Water Recreation Fad Raises Safety Concerns (Kite Tubes)

JSOnline via AP ^ | July 30. 2006 | Staff Writer from AP

[yhwhsman]

I noticed several things from watching the video. You need to be very athletic to operate this, and it appears use it only on days with very little wind (side winds would cause the tube to flip and probably slam you into the water).

[Richard Kimball]

I was thinking the same thing. This looks like it's right up there with having someone nail you into a wooden box and lighting a stick of dynamite.

On one of the late night shows, many years ago, they had the winners of an engineering contest. It was one of those contests they do in engineering colleges sometimes, where they let people get totally extreme, just as a form of fun and pure engineering. Anyway, the assignment was to make the most dangerous toy you can think of, that kids would actually enjoy playing with (this rules out beds of nails, etc., cause most kids wouldn't actually want to play with them. The winner created a rubber band gun that fired circle saw blades. He shot one across the stage, and it stuck about an inch deep into a sheet of plywood. I was watching it, and thinking, "Man, I'd LOVE to have one of THOSE!"

[uglybiker]

"This would be a heck of a lot more fun behind a car on I-90. At night. In a snowstorm. Naked.

...and, blindfolded.

With Mel driving!

[LouD]

It does look like fun.

It also looks like it could be dangerously unstable. Regular tubes flip over all the time, but they're on the water. I wouldn't want to be on this thing 25 feet in the air and have a gust flip me over.

[dc27]

We used to get pretty crazy pulling a tube behind the boat. Better recall water skis as well. I fell and the ski hit me in the face. I wound up with 30 stitches. I still have the ski, maybe I should sue.

[Iscool]

Looks like fun.

I spent time watching one a couple weeks ago...They will go higher than the picture indicates...

Without warning, the thing will flip upside down and slam to the water...Or flip 90 degrees, hit the water and cartwheel...Looked like a lot of fun, til ya crash...

[CurlyDave]

Many people think the Wright brothers invented the heavier-than-air flying machine. They did not, as many others had flown previously.

Unfortunately, their predecessors all crashed. The Wright brothers actually invented, and then demonstrated, the concept of steering the airplane.

These kite tubes are definitely under equipped in the steering category and are dangerously unbstable.

[ccmay]

What about skiers/snowboarders? 45 of them were killed during the 2005 season.

Too bad for them. Luckily, most states that have ski areas have something called a Skier's Responsibility Act. It acknowledges that skiing is inherently dangerous, and prevents morons who kill themselves on the slopes from collecting even a nickel from the ski areas. Thank heavens for such common sense. There are also many similar laws pertaining to things like river rafting, mountain climbing and horseback riding.

We need this kind of legislation extended to many more areas of obviously risky activities, but of course the dirty filthy greedy lawyer scum fight it tooth and nail.

-ccm

[Tax-chick]

The winner created a rubber band gun that fired circle saw blades.

I'm sure my sons would think that was fun, too!

[Diana in Wisconsin]

LOL! My sister and I had those. We'd each go on opposite sides of the house and throw them OVER the house, hoping to "skewer" one another.

Until Mom caught us doing that, of course...

[Diana in Wisconsin]

"This would be a heck of a lot more fun behind a car on I-90. At night. In a snowstorm. Naked...and, blindfolded."

And full of "anti-freeze" such as Brandy. ;)

[tacticalogic]

"This would be a heck of a lot more fun behind a car on I-90. At night. In a snowstorm. Naked.

...and, blindfolded.

With Mel driving!

On acid!

[mugs99]

We need this kind of legislation extended to many more areas of obviously risky activities, but of course the dirty filthy greedy lawyer scum fight it tooth and nail

I agree. If we're going to get rid of every activity that kills people we may as well be locked up in cubicles and fed Soylent Green.
This was obviously a freak accident. The described injury just doesn't jive. This guy must have had a medical problem before he fell off the tube. In any case, he is responsible for his own behavior, not the manufacturer of the tube.
. .

[uglybiker]

...and, blindfolded.

With Mel driving!

On acid!

And listening to a book on tape of The Protocols of The Elders of Zion.