UKC

Hey all,

If I hire a guide (in Chamonix) for a particular date, what happens if the weather is bad that day? Do I still pay? Am I obliged to still attempt something more appropriate to the weather conditions?

Thanks loads,
Scotty

In reply to scottywakefield:

The great thing about hiring a guide is they know the area so well that you will always be able to do something. Often an arrangement can be made to do the route a few days later when the weather clears. If they are booked for that date then they will pass you on to a friend in their network that might be free on that date if they have prior arrangements.

In reply to scottywakefield:



How would you feel if you committed to be available for work on a given day but you only got paid if the sun shone? Does that answer the question?

In reply to Dogwatch:


Probably like you were on a zero-hours contract!

In reply to Pero:

No because in most cases someone on a zero-hours contract isn't obliged to take offered work, whereas in this case the guide has committed to guide you on a given day.

In reply to Dogwatch:


I would feel like I do whenever that happens to me - oh well.

If someone hires my services as a photographer then they don't want wet mizzly photographs of their product/holiday park/whatever. Personally, I have to suck it up and re-book.
Not saying that's what guides should have to do, just that using an argument that guides shouldn't have to since other professions don't have to doesn't necessarily hold much water.

Cheers,
Tom

In reply to Tom Last:

With respect, being a photographer is an occupation not a profession. I could decide tomorrow to advertise my services as a photographer, there's no control. I can't advertise my services as a guide because the law in Alpine countries won't let me. Hence guides, once qualified, are not exposed to the cold chill of competition as you may be and are in a position to insist that if you have booked them, they are going to get paid.

In reply to Dogwatch:

That's a fair point and more power to them - I never said I liked it

In reply to scottywakefield:

I suggest you discuss it with the guide in question before committing to anything. I think the norm would be that they find something else suitable but if you'd booked a guide for a specific route and due to the weather the only alternative they could offer was some sport climbing in the valley I would expect them to at least offer to change the date.

In reply to Dogwatch:


There's plenty of jobs like that. Self employed brickies for example

In reply to scottywakefield:

Have found most guides to be both very reasonable but also a business. Usually, if your chosen route isn't possible (for example due to deep snow) then most guides will be able to suggest something else suitable and a good day out can still be had. However, if a massive storm is passing through, most guides are happy to decide that discretion is the better part of valour. I think the key is to talk to the guide in question and discuss options.

In reply to scottywakefield:

Thanks everyone for the useful advice. As it turns out, the guide I am planning on using won't charge if bad weather stops play. I wasn't expecting that but am definitely going to use the guide in this case. If I was going to have to pay regardless of weather then I would probably would not have used a guide and just done some easier routes instead. Thanks again for everyone taking the time to comment.