In todays Sydney paper was a report about a man who was struck by a hang glider rider that landed on the beach. Because of a leg injury that resulted, he has been unable to do his construction work and has had a "loss of life enjoyment". He sued the flyer and the hang glider association and was awarded 533 thousand.
This is a big heads up for everyone. You have better joined your local AKSA for the insurance reasons alone. And what will happen to our insurance cover if the insurance companies have to pay out one of these big suits? We may have even more expensive member fees in the future(if we can afford insurance at all)

YEH but... the insurance companies will only provide policies that they can assuredly make money out of.

Make lots of claims, or just one significant claim, and they'll drop you like a wet fish... or raise your premium to cover the risk.

How soon before local governments require kiters to be insured? How soon before they're put to the point of making that decision? Rest assured they'll be covering their collective arses when that time arrises.

I just read that article too, what was interesting was that the lawsuit tried to include Warringah Shire Council, and the HGFA, but the trial judge threw those applications out.
The suit stated that the council should have erected signs, the judge rejected that because it was plainly obvious that hang gliders used the area.

What is scary for kiters is that the individual hang glider was sued, and will be pursued for damages along with the other guily party the Long Reef Hang Glider club (HGFA may still be involved, depending on affiliation of the club). Ordinary members of this club could be forced to pay $$$ too depending on the structure of the club.

Be very careful with your kite, no showboating near shore, and especially when launching and landing.

Cya and

Goodwinds

Steve McCormack

quote:

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Originally posted by pole boy

though there should be a duty of care on retailers and ppl selling gear 2nd hand,i've seen several learners with brand new kites with no F'ing hat they're doing last time i was in sydney on the south side, this includes not knowing how to attach the lines to the kite and then trying to launch.

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I was in a store (shall remain nameless for legal reasons only) where a customer was being sold a brand new kite. The store assistant was explaining the terminology, ie. this is the leading edge and this is the trailing edge. When the customer said "Oh, OK. This is the first time I've been this close to a kite before." Now it didn't strike me as sarcasm at the time (from the customer) so, what the FARK was he being sold a kite for? Part of a package deal... I doubt it.

Another case of "cash over commonsense"? Maybe!

generally you sue the one with the most money.

I think I will move all my assets into my wifes name, or a trust, and then all I will have is debts.

hehehe - using that logic i'm as safe as houses! lolz