flying position, and safety features with hang gliders
I am far from weight shift/hang glider knowledgeable, but as I simply look at this aircraft, and consider what I think of as a hang glider, I thing of the hang glider as being characteristically less likely to harm the pilot in an out of control landing. In a hang glider, I think of a pilot suspended in a harness, behind a bar, which considering the mass of the aircraft, offers at least some protection - and the harness would allow the pilot to be pushed back and up in the case of a crash, and forward rollover.
In this aircraft, I imagine that any out of control landing will result in at the very least, an face plant for the pilot, or a rapid deceleration, and injured collar bones. I see nothing in the arrangement which protects the pilot from a severe upper body,/neck injury.
Bottom line is the pilot of this "one off" seemed to be enjoying himself.
Yup, I agree with you there. I think of videos of skateboard "operators"? who for reasons seemingly of their personal enjoyment, don't use the skateboard wheels, but rather slide it down a handrail - and then end up with their face in the concrete. As a knowledgeable society member, I feel an obligation to "look out for my fellow person" - perhaps by warning of what may be an outcome not considered. But.... I do accept the reality that in a free society, people are entitled to take risks, and do things which other (perhaps more knowledgeable/experienced people) would not think to do...
I spent 28 years as a volunteer firefighter, attending all kinds of requests for emergency service. In many cases, I arrived to a bad outcome that the patient had mitigated as best as possible (seatblets/lifejacket/helmet/work boots/saw guards/chainsaw chaps etc.). Other times, it was a "what were you thinking?" situation. Either way, someone got hurt, and society bore the cost of the response/rescue/medical care. Sometimes, society just has to cover the cost of the risk for someone else to enjoy themselves....