Kiteboarding Scenario #7 - Got A Kite Off EBAY, READY TO GO, Self-Teaching, To Death

[ricki]

Originally Posted by BigR

you can buy scuba tanks, hang gliders, guns and cars off ebay as you can most anything.
They are all equally dangerous in the wrong hands as well.

Common with these is some form of certification to be allowed to use these items tho' not to be able to buy and sell

True but people expect to have training (today, not always though) before using tanks, cars and hang gliders. In all of these cases with a lesser extent with cars, insurance companies forced training requirements with some industry support. Insurance companies don't seem to play much of a role in our sport yet. How to more effectively build awareness? It would be good to see more initiatives coming from the Industry, hint.


Guns are more complicated and I am glad we aren't trying to reform that area, kiting is a tall enough order.

I think we do a great job in our area with self policing those that don't have a clue.
Isn't that what it will always come down to, no matter what the Industry does?

[ricki]

All three of these "hypothetical scenarios" happened in thinly populated areas, at least with other kiters. If all kiters responded with the effectiveness at your Desoto launches this issue might be lessened. Still, the clueless may experiment on their own away from other kiters but not necessarily bystanders. Broader awareness across the board would help in addition to tuning up sensitivity at the launches. Near as I can tell, the industry as a whole has done little to effectively promote proper training. Finding "proper training" can be another challenge but that is beyond this thread.