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Toby wrote:the problem is the lack of education towards danger.
For most schools it is more important to get the people going then them being safe.
Courses should be longer and have more education about safety and weather.
Using the quick release should be first thing to learn, not flying the kite and the wind window stuff.
Do you know how many people launch and land their kite with a board in their hand?
I would say 80% ! That is insane!
Why didn't I get hurt yet launching totally powered? Because I pay attention to distance, no obstacles close by, my hand on the release during landing and launching.
One hand in the center for slowly steering (yes, even with an 18 trimmed slow!).
Just always be prepared for a problem so you can anticipate it and be safe.
Don't just throw up the kite and "I can handle it".
Be safe!!!
1. For most schools it is more important to get the people going then them being safe.
TRUE. But if a business is going to stay reasonably solvent, it must provide a service that is DESIRED and prospects
DON'T WANT SAFETY INSTRUCTION. They don't even want to learn about the equipment.
I don't even think the extra cost of the time consuming safety instruction is even the main reason.
Besides the fact that people are so dumbed down that it is HARD for them to THINK, they have
learned to IGNORE anything that interferes with what they WANT to believe. They WANT to believe that it's EASY and safe and it requires THOUGHT for them to critically analyze the many facts involved. It is much less WORK to simply BELIEVE the endless industry propaganda, especially when experienced kiters do actually make it LOOK easy and safe (the rare prospect that actually SEES an accident, tends to no longer BE a prospect). Throw in the "monkey-see, monkey-do" tendency, and it's easy to understand why
80%+ launch and land their kite with a board in their hand. However, I'll call it like it is -
it is not "insane" - it is just plain STUPID.
Just always be prepared for a problem so you can anticipate it and be safe.
CORRECT. Unfortunately, it requires THOUGHT. HOPING that they can "just throw up the kite and "I can handle it".", requires NO THOUGHT and
USUALLY works (at least until it DOESN'T).
There is so much idiot stuff going on that I rarely say anything anymore but yesterday I saw 2 out of 4 kiters launch their kites without having a leash attached - within 10' upwind of a 2'concrete wall, which is between a bike path with people and pets, which is between a parking lot with concrete curbs and light posts, which is between a chain link fence etc. Also downwind are a 2ft high fence made of 1/2" upright metal posts guiding a steel cable, many head-sized rocks and several 3-4ft hurricane fences. Furthermore, the beach was 300ft+ wide and the m0r0ns could have had AT LEAST 100' buffer AND ALL of them launched TOWARDS the obstacles instead of the less dangerous water.
At any rate, when I saw one of the 4
didn't HAVE a kite leash, I couldn't resist asking him if he had one. Since I was just in shorts and he wasn't sure if I was a kiter, he pointed to his red line attachment at the CL and said that was his leash. When I then asked him if he knew what the purpose of a leash was, he said he didn't want to argue and walked away. Incidentally, there are surfers downwind, the beach is popular with non-kiters (especially dog owners) and further downwind is a wall of jagged rip-rap (big rocks), and on the other side is another parking lot and about 1/4 mile a busy pier.
Richard M.
Malibu Kitesurfing - since 2002
(310) - 430 - KITE (5483)
http://www.MalibuKitesurfing.NET
kfRichard@MalibuKitesurfing.NET