59 replies to this topic

[Studebacher Hoch]

I'm a new at flying  kites. I have probably flown my SLE 10-15 times. This afternoon I flew my kite  in a large local park, Clapham Common, London, UK. It was not the first time  that dogs have become interested in the kite but I have now become better at keeping  the kite in the air (and under some kind of control) so I was not too  concerned. After a while I started moving the kite horizontally to tire them  and in hindsight that was probably not a good idea. It actually got them more  excited. The wind was not strong and when it died for a moment I somehow 'lost  it' and the moment the kite touched the ground the two dogs were onto it. I  suspect the owner called them because they were off like a bullet. I could not  hear a call or whistle because, as usual, I was flying while listening to music  over my headphones. Anyway, two rips and a broken side spar later, Sunday  afternoon's flying experience was somewhat spoiled, to say the least. Oh, and  to rub salt in my 'wounds', the Crufts Dog Show was on TV when I switched it on  this evening.

        By the time I had the  handles behind the peg and briefly inspected the kite, the dogs were in the far  distance, near a man walking leisurely away from where I was. What should I  have done? Probably just keep the kite high and stationary until the dogs  got bored and ran off.

        I have had a search through  the forum and there seems to be only a few references to dogs, even though they  have probably been a 'threat' to most kite fliers (who use public parks or  beaches) at some stage. My friend how introduced me to Revs has also had a Rev  'mauled' on a beach. Could members please share some ideas on 'best practice'  regarding this matter?

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[antman]

in the times ive had encounters with dogs i have found that its more the owner then the dog..i have had good and bad experences with dogs.. and thats where ive have learned that nicely asking people to watch their dogs has gotten me poor results .. still as a flier i keep my cool with it .. you cant blame the dogg for the owners poor way of training..if i go to a field or beach and see someone there with doggs already i move on to another spot .. but this doesnt work the other its seems to me where ever i fly at someone feels the need to let their dogs run at me .. i dont know why??

[steveb]

You have my sympathies. I've repaired a few dog damaged kites, including this Benson Box of Tricks:


The worst is when the wind is dropping and the dog's owner is ignoring the dogs bothering you.

[nobodyspecial]

Oh that looks annoying as all get out, All my encounters with dogs, and people are normally good, worst case scenerio i have to clean my kite bag from dog urine. Now unexpected landings on sharp pointies i have done with one of my dual lines. a Box of Tricks, i would have skinned the owner of the dog alive. you should be able to use some tedlar on the rip, and you will have to replace the spar.

[tonycarl]

I had a dog chase my kite , so I stopped flying until the owner was leaving. He put his dog in the bed of his pickup truck. As he was driving away I thought it was safe to fly again. But lo and behold as soon as I had my kite back up, the dog jumped out of the moving truck and chased the kite some more!

[big bri]

I think its the owner also that doesnt understand.The only advice is try and keep your eyes peeled and anticipate ther route so you can stay well away.If Mr dog owners best freind still wants to play.SCREAM AND SHOUT has worked for me[get your dog on a lead..PLEASE].Ive never been in wrangle realy with an owner of a dog,BUT,

Three weeks ago, myself and Pudders had a good early start at the beech.I was flying a stack and steve a rev.A Horse box arrived, with three horses in it, towed by a jeep,three BABES sat in the jeep,and a bloke driveing.They stopped 20yrd away from us.I promptly went across to one of the Ladys and said as follows.,,Excuse me,i dont want to interfear,but we are flying large kites HERE and in my experiance,Horses get spooked by them and i wouldnt want to spoil your or our fun with an silly incident.It may be better if you went further along the beech[its seven MILES long and only us onit btw]

MISS KNOW IT ALL,with her three companions listening replied in her best SNOTTY way.HO,Its ok.We will only be tacking up and we are away.Whatever i said and walked away.
The first Horse was walked out and i could see wasnt best pleased with the kites.The second Horse was also twitchy,so we thought we had better land our kites,just as the first Horse started to do a BRONCO BILLY,KICKED OFF PROPER,AND DID ONE UP THE BEECH RIDERLESS.

You can lead a Horse to water,but a Pencil must be lead.

Women,,huu[the bloke with said this]

Best Practice i think for a dog,
In a wind keep it high and away,try and let the owner be aware your not impressed.Afterall,i have freinds with dog fobias and hate,fear, dogs.
Hard to keep the kite up or low wind,
Land the kite furthest point away and get it to fall leading edge forward and GO FLAT.The dog seems to loose intrest then or just has a sniff at best.When its motionless and flat,stake it and get over to it QUICK STYLE ,waveing your arms like a bansheee ON SPEED.

BRIAN...Graduate of the UNIVERSITY OF LIFE.

[Sailor99]

Another difficult conundrum of life. On the one hand the owner has just as much right to exercise their dogs on the park as you to fly your kite. On the other hand you each owe the other a duty of care - you not to land your kite on their heads and them to control their dogs and not let them attack your property. So on first sight it would seem they failed in their duty and allowed their dogs to damage your property. However, in your post you say you "started moving the kite horizontally to tire them". Some would describe this as 'bating' the dogs, and if you do that you have to live with the consequences.

At the risk of being flamed, and I am sure it is not what you want to hear, but in the simple act of flying as you did you took all liability on yourself IMHO. If you had simply flown as best you could to a great height, you probably wouldn't have lost the wind or at least would have had more time to react, and your kite wouldn't be damaged now and the dog owner would be totally in the wrong. Its a bit similar to Brian's story - he tried to avoid a situation, the other party told him to stuff, he is absolved of all liability.

Put it down to experience.

[Baloo]

Unfortunatly the only Dog I have ha problems with so far is my own. She LOVES chasing as she is a Lurcher, that is what they are made for.

I was flying with a couple of mates who had just bought a couple of 4 line foils. One it was his first Day.

My wife had the dog and for some reason I still dont understand let it off. It went straight after the kites, I had flown alongside her before (the Dog that is) and she had shown no interest while she was on the lead.

I used my Rev to take her interest away from the foils. She did get bashed by it once but didnt reduce her enthusiasm. I was most worried she would get caught up in the lines and injured.

My wife caught her, walked along the beach a bit then let her go again. You guessed right, straight back again.

There followed a training session. and it wasnt the Dog getting trained. Luckily no harm was done, exept to my relationship with my Wife for a few mins.

[Choccy]

OMG: poor "Close Encounters" pairs quad line ballet team had their kites tangled in a nutters dog during a kite festival routine last year!
They were clearly and rightfully livid.
The owners weren't even aware where their dog had gone!

It is always the owners fault, dogs don't know better.

I wonder if they'll be stricter this year and ban dogs from coming into kite festivals (?)
When did the "keep dogs on leads" rule disappear anyway in UK ?

We've had to pack up completely before even flying, and goto a different park just to get away from weird dog owners, who feel it is their right to have us bring them entertainment/exercise for their dogs

They want to see kites damaged and certainly don't know the expense or rarity of some kites

[Studebacher Hoch]

Sailor, I agree with your opinion and advice.

Like many lessons in life, it does not sooth the emotion felt at the time (or the smooth the dent in the wallet).

To crown it all, it was my first flight (after spending a hour and a half in the morning shortening all four lines by +/-0.5m) after one of my lines snapped near the bridle connection, the previous week. Oh, and while I'm 'at it', about 3-4 weeks ago I noticed some wear on the bridle because the horizontal (red) line was behind the vertical (grey) line. I have since sorted that out but I suspect that must have been how I got it from the suppliers.

Spilt milk. I have learned a lot though, besides this (potentially) being is a relatively expensive hobby I will feel more confident the next time I have to undo/adjust those bridle and line-sleeve knots. OK, now where's that tape

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[Sailor99]

Like many lessons in life, it does not sooth the emotion felt at the time (or the smooth the dent in the wallet).

Very true. I find wallets are often the most sensitive emotional organ! But I am sure you will have your kite in rude health again really soon.

[big bri]

Always keep the moral highground,your manners and if you can a good sence houmor.Thers a list of potential hazards when flying.Depends on your location.Prevention and anticipation are always the best way of makeing freinds with other folk ,which usually makes them more amiable once they do understand .

My pet hate is the stuff dogs leave behind.The worse one is when the owners turn a blind eye completely and walk on after the dog has lost a stone in weight wher i and everyone wants to walk and play.Even though they have witnessed the CRIME.I have once scooped a parcel up left by a Dog/owner and placed it on her car Bonnet.Along with a small message about the LAW.

Joggers,walkers and footballers all suffer from,latin version[LINE-US-BLINDACUS] and also[DEEF AS-AR-POSTACUS] .They Cant see lines staked or hear you when you try to alert them of the Danger.To prevent being a Hazard with your lines.Tie a luminus strip of ribbon or a couple of bows on your line when ther at rest.My stakes are also Luminus poolballs and snookerballs.

If your full of devilment,Stake a golfball stake right in the ground[mine are 14inch]and watch MR Dog owner kick it for his DOG,,,,,,or not as the case .Not recomended realy,but ther may be an occasion to plot for a victim,not that i have

BRIAN... Play Nice,BE nice.If that fails,Go Get The WIFE.

[Watty]

If there are dogs chasing your kite, I suggest to find the owner, and ask him/her to kkeep the dog on a leash. Also, if the dogs damage the kite, I would confront the owner, and ask them to pay for the damage.

[Kitelife]

Remember that most "kite dogs" are attracted by the movement and noise of the kite... So simple, slow, HIGH and quiet flying is the best bet to get 'em bored.

As for the exchange with a dog owner, remember, your actions will contribute to the long term outcome... I've heard of instances where exchange like this have led to kites being banned from that area, or otherwise hampered somehow... Whatever you say to them, try to use some calm reason, and take up that "little extra" when you're of mind to do so, chances are YOU are the one who knows better, and have to be the one to try and conduct things to a reasonable outcome.

Yes indeed, there are some first class &$^%^*'s out there (ask someone from our West Coast Rev Clinic about the crazy woman with the truck)... But it's how we handle it that will determine what we take away from the experience, and so forth.

[Stone in Shoe Bob]

After a while I started moving the kite horizontally to tire them and in hindsight that was probably not a good idea.

Who are you trying to kid you were teasing them.

You may need to get your skill level up a bit before you try that one again otherwise dog bating is going to become a very expensive hobby and if you are going to play with fire don't complain if you get your fingers burnt.

[big bri]

Thers always one of them ther,DOG WHISTLES,Buy a bigger Nastier Dog,take up fishing,or move,,,,

TO THE MOON.

Get out the wrong side of bed this morning Bob :}

[Stone in Shoe Bob]

Get out the wrong side of bed this morning Bob :}

No, not at all but if you poke a wasps nest you must expect to get stung.

[Kitelife]

I'd tend to agree with Bob on this one...

In the kind of situations we're discussing, you get what you put into it, pure and simple.

[big bri]

Absolutely Guys,just not used to bob hitting the nail so square,but he is on the nail ok.


Ask Pudders[PUDSLI], if you ever meet him .About the Jogging Boxer story.Thers no Dogs involved,but a lesson was learned [i hope] and my Diplomacy saved a few blushes and bruises

BRIAN...

[Harrier]

Stone in the Shoe Bob,
"Who are you trying to kid you were teasing them. "

Much as we were doing here, and yup, you have to be prepared to lose now and again.
We were fortunate, the owner came up retrieved the knackered dog and apologised before the dog got lucky.



Colin's Rev 1.5 and Rob's picture (Skunk).