From: reich@cod.nosc.mil (Ronald S. Reich)
Subject: Re: Kiting Safety
Date: Thu, 7 Oct 1993 13:36:56 GMT

>From: WVOSS@novell.com (Wes Voss)

>Many  times  when I fly I find people crossing under  my  lines, 
>etc.  Obviously, this isn't very safe. Usually, I just send  the 
>kite  straight  up  and wait for them to  pass  through.  Rather 
>inconvenient, though, and I don't really like 
>the  thought of calling out to every single person who wants  to 
>cross  through. I'm sure their idea is that the kite is  in  the 
>air, and they are on the ground, and the two shall never meet! 
>How do the rest of you handle safety around the flying area?  Do 
>you "stake out" an area with colored stakes or line?

     If I am flying by myself and only flying one kite I  usually 
don't bother to mark out the flying area.
     If I am flying 3, 4, or 5 Kites the ground hazard becomes  a 
real  concern, so I place 20 bright orange cones in an  arc  that 
cautions  passers  by  to be aware that there  is  a  hazard.   I 
usually  have an assistant, for these sessions, that  also  warns 
the spectators of the hazards of being under the kites.    County 
parks  and  recreation regulations don't allow you  to  rope  off 
areas without a permit.
     When  the team is flying we usually mark off the  area  with 
the same cones which are available at sporting goods stores.
     If we the kite flyers want to continue to be able to fly  in 
public  parks we have to be self diciplined enough to  yield  the 
right of way to the pedestrians.  Also, we must realize that  not 
all  people  are as impressed with our kites as we are.   I  have 
witnessed  the distruction of a kite by a dicruntled  pedestrian.  
It's not a happy sight.

                   Be Cautions and Courteous,

                            Ron Reich