It doesn't have to be risky...I've been skiing for 28 years and never had a serious injury, and I've done some gnarly stuff here and there. However, I see people skiing above their abilities all the time--people who are clearly 'out of control'. It seems like each year you hear about a race driver injuring himself on the slopes, though. These guys, though, are adrenaline junkies and always have to push the boundaries of what they're capable of. It's their own mindset that gets them in trouble. Plus, there's a LOT more variables when skiing than there are on the track. People do stupid stuff on the slopes that you couldn't get away with on the track--pulling out in front of you, etc; and off the groomed stuff, you never know what's waiting for you under the top layer of snow. Skiing balls-out when there's people around is like trying to drive a F1 car through a city full of traffic.