Are the people here honestly surprised that these bans are occuring?
There are some absolute a$$holes on the water...show ponies with god complexes who believe they are the only people allowed to use the water and everyone else is just there to be in their way. Everytime some moron does a jump on a packed beach people sit and say "there was the guy on the beach the other day who was doing really stupid stuff, but shame, lets not publically name and shame him, after all, he just a poor advanced rider, he doesn't know any better"
The solution is simple...bring the guilties parties to the forefront, let people know who they are and what they are doing and let the kiting public have the opportunity to react to them. If some moron sends their kite over the road into powerlines, lets get their name up in flashing lights, get AKSA to send the bastard a nasty letter or cancel his membership (and insurance). Its amazing what people are prepared to do until they have to take responsibility for it.
Great idea saffer.
I think thats what we need. Make people feel bad about doing bad, and hpefully they will stop. Most people would hate to have "Bill Blogs is a loser and flew his kite over a child blah blah blah". I know i would.
Name and shame.
And kiterdan i recon your ideas were good also.It needs to be regulated.
Jesus, my "kite widow" would love a complete kite ban.
We're preaching to the converted here. We need a clear channel of communication with councils so they can make an informed balanced decision. To cut out the noise, kiters need a couple of representatives (ie somone representing retailers, schools, and the punters) to start advocating. Maybe we should get a couple of kiters on the council...
No one really knows yet what is going to happen, but we all know that a ban could happen...
the worst offenders wouldn't read this forum.
in cape town last year some euro faggit relaunched his kite 4m to the side of a toddler and if it hadn't been bending over would have been decapitated. my kite was in the air and i was shouting at him in afrikaans when i was it about to happen but obviously a german isnt going to understand that and he went ahead with launching. i would have dropped my kite on fifth and inserted my rail into his cranium if it wasnt for the kids playing down wind. a local walking past upwind with all his gear to set up who wasnt watching until i started shouting then ran over and pulled all his releases and asserted some beat downs.
if everyone was that protective of their spot we wouldn't be having so many problems although violence isnt the answer.
LOL
I think he is taking the piss
No he's not!
I got the early edition last night and the story Elmo referrs to was very different.
This is about Melville and the moaning residents
Here you go Greuzi mate
Keep up the good work, look forward to sailing with you and the rest of your Riff Raff crew when next in the area, it's been a while, we'll get Relli to man the esky
Yep its in there. And I have no problems with it really. What has happened there is not acceptable, and they havn't even suggested a total ban.
They are asking for designated areas for kitesurfers away from potential danger. Good. It is what we actually need.
The residents are right when saying its only a matter of time before someone dies.
"They are asking for designated areas for kitesurfers away from potential danger. Good. It is what we actually need.
The residents are right when saying its only a matter of time before someone dies."
Yeah but at the moment it's being left up to Anita Wilson, Janet Woollard and Allannah MacTiernan to figure this out.... We're screwed!
Now that I have read it Elmo...here is what I wrote earlier....thought so much.
There are 2 very vocal people who live on the Parade and I bet they are behind it. All very old news I'm afraid. I have actually met one of these people and told them to please let me know personally of any problems. They have my name and number. Looks like these sad folks are going behind the back to screem and yell......a very unhappy lot, but "the vocal minority." Best thing probably is to ignore them.
Are we dealing with the same reporter again? Yep, looks like it...hi fella. And dear reporter, if you are reading all this to your amusement, it is not funny and you have no idea the stir you are causing. Yes, us kite surfers are a passionate bunch who love what we do. Your stirring is a poor reflection on you. Go out and get all the facts and speak to all the people, like Melville City Council, DEC and the local residents who do kite surf. PM me and I can give you some useful information and you will see that you are reporting the views of a couple of very vocal and unhappy people......I do hope you are not of the same bent.
And no, I will not buy your paper because it is too close to the National Enquirer.
Dawn Patrol......I do not agree with what you are saying, "residents," we are talking about 1 or 2 who are the "ringleaders," angry sad people...that is all I will say for now.
One must have facts not hyperbole.
And Supersane, what would you say if I told you that I'm giving dear Allana a lesson?
Another thing about THE RIVER and Attadale foreshore.........there is to be no landing or launching or kite flying anywhere where there is the boundry fence..........duh.
Today I nicely asked 2 locals (mates teaching each other) not to launch on the dog beach. They moved no problem as I also mentioned I am a WAKSA member and I asked to move where we are allowed...just follow me....no problems. I told them to go to WAKSA web site and SB for information if they had internet (surely they do). They said they want to do the right thing.
Well the right thing to do is get your info., join WAKSA and help "police" bad behaviour.
If its only two people who are grumpy then they need to be sorted out (no not by beating the crap outta them, by nice talking). Maybe they should learn to kite.Even if they are older than can still have a crack (a few people in the 70s kite at my local (the ocean) and they rock)
I guess i assumed from the paper it was not only one ore two people comlaining, but a whole street. I can see how the media can make people think certain stuff, without first hand knowledge anything can be gained from it.
But i think there is truth behind the matter of time thing. It might not be at that location, but its bound to happen eventually.
Hey Dawn, you are a nice bright lad...don't join the negative nabobs of negativism...not at your age please. Just because dogs bite people and eat babies, doesn't mean we ban dogs.
Yea, I know there was not enough wind today...but magic day none the less. And be positive about things , especially those things like kiting, which you love....you do not have to sit back and say this is going to happen. And knowing you I'm sure you "do the right thing."
First of all, you have no special glass in to the future, or do you? Negative thinking can spread like a disease....and it often happens to people nearing the end of their lives, they have lost their youth (or most likely never had one).....change is frightening to some, they are bored and have nothing better to do than make life a misery for others. Or attention seeking behaviour press our friends at the press.
Don't be a negative nabob.
Remember Spiro Agnew...he called the press the Nattering Nabobs of Negativism.....some interesting psychological stuff about journalists being negative people.
Thanks Harry.....helmet yes, beard, does speak English?
What a beaut...no friggen wind, swimmers and he is wearing a helmet..............moron!
And that Rupert Murdoch.........I could go on and on....some would say he is more vile than a maggot.
Meglomaniacal parasite.
He'll hire anyone as long as they bring a buck.
Slightly off topic, but in true never ending story fashion.
I was just reading a story in a mag about Kirsty Jones, a Welsh kiter who set a world record for the longest single day crossing of 225 km's from Spain to Morroco.
She apparently raised money for disabled kids.
My longwinded point is this.
Kiting, to the general public is new, exciting and possibly looks dangerous, and while we are starting to become the focus of the media's attention and scrutiny why dont we as a whole use this new found fame to our advantage and organise some sort positive public exposure event. Straight away ripping off Kirsty's idea seems obvious, doing a stupidly long down winder to raise money for charity. Don't know, any other suggestions?
Yea Slave, these guys are super kooks, but nothing ever happens to them, and if it does they've got helmets on.
So many "fluero Euros" around still...this time last year they had all gone back home. Little old Perth is not mining central it is kite central.
The guys and gals in the vans should really buy some cat food and head up north, it is getting colder.
Stop it Slave, I can't stop laughing.....but you could be right, you know I just love the way you write...have a good one.
Guerrilla Kite Surfing, here we come.
And what does the INDUSRTY do to keep beach access? Free riders is the term I believe.
Flux and Kiterdan bring up some good ideas, spot on.
There are over 300 WAKSA members and only 5 people who are active on the Committee. We can not rely on a few volunteers to do all the things necessary to keep our beaches open to kiting. Paying someone to do this is also not an option. Posting signs all over Perth is not an option either (at least on the River). Funny thing is that the same people who slag us to the press and Council are against signs....they do expect us to self regulate....so what to do? I'll leave the Melville stuff for now, just a reminder that a child was indeed killer (run over by a car) on Melville Beach Parade a few years ago.....so there has been a death, but the Council has not banned cars from the roads.
Back to topic, I agree that to kite in WA one should be a WAKSA member. As a member, not only are you "insured," but hopefully you have also read about local rules, gotten lessons, and "do the right thing."
If all WAKSA members wear their tags and approach rogues simply introducing themselves as local WAKSA members responsible for safe kiting, then we as a large group can influence what happens at our beaches much most effectively.
So, join WAKSA, pay your dues and "do the right thing," and take a minute to set people straight.........not so hard. At the very least, if you have a camera handy........take photos of bad behaviour. I am much more interested in seeing photos of jerks than the same moves by the same few riders.
Finally, and this seems to go to deaf ears..........the friggen INDUSRTY should become more pro-active and not expect a "free ride" on the backs of WAKSA volunteers and members.