Yeah, most videos of squished out brains are kept off of youtube out of respect for the deceased kiters family, or because they get demonetized. Makes sense to me. And ya know, the deceased's family probably is trying to move on and doesn't want to be told that thier kiter loved one wouldn't have been saved with a helmet because they would have just pushed it harder with a helmet on, or died of neck strain or whiplash.
Pointless videos
Proves that people go in too much wind with too big a kite doing stuff they should not do.
Yes, conservatism....... I'm not there yet. Betcha the Leganioux brothers aren't either. Most of us are walking a fine line between safety and danger. Ignoring the danger, and zero cost efforts you could make to mitigate it, is not "living dangerously". Nor does it bear any resemblance to playing it safe. It's just plain stupid.
I don't belive you since a few posts ago, you told me that you valued my take on things over video evidence. Therefore, it is obvious that we both hold eachother in high esteem.
Matt is not lame. I know him. Matt is the nicest guy at the launch, he would help you if you needed anything before getting himself on the water. Same goes for Fred. And trust me, whatever you need he's got it. It's all there in his little home/van. All you you helmet haters should be ashamed of yourselves, although he doesn't seem to mind your abuses. Yes Matt has severe Male Pattern Baldness and looks much better in a helmet, so let's just let that be. We won't take it personally when he shames us for not wearing our helmets. We don't trust his judgement, we have our reasons. Mid Western folk are practical. Why wouldn't you wear a helmet? There's no points for style driving a tractor around a beet farm. Cover that dome Matteo V!
Having said all that, Fred's watermelon test was enough for me. I just kited 4 hours straight in grinding Southern Hemisphere swell without one but I'm gonna find that darn thing and I'm gonna wear it. My launches all got rocks downwind. That famous Star Wars Villain guy who head butted rocks at Topanga? Yep. Dead on the scene. I never wear a helmet there, not even when I foil. I taught myself to let go of the bar instead of doing the Superman Lawn Dart, I make my own rig it's got 2 feet of throw. Beats formaldehyde in your veins. Let it go!!!
But after seeing that watermelon explode like the Ghost of Galager ...hey it can't hurt to put that helmet on. "The wind in my hair": how cliche. Now where did I put that thing?
Last edited by thekitemonster on Thu Jun 24, 2021 10:28 am, edited 1 time in total.
So u just spent 4hrs ON the water and not scared of death loop but scared of getting in and out which takes a few mins?
See? Im not scaring u of death loop, which might happen anytime in 4hrs. What u are scared of is THAT few mins, which might also happen btw, true that.
Thats like being scared of flying because of landing/launching. Sure it is the most dangerous time for a plane. But planes do explode in midflight too. And for that, helmet does not help.
Helmet, as mentioned, pushes some ppl to do stupid things. Including myself. If we all wear it, more ppl would do stupid things. The proof is everywhere. Remember, we are trying to cheat death. Not because of technology, but because of the trust. We trust our airbags, or techology. Even tho people die all the time WITH the airbags and from the technology.
This is visible in the US. Correct? U have guns, we dont. Somehow ppl here do not shoot other people. Not because they do not want to. But simply there are no guns available. Give them one, and will be like in NZ. We trust our system so in last 30y did not happen.
Give everyone a helmet, and ppl would be like invincible. No? Good luck with no. Just like good luck with the guns.
Or put a helmet on and jump off a plane with no chute. Or a melon if scared of death. it is absurd to think that helmet will save u. Usually ppl who are scared end up brain dead in the bathroom by hitting the head.
What u are also ignorant off is when a boxer hits a person, that is a blackout for the most ppl. Now, when we trip, most likely we faceplant. And that is also a blackout. This is exactly how our buddy died...
Simply put more people break necks and die with diving into the water. Or drown. Not many die by hitting a head on a public pool.
Not sure what to derive from this thread other than a recipe for watermelon lasagne from Iriejohns Mrs (That's a surprise to me that a woman even married him), but as to advice from a long termer who has always been against Helmets being mandatory for watersports, purely on a freedom of choice basis. I rode Motorcyles prior to 1967 when the law came in enforcing helmet use and we often rode without locally but chose to use them only for distance or if we were likely to be opening up. I waterski raced but only used the helmet either in training or actually racing when speeds were between 50 and 80 mph back then and you wouldn't pass scrutiny without a helmet and it had to be vented to avoid bucketing. I rarely used one windsurfing except on a tandem when racing and I do use one now kiting by choice since I did smash head first into the promenade wall without one and have slightly reduced motor skills as a result.
But after all this I still feel it should be your choice wether to or not, unless it's some form of competition and some one could get sued because of your actions to others or yourself.
Oh and if you're baldylocks you can look a tad younger in a helmet.
As a matter of accuracy the UK's "Motor Cycles (Wearing of Helmets) Regulations 1973" was put into effect that year.
Your poor memory is undoubtedly the result of smashing your head into the promenade wall so allowances should be made for you because, as you say, you can't help being a bit slow.
Well lucky I have some carers in the comunity like you, to help the aged. You are of course correct 1967 brought in that other curtailing of personal freedom, the breathalyser making it really difficult to drink whilst riding bikes something I've totally struggled to come to terms with.
As to the rest as I said I'm a firm believer in personal choice, so it should be up to y'all to make your own decision and based on your personal experiences, mine of course was compounded by the fact there were no release mechanisms, little depower, four line kites and wrist leashes. Indeed it was searching for what others were working on that bought me to this forum back in the day and folk like me put pressure on the likes of North and Slingshot to do something about making the sport less dangerous, Cabrinha lost their US importer in a similar accident the same year, 2002.
It is less dangerous these days, BUT, the wind ain't, it can still as it did in my case suddenly shift and dramatically increase in velocity so your kite goes from windows edge to dead centre of the window and off you go. If you survive the first bounce, you do at least have the release, which I would venture to suggest a helmet would increase your chances of remaining concious on the first bounce so you can react.
But whatever as with bike helmets I'd still rather be able to choose than have them forced upon me as occurred in '73 (Still didn't stop me forgetting one day last summer and riding my scrambler down the beach in a BBcap forgetfully, yep, another snr moment.)
I expect 70 % on initial purchase of magic cliff diving helmets and 10% on repeat custom for the lead, negotiable?
Do cliff divers have long and interesting careers if they don't check their local for depth and submerged hazards?
What other remote hazards may exist in a drama queen's, chicken little' or Henny Penny's universe?
For sure! moray eels, big problem? Back in the day, some cliff diving tramp I was down the mines with in outer Mongolia lost his thumb to one, couldn't activate his go pro? Wouldn't have happened with "magic helmet" let that be a lesson to you!
What is it like being a victim to decades long grooming and influences of unscrupulous for profit business practices eventually resulting in a general lack of knowledge/understanding and standards?
Would that require the knowing and the understanding that you are in fact "the victim"?
Is that likely?
Can these practices be considered as "best practices" ?
Why not?
How it is detrimental to any positive qualities the item may possess. In this case a helmet?
Can it be improved upon?
Can improvements be built on misleading attributes?
And, man, ya gotta stop with everything being a question because this is how I'm starting to read your posts...
If that don't make you self conscious, nothing will.
Are you crying out for attention big boy?
Would it be possible to be self conscious in your sphere of "influence"
Why is that?
Do cliff divers wear helmets?
Are sea urchins the real problem?
Was that an attempt at deflection?
Why is that?
Are you fixating on addressing effect rather than cause?
Do you fixate a lot?
Are you fixated on helmets and "pulling your quick release"?
Do you mention "pulling your quick release" often?
Why not the arms/hands/wrists (used primarily in shielding and higher likelihood of injury)?
Can you "function" (since the standard these days seems to be push) a QR with both arms/wrists etc broken in the unlikely event (flapping like a seal, more than 1 documented case) not limited to probability of event happening to some more than others?
Are you sending out mixed messages?
Are you confused?
Do you identify with the great character in my opinion "Stewie" from family guy?
Is the Stewie character "A highly precocious toddler, a Megalomaniacal sociopath, obsessed with violence, matricide and world domination" ?
Is he bisexual?
Is that you?
Is "pulling your quick release" a metaphor for you?
Is it something you like to do while watching crash videos?
Is there a term for this?
Do you prefer "cruising" behind a kite or kite forums?
Is that why you are here?
Is that what you mean when you say kiteforum.com is for "big boys and girls"
Do you regard yourselfas one of "big boys"? (In an ocean of about 20 users worldwide)
How's all of this working out for you?
Are you going to break free of the confined closet of decades of grooming?
Is this you taking a risk?
What is your reward?
Why do questions annoy you?
Can't answer any?
Too proud?
Not enough drama?
You are not Stewie from family guy!
All better now?
Do you need professional help?
Can you answer using only investment terminology?
Maybe in Olde English since playing Knight in all your shining armour on a crusade seems to be your "thing"?
Gauntlets, where are they?
Back in the day when I was down the mines in bolivia, gauntlets!
The risk in an open water scenario is mostly from the BOARD. If I was to get hit by the edge of my tt in the head Id rather be wearing my helmet. If you cant imagine how your board might hit your head, you have a lack of imagination.
Personally, I kite around a lot of rock wave breakers and the water often has wood in it floating around, so adding that all up, with the additional possibility of taking the board to the head, I wear a helmet.
When I travel however, often the helmet doesn’t make the cut, and I have no issue going without, and I don’t do anything different on the water. Im not here to say everyone should wear one all the time, or ever if thats what they want to do. I mean look at all the people skateboarding, biking etc etc etc without helmets. Their choice.
So u just spent 4hrs ON the water and not scared of death loop but scared of getting in and out which takes a few mins?
See? Im not scaring u of death loop, which might happen anytime in 4hrs. What u are scared of is THAT few mins, which might also happen btw, true that.
Thats like being scared of flying because of landing/launching. Sure it is the most dangerous time for a plane. But planes do explode in midflight too. And for that, helmet does not help.
Helmet, as mentioned, pushes some ppl to do stupid things. Including myself. If we all wear it, more ppl would do stupid things. The proof is everywhere. Remember, we are trying to cheat death. Not because of technology, but because of the trust. We trust our airbags, or techology. Even tho people die all the time WITH the airbags and from the technology.
This is visible in the US. Correct? U have guns, we dont. Somehow ppl here do not shoot other people. Not because they do not want to. But simply there are no guns available. Give them one, and will be like in NZ. We trust our system so in last 30y did not happen.
Give everyone a helmet, and ppl would be like invincible. No? Good luck with no. Just like good luck with the guns.
Or put a helmet on and jump off a plane with no chute. Or a melon if scared of death. it is absurd to think that helmet will save u. Usually ppl who are scared end up brain dead in the bathroom by hitting the head.
What u are also ignorant off is when a boxer hits a person, that is a blackout for the most ppl. Now, when we trip, most likely we faceplant. And that is also a blackout. This is exactly how our buddy died...
Simply put more people break necks and die with diving into the water. Or drown. Not many die by hitting a head on a public pool.
Nice theory. Smart. So the more safety measures we have, the more people will be taking risks, resulting in more accidents and injuries.
So go ahead with your theory and grab a bar from 10 years ago without a quick release. According to your theory you will be much more safer
