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-   -   Rickenbacker BANNED (http://www.fksa.org/showthread.php?t=10253)

ricki 12-17-2010 10:45 AM

Rickenbacker BANNED
 
This just in:

"Just got the very bad news from top management of the Rickenbacher Causeway... They are banning kitesurfing at the causeway. The manager went to the CSWY the last 2 windy days and was horrified by riders actions. He said that he has had enough and didn't appreciate the lack of respect that he was shown."


Thanks guys, thanks a great deal for shutting down a unique spot in much of SE Florida. When do the idiots among us figure out, that we need to use common sense and courtesy if we are going to be able to kite. Given the amount of effort and VERY little it would take to keep access open here, I am disgusted with the indifference and stupidity of some riders.

Unimog Bob 12-17-2010 10:55 AM

Sorry to hear that Rick. Thing is, idiots will always be idiots. Selfish, self absorbed people will always be that way as well. No amount of communication can change a self absorbed person's view of the world. They tend to always believe it revolves around their "rights". It's unfortunate, but I am convinced of this.

I only wish that somehow the self absorbed people that are willing to risk spots may be subject to pay some type of personal penalty or suffer a personal ban, as opposed to having all of us penalized or banned for their risk taking (in this case all riders at that spot). It only seems reasonable. To me, it's beyond selfish to put others' freedoms at risk. If someone wants to risk their own life, freedoms, limbs - that's always been fine by me. Go for it, pay the possible price. But knowingly risking others' rights, limbs, freedoms is truly lame.
Again, sincerely sorry to hear this news.

cabdriver 12-17-2010 11:05 AM

CONFIRMED: I spoke to Jimmy Martincak from Miami Dade County and he indicated that he is moving forward with the county attorneys to institute the ban officially. We have had many chances at this location and the behavior of many individuals, including those that make their livelihood locally from instruction, was absolutely disgusting over the last two to three weeks at Hobie Beach.

There are only two rules at Hobie and neither were followed:
1/ No riding inside the buoys except during ingress and egress
2/ No teaching

I only wish the Causeway Authority would have bared their teeth and slapped the instructors with a massive fine for operating a business on the right-of-way without a permit or concession. At the end of the day, this is what ultimately did us in. With kitesurfing, it's monkey see monkey do; when instructors break the rules, riders follow the leader (even if they are an idiot) and break the rules as well.

BigR 12-17-2010 11:18 AM

May the instructors breakout in a lifetime case of chickenPOX!!!!!!!!!!

GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!

kent 12-17-2010 11:27 AM

The manager went on to say that he knows that it's just a few bad apples, but that the hassle just isn't worth it. Everyone get's all bent out when someone gets called out ont the forum for teaching there or riding too close, etc.. If you dig up old threads with all of the admonishment of these guys and this behavior, you will see that it's still the same guys.

I'm sure the Rick, Todd, Ovideo, and myself will be able to schedule a meeting with causeway management, etc... but in the end it really doesn't matter because you can't fix stupid and because I know that no one else helps to enforce basic agreed upon guidelines for the venue. All that Jimmy asked at the last meeting was that we try to self police. It was a tall order because we all continually tollerate the behavior.

Think back to Sunday and visualize the guys you saw teaching and riding on the inside. These are the guys 100% responsible for the closure. If there is any doubt, call the causeway director and ask him. Also ask him who the idiot was that decided to argue with the authorities when he was asked to stop teaching and/or leave... The straw the broke the camels back...

kent 12-17-2010 11:35 AM

Here is something from 2008 on the same subject... same guys, same beach, same problem... can't say we didn't know about it...

Quote:

Originally Posted by cabdriver (Post 34820)
I just received 2nd hand word that Miami Dade County is already working on the signs to post at Hobie Beach to ban kiting. Apparently, this is in response to lessons being taught there. In order to operate a business at Hobie, and therefore teach a lesson, the operator must have a concession with the County. I guess that none have a concession? Since it's too dificult to distinguish between the schools and regular riders, the County would rather eliminate the whole thing.

What's worse, users of Hobie Beach (you know, the beer gut folks breaking bottles in the parking lot and blaring music out of their cars all day) have actually complained about US!! Unbelievable!! Anybody riding at Hobie should immediately change their habits to ride only on the outside of the swim bouys - stay out of the swim area whenever possible, even during launching and landing, and be vocal towards any other riders that are doing otherwise. Certainly don't even think of launching kites in the parking lot, or hanging out close to shore with you kite in the air.

This spot will surely be closed for this upcoming season otherwise. If anyone has any 1st hand information to add to this, please come forward. It's a terrible thing for any riding spot to be closed. This could spell the kiss of death on kiting in Miami.


greg meintjes 12-17-2010 12:21 PM

Sorry to hear this, I wonder if any of the culprits responsible for the ban have anything to say about this , or are they just going to move on to another spot with the same attitude.

latino 12-17-2010 12:35 PM

you all know my husband enrique and you know he is an instructor, we have been trying to make rules for years trying to keep kiteboarding going on in naples but the same thing happened just a while ago to us some moron was teaching in marco island and decided it would be ok to get mouthy with the beach patrol and guess what no more teaching in marco which really hurt our business but at the end of it the guy does not give a dame so your right there are some complete morons and i just dont understand these guys who think they can kite or teach any where they want but my word for these people is ignorant

kelly

kent 12-17-2010 01:07 PM

in fairness it is more than just a single person, it's just that fighting with authorities and upsetting businesses on the causeway by sneaking in to poach the venue really brings our group into a poor light.

there were about 50 kites on the water Sunday. 10-12 were riding in way too close and 1 repeat offender (same guy that has had multiple spats with the authorities) was teaching on the causeway. interestingly enough, he was teaching on a 12 meter kite when i was over powered on my 10 from time to time.

on a positive note, most of the other past offenders were out teaching on boats, etc. big props to these guys for stepping up to the plate to reduce pressure on spots that are being closely watched.

i'm not sure what the weekend will bring, but for darn sure now is the time to let the idiots know that we will not allow them to get our venues banned! let them know!

ricki 12-17-2010 01:24 PM

The list of easily accessible spots in Miami just became shorter. It was way too short already. Many local riders know the guys continually contributing to this problem here and elsewhere. Let's keep going hands off, what do you say, not bring any effective pressure to bear on these people.

Maybe we should start a website for knitting, hard to get banned from knitting right? That way, while we watch and in some cases help to piss away our privilege to ride through indifference we'll still have an "action" sport worthy of our efforts and concern for kiting.

Are you ok with more of this? If not, start letting these guys know, the ones that ride inside out of bounds areas, flip off authorities and generally paint kiters as irresponsible sociopathic idiots, that this sort of behavior needs to end now. Go hands off as in the past, there may well be more of the same.


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