this guy walking across the field i was flying on today, now its understandable cause its at a park, but he stops with his little kid, maybe about a year old,

startss pointing look at the kite to his kid, now he stops and watching pretty much right under the kite, okay thats fine if the kite comes down ur kid is going to get smashed

the kite comes down, this guy walks over and starts picking it up as if hes trying to help launch it, then the wind blows the kite wraps him and he gets all tangled,

i dont get it why do people touch things thats not theirs, I should have went over and started picking up his kid too see if he liked that

Do not expect genius level survival skills from the general public.

Most would not survive a week in the wild. Sometimes avoidance is the best policy.

ATB,
Sam

Get so that you expect people to do the stupidest things you can imagne. They will.

Learn to be an ambassador for the sport. Folks really don't get it!

Watch out for dogs !

I make a point of stopping . Landing if possible away from them and waiting. If it is the sport they are interested in I point out that I can't fly if they stand where they are politlely. If they offer to help I say NO THANKS !

A couple of things I have duly noted.....!

Kids have NO peripheral vision - if they're chasing a ball or running down to the beach to the sea, they will rarely stop (or look) for a kite or buggy bearing down on them.

Folks (in general) have absolutely NO idea about kite lines....or power kites for that matter.

I guess it's up to us to go out of our way to stay out of theirs....

yep, I went out again today, kids were slowly creeping out into the field i was on, meh kids will be kids right, then more kids came I packed it up i dont mind, let the kids play :P

but I still I think I should have went and picked up that guys kid who started messin with my kite earlier, would have been an even better story!

I usually "sweep the kite" across the wind window about a foot off the ground when I see peeps headed into my space. They get the message.

Nothing like the sound of lines singing at 80mph to ward off the intruders!

noted*, i will be practicing that next time im out!

Youtube vids Sam posted are 'washed out'? Anyone else NOT seeing video when played?:puzzled:

Yeah it seems that your best approach is to give right away, be vocal if they get to close, move away, or pack if all else fails. I've began to view it that the space wasn't designed for kiting in mind, so the general public will treat you as such. Children just see a big kite flying around and get curious. They don't understand risks, and they often get too caught up in playing that they don't pay attention. There are also those Aholes who see someone doing something and are always compelled to ruin someones fun. Either way its pointless trying for reason, so its best to avoid the risk of you making bad for yourself.

Under the Some People topic:

People with dogs off leashes at beach that chase and want to bite you, kite or buggy. Some dogs just want to chase and aren't looking to attack-even friendly-but do the 'run in front of you, to cut you off approach' and risk being run over.

When you buggy by(but well away) from an owner and their big dog is pulling hard on leash toward you and would attack- and the owner is barely able to hold dog- like a powerful pitbull or doberman- from breaking away...they're already not in control and an incident may just waiting to happen.

'Some People' are the person at beach who's dog has chased after you each time you pass, keeps yelling at their dog, but still won't put dog on leash(dog is never supposed to be off leash by law.)

I like and enjoy dogs, and say let 'em run free....BUT..if your dog's not behaved or you can't control your dog...

Hey Some(dog) People! Pick up your dog waste too. Lucky I've yet to run over some I've seen.

Do you know other types of 'Some People' w/regards to your Kiting experience? (thread hijack!!!!)


'Some People' may even be another kiter?

Sounds to me like Joe public in this case was nice and well meaning, and was probably trying to help by picking up your kite. Of course they are going to stand in the wrong place, and get your kite tangled if they touch it because they have no clue how kites work, but you shouldn't let yourself get wound up over stuff like that. Just stand there and smile and they'll soon leave.

Better they are trying to help than complaining to the landowners and trying to ban you.

Oh yeah it does not bother me, but I just find it interesting some people just think they can go to other people that they dont know and mess around with their stuff,

skimt I never been on a buggy before but a dog chasing you I think that would make it a lil more interesting :P

Be very careful around dogs. They have been killed by kiters in the past and we don't look good when that happens. Even when it is the dog / owners fault.

I guess I have just been fortunate where I live that when people see me flying the kites or riding my buggies, they simply sit back and enjoy. yeah a stray pet owner here or there, but not attacked by any dogs yet.

The way I see it, it is our responsibility to watch out for ourselves and especially for the public, they have no clue. For the occasional parent or stand by that wants to help you get your kite back in the air, they are interested, they just don't know it. If someone wants to give you a hand getting your kite back in the air, take a second show them what to do, where to stand, and how to do it safely . You may get a new fly partner.

Anytime anyone comes out to watch and ask to check it out, I will do my best to ablige. Teaching the public so that we can all get along is how we keep our spaces to ride and fly! Sometimes it opens new places!

Just as some of us asked you about your skating abilities, some are not knowledgeable on the topic of kites, mainly 4-line kites. Most everyone has some knowledge about 2-liners and how they are not easy to relaunch.

Smile and take it with a grain of salt, parks and fields are not setup, designed, to accommodate kite flying of any type. Only a few places have been set up with kites in mind, but always with the family picnickers also.

We are the odd balls and the ones that don't belong so to say. Murphy said it best, if there is any possibility of it happening, you better believe it will. That's part of his Law.
We are not immune to the on-slot of stupidity, I think about the car race to the top of Pikes Peak one year when a guy wanted a better picture of his friends run to the top, when he ran out in front of him on the coarse to get the picture and was hit and killed by his friend who was doing 60mph at the time of impact.

We all have some good storys of those who ended our day of kite flying. Smile and live to kite another day, no matter how much you want to kill something.

EDIT- just got done talking to a guy and I realized that this sport is basically 20 years old. We understand and talk like it has been forever, when in real time this is a new sport and there are people who are just now finding out about it.
"You been power kiting for how long? I never heard of it before. Whats it cost..., How do I..., Where can I..." Any of this sound familiar? I am one of those who just found out a number of years ago. I'm still a newbie,

So far people try and "help" me all the time. Doesn't bother me. Had one dog try and go after our kites. Just keep the kites high and out of reach. The only dog to chase me in the buggy is my own its odd and a little scary. I would hate to hit any dog especially my own but he stays about 5 feet away and runs beside me. He has ran under the kite too I kept thinking don't crash the kite otherwise that would be awful to untangle.

My worst bystandard incidents have been 2cases of lost kids around 2-3 years old. Thought they would grab my kites.

i had a dachsund catch me up on the atb when i slowed for a family on the beach ystrday.... little guy did the next halfmile w/ me, than a quater goin back....dog didnt have much in the legs dept..... but a lot of heart