It should snow again and again at the weekend in Vienna. Time to get the toboggan out of the cellar. Because the winters in Vienna are getting warmer and warmer, the opportunities for tobogganing are few and far between. Sledging is a pleasant change, especially for families in lockdown – because even the most creative parents are slowly running out of ideas.
Large amounts of snow are not to be expected this weekend either. “There could be a small blanket of snow of up to two centimeters”, predicts Sabrina Marth from the Central Institute for Meteorology and Geodynamics (ZAMG) when asked by the “Wiener Zeitung”. Until Sunday it should “snow lightly”, the meteorologist reckons with “unproductive amounts of snow”.
TÜV-tested toboggan runs:
Prater-Jesuitenwiese in the 2nd district (with snow-making system and floodlights), Stadtpark (children’s park) and Swiss garden in the 3rd district, Alois-Drasche-Park in the 4th district, Einsiedlerpark in the 5th district, Alfred Grünwald Park in the 6th district , Arne-Carlsson-Park in the 9th district, Kurpark Oberlaa (Parkmitte) in the 10th district, Luise-Montag-Park in the 11th district An den Eisteichen opposite number 22 in the 12th district of Roter Berg (between Heinz-Nittel-Weg and Nothartgasse) in the 13th district Pötzleinsdorfer Schloßpark in the 18th district Floridsdorfer Wasserpark / An der Oberen Alten Donau opposite number 23 in the 21st district Donaupark / Kaffeehausberg in the 22nd district Vienna (with snow-making equipment – the toboggan run is currently closed due to construction work) Fridtjof-Nansen -Park in the 23rd district
Insider tips:
Hohe Wand Wiese in the 14th district of Satzberg and Dehnepark in the 14th district of Gallitzinberg-Steinbruchwiese in the 16th district (Ottakringer Wald) Himmelhof in the 13th district (steep route) the Wolfersberg in the 14th district (almost 1.5 kilometers long toboggan run) Schafberg in the 17th district the toboggan run at Cobenzl and Hugo-Wolf-Park in the 19th district toboggan slopes in Auer-Welsbach-Park in the 15th district Pappelteich, Gießhübel or (if there is enough snow) Schwenkgasse in the 12th district
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Could more snow remain in the west of the city, where, for example, in the 14th district you can toboggan particularly well on the Steinhof grounds or the Hohe Wand Wiese? “Typically there is more snow at higher altitudes,” explains Marth, but this weekend the meteorologist is expecting “strongly varying, small-scale showers” that could also be found in the inner city. “It will be very cold with permafrost, we will certainly not see any higher temperatures at the weekend,” says Marth.
Snowmaking system
in the Prater
That sounds good to toboggan fans, and as soon as it is minus 3 degrees or less for three days, the snow-making system in the Prater could even be put into operation – which was only the case this winter. The meteorologist doubts that the cold will really remain constant in this low range.
Whether in Oberlaa, on the Roten Berg or in parks: in Vienna you can toboggan in many places, and the toboggan runs in the city of Vienna are even TÜV-tested (see box). But be careful: every year in Austria more than 2,200 people are injured in sledding accidents, and the pandemic is another reason why the risk of accidents should be kept as low as possible. The Kuratorium für Verkehrssicherheit (KfV) cannot say how many people get injured in Vienna each year, as most Viennese get injured in the surrounding area. Across Austria, five people died last winter as a result of tobogganing accidents. Because even at low speeds you can suffer serious injuries while tobogganing without a helmet. This is the result of a computer-simulated crash test that Graz University of Technology published together with KfV at the beginning of this year’s winter season.
The researchers from KfV and the Institute for Vehicle Safety at TU Graz used computer simulations to investigate which measures can reduce the risk of injury when tobogganing. Without a helmet, head injuries in collisions can be fatal even at low speeds. The simulations show that children who toboggan without helmets are at a considerable risk of severe head injuries from around 10 km / h. From a speed of around 20 km / h there is an increased risk of rib and thigh fractures. “The studies show that a helmet significantly reduces the risk of head injuries – regardless of the speed and regardless of whether the person hits an obstacle from the front or from the side,” explains Stefan Smit, researcher at the Institute for Vehicle Safety.
Wear a helmet,
keep distance
If the child sits in front, there is also a risk of injury to the thorax and thighs: In the simulations, the child was literally pushed into the tree by the adult sitting behind it. The impact on the tree is critical for the head alone. However, the adult’s weight puts additional strain on the thorax and thighs.
If the child is sitting at the back, the adult’s back has additional impact protection for the head, which is why the experts recommend this seating arrangement in addition to wearing a helmet. And of course it is important to keep the distance rules to people from other households.
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