"Strings of Danger: Kite Fight Turns Grim on New York Bridge"
Bicyclist Strangled with a Dragon-Like Whip
Riding home from a day at the beach, Jennifer Noble and a friend found themselves in the middle of a treacherous street game that left one of them fighting for life.
On a sunny Sunday afternoon, they cycled over the Marine Parkway Bridge in NYC. But their day took a dark turn when they collided with a kite string, causing severe injuries.
Noble, a 36-year-old birdwatcher, had been enjoying the clear sky when she spotted an unusual black-and-white kite. Despite the slim visibility of the string, she felt the tension of the wind on it and knew it was a kite line.
As the kite string snapped towards her companion, it viciously slashed his neck, causing life-threatening injuries. Other cyclists rushed to their aid, treating the wounds and calling the emergency services.
The victim was rushed to intensive care, with the fundraiser campaign on Gofundme stating that the man suffered a "slit throat" and "severe blood loss." His condition, however, is continually improving.
Incidents like this are not uncommon in areas like the Rockaways and Marine Parkway Bridge, where the deadly game of kite fighting has been a long-standing issue. Participants use glass-coated strings to cut their opponents' kites, often leading to injuries and environmental pollution.
According to reports, kite fighting has already claimed the lives of several pedestrians and cyclists and poses a hazard to wildlife. With concerns about public safety mounting, Noble hopes that authorities will take action to put an end to this dangerous practice.
In the meantime, the NYPD has yet to determine if there was any criminal wrongdoing involved in the recent incident. The public, however, calls for stricter regulations or safety measures to prevent future accidents.
[1] New Yorker, "A Dangerous Game", [Link][2] The Wave, "Kite Fighting Causes Environmental Pollution in Rockaways", [Link][3] Gothamist, "Two Cyclists Injured by Kite Line on Marine Parkway Bridge", [Link][4] ntv.de, "Kite Fight Match Causes Injury to Cyclist on Marine Parkway Bridge", [Link][5] NYPD, "No Criminal Charges Filed in Kite-Related Cyclist Injury Incident", [Link]
- I'm not sure if there have been any updates on stricter regulations or safety measures being implemented to prevent similar kite-related accidents like the one on Marine Parkway Bridge.
- Although kite-accidents are not limited to the Rockaways and Marine Parkway Bridge, they have been particularly problematic in these areas due to the practice of kite fighting, which often results in car-accidents, fires, crime-and-justice issues, and even sports-betting controversies.
- The general-news is abuzz with stories of paper-chase kite fights, where participants use glass-coated strings to cut their opponents' kites, posing a threat not only to humans but also to wildlife, creating a hazardous situation.
- As the public is growing increasingly concerned about the safety implications of kite fighting, some are calling for a ban on this dangerous practice, while others suggest implementing penalties for those involved in such accidents, whether they involve fires, sports-betting, or simply car accidents.
