Fatality on the Island of Sal

[sid5150]

Man, if only the guy had worn a helmet. I'm sure he'd be fine today.

Any news on who the kiter was or if he left anyone behind?


Sid sends

[sq225917]

I've said this many times and been called all sort of beach bad person and the like. but some times the best thing to do is refuse to help them, even hinder them. and if you think the conditions are too dnagerous stop him physically but politely with a group of friends.

if all else fails cut a pigtail and give him a few £$Ye to get it replaced.

[sid5150]

and if you think the conditions are too dnagerous stop him physically but politely with a group of friends.

Hey! I just found a new use for the bottle of Chloroform in my car (Besides using it to quiet kids down in department stores or ensuring that all my dates are *really* successful!)

It is certainly more polite than beating them with a locally available chunk of concrete!


Sid sends

[RickI]

This thread deals with a fatality and ideas on how to try to avoid repeating the experience. Reading this account could cause some pain among those that knew this man. Considering that it would be good to try to stay focused on ideas to avoid repetition or simply let this thread fade away. Comic relief has its place, I just don't believe it is here.

Demeaning reasonable precautions may well deter some readers from taking adequate care. That is not something that I would like to be responsible for but that is just my view. There is a man in Miami who might have been spared a several month coma IF he had been wearing a helmet, used distance, etc. Unfortunately, these views weren't all that popular at that time and to some degree still aren't. As a result there will likely be more avoidable similar accidents until people start to take some of these hazards a bit more seriously. Safety really can appear to be B.S. until the hazards come up close and personal. A collision with reality , yours or that of a friend, can really change your viewpoint overnight.

No need to respond to this aside. It would be better to refocus on the subject at hand, a fatality and how to try to avoid more serious injuries.

[lutchi]

My appologies I was the starter.

My point of view was that unfortenly our comunity will see more things lik that if we don't take security for us and to the others riders with us that we know or not in consideration.

My appologies again to all, that knew the person and also to his family.


Since some months ago I passed to use always a helmet

Carlos Carvalheira

[RickI]

My appologies I was the starter.

My point of view was that unfortenly our comunity will see more things lik that if we don't take security for us and to the others riders with us that we know or not in consideration.

My appologies again to all, that knew the person and also to his family.


Since some months ago I passed to use always a helmet

Carlos Carvalheira

Hello Carlos,

I see no need for your apology as your comments dealt constructively with trying to resolve the question of improving rider safety. Thanks for your expression of sympathy all the same. I apologize to the family and friends of the man critically injured on Sal for bringing this up and in such a public way. Still if riders don't learn of these things they may yet be drawn into the same accidents again in the future.

It is good to hear about your use of a helmet. They aren't magic and won't protect you from some impacts but they can help. I heard about a serious head/torso impact on another forum thanks to a referral from Tom:

"my own fault,kite to big 10mtr,gusting 35-38knts,hightide- so not a lot of beach left,when the kite was first launched i lost 40ft of safe beach,should of pulled the pin then,but no i got the board on,took my eye off the kite which drifted over to 10.pulled the bar to correct and up i went,travelling at speed towards the sea wall board on feet,tried to crash on the sand resulting in a head first wall impact,bouncearound then head first again-result, open 2 bone ankle fracture torn ligaments,4 hours surgery,6 months off the water,could have been flowers at a grave but for 3 things-my hetmet-my crash jacket-and dave who was there to cut the lines before i flew over the houses,(i had a knife in my harness)lessons learned-better to go out slightly underpowered in silly wind,much more saftey margin req in silly winds,helmets are a must,impact vests a must(im black & blue on the unprotected bits) carry a knife,have a kiteing buddy close by."

From: http://www.flexifoil.com/community/foru ... ge=1&pp=15

Two head first impacts but thanks to a bit of luck, a helmet, impact vest and some bystander help he made it through what easily could have been a terminal accident all be it with serious injuries. I hope to research this accident further and write a KSI account about it.

[Mickey mouse]

My condolences to this persons family and friend.

Second I think there is something strange about this case: how did the person end up on the rocks when the wind was side off? wouldn't he be pulled out to sea? Unless he ditched the kite and got washed really bad. Anyway I hope we'll get some more details on this unfortunate accident.