So I got the "The Question" again today. This time it came from a friend who somehow didn't know what it is I do for fun. He asked about the 3-wheeled contraption hanging from the back of my car so I sent him a link to one of Todd's videos and one of Brian Holgate doing some freestyling at Ivanpah. It was a good dialog, but then it came as it so often does, "How do you keep from hitting people?"

This comes from someone who knows me. He trusts my skills and judgement and yet the question came. Is it any wonder the general public looks upon what we do with fear and trepidation?

So when you get the question try not to be as incredulous as you might feel. Just tell them you steer around the people. It's what we do. The truth might yet set us free.

Philip

Out here in the southwest we actually have a point system for hits.............

I guess the thing is to convey that since we are responsible in what we do and our safety and the safety of others is always highly important that we choose our equipment and pick our riding location such that we are always in control of our gear.
Others probably don't know we think about all that, or are able to have such control. I don't think I've ever been asked that myself.

Tell them you just hit the brakes ..... then stand back and let them look for the brakes on your buggy :smug:

Quote:

Originally posted by DAKITEZ Tell them you just hit the brakes ..... then stand back and let them look for the brakes on your buggy :smug:

LOL People ask me how I stop and I have to tell them well we put the brakes on. Then I have to explain for the next 5 minutes how the "brakes" work.

UMM for curiosity sake why is this in the for sale section.

I've never been asked if "the question" . I guess people just understand how skiing works or at least know that it works. They do ask "how do you hold an edge on ice".

When I first got involved and got my first buggy, I always found it a thrill to talk about --"What is that thing in your truck??". At the gas pumps, someone would start with that question and I'd spend pretty much the whole time filling talking about it, my wife rolling her eyes in the passenger seat, the "victim" the one who had to ask the question, looks like a deer in the headlights, or just the glazed over look thing going on.

Now though, here's how most of the conversations go:

Them - "Hey, what is that thing in your truck? "
Me - "It's a kite buggy"
Them - So --you fly up in the air with that?"
Me - "Well actu....Yup."


Or sometimes I tell them its .." a kind of a go kart..."

Don't get me wrong, I still really enjoy talking about it but after a while, I've gotten to the point I can pretty much know who will really "get it" and who won't as soon as they open their mouth. The dirty guy at the gas station holding a 40 in a paper bag--probably not gonna get it. So I smile and tell him its a go kart. Hope that doesn't sound pompous, but it is what it is. If I have time, I show them pictures or a vid on my phone -- John Holgate's "The Best Thing" is my fav explanatory vid--Thanks John!!.

I actually have a few analogs for what we do. I liken the amount of control we have to a person on a bicycle. People seem to understand that without explanation.

As for the brakes, I liken our sliding stop to a hockey stop. Most people get that even here in Florida where I don't imagine many people know how to do a hockey stop. I sure don't, but the analogy works. Everyone's seen at least video of people playing hockey and no one can deny those guys are in control.

Philip

Quote:

Originally posted by pyro22487 UMM for curiosity sake why is this in the for sale section.

Should I add a price?

Philip

I love trying to explain to people who ask, what we do. I have our Logo on the side of the truck, so I don't even have to be carrying a buggy to get the question.

With today's cell phones, it's easy to just pull up a video, most of the time the Fall WBB video that Todd made, and show them. Then explain when needed about this or that. Some get it like Chris said then some still think it takes off and flies in the air (because that's what they have seen before). At our home field, there are not many people that are in the way, so usually not a problem running into people. When the question of stopping comes up I say "I will put the kite up over head and turn upwind" or do a " sliding stop" or I will Point to my size 14 shoes and that explains it all!

the general public assumes you are just being "taken"... actual piloting/ sailing is as invisible to them as the air ....so i make it up as i go along but avoid contact in general as the wonderment is a better state to leave them in....and better for me as well

Taken, yes. To them it is a wild out-of-control ride.

Does anyone choose to do such a thing? You wouldn't live long in this sport if that was the appeal. As for me that's when I am reaching for the safety.

Phree, I think you hit the nail on the head. That explains the next question you get about how you get back to base after it drags you downwind.

I was coming up on a couple walking ahead of me, and I said, "Coming up on your left", so I wouldn't startle them. They stopped and looked, and the guy said,"pretty good, but how ya gonna get back?", I downlooped the kite and spun around and headed off in the opposite direction. He kind of looked like the 'eekdrool' smiley as I buzzed by..

Just filling the tires with air and getting gas before heading to the field seem to be the times I get "the question" the most. It actually kinda funny to see someone walk all the way from there gas pump to the other end of the building to where I fill the tires up at a air pump just to ask what is that on top of your car. It has gotten to the point that I want to put a sticker on my back window with 2 arrows pointing up saying "^ITS A KITE BUGGY^". Just saying that maybe it would stop some of the questions. It may just increase them. People would probably ask me when I don't have the buggy, Whats a kite buggy?

Ill add the price if you want. pbc

I have a PL kite stake attached to my buggy forks, I quite often get asked whats this for.

I tell them its a gear shift

Hey Sailors,
The last time I was asked the question, my response was "It's a time machine"
The expected response to that was "Huh?"
I quickly added... "It's a kite-powered land-sailer and when I ride, time seems to stand still"
"Oh. I get it."
Short and sweet.
Longer explanations are typically lost on the lay-person (non-kiter) asking.

So I answer their thoughts rather than their words.


Safen Up! Buggy On!

"Often wrong... Never in doubt"

the coreylama
Mayor of Buggytown

I have a sticker I had made on my tailgate. So I get asked how long I have been paragliding? Then I have to explain the whole thing to those who might want to know(might not but shouldn't have asked) For the how do you not hit people? I ask do you drive in the city? How many have you hit? You just need to be carefull.

the question i get most often--where are the brakes?--i tell them i use the kite to slow down and or stop--then i get the weird looks and then explain--they are usually intrigued hahaha--if they only knew what they were missing.........

love dakitesz ,bobalooie57 and corey's post ,i'm going to use corey's and see what kinda reaction i get.

I've gotten lots of questions, and comments this past year especially. The best response I've given was actually to a friend who swears that foils are useless and LEI are the only kite that should be made......."Why on Earth does that thing need so many damn lines attached to it?? "....... "Why on Earth do your pants have so many belt loops?:P"

Quote:

Originally posted by bobalooie57 I was coming up on a couple walking ahead of me, and I said, "Coming up on your left", so I wouldn't startle them. They stopped and looked, and the guy said,"pretty good, but how ya gonna get back?", I downlooped the kite and spun around and headed off in the opposite direction. He kind of looked like the 'eekdrool' smiley as I buzzed by..

i have done same but usually circle (more like square) them as i talk and ask which way the wind is blowing....the slack jaw thing by this point ...then add, "i really prefer the negative gravity effect.." then float out a transition and jet away...esp. if they're trying to follow with the camera to their face, this is the part where wonderment takes over and they fall over their bike.

the one I like is " are you OK?" followed with " you just landed here huh?". I was asked this by a security gaurd at a local college campus as I was packing up one day.:wee:

Much different answers [and question] than the Question on my other forum [ http://www.xmarksthescot.com/].
They even have T shirts of the answer to the Question :o.

Heh ...

With the old bike, TL1000R which looked almost nothing like a GSXR or Busa, but we (international owners) still got The Question(s) or The Comments ...
"How do I make my (4 cylinder) GSXR sound like yours?"
"Where do I get the double exhaust system from?"
"Nice Busa!"
"Nice GSXR!"
... no problems with the Duke - now it's just "What the hell is that thing?"

Weldngod nailed it. We get "You just landed here?" or "where'd ya fly in from" fairly often.

Some of the responses in here are great. And I like Nocado's gear shift.

After I was stopped by the police for the 5th time and asked me what is this thing hanging of the back end, I printed up a flyer that has all the info I could think of. Websites, you-tube videos, kite dealers and a short blerp about the sport.
Made life a lot easier until I got a phone call from a woman who wanted to vent on me cause her son bought a motorcycle,:dunno:
I guess she didn't read the rest of the flyer and only saw the wheels and the phone number at the bottom, and yes the phone number has been removed from the new flyers:embarrased: