Serious Incident

[Clew In]

Hey,

I have not had any problems; however, since I have started kiteboarding last summer it seems every time I go to an open section of beach people love to gather downwind of me. I hate it and I try to get away from them. I always have people want to help me launch that have no idea what kiteboarding is.

I do not know what you can do and if the wind is light it adds to the potential trouble. Maybe general beach information for people to stay clear and unless you are being slammed into a building or highway do not help or touch any part of the kite.

Clew In

[ckramer]

yes it is true there is always someone that keeps coming closer to have a look, either idiots or the dangers are not quite obvious. I always advise people watching to ove upwind but sometimes they just won't listen, 5km beach they just want to sit and chat just below you.

[RickI]

This has been a problem for many years, people will gravitate to the downwind impact area. Not sure why, could be from racial memories of large traction kites?! Anyway, the burden has always been on us to be as tactful as we can to try to keep the bystanders in an upwind area or far enough away. The more bystanders we can leave with positive impressions about our sport the better off we'll be. These people if regulars may even do some traffic control for you in the future. On the other hand annoying, telling off or clothes lining may motivate them in directions we wouldn't like.

Signs at designated launches can be used to try to educate bystanders. If there are lifeguards with jurisdiction of your designated launch they may help with crowd control, happens sometimes anyway.

IF you see a 78 year old lady walking to help you relaunch your kite anticipate this and as effectively and tactfully as you can head her off. You may need to repeat this because people just want to help, even if they are actually doing the opposite. Again, this issue has been around probably since the start of our sport.

[Dolphin]

This is the best you could do, afflatus? To act like an opponent in the discussion? How would you react if the little boy was your child? After such a shock the kid will never feel safe on the beach.

I have heard about a similar incident a few years ago. The kiter lost control when trying to get out from water through a small beach with people and one of the lines caught a little child, that was playing in the sand, by the neck. The scared father fortunately set him free soon but could not do anything to calm the baby. It was scared to death.

None of the kiters wants to hurt anyone but you never know what can go wrong. Please, do not fight. Just try to find the best ways to ensure safety for swimmers and kiters.

[Tom183]

In peak season when there are people everywhere, I will take a lot more time checking everything before launch. If I'm not highly confident that the launch will be flawless, then I'll check again. I encourage others to do the same, and if I can help them in any way, I do.

If the wind isn't stable, I won't launch - I don't need a kite in the air to tell me when the wind is bad. Nobody should. Unfortunately, some guys insist on going out, no matter how shitty the riding will be.

We try to remind everyone that 1 ride on a marginal day with crowds of people around is NOT worth risking everyone's access for the entire year (or longer). Overall, it's starting to sink in, but a lot of guys are still very selfish on this score...

[afflatus]

I think we all could do better...

To question the ambiguous is a start.

regards

That visionary Sven once quipped, "the silence says much"

This is the best you could do, afflatus? To act like an opponent in the discussion? How would you react if the little boy was your child? After such a shock the kid will never feel safe on the beach.

I have heard about a similar incident a few years ago. The kiter lost control when trying to get out from water through a small beach with people and one of the lines caught a little child, that was playing in the sand, by the neck. The scared father fortunately set him free soon but could not do anything to calm the baby. It was scared to death.

None of the kiters wants to hurt anyone but you never know what can go wrong. Please, do not fight. Just try to find the best ways to ensure safety for swimmers and kiters.

[nab1000]

have had a couple accounts up here in the mid atlantic.

... kite lulled back picked up umbrella.
Kiters spraying surfers on purpose
but mostly just people that arnt great jumpers, jumping close to the beach and having their kites lull back and almost hook someone

First we usually have an "effective" talk with this person, then if the persone doesnt listen and does it again, then we ban them from our beach.

have 1-3 launches (depending on how big your area is) is the key to controlling this. If everyone is in one spot than its policed well. Also the cluster of kites will deture others down the beach from launching down the beach.

I still say a kite group or kite mafia with good communication is the only way to do this well.