Injury at Skyway

t_twotone · #1 08-21-2007, 06:18 PM

Everybody seems to like Randy, but if the Skyway is not a place for beginners to kite, lessons should not be taught there. It's only going to embolden them to kite there. Instructors should tell thier students not to kite there until they can consistently go upwind. Which usually takes a season so they will naturally be experienced in many aspects of kiting by then. They should tell them not to learn jumping there, because it's way too dangerous and they may get us banned. Usually a newbie is gonna be apprehensive and a couple of concerned words this may not be the time and place for their skill level will be heeded, especially if you redirect them to East Beach.

"Before I approach him, I usually look for 2 other kiters that I believe have the same thought process as myself and ask them to help with the "safety speech" to persuade the rider not to ride, to take lessons, (whatever that scenario holds)."

The herd mentality will go a long way to discourage most newbies

TampaBay Noob · #2 08-21-2007, 06:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by t_twotone

Everybody seems to like Randy, but if the Skyway is not a place for beginners to kite, lessons should not be taught there. It's only going to embolden them to kite there.

Yep. Problem is Randy won't receive nearly as much traffic stationing himself anywhere else other than the skyway, which means......less income. That's the reason these problems will continue to occur. Noobs make mistakes. It's part of the learning process. Let's not get it twisted...upon completion of lessons, one is still considered a noob. Randy encourages something that is unsafe, so the problem will persist.

#3 08-21-2007, 07:33 PM

Just want to say, I definitely think Randy is one of the nicest guys out there...

..but I agree that the skyway is not a great place for doing lessons.

HOWEVER... if forced to choose between a beach full of kids and parents, and the skyway full of just kiteboarders, I would choose the skyway.

Teaching at a crowded beach is one of the WORST place you could teach, period. Worse than that would be a parking lot.