surfing etiquette thread

Totally agree, if you show up with a group of friends, don't paddle out directly on the solo guy. It's just rude.

 

Agreed, that is def worse than just picking a direction and sticking to it. Sometime when i see this happen i just pull out of the wave and say screw it, its not worth possibly dinging my board and dodging idiots, I'll just get the next wave.

 

Had a discussion about this last summer at the break one day while staring at tiny waves. Basically more experienced surfers than I were bashing people for not knowing what's up. My response was "When you go to ski resort there's a beginner area, signs, rules, and people to direct you" Their response "Good point, you're right" If we don't tell people they'll never know and they'll always be getting in the way . That leads me to my early days when I didn't know my a$$ from a hole in the ground.....

I got caught in the break one day, rather than paddle in out of the way (which I didn't know was the right, safe thing to do) I ended up right in someone's line I still to this day remember the look on his face, and it's not a good one. What happen next changed the way I treat people when I surf, snowboard and skate. Instead of being a angry douche bag and yelling, he talked to me, hmm, that's an idea This is what he said, "Hey, you can't paddle out in the middle, there are people out here who don't know what they're doing (ha, me at the time) and they'll run you over" My point, he wasn't a d!ck about it and because he wasn't I thought about what he said and it sunk into my brain, thus I stayed out of the way from that point on and pay more attention to where I am in the water. If pulled that point break tough guy bull **** I would have just thought he was some douche bag and would not have thought about what he said at all. (Food for your thoughts)

Which leads to...... A few years ago I ran into someone while snowboarding, this kid was on an expert trail in a terrain park where he clearly should not have been. 26 years of riding and until this point I've never had a collision. His lack of experience and skill put him directly into my path. He suffered a fractured skull, brain bleed and concussion. If he did not have a helmet on he would have died on impact (yes he would have died) and I would have gone to jail (yes). All because he "had to do the expert trail". Luckily, yes, luckily for me no charges were pressed. Reality is he was wrong, in the eyes of the "rules" I was wrong. He got F'd up because he was in over his head.

My point, before you scream and go off on someone like a mad man, try I little less angry approach and someone might actually hear you.

And yes I make way for better surfers if I'm having an "off" day.

 

I bring Chuck Norris with me surfing, that way I can surf where ever and when ever I want! Chuck tells the ocean when there will be waves.

 

Very good point. No matter what the "rules" of surfing dictate. If you hurt someone, the law can consider you "out of control" and you can be considered at fault. I'm sure a good lawyer could possible help you win, but I wouldn't risk losing my house over a wave.

 

I agree with you LBC but what makes you so freaking mad is some self serving "****" (that word is too nice) would paddle back into the line up just far enough in front to snake you on the next set then its time to have a rail to rail chat as he thinks he owns it NO FREAKING WAY he should never re-claim priorty as he lost his spot in the line up. It happens, these "****s" if they don't re-position themselves in the line- up then look out as as you both charge wouldn't be surprised if he'll "I'll show you attitude" either grab your rail or leash to keep you off the next peak. Those actions are real game changers most of the time and they don't end well ..............

 

How about this scenario, it happened to me a few months ago:

I’m sitting on the outside, patiently waiting for a good set wave. It’s a beach break with both good lefts and rights breaking. There is a guy sitting about 10 feet inside of me, and just to my left (viewed from facing the ocean). I see a good peak coming (a left), and start paddling left towards the peak so that I will be closer to the peak when it breaks. The other guy is closer to the peak on the left-right axis, but I am closer on the inside-outside axis, and this is about equal in terms of distance. We both are paddling towards the peak, and I make it there first, take off in the right spot, and call him off the wave(he made every attempt to cut me off after I out paddled him) On my way back out, he paddled over to me and throws a FIT about me paddling around him, and how he’ll ****ing kill me if I ever do it again.

I guess my question is, is it bad etiquette to out paddle someone to the peak, given that you are equal distances away, and both on the same type of small high-performance short board? I felt I had done nothing wrong until he started screaming at me, then I wasn’t quite so sure anymore. It ruined the whole session though.

 

If you paddle around someone in a competition its fine. If you paddle around some one in a free surf....well thats pretty agro.

 

like this Kook that had to hurt

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SOqMJBs5ZcI&feature=related

 

might be rude but I see nothing wrong with this practice. If you don't like it, become a better paddler.

Totally agree with the kind and gentle approach FOR THE FIRST offense. I will always be calm on the first offense but the aggro factor goes up with each repeat.

Dropping in and ditching are bad but IMO the worse is the group who has the whole beach but feels compelled to paddle out RIGHT where you are surfing!! I ALWAYS vibe people who do the unless I know them.

 

this. again and again. repeat it. learn it. live it! i'm consistently shocked at how many experienced surfers don't give a fcuk and paddle right for the shoulder. my biggest pet peeve in all of surfing. makes me want to spear you right in your fat head!

 

Best Thread

This is the best thread out there people need to know whats up. Surfing can be all fun but get dangerous at times. My worst experience dealing with no-educated surfers was this summer.
I was surfing out front of this pier a lot deeper then the next guy that happened to be a longboarder. I got up racing down the line so i don't hit the pier, the longboarder turns starts paddling i call him off, he looks makes eye contact and continues to paddle then once i got closer he still didn't stop and decided to ditch his 9 foot longboard right over the falls on top of me. luckily i jumped off before it hit me in the head. But me and my board got tossed into the pier leash snapped and brand new board ruin in the pier.

The guys excuse i didn't see you/ thought i could make it around you.

I was just lucky i didn't get hurt the guy didn't apologize or anything just watched me swim out of the pier and then make in to get my board.

People should at least have a little common knowledge , common sense or just be some what smart before they paddle out at a dangerous spot

 

The next question becomes....what do you do when people refuse to play by the rules?

 

Call Sonny Garcia to patrol the line up

all Joking aside, when you have a selfish overstoked rider most of the time a rail to rail chat will remedy the problem or maybe a group intervention will get their attention as a last resort. If all else fails, no choice but to paddle away as one A$$ not worth wrecking your session.

 

well i told the guy where he stood, i think everyone in the lineup told him to get out of the water because by the time i got out of the water and got my board he was paddling in. I lost it, and flipped sh!t on the guy.

 

I have seen a friend loose it on someone, like really loose it. Loud as **** and making his point perfectly clear for all 20 other people out there. It was f*cking hysterical, the other kid didnt do anything, just shocked! I wish more people did that, just came out and called you out on your lack of awareness in the water.

 

yea the best one i saw was one dude dropped in on this local kid the kid kept yell get off and the guy rode out the wave by the end of the wave the kid flung his board at the guy just missing his head. Later the kid punched the guy in the face too after screaming and yelling at the guy it was great everyone was hollering and hooting.

 

dont drop in on people......not cool, plus you never know when Warchild will creep on you. Hahaha
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EsScvAv5yKA

 

Nice post RDJ, put a big smile on my face. Karma in the water is a cool thing. I've gotten some of the best waves of my life when a better surfer "gave" me the wave when they had position and then hooted as I made the late takeoff. Pay it forward.

~Utah