Power Kite Forum

Dealing with bad apples.

Feyd - 7-2-2014 at 06:58 AM

Looking to tap into a the broad spectrum of kiters here to share their opinions on kite access.

Some friends and I have been discussing this lately and we know what we have done but we were wondering how others would respond if a kiter came to your kiting areas and did things that got those areas shut down to kiting.

Have any of your popular areas been shut down because of the actions of a few kiters? How would you, as a kiting community deal with the offending kiter?

Thanks in advance for your responses.

abkayak - 7-2-2014 at 08:32 AM

depends..tourists, regs or quazi reg offender?? a reg/qro needs to be dealt w/ old style
tourists...that’s a tuff one..not much you can do but work w/ authorities get some signage maybe??
fact is as this sport grows we will be our own worst enemies...its only gonna get harder to find spots

markite - 7-2-2014 at 10:15 AM

That sucks - there is always one or two that just don't care. Often it's someone that is not a regular and no respect.
I was just discussing this last night with regard to kiteboarding and one beach that is under the jurisdiction of a provincial park and a zone has been created specific for kite set up on the beach and then access to sail out through past a swim area. Of course the cottagers that are right by the kite set up are very vocal are constantly watching and video taping etc to get kiting banned.
In this situation it really has a lot to do with the kiting community coming together as one voice to talk to authorities and let them know as a group we are responsible and self policing but if a bozo shows up we whole heartedly support that person being fined for sailing in a swim area or endangering others etc. It's getting that relationship with whatever authority that did the ban to know it's not everyone and that authority then acts as an intermediary between kiters and cottage owners.
The hardest thing then is how do you deal with this one person - in the case of the beach the rangers have authority, but who do you call to punish this one person? if they can't be dealt with in some way then usually the response is if we can't control it we'll just stop it all together. That is similar to the city response to banning kite flying in some parks in areas of toronto because a handful of Afghani kite flyers were using cutting line and leaving it all over the trees and walk ways. We tried to keep kiting there but parks staff couldn't determine who was a family flying a kite in the park vs someone with cutting line so easier just to ban kiting.
Then on another level I have seen groups or friends go to "talk" to irresponsible kiters by deflating their kites and letting them know they very unwelcome unless things change.

erratic winds - 7-2-2014 at 10:24 AM

I could use some input on this as well, a local spot requires a helmet when kiting, and one old-dude on a buggy refuses to wear one.

Quote: Originally posted by Feyd  

Have any of your popular areas been shut down because of the actions of a few kiters? How would you, as a kiting community deal with the offending kiter?


Yes, one of our best spots was shut down due to the actions/behaviour of one kiter who was a poor role model & who refused to accept responsibility and pointed the finger at everyone else. I simply walked away from the situation and the kite-spot. Based mostly on the actions of Nicole@HQ & the offending kiter, the spot was re-opened to kiting but now with rules. I simply try to ride any other location, especially because when I'm there, I can't get people to abide by the rules (See above!). Nicole deserves an immense amount of praise for the work that she did, and all local kiters are in her debt.

bigkid - 7-2-2014 at 02:03 PM

one of the best ways to avoid problems is in the beginning talk to the locals, those people in charge of making the rules, the Committees of the city, the board of directors for the park, whoever is in charge of that piece of property needs to be contacted, andeducated and made aware of who you guys are phone numbers, addresses, anything that would establish your relationship with those in charge of that piece of property, that area.

at the point of making your presence known and establishing a relationship with those people so that when there are problems they can be dealt with very quickly, and very quietly.
I have met with property owners, and giving them my phone number my address and my personalpromise, and all I asked was that if there were any issues that came up please contact me before anything else and allow me to take care of it. It puts a lot of responsibility on ourselves, but it is better to get your ducks in a row now then afterwards trying to clean up somebody's mess.
I know what happened with Nicole and that park situation, as there was a group of us that we're trying to get it taken care of, and no only way that things could be opened up again for the kiters was to install some rules.

it's always easier to establish a relationship prior to the problems than it is to clean up somebody's mess after people are pissed off.

riffclown - 7-2-2014 at 03:12 PM

I'm still a visitor on a particular stretch of beach but I did approach one guy (visitor) and asked him not to ride into the dunes, He did oblige (at least as far as I could tell)

Bladerunner - 7-2-2014 at 04:34 PM

We just got access to my local bay back. It is shallow and a magnet for beginners. Unfortunately the wind is typically 8 or less kts.. This made for a lot of folks getting sent downwind and into some busy beaches. Hopefully this time around gear is better and folks will self police .

We were completely shut out by the fellow in charge of the parks board back then. 2005. He has retired and the new lady is very open to having us back. With conditions and on a trial basis. So, sometimes it has everything to do with who is in office.

Possibly what you can do about this individual is speak to the authorities and tell them that you have a rogue kiter. That you have spoken to him ( I assume this is the same character from past years ? ) and that he refuses to listen to locals requests. At least you will be on record as having reported him when you have to answer to his antics ?

ripsessionkites - 7-2-2014 at 07:00 PM

Quote: Originally posted by Bladerunner  
We just got access to my local bay back. It is shallow and a magnet for beginners. Unfortunately the wind is typically 8 or less kts.. This made for a lot of folks getting sent downwind and into some busy beaches. Hopefully this time around gear is better and folks will self police .

We were completely shut out by the fellow in charge of the parks board back then. 2005. He has retired and the new lady is very open to having us back. With conditions and on a trial basis. So, sometimes it has everything to do with who is in office.

Possibly what you can do about this individual is speak to the authorities and tell them that you have a rogue kiter. That you have spoken to him ( I assume this is the same character from past years ? ) and that he refuses to listen to locals requests. At least you will be on record as having reported him when you have to answer to his antics ?


oddly enough the son was a kiteboarder too. ill be on water when im visiting vancity again.

Bladerunner - 7-2-2014 at 07:33 PM

Quote: Originally posted by ripsessionkites  
Quote: Originally posted by Bladerunner  




oddly enough the son was a kiteboarder too. ill be on water when im visiting vancity again.


I hope I'll be out there to . Nobody has pushed me to progress like you did.

Back to the original topic.
:bigok:

erratic winds - 8-2-2014 at 08:03 AM

Quote: Originally posted by bigkid  

I know what happened with Nicole and that park situation, as there was a group of us that we're trying to get it taken care of, and no only way that things could be opened up again for the kiters was to install some rules.


What's funny, is that these rules don't seem to exist anywhere when you talk to the controlling authority or look thru the website, and the people currently in charge seem to have no idea that an agreement was reached. :(

I didn't recall that you had been a help, but I certainly can't thank you enough on the behalf of local kiters!

bigkid - 8-2-2014 at 10:33 AM

Quote: Originally posted by erratic winds  
Quote: Originally posted by bigkid  

I know what happened with Nicole and that park situation, as there was a group of us that we're trying to get it taken care of, and no only way that things could be opened up again for the kiters was to install some rules.


What's funny, is that these rules don't seem to exist anywhere when you talk to the controlling authority or look thru the website, and the people currently in charge seem to have no idea that an agreement was reached. :(

I didn't recall that you had been a help, but I certainly can't thank you enough on the behalf of local kiters!

a few of us have been helping fletch in working with the beaches in washington state when Nic told me about this place in colorado that some yahoo had caused the place to be shut down. A couple of us helped with the dealings of the decision makers in colorado to reopen the area. It was all Nic that pulled it off, we just helped out with the info and alot of encouragement. She did mention later on that it was a lot of work and she learned to work with both sides, the bureaucrats and those that dont follow rules. Glad she had the desire for the sport and was willing to put in the work to keep it going.
We are glad to help, the fact that you guys have kept the area open is for me, thanks enough.:thumbup:

one bad apple

skimtwashington - 8-2-2014 at 09:04 PM

deal with it!


matthew12 - 12-2-2014 at 11:46 PM

What is needed are a few park police to permanently evict such fools as those who caused trouble..

Kamikuza - 13-2-2014 at 12:13 AM

Quote: Originally posted by matthew12  
What is needed are a few park police to permanently evict such fools as those who caused trouble..

Too much hard work and requires resources which is another word for funding, so you get, instead, blanket rules (or retard park police) who just ban everything and kick everyone out.