Some info
Some info on Rick Day. Many of you have seen Damien's vid of him getting some huge air off of sand dunes in ????. In talking with Damien today at the demo, which Rick was at also, Damo mentioned that Rick was at the dune when Damien was attempting some crazy stuff. Rick also tried to do the same thing. There were some other pros at this spot that wouldn't touch it with a ten foot pole. Damo tried to talk Rick out of it as well as tell his girlfriend that he was going to get really hurt if not killed. His girlfriend replied "he is a daredevil". Upon some of Rick's attempts, he took some really bad falls down the dune. Damo and company couldn't stand to watch and didn't want to be around to see death..... So they left.
Point being, Rick will take some incredible risk with a kite. We have seen what the outcomes of his decisions are. Speaking with him today, he still seems to not take much responsibility for his actions. Like the newbies today, he kind of shrugs it off.
I am not sure where to go from here, but the next windy, crowded day on the water with Rick could be fine but could not.
I have not ridden this area for that long. Have we had any types of riders like this in the past? What has been done about it? What can we do about it? Does self regulation work?
We will all need to take the newbies under our wing and use our knowledge, experience, and skill to rescue them from a bad situation. We will need to insist more lesson time for someone that looks really shaky. We should put a little pressure on these folks that take a few hours of lessons and then try to figure out the rest on their own. It is ultimately the experiences one's that are left to pick up the mess. But what do we do about the "daredevil's" that don't see themselves as "dare-devils"?
Dennis is in a nasty situation with no easy ending to his problem. IMO Dennis got of lucky. It could have been alot worse.
Scott, you are right. The sport is blowing up....it can't be stopped. It is more fun on the water than the law allows. This sport is like buying a race car that flies and mixing new and old on a track the size of a football field.
The situation WILL only get worse not better. I think rider certification is inevitable for these populated spots. It is a big can of worms, but anyone got any better ideas? Not just anyone can show up at Sebring and ride the track. You have to join a club, sign paperwork, and prove yourself. It is a process that keeps a dangerous sport safer than without it.
Finally, I hope we don't look back after a serious injury or death and say "we could have fixed this...this could have been avoided." We all talk about self regulating the sport, but maybe it is time some serious discussion is had about our issues, our future, and maybe becoming a unified front that share the same values in keeping this sport safe for everyone....new and old alike.
It will be a tough road and already is....but anything worth doing as you know takes effort.
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