "calling someone off the trail".
Ski great Thomas Wassberg - who, among other things, signaled his progress by poking his ski pole at the skier in front during the Holmenkollen 5000 in 1987 - describes how he sees the matter:
So, it's an old custom in competition: you can shout "out of the way" to the person in front to ask for the lane if you're faster. But in recreational skiing, I don't know if you really need to do that. It's easy for there to be a little, not a disagreement, but what can you say...
Feeling a little bad?
Maybe a bad mood, yes. But it's not always, it depends on how you take it. If you're skiing slowly and you notice someone coming faster, then I think you should get off the track.
If there is a big speed difference, Wassberg still recommends that the person coming from behind should get out of the way and pass.
The importance of “thank you”
How important is it to be grateful?
You can do that. If you come from behind and someone steps off the track, you can probably afford to thank them for the help. It feels nice.
Safety distance
SSF recommends adjusting your speed to be able to stop for unforeseen obstacles. Wassberg points out that unforeseen stops, such as falls, are inevitable, but that you should choose where you take planned breaks.
He advises against stopping, for example, right on a downhill slope - stop where you are visible.
Don't ruin the tracks
Walking or running on the trail is prohibited. According to Wassberg, it is okay to tell someone who is doing so.
If it's a hard-packed surface, it doesn't matter, but the actual prepared track should not be walked or run on because it will be destroyed immediately.
Children are welcome to ski on the trail, but be aware that many sleds can damage the surface. Many ski trails allow dogs.
In that case, it should be on the smooth prepared surface that is for skating, not in the track itself.
You should also not skate in the classic ski track. If you need to cut uphill, this should also be done on the side of the classic track.
Don't litter.
Wassberg himself has noticed that people with dogs often leave dog waste in a plastic bag on the side of the trail.
It's much better to leave the dog poop as it is and just brush it aside with something, a twig or something, because it disappears into nature, but the plastic bag doesn't.
