ATTENTION KITESURFERS-Warning from Pinellas County Surfers

There are definitely more surfers, it's a pretty obvious no brainer.
Just looking at how many surf shops and how much business they get will tell you that. They may not ride every day, but it's not even close. They have a big voice.

Skills testing etc. is a waste of time in terms of this particular problem.
Let's get real. Do you think this is being done by noobs that couldn't pass a skills test? I am totally at a loss as to how kiting skills relate to common sense and courtesy anyway? There is no connection.
I don't make these comments as an attack on you Toby, but they are made as opinions directly against yours.
It doesn't matter in the end, this is useless forum chatter, truly useless.

Yesterday was only one day and focussing on who it was seems silly.
I have seen plenty of days where 20 guys (all at once or at different times in smaller groups) screamed down the coastline for 15 miles, the whole way coming close to shore doing tricks very close (you were there on one day Toby to see). As a community, complaining on the forum but just watching the days it happens is like talking about a fire that burnt down your neighbor's house the day before while you sat and watched it that day.
The big difference here is that your neighbor didn't care at the time and the whole neighborhood didn't care either, as they were roasting twinkies on the house's flames. That's how it feels around here for the last 8 months or so, and the major reason I and many others totally gave up on trying to stop it.

Majority rules and the majority has been saying for quite some time (not just yesterday)--- "Burn baby burn. Let's just burn this house down".
I personally can't relate to knowingly burning down your house (of riding), but it's impossible to stop it when so many seem dedicated to the cause.

This was a just another useless forum rant. Useless meetings, useless everything.
This stuff comes from within. People either have respect for the community (of kiters and larger community) or they don't.
We have plenty of riders who have none. That can't be overcome. Sorry to be such a downer, but it's a fact.

[BigR]

Scott wrote

There are definitely more surfers, it's a pretty obvious no brainer.
Just looking at how many surf shops and how much business they get will tell you that. They may not ride every day, but it's not even close.

Skills testing etc. is a waste of time in terms of this particular problem.
Let's get real. Do you this is being done by noobs that couldn't pass a skills test? I am totally lost as to how kiting skills relate to common sense and courtesy anyway? There is no connection.
I don't make these comments as an attack on you Toby, but they are made as opinions directly against yours. The only system that would ever work is for everyone to put a HUGE number on all their kites so that other people, including cops, could note which riders were continually doing the same actions. It's pretty much always the same people. Good luck with that one. I don't want to waste a perfectly good kite with a stupid number stencil, although I would.
It doesn't matter in the end, this is useless forum chatter, truly useless.

Yesterday was only one day. I have seen plenty of days where 20 guys (all at once or at different times in smaller groups) screamed down the coastline for 15 miles, the whole way coming close to shore doing tricks very close (you were there and one day Toby). As a community, complaining on the forum but just watching the days it happens is like talking about a fire that burnt down your neighbor's house the day before while you sat and watched.
The big difference here is that your neighbor didn't care at the time and the whole neighborhood didn't care either, as they were roasting twinkies on the house's flames. That's how it feels around here and the major frustration (and why I gave up totally) on trying to stop it.

Majority rules, and the majority has been saying for quite some time (not just yesterday)--- "Burn baby burn. Let's just burn this house down".
I personally can't relate to knowing burning down your house (of riding), but it's impossible to stop it when so many seemed dedicated to the cause.

This was a useless forum rant.

Totally agree

skills testing
signs
tags
talking
forums

none of these will work apparently. nothing will change the people that refuse to listen to common sense

like the song says "Second chances they don't never matter, people never change"

Originally Posted by toby wilson

As for numbers in Pinellas I'd have to say Kiteboarders Rick. The west coast isn't anything like the east coast for waves....

We are far outnumbered by surfers.

I've been surfing here for 20 years. Kiteboarding didn't even exist then.

Speaking of which check out my new board she's a beauty:

[Steve-O]

For those that can't imagine good waves in the Gulf, check out this link.

Lets not forget 2 of the best surfers in the world, Cory and Shea Lopez were born and raised right here on IRB. Cory kills it on a world wide stage.

And the best surfer to ever live and considered one of the world's best athlete's ever hails from Florida. Kelly Slater!!!!! He has won the World title so many times I have lost count. 9X???

http://gulfster.com/Pictures.html