Classic Idiot...

[Toby]

general knowledge should forbid that spot...higher buildings and trees, not much space.. Wind can ONLY be gusty...you see it on the water.And you should have that knowledge from day one what causes wind to be gusty.

It's trees and buildings. Basic knowledge. Needs to be!

[fokiten]

Community Toby....
Thing is that does not happen automatically
Big snow in the fatherland eh?
Cheers

[RickI]

People need to know what to look for and avoid in a launch area. It is pretty straight forward, if they have a chance to think about it. We have lost way too many kiters in wind shadowed areas over the years. New tech helps but doesn't remove the hazard of excess gusts and lulls.

I will update the Shadow Blasted post with these two incidents that happened locally.

People need to read and think. It won't always happen but we can help by putting the information out there.

[juandesooka]

"Funny" ... this video has gone semi viral on those instagram kook type pages, it's the comments on those that more get me riled up. Kiters may laugh a little, because it is funny how it turned out, him wrapped around the tree ... but always with that under-current of knowing this is serious and maybe relief in seeing it turned out ok. Non-kiters have no idea what they are looking at.

What can we do? I think we maintain our commitment as a community that when we see something going wrong, we all have an obligation to get actively involved. At minimum a talking-to and explaining what's happening, but also lending a hand to ensure safe practices. Sticking around to help that noob launch, even if you have somewhere to be, and ensuring he/she has an understanding of how to land safely if there won't be anyone left on the beach. Talking them out of launching in a dangerous situation. Possibly, at the extreme, direct intervention -- we have had a few incidents years ago, where the big guy at the beach pulls the dangerous noob's exhaust valve, "sorry, with that gear and that attitude, you aren't kiting here today".

A lesson learned in the last few years is "complacency can kill". Don't assume someone else will take care of it. Don't assume your kiting colleague is safely self-rescuing until you know for sure. Don't assume they will drift in fine, wait until you see them standing on firm ground.

Take personal responsibility for your own s**t. Ensure your gear is maintained in good working order. Don't make stupid choices that put other people at risk.

Finally, when you screw up (and we all will eventually), own it. Learn from it. Help others avoid it. Then laugh at yourself with the crew after, 'cause they saved your butt and you will be saving theirs sometime soon too. We are all members of the same club.

[windrider1]

Moral of the story is just learn how to use your quick releae idiots . shit happens in kiteboarding You cant prevet things from going wrong in this sport but u can save yourself injury by learning when to use using your quick releae all other advise is secondary. U cant save a kite that drops And about to launch in the powerzone.

[Toby]

Well said Juan

[iriejohn]

posting this is a warning.

the question is, what can we do to stop things like this to happen?

Reading kiteforum should be a must

Definitely less accidents with more knowledge.

Better instructions? Ain't gonna happen...

So, what is it?

Can't be stopped, fools will be fools. Might be macho, inexperience, avoiding being called chicken, showing off to friends/family, you name it. Different shit, same smell, iyswim.

Principle is: if it looks risky to you then for you it is, so don't go.

[knotwindy]

There is no fix for this problem. Very few are capable of learning from others mistakes.

Good judgment comes from experience and a lot of experience comes from bad judgement.

[mbs]

I used to live in Miami. Hobie beach was the W wind spot until it got shut down and then
there wasn’t any good close by spot for west wind unless going by boat.
Sometimes I would make the drive (more than an hour) over to Marco island tiger tail park which was a great west wind spot. Is tigertail park no longer open for kiting? If that’s still an option, I highly suggest people in S FL make the drive to Marco if they want to kite in W wind.
Crazy to try to kite on one of those small inland lakes, that guy got what he deserved. S FL is crowded with kiters in a limited number of safe / legal spots. For any newbies in SFL, if you don’t see other people kiting in a spot, there’s a reason why, Don’t go.

I miss the warmth of Miami but gotta love often being the only one out where I live now. Completely empty wide beaches with no development in the national seashore around Pensacola. Good for any wind direction and options for gulf side with waves or sound side for flat.

[foam-n-fibre]

It's all fine and well to say "punch out" but keep in mind, in that era, on that bar, the kite did not flag onto one line. It just depowered. Yes, it's a true thing to say in most of our cases now, but for him with that gear, he would have to release the CL and the leash. Although at least if he did release he would be dangling from a leash a few feet lower!