Was down at Woodies for the first time just to see what all the fuss was about and as a guy was coming past he got in a sticky situation with his kite inverting and constantly heading downwind at '12, I promptly gave him a hand with a land so he could sort himself out and relaunch, but it could have gone wrong easily...

So what I wanted to know was the general consensus, if you see someone in a bad situation or looks like they could use help or doing something stupid do you speak up or shut up? I don't want to get in anyone's way or annoy them when I'm out kiting, but I have a habit of doing it on here easily enough...

I work on the same principal that I use when driving/camping up the beach. If someone is genuinely in a situation that was caused by inexperience or equipment failure etc I'll stop and help. But if its the same hooning wanker that was doing doughnuts on the sand in front of my camp site half an hour earlier then all he gets from me is a wave as I drive by.

(obviously if death is on the way I lend a hand though)

Help them if they need it - no question

But Kiters have a bad habit of acting like School Teachers afterwards.

Don't spank them if theyve been bad- leave that to their girlfriends.

There is nothing worse than needing some help and having all these clowns riding around with their heads wedged up their clackers.

I have recovered dozens of boards over the years and several kites. The one time I lost contact with my board and guys would ride right past me carefully looking in the other direction. Grrrrrrr!

I'm all for helping anyone in trouble but what i hate is when the local kook/agro/know it all kiter decides to hassel everyone, break all the local rules and generaly operate in a dangerous manner only to come unstuck (which these kooks all do eventually) then plead with all his victims for assistance.

Im already a danger to myself

Gorgo said...

You are obliged to help anybody who needs it as long as you don't put yourself at risk. It's a rule. (I had a quick look at your profile and from the list of sports you have I'm surprised you have to ask the question.)

You're not obliged to be an unpaid instructor, but you should step in if a quick comment from you can save people from grief.

I asked because this forum (despite all it's ups and downs) does have a large knowledge base and you can get all sides of the story. And in many of those sports there are different rules for safety (ie BASE jumping- Help anyway you can, Skydiving- Help only if you can do it safely, Skateboarding-Most of the times you can't help, BMX- help as long as they won't turn around and stab you in the neck...)

A 'Duty of Care', 'Duty to Rescue', 'Good Samaritan' considerations or laws may or may not apply depending on your overall relationship with those in need and where you are. Your responsibility can vary between states and depending on your role: did you contribute to the situation or are you a friend, teacher, doctor etc. I generally understand that you have no responsibility to help if you are a stranger and did not cause the accident or will further endanger yourself or others, but don't take my word :p

Then again, think of what an authority might impose if someone was hurt and abandoned at your favorite spot, and you never know when you might need help too one day.

I'll always help so long as i am not going to end up in poop.

What if you're 10km offshore, do you help and risk getting killed also, or do you fang in and get the coastguard

I have torn open my foot unknown amounts of time running to help people, going out in water to help them whatever it takes. I only could hope somebody would do the same for me.

Hell sometimes I go down to the beach to not even kite just see whats going on and help people :) One day I was the only person left at the beach at the end of the day nobody to catch the last guys kite but me

Well it's good to know I'm thinking the right thing then, I have tried helping people in other sports and they've turned around and barked at me for touching their boards (Hero point is a shining example). But down at woodies I did see another fellow bringing a board from wayyyyy upwind to another guy bodydragging and since I didn't get a chance to go out in the water that day it did make my day to help him land and wait for him to sort his kite out for a relaunch. ^_^

I've never seen somone in stife without a bunch of people rushing in to help. I don't know what things were like in the good old days but I've been super impressed in the last 9 or 10 months i've been kiting, with people's willingness to help each other out. I've not met any real knobs yet. Everyone i've landed/helped me land gets/gives a thanks and handshake. Everyone i've said hi to at the end of a session or out on the water has been pleasent and just shares the stoke.

I reckon even if I run into 5 knobs this summer that can't outweigh the dozens of cool people I've met so far. I think if you aren't being an outright dick kiters are pretty cool to each other by and large. I'd imagine it's a good thing to introduce yourself to as many people down the beach as possible and help somone out if they need it. You'll never know when someone might save you a long swim or more.

^^^^ no way am I givin someone else a headjob

We might talk shizen on this forum, but we are generally willing to be helpfull when needed.

I love you guys!

<<< I'm talking about those two puppies beside me

theDoctor said...



^^^^ no way am I givin someone else a headjob

So you want a guy to give you a heady?