It's in the IKO book

[Xor]

Well,
Defensive kiting was definetly a lesson learned for me today,

Was tacking away from the beach at Alameda today and found
Myself crossing someone in the opposite direction right were
That damn exposed cement piling in front of the shack is,
Noticed the guy being tentative so turned downwind with kite
As low as possible to stay clear, not sure if he lost control or what
But as i was ducking as low on my board as i could he proceded to
Swipe his lines straight at my head wich i somehow cleared but lost
Control and was subsequently tea bagged downwind just feet away
From that cement block, my line got tangled on the buoys that mark it,

So i realeased from the buoy got my board and kept on kiting,

On my tack back i had some words with him as he was packing on the
Beach, he apologized and all but i seriously felt it was very close to tragedy,
Realized fellow kiters can be extremely dangerous and in retrospect
I should have avoided him by lines length as soon as i saw him coming,

Can't stay clear of everybody though ..
Anyway i feel blessed i got extremely lucky, it was my most
Horrible incident kiting yet..
Distance is definetely your friend!

Hope the guy that had accident at third is ok and heals well ..

I've seen it and sought you should be fine as it was not really high, but then I've seen you are just meter away from cement block... It was so close. I asked if you are ok. Glad you are fine.

[friggin old guy]

"

Really? It's kiting folks. Nothing that could possibly happen to you on the water or on the beach warrants this kind of bullshit.

15 years of kiting and it still amazes me when I see or hear about people coming unglued because someone doesn't look or some other minor infraction on the water.

Who gives a shit. Kite defensively.

I'm going to take issue with you here.

In my experience, it's important to us as a community to call out unsafe bs. Normal circumstance, some guy makes a mistake, no big deal. Some guy engages into long sweeping jibe swinging his kite at just over head level and then starts something with me to boot, I'm going to talk to him about it. If he continues to maintain that what he did was cool and I'm to blame, I'm going to be pissed and I'm going to let him know he's engaging in bs behavior. "Minor infraction" doesn't describe the situation, nor does butt checking.....

Given your experience, I'd ask you to think how many times you've had to adjust your jibe because of folks downwind of you......especially on any crowded day at any wavesailing spot where folks are all pinching upwind. Happens every sesh.....

You can call me a butt checking whining silverback, but I feel a sense of responsibility to call out what I consider unsafe behavior than can lead to some serious shit. In fact, I think the fact that I engaged the guy seriously turned a negative into a positive. I apologized for getting mad, and he apologized for his behaviour or as well. All good.

Pertinent issue simply this......look before you jibe every freakin time. Just common sense.

[Cosmicocean]

@Xor
Yeah, apart from lines beheading me the yarded part wasn't serious if
Not for the cement piling, it had to be close since my lines wrapped around
The buoy markers..i actually closed my eyes as it jolted me cause i knew
There was nothing i could do,was pretty scary,
Thanks for asking if was ok
and will definetely avoid this guy like the plague if i run into him again. ; <)>

[waves are good]

Yup Friggin Old Guy.....you can call yourself what you want, but if you are tailing someone and they jibe down on you its your fault for whatever ensues.

Sure, folks should look but tailing someone is an equally bad offense as not looking.

I never have issues with folks around me as I kite defensively in crowded situations and always give myself a way out.

I am going to stand behind my original post that calls out the guy who lost his shit on the beach. Totally inexcusable and those kind of people should check themselves before they even get in their car to drive to a kite spot. Hot heads plus kites or anything for that matter equals a bad experience for all. It is fine to chat with folks and work it out, but as soon as people start yelling and throwing around the F work they can go fuck themselves and they aren't welcome at my beach.

[le noun]

[friggin old guy]

I note a certain inconsistency in WAG's postings. Calling a guy who just got injured stupid and taking the community to task for not positively engaging to prevent the recent accident in another thread and then criticizing me when I use harsh language on the beach with somebody that was engaging in questionable actions........dude are you for real?

I come from a surfing background where putting others at risk can bring on more than harsh language. I like the fact that the kiting community is positively engaged with each other and that kind of localism is minimized, but part of it comes from everybody taking responsibility for their own actions.

I think you'd have to be JC incarnate not to get a little pissed at somebody that comes out of the blue and jibes into you and then starts yelling at you. But ok whatever dude, go ahead and claim that you NEVER adjust your jibe out of consideration to other people, all of whom by your definition must be negligent mfer's that deserve any injury incurred by moronic insistence on your perceived right of way.

I don't mind staying off your beach because I highly doubt that we're on the same page on much of anything.

More popcorn?

[biba]

The black book of IKO magic clearly states at "Genesis and right of way - New School 14:2":

"Thou shall avoid kite fites at all times and costs. Being wise is better than being right. Wise people live longer happier lives."

It's a book written 2,000 years ago, c'mon folks.

[behindThePeak]

Who gives a shit. Kite defensively. Watch out for yourself. Don't put yourself in a position where anyone's decision will impact your safety or your day.

+1

if you choose to follow someone closely you have as much responsibility to watch for their turn as they do to look before they turn.

yes, everyone should be looking around before they make turns, given. but equally important: everyone should also be aware of the dangers inherent in situations they choose to enter.