Are kitesurfers risk seekers?

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rohjar

142 posts

rohjar

WA, 142 posts

14 May 2006 4:18pm

I just came across this measure of how risky people like their sport/recreation to be.
(it's called the "Domain Specific Risk Taking Scale"- DOSPERT)

The study found that just 'cos you like risky sports, doesn't mean you like risk in other areas of your life.

Anyway I adapted part of it here--- let's find out if kitesurfers are into 'high-risk' recreational activities.

Have you...
- gone camping in the bush
- swum out >50m from shore
- holidayed in a 3rd-world country
- gone down a ski-run beyond your ability
- done a weekend sky diving class
- kayaked/rafted in fast-running rapids
- bungee jumped
- piloted a small plane

~~~
I scored 6 (out of 8) so I guess I must like a bit of risk in my sport.

I wonder what the average for seabreeze readers is?

NorthSide

238 posts

NorthSide

WA, 238 posts

14 May 2006 4:32pm

The only thing on that list that is risk taking is skiing down a ski-run beyond your ability, because that is not managing the situation well.
The rest are not risks if you are adequately prepared and manage them well within the capabilities of yourself, the equipment and prevailing conditions.
Crossing the road is risky if you don't look both ways, are intoxicated or crossing a freeway.
Kitesurfing is not risky if you manage the potential risks well.
Of course, in EVERY facet of life there are unforseen, unfortunate accidents (a meteorite landing on your house whilst you are sleeping!)
So never say never

Regards
James

rohjar

142 posts

rohjar

WA, 142 posts

14 May 2006 5:10pm

Hmm, true. Of course all those activities are safe if ya do 'em right. They only SEEM risky to some people.

Anyone who's curious can have a look at the academic article (google "dospert"), which appeared in Behavioral Decision Research. They found a low correlation between your score on this test, and high risk behaviours in other things like gambling and speculative investing.

Anyway, please don't feel obliged to defend the safety of kiting. That's not the question. The question is, "what's your score?"

silviu

VIC

663 posts

silviu

VIC, 663 posts

14 May 2006 7:54pm

I think that I am repeating myself all the time when I say:
It does not matter what are you doing, kitesurfing, ski, motorcycling or just bushwalking. All this activities are as dangerous and risky as we are making them.

And, risk and danger can be managed by knowing the risks, knowing the limits (your and your equipments), and using safety (rules and equipment).

The first question here is up to where each individual is ready to push his luck!

The second: how long until the bureaucrats will get on us and start "downing" there rules (not ours).

And my score is 4, if this is all you are interested.(just because I could not afford to do most of the thinks, not becouse I would not do them!!!!!)

viffer

QLD

32 posts

viffer

QLD, 32 posts

14 May 2006 8:06pm

Silviu,

Agreed in most circumstances that our situation is only as gnarly as we make it.

My only diversion from you thinking is motorcycling. Have been on the bikes for many years now and there are many boneheads out there that are quite capable of ending your existance. If you have been on the bikes I am sure you know what I mean. In my opinion, hard core motocycling is way more dangerous than hard core kite boarding.

At sea there are not trees, oncoming cars, and steel rails.

All that said, I think the kiteboarding is way more exciting, gnarly, indiviualistic than the bikes....

plus it cost you nothing each time you go, surely one of the best advantages.

cheers

viffer

GalahOnTheBay

NSW

4188 posts

GalahOnTheBay

NSW, 4188 posts

14 May 2006 8:46pm

kinda silly question really, why bother classifying folks as risky vs non-risky - where is the line?

I agree with silviu - life, as with all things in it, are as risky as you want it to be.

BTW I got 10 out of 8 - done everything on that list and them some. But I would say I'm a risk adverse person - it's all about limits, and having the guts to say no...

NorthSide

238 posts

NorthSide

WA, 238 posts

14 May 2006 7:29pm

I guess people who kite are just people who enjoy living... like people who surf, windsurf, mountain climb, play polo, and the list goes on and on.
We just do because it makes us feel alive in a world where we are continuosly searching for some sense of purpose.

James

stnkygoat

NSW

230 posts

stnkygoat

NSW, 230 posts

15 May 2006 10:14am

I have done most of the things on the list but I think a better judge of risk might be the things you feel nervous about. I get nervous about kiting about one time in every 10 sessions - just conditions really. The stupid thing is..I used to ride a motorbike and never felt nervous getting on that despite having some nasty crashes. My attitude to kiting is pretty safety oriented, but my attitude to my motorbike was more along the lines of; 'what the hell am I saving all that skin down my front for anyway? A handbag?'

I think it's age: I gave the bike up a long time ago (as evidence by the fact I am still here).

red

VIC

741 posts

red

VIC, 741 posts

15 May 2006 10:33am

When we talk about risk .. it can be further broken down into:

real risk - where potential for injury is high or,

percieved risk - the perception of doing a dangerous act.

These two change continuously. I suspose the difference is some people like the idea of the perception of risk whilst others like the "thrill" of real risk. eg I used to work as a climbing instructor and people loved abseiling - the real risk involved is minimal (with the correct equipment and instruction) but clients loved the percieved risk of "throwing themselves off the cliff."

So I suspose your level of knowledge affects the amount of real and percieved risk. Ignorance is sometimes bliss!

my 2 cents

Red

eightfootplus

NSW

298 posts

eightfootplus

NSW, 298 posts

15 May 2006 10:48am

7 from 8,

How about this for a better risk list, I get 0 out of 4 on this one

Have you...
- gone camping in the bush where something can eat you, like a bear, and for good luck take along a girlfriend when she is on her ...
- swum/ surfed / kited near a seal colony
- holidayed in a 3rd-world country, wearing an I love the USA T shirt
- kite surfed when you cant swim

As for the last I met a woman at Dolls Point who told me she couldnt swim, but she kite surfed quite well. That is risk taking in my opinion.

GalahOnTheBay

NSW

4188 posts

GalahOnTheBay

NSW, 4188 posts

15 May 2006 11:17am

quote:
Originally posted by eightfootplus

As for the last I met a woman at Dolls Point who told me she couldnt swim, but she kite surfed quite well. That is risk taking in my opinion.

All I can say to that is WOW! That's not a risk - that's just plain stupid.

snowman

VIC

275 posts

snowman

VIC, 275 posts

15 May 2006 11:32am

Depends... I kitesurf and my swiming ability is limited (probably about 200m I reckon) however I do so with a boyancy vest evrytime. So I think I probably have less risk than someone who can swim who doesn't wear one.

BTW scored 7 on the first test and getting close to 3 one the second

1. Camped out several times in Africa, in a group so the second part is likely at some point!
2. do Whales count?
3. Wouldn't do that in a first world country!!
4. see above - probably wouldn't if I couldn't swim at all though

eightfootplus

NSW

298 posts

eightfootplus

NSW, 298 posts

15 May 2006 12:38pm

Whales and Boyency vests are cheating, so 1 from 4.

So all you need to do is take off the boyancy vest and go swimming with the seals, and make sure you thrash about, it attacks I mean attracts them.

Must be good fun swimming with whales.

Crusoe

QLD

1197 posts

Crusoe

QLD, 1197 posts

21 May 2006 5:24pm

Been Kiting for about 4 years now and I don't think its as risky as some of the other things I done. Eg swam up the back of an eight foot croc at Stanley Island in Princess Charlot Bay, spearfished with the sharks around the sand cay on the east side of lizard island, hang gliding off the Rex, drink at the Blue Healer bar in Cairns. Kite surfing is like any sport, you set & know your own limits. It when you lose control that you get nominated for the Darwin Award. Its a pity the newspaper are more likely to report someone getting hurt that alot of people having fun.

elizabethb

QLD

2081 posts

elizabethb

QLD, 2081 posts

21 May 2006 5:37pm

Have you...
No - gone camping in the bush
Yes - swum out >50m from shore
No - holidayed in a 3rd-world country
No - gone down a ski-run beyond your ability
No - done a weekend sky diving class
No - kayaked/rafted in fast-running rapids
No - bungee jumped
No - piloted a small plane

1/8 - I think I'm the exception lol!

Kiting's about pushing your own personal boundaries to the level you wish, but so you are being safe and not too risky. It's up to the individual, which makes everyones kiting and style so different

and add's a sence of individuality to your kiting [}:)]

Goodwinds like today

Elizabeth B - Wello Kiter

Rhys McClintock

NSW

995 posts

Rhys McClintock

NSW, 995 posts

21 May 2006 7:22pm

lol i got the same as you liz lol...

but, im quite well known for being a big risk taker with my kiting compared to most guys...

Have you ever
- Kited in 30cm deep water for a whole session

- kited as fast as you can in 30 knots with a huge kite in 20cm of water just because its flat

- tried to boost over a rock wall

- jumped off a rock wall and put the board on your feet mid air and kited away

- jumped off a jetty and done the above

- tried to use a random object on the beach as a slider, while its still on the beach

- Been lofted 5 meters away from a rockwall and footpath and trees... then gone back to the same spot to see if it was a one off thing

- jumped over a little brother/sister/random person

- kited in a storm and had fun using the static shocks to zap ur brother while your mid air...

- not worn a leash and tried unhooked stuff...

yes thats all risk taking, yes i got 10/10 on that - what did you get?

doppelganger

VIC

337 posts

doppelganger

VIC, 337 posts

21 May 2006 7:54pm

Yep,I Should have went to a 3rd world country and bungy jumped, "oh well".

I,ve found most people consider kite surfing risk taking because it involves the ocean. A lot of people percieve being in the ocean away from shore a risk in itself, with or without, on a board with a kite.

I've snowboarded with guys that think i'm a risk taker kite boarding, yet i've had no injuries kiting that have put me, "off the show", I wish I could say the same for snowboarding. At least with kiting the risk factor is mainly up to you, unlike snowboarding where sometimes on a packed tight run, it's all around ya. I love the white stuff, but theres nothing like that big blue open space.

Elizabeth: Never gone camping in the bush, get out there girl. Get in touch with Mother Nature. The bliss of it all, the birds,umm spiders, aahh things that making noises in the middle of the night, ummm the spot light shooters blasting any thing that move's.
Elizabeth, "DONT GO", "it's bloody scary". Wait for the next camping exibition and just pick a display tent near the some bushes. Then when someone ask's,"have you been camping in the bush"?, you can reply,"yep, I've been camping in the bushes".

Sorry, theres no wind

silviu

VIC

663 posts

silviu

VIC, 663 posts

21 May 2006 8:35pm

quote:
Originally posted by Rhys Porter

lol i got the same as you liz lol...

but, im quite well known for being a big risk taker with my kiting compared to most guys...

Have you ever
- Kited in 30cm deep water for a whole session

- kited as fast as you can in 30 knots with a huge kite in 20cm of water just because its flat

- tried to boost over a rock wall

- jumped off a rock wall and put the board on your feet mid air and kited away

- jumped off a jetty and done the above

- tried to use a random object on the beach as a slider, while its still on the beach

- Been lofted 5 meters away from a rockwall and footpath and trees... then gone back to the same spot to see if it was a one off thing

- jumped over a little brother/sister/random person

- kited in a storm and had fun using the static shocks to zap ur brother while your mid air...

- not worn a leash and tried unhooked stuff...

yes thats all risk taking, yes i got 10/10 on that - what did you get?

I would say this is not risk taking!
It is worse!!!!

doppelganger

VIC

337 posts

doppelganger

VIC, 337 posts

21 May 2006 8:52pm

Yep, I'd agree Silviu. I gotta 0 on that lot, I'm only new the sport, but I think in 5 years time, i'd still score a zero.

Keahi

QLD

853 posts

Keahi

QLD, 853 posts

22 May 2006 6:09am

quote:
Originally posted by Rhys Porter

lol i got the same as you liz lol...

but, im quite well known for being a big risk taker with my kiting compared to most guys...

Have you ever
yep - Kited in 30cm deep water for a whole session

sorta- kited as fast as you can in 30 knots with a huge kite in 20cm of water just because its flat

no - tried to boost over a rock wall

no - jumped off a rock wall and put the board on your feet mid air and kited away

tried - jumped off a jetty and done the above

yep - tried to use a random object on the beach as a slider, while its still on the beach

yep - Been lofted 5 meters away from a rockwall and footpath and trees... then gone back to the same spot to see if it was a one off thing

yep - jumped over a little brother/sister/random person

no - kited in a storm and had fun using the static shocks to zap ur brother while your mid air...

yep - not worn a leash and tried unhooked stuff...

yes thats all risk taking, yes i got 10/10 on that - what did you get?

got about 5 or 6

have u ever
kited in a place thats a couple feet deep with stingrays everywhere just cos there is good wind

thrown the bar of ur $2000 kite to each other while the kite is in the air. missed it once and it went about 200m ****n crazy lol

KiTe GrOm

31 posts

KiTe GrOm

WA, 31 posts

22 May 2006 2:19pm

just thrown the bar away cause its fun or its not your kite? we like to play a little game called kite footy where you get to throw the bar and tackle each other most fun ive had.

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