What do these places have in common?
CALIFORNIA
ENGLAND
WALES
ITALY
SPAIN
CAPE COD
and on and on ...
RECENT KITEBOARDING BANS
Try to work some change or plan on giving up your access to ride in quite a few areas.
Bans at more densely populated beaches are on the rise all over the world. Crowds and kites generally don't mix well. Add new or incautious, careless riders and things go from bad to worse. So what to do, a couple ideas follow:
1. Nothing or try ineffective measures and wait for the AUTHORITIES TO SHUT YOU OUT.
THIS APPEARS TO BE THE PREDOMINANT APPROACH IN MANY AREAS TODAY.
2. Negotiate with the authorities for designated launch areas.
Try to get one or more areas at least 300 ft. or 100 m wide (doubling this or MORE is vastly better), marked with signs to alert bystanders as to what goes on there. Prepare kiteboarding guidelines and circulate them widely through your kiteboarding association, if you don't have one, start one. Have riders launch and get out far enough from shore (100 m?) and STAY OUT until time to land. Give kiteboarding orientations to local lifeguards, rangers and city officials. They will better understand us and will have more of an idea on how to rescue riders that need it. Here is a big one, get a few of these guys hooked on kiteboarding and you will have some major allies where it counts!
Ideas on these subjects appear at:
phpbb/viewforum.php?f=96
phpbb/viewtopic.php?t=11313
phpbb/viewtopic.php?t=3881
Try to negotiate with the authorities to have them enforce the guidelines or rules, that way the kite cops will not be volunteers. Try to get several of the local leading riders onboard with this concept. Self policing is still likely to be necessary. Avoid peak crowding periods if necessary with time and/or day restrictions. Have designated areas for new kiters where downwind runs should be feasible while avoiding bathers and bystanders.
WE CAN ACT FOR BEST EFFECT OR CONTINUE TO WATCH OUR ACCESS BE TAKEN AWAY. IF WE CONTINUE TO DO NOTHING OR BE INEFFECTUAL, WE ARE GOING TO CONTINUE TO LOSE.