^--- What exactly are the statistics?

Num kiters/kiter deaths
Num drivers/driver deaths?

I think the point most are trying to make, keeping it with comparing cars and kites, is that the harness is a bit of a death trap, a safety belt is not.

Someone mentioned that particular brand has a release, I wouldn't expect a 3 yr old to release herself in an emergency situation.

Spacemonkey.... Just one question, Do you have children????

meerkat said...
Why would you intentionally put any child in more danger than they need to be, like on purpose like, you know?

It's a mild risk, people take them all the time, for the sheer fun and thrill. No one is forcing you to strap your kids to your backs all I am saying is that IMO for a sensible experienced kiter the dangers are minimal and acceptable for the experience given.

Can't wrap your kids in cotton wool forever.

Plenty of opinions here :

www.seabreeze.com.au/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=44724

This is a very old photo. My dad used to take us swimming to this river, after the rains the rapids were very strong. Was that irresponsible? Probably, but it was great fun! We used to beg our parents to take us there.

What a bunch of f$%king idiots!
Mild risk, acceptable and kids in the same sentence? Yeah right buddy.
Regular day to day life activities where kids are concerned granted, are dangerous enough.
But you keep rolling the dice my friend, keep running with the "kids in cotton wool" defence, yeah she'll be right, up the ante, it's only a little risk,what could possibly happen? After all Im an expert coitsurfer.

Risk vs outcome - do the math, you all obviously have your heads up your a***s.
Lets talk to the kids in RCH or people at docs who have suffered/witnessed the consequences of an adults perception of "acceptable or minor risk".

Perfect argument for contraception.

UNCLEDOUG said...

coitsurfer.

LOL Why haven't i heard this one before!!


keep up the debate guys, a good read.



looks like great fun......but so does drink driving.

Personally, I won't be doing the tandem kite thing. I have tried to justify it to myself and think how to make it safe enough to do. Onshore wind, shallow flat water, observers, PFD's, no harness, ride carefully etc etc.
I have no doubt I could do it with my children and get them back 99 times out of 100.
But no, I won't be introducing my kids to kitesurfing like this.

I hope if people continue to do this seemingly crazy activity that it never goes wrong.
No-one here wants to say "I told you so" when it does.
You don't have to wrap them in cotton wool, but a PFD would be great (and far better than cotton wool when in the water) I'm sure you are taking other measures.

P.S. don't send that photo to the dept of social services

I'm thinking this little teacup has got quite a storm brewing in it. For crying out loud guys, what a bunch of moaners!

I love the idea of taking my daughter out like that. She's not yet two, so it's a few years away. But it looks like a great activity.

Yeah, sure you'd have to choose the time and place. But somewhere that was thigh deep a few hundred metres out would be sweet. A nice steady seabreeze.

It's been shown time after time that people's perceotion of risk is terrible. People are afraid of flying. In terms of deaths per kilopmetres travelled, cars a hundreds of times more dangerous. I was reading somewhere that after september 11 world trade centre stuff, there was a massive downturn in people flying, and people drive instead. As a consequence the road toll increased significantly, and about the same number of excess deaths occurred from car accidents over the next six months

I might have the numbers a bit wrong, but the point holds. Great article in New Scientist a couple of months ago about it.

Skateboarding in the driveway is safe? I don't think so. Working in emergency departments I've seen some bloody terrible accidents.

airush geoff said...

How about we all tell others how they should live their lives, what they should and shouldn't do, what they can and can't watch- oh yeah and how to raise their kids.

We live in the biggest nation of wowsers and killjoys who want everybody else to be as boring as them...

I am sick to death of the fun police- a dad spending time doing something fun with his kids is a positive in my opinion.

When I have kids ( I don't yet ) they will be out scraping knees and breaking bones like kids should.

Fun up you old sad sacks !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Agreed totally.... until I had kids.
Believe me, they get plenty of knee scraping, and will no doubt break a few bones as they grow up.
I'm not going to tell anyone how to raise their kids, but surely you can all see that there is a point where you simply have to speak up. For most it seems to be around the point people start risking their kids lives in pursuit of a thrill. It's the risk perception that varies. Some don't get it (to the point of Naivety), some over estimate it (paranoid). We all think we are well-grounded and justified though.

For me the 12 Y.O. hanging on the backs like monkeys seems a good enough option. But at 12 i would've thought maybe old enough to start kite surfing anyway.

The 4 Y.O. in a harness, well, not something i'd do, and i wouldn't encourage it. But I won't go around telling people not to do it.

It's going to be your call, but you're making it on behalf of your kids, so think of them.


and please please please............ don't ever be as boring as me

Big girls enjoy horsey-rides too. ^^^
Giddy-up.

just do it, whats the worst that can happen?

if the kids gets hurt then you will never forgive yourself,
the wife will never let you forget,
and if you really hurt them, Docs wont let you forget.


Best to let them hang onto the harness while you body drag, that way they can let go after they get a gob full of sea water, or let them sit on the front of a windsurfer while you kite, there are uses for all those old windsurfers under the house.

Mmmm now that kind of tandem kiting I can enjoy!

Years ago I used to go and watch a mate compete in motocross. There used to be kids there racing as young as five. And I don`t mean just scooting along. They go quite fast and some of the crashes were pretty hard. I`m sure even with all the protective gear every once in a while one would have to go to hospital. Does that make those parents irresponsible?
A friend of mine is exactly the opposite. He wrapps his kids up in so much cotton wool it`s unbelievable. No skate boards allowed, hardly ever takes them down to the beach because even playing in the shallows is dangerous according to him.
Because he is such a big wooss his kids are not enjoying what life is about, getting out there, getting dirty and doing what most kids love, a bit of ruff and tumble.
This topic can go on forever. You want your kids to have fun and I`m sure there`s always an element of risk. It`s just knowing where to draw the line and that`s all about good parenting.

What would Chuck Norris do??

phrase said...

I`m so glad my parents were how they were and not the type that wanted to keep me wrapped up in cotton wool. My dad was always doing "stupid" crazy things with my brother and I. And we loved it!
I know there is the other side to the argument, things can go wrong etc. But personally I wouldn`t have wanted it any other way. And I think it`s made me the person I am today, no not stupid and reckless just fun and outgoing, enjoy life to the fullest.
My experience with kids, especially quite young ones is that if they don`t want to do something you`ll know it (they scream their heads off, cry etc.)
I think it goes without saying, you`re not going to start doing crazy tricks with your kid on your back (my dad probably would have), or under dodgey wind, sea conditions. Just a little cruise not too far out and back. And you obviously wont launch and land with littleone on your back.

Mate Im so with you on this...Ive been looking for a way for my kids to enjoy the sport as well..there are so many parents out there who are all about wrapping up there kids in cotton wool, trying to protect them from all the 'dangers' out there!!!

Im the 1st to realise that things can go wrong kiting as Ive had my fair share, so I know my limits and I would definitely know the limits taking my kids for a ride.

It just makes me laugh with all the negative crap that goes on this forum!!!! Im so glad there was no internet when I was a kid, didnt have to be subjected to everyones negative outlook on such a positive sport.

Good onya ruffryder, piff all the negatives out there, hang loose and enjoy your groms.

Perhaps we should all start riding with kids strapped to our backs- new sdtyle of kiteboarding???????.