Kiddie Pool Etiquette

stringer · Since 31 Jul 2007 694 Posts Chucktown Flying Tomato

After riding at the sandbar yesterday I got to thinking about how to share the kiddie pools.
Yesterday really wasn't bad, but as the water gets warmer and the crowds show up more, there will be a lot more people using the pools.

How do the rest of you guys go about sharing the kiddie pools when it gets crowded?

pdxmonkeyboy · Wed May 28, 08 10:09 am

I don't spend a whole lot of time in the kiddie pool but I do believe the standard convention is to roll in, bust your move and roll out. If everyone knows what they are doing this works pretty well. When people are flying trainer kites in there or parking their kites at noon, that's when it gets ugly.

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

I don't use the kiddie pool - the bigger kids kicked me out. But the Kiddie pool is going to look very tempting to newbs - shallow water and all.

forrest · Wed May 28, 08 10:44 am

There is no sharing. If you want it, you have to take it.

Gman · Since 11 Feb 2006 4911 Posts Portland Unstrapped

Thunderdome!

Anything goes...

pdxmonkeyboy · Wed May 28, 08 10:50 am

TWO kiters enter, one kiter leaves....

Link

forrest · Wed May 28, 08 10:53 am

I think the rule is: "If you're not impressing the crowd, you don't belong in the arena." In other words, if you're not throwing down, don't hang out in the kiddie pool. I'm not trying to say you have to land shit to be in there, but if you come in you better be prepared to do something impressive or you risk being mocked and then splashed with spray from someone's board.

pdxmonkeyboy · Wed May 28, 08 11:16 am

It may sound arrogant and elitist but if you know Forest, you know he is not that way.
Like it or not, he makes a good point, and perhaps that is kind of the way it should work.

If your a beginner and you see people rotating through and attempting tricks, it would probably be best to move downwind of the pool. If you want to attempt some tricks in the shallows, then by all means go for it. But if your constantly eating s**t and clogging up the rotation, then maybe its time to polish your skills somewhere else.

The falling and mocking thing is exactly why I haven't hit the slider yet and thus, this same reason I haven't opened my checkbook for the slider project either. (sorry Forest, I will get you cheap steel though!!)

tinyE · Since 21 Jan 2006 2004 Posts not really an XTreme Poster

i figured we were donating to the slider to get more people out of the kiddie pool!

pkh · Since 27 Feb 2005 6549 Posts Couve / Hood Honored Founder

All good points so far... Just got this to say:

There is an illusion to many that the kiddie pool is a good place to learn / teach. Few problems with this:

1) Most of the time its too damn shallow, you will be dragging on your face through mud and sand and rocks. Doesn't sound as good to me as open water.

2) You are straight upwind of nice big rocks, kites on the beach, people, etc.. When you get blown off your edge you get blown into all of this shit in no time. I see it happen several times a day out at the sandbar.

3) You don't have the advantage of upwind current, that combine with the limited space means you will have a much harder time learning to stay upwind.

I'd also say that although full on "Thunderdome" style would be bad, there are so many guys in and out of the kiddie pool doing big tricks that if you do go in there you are taking some risk that you could get in the way and get hit. Its always safer to find your own open patch of water to learn on then crowding with everyone else.

Spike · Since 13 May 2007 1414 Posts Alameda Spelling Expert

Diggy · Since 25 Nov 2006 342 Posts Gorge to Coast Obsessed

On Monday I watched as two folks learning to kite crossed lines in the expanded pool, I caught one kite which helped to clear the mess. Within 30 seconds the second newby whom kite I did not catch lost thier kite leash and all. When I learned (after initial lessons I always headed for deep water ASAP, which is where I felt most comfortable that I would not hurt myself or others.

I also noticed rookies working very close in just upwind of the sandbar where if they loose control the kite is likely to slam into someone pumping up thier kite or otherwise preparing or breaking gear down.

Not sure how to get the message across but it seems to me that deeper water is your friend as you are learning.

Just my 2 cents.

~dig

genek · Since 21 Jul 2006 2165 Posts East Po KGB

forrest · Wed May 28, 08 1:03 pm

Crap, yea, I forgot to put a smiley in at the end of my last message. It was said tongue in cheek.

I think it's okay even if you're crashing a bunch. Just watch me ride, If I don't eat shit every tack, I'm not having fun. Just be quick and expect to get a hose down from the rest of us. Smile

forrest · Wed May 28, 08 1:07 pm

BTW, the slider is a totally different thing in a totally different location. You have to form up a rotation. The slider can only be hit from one side so that makes it a bit easier. Also, no one is going to mock you for falling on the slider cause just trying it in the first place is hardcore enough. Hope you guys have been getting more comfortable unhooked!

genek · Since 21 Jul 2006 2165 Posts East Po KGB

Kodiak · Since 01 Aug 2005 1114 Posts Slidey

[quote="Spike"]