Police patrol..

pdxmonkeyboy · Tue Jun 22, 10 11:36 am **Police patrol..**

So it was windy and sunny yesterday and FINALLY got to do the "lunch break" session. Fastest way to get that done was the event site. So I'm pumping my kite and this guy has his lines stretched out getting ready to rig. There had to be no less than 15 people standing around watching him. Nobody said a word. His fiddle fucking around and obviously going to rig up and nobody is saying a word. So I have to be "that guy".

and I told him:
"I hate to be that guy, but you can't rig here".
Why not?
"Cause its illegal and says so in really small print on that sign over there"
"I saw other people doing it?"
"well, they shouldn't be doing it either"; People worked hard for the right to pump/dry here"
" what, are you a cop?"
"sigghh, no dude, I'm not a cop, I just don't want the port to say "you guys had your chance and couldn't follow the rules"
"We got a nice patch of grass to pump and hang out on and it took allot of work"
"yeah, ok, fine! fine! I'll just wrap my goddamn lines up"

Then I proceeded to try and tell him good places to layout his lines on the sandbar and told him about the marina beach and he basically just treated me like an asshole so I gave him the "ok, well thanks dude" and walked off.

Moral of the story, nobody wants to confront someone to tell them they can't do something. One day I would love to see actual launching from the event site and that isn't going to happen if we can't demonstrate that we can't follow the rules.
I know, I know monkeyboy all preachy, blah blah blah.

If you see someone breaking the port rules, then please just politely tell them such.

DrewB · Since 16 Aug 2006 384 Posts PDX Obsessed

Good job Monkey Man! Somebodys gots to be the Po Po.

tekko · Since 20 Feb 2006 376 Posts White Salmon Liquid Force

Yeah.

I had to be 'That Guy' the other day too.

Couple days ago when it cleared and turned on late, so not many people around at the event site yet and dude was lining to his kite, with his bar past the trees that mark the new line and into windsurf land.

I had to work up to it, but looking around no one else to say something. And So I did, nicely, by starting with... 'hey, for future reference, we're not supposed to connect our lines here on the grass... and we're not supposed to have any kite gear setup beyond that line of trees where the sign is.

And I got a nice friendly " I know. I live here, but you know the waters really high, etc.. blah blah,, as I just stopped listening as I didn't want to engage too much on it.

Bottom line. Yeah, it sucks to be 'that guy' but it's also hard work to be 'those guys' Forrest, Mark and the others with the CGKA who spend a lot of time in the off season to work so we can have a little more grass every year.

So, we all gotta be 'that guy' when we're put in the situation to do so, to 'Protect and Preserve' the little bit of space we DO have to use.

/Kite Cops Out

Mark · Tue Jun 22, 10 12:13 pm

Thanks everyone for helping be "that guy" it means alot to the rest of the kiting community. It's because your help that we are able to get more launching and landing sites in the Gorge.

Monkey the CGKA is proud of you. Man never though we would say that! Wink

kitebot · Since 20 Feb 2007 251 Posts Obsessed

Nice work! Let 'em have it! I can't imagine what a cluster@#$% it'd be if everyone did their lines on the grass.

Gman · Since 11 Feb 2006 4911 Posts Portland Unstrapped

good work

next time just point at a windsurfer (preferably one with a walker) - that guy put this line in the grass and he is going to kill you - roll that shit up I don't want to get blood on my kite bro...

forrest · Tue Jun 22, 10 2:25 pm

I want people to work together to move kiteboarding on the Hood River Waterfront forward. That said, I don't mind being 'that guy' and I don't care if everyone hates me. What I care about is improving access.

If you think your session (or convenience for that matter) is more important than following the few simple rules, you're saying you don't care about this community. Not caring about this community makes you an asshole, you will be treated like an asshole, and you shouldn't be surprised when someone reminds you that you're being an asshole.

STORMRIDER · Since 17 Jul 2007 229 Posts Stoked

I came of the water monday, while walking from the river crossing up the grass I stepped across a guys lines as he was walking them out. Stopped and told him "I don't want to be a bad guy about this but there is not supposed to be any rigging of kites on the grass"... he gave me the, I'm just walking them out speech... I was kinda rebuffed, not wanting to escalate the sitch.... I just had a sweet sesh in the killer swell and didn't want to waste my euphoria...Also,before I went out, another guy was tuning his bar/ lines and had them stretched out and tied to the fence on the east end of the grass... begs the question... why do these people think or feel it's okay to be stretching their lines all over the place? Is that legal? or do we need more deliberately specific signs ,or more of signs so as to further the understanding of the rules we all need to follow and regulate in order to further our cause. How about a sign or signs that read no "lines on the grass" or?

Moto · Since 03 Sep 2006 2698 Posts Still a gojo pimp! Moto Mouth

We should all be protecting our access - we can do that by all being "that guy" - yeah, its a pain in the ass. But I hope every one is willing to help protect what the CGKA has fought very hard for.

If people are breaking the rules - it will get taken away from us. Period. And then no one can even pump up on the grass. (Or even mention the word "kite" on the grass).

forrest · Tue Jun 22, 10 5:58 pm

Running out lines in the grass away from the pump and dry area is probably okay, but you can expect to get hassled for it so why do it? The big concern, albeit a little outdated, was that kites with lines attached were going to fly away with children caught up in them. A kite with no lines is just a big beach ball, and that's the analogy the CGKA used to get kites on the grass.

tautologies · Since 24 Aug 2006 602 Posts Oahu Addicted

Awesome.

Good to see you guys are also taking responsibility to keep it open.

[sigh]
What gets me is the guys that come to a beach, pretend to not understand the rules / don't give a shit and proceed to do whatever they want....including doing stupid shit because they think they are the shit...

On Oahu that means that you are telling me that;
the hours of going to neighborhood / state capitol meetings,
negotiating with local officials,
talking with lifeguards,
buying of beer to neighbors,
and generally putting a lot of effort into keep the spots open
...means nothing to you, and yes having done that gives me the right to say "Excuse me sir, could you please NOT ride in the the swim zone or beach jump?"

I've paid for it with hard work.
[/sigh]

....so keep up the good work. It helps.

pdxmonkeyboy · Tue Jun 22, 10 8:37 pm

In the defense of the tourists.... the sign could be a little bigger.

I never read the sign until until right before I talked to the guy and made sure it was a sign saying no kite lines.

Chooch · Tue Jun 22, 10 8:45 pm

Tommy · Tue Jun 22, 10 8:46 pm

Would it be an infringement on the authority of the port to make some larger signs and just stick 'em in the ground? I'm guessing the answer is yes, or somebody probably would've done it by now...

Sasquatch · Since 09 Mar 2005 2102 Posts PNW Bigfoot

tautologies · Since 24 Aug 2006 602 Posts Oahu Addicted

forrest · Wed Jun 23, 10 8:36 am

The CGKA will bug the Port about a better sign. Maybe something a little more positive, and a little less "No This, No That".

The Port has been working their asses off on a lot of different projects. One thing to keep in mind is the Port takes a 30% (approx.) loss in revenue with relation to all recreation properties it owns. I tend to believe this dictates their priorities and believe this is why the rely heavily on user groups to organize and police themselves.