every time i surf my local beach and this guy and his daughter are there, they (on one board) paddle in on every wave, no matter who is on it, or where they are, theyve dropped in on me numerous times…anyways, the guy drops in on me today, the next wave, i didnt see him so i paddled in, once i saw him i sat up and left the wave alone.
the next wave, hes paddling OUT on the inside of me, im already paddling for the wave, i check to see if hes turning around before i commit to the wave, he is still facing the wave. i keep paddling, get up and make a turn at the top of the wave. As im coming down, i see hes at my ankles laying down on his board like always, i jump off the board and over the top of him so i dont hit him…
he runs his 6 year old daughter up the beach and puts his board down and turns toward me (still in the water…about shin high). he charges @ me and pushes me down into the water. after that he raises his hand, in which hes holding a big old rock, telling me how hes going to bash my face in and wreck my board…we go back and forth with words and so on and so forth…
the question is…was it wrong for me to keep paddling, even though he didnt show ANY signs of turning around? …and what would you do in that situation?
That guy should be surfing by himself somewhere down the beach. These people who have no consideration when it comes to dropping in are complete jackasses. To be honest with you I’d rather be dropped in on by someone who will kill the wave, rather than cruise with their daughter, but that’s just my opinion.
there are certain things that guys can do to void any and all claim to wave priority, regardless of what position he happens to be in. this guy did several of them. unless you think he’s really going to go psycho, feel free to drop in on him for the rest of his life: the surf god’s will smile on you.
set up some confrontation where you know he will drop
in on you in front of a whole lot of other surfers witnessing it, and then have him up about what hes done wrong infront of all the other surfers, see what he says at least you will ahve a few people on your side and witnesses if things get out of hand,
Be careful especially if you both surf the same spot regularly cause some guys like just hold on to grudges man , they have chips on there shoulders before they even get out in the water. and you dont want years of bullshit so try and find an truce first.
This is why I don’t surf during Northern Hemisphere summer. Too many in general, and many of them bozos with attitudes, no manners and some sort of idea that they own the ocean - usually newcomers to surfing.
And what a wonderful example he’s setting for his daughter. Ayaiayai -
Myself, I’d have a word with some well-respected locals and maybe the powers that be. Assault and threatening you with a rock and all? That’s cause for arrest/detention and so on. This jerk belongs someplace other than the water. Plus risking his daughter while he’s playing his little games, a complete no-class move. No class at all…
Good luck- it’s a no-win situation, really. There will always be some dolt who figures you’re in the wrong and will make your life difficult.
A guy threatening you with a rock? Get witnesses and call the cops. That jerk should be in jail.
it’s a shame you don’t live in florida…our off-the-deep-end right-wing governor is working on passing a bill called the “Stand Your Ground Act”…basically, if someone threatens you in public, you can shoot and kill them without fear of prosecution…does Arnold have anything like that in the works?..NO?!..what a wimp!!!
the question is…was it wrong for me to keep paddling, even though he didnt show ANY signs of turning around? …and what would you do in that situation?
Hell no! Here’s what I would do. Try to get my hands on an epoxy board or an old board i don’t care about wrecking. Next time he drops in on me, run over his board and dig the fins into his board and slice it up real good. But don’t make it too obvious:) Then say “Oh man, I’m really sorry”. Then, if he tries to beat U up. Let him swing at you then, make sure you have witnesses, call the cops and have him arrested for assault. That’s just what I would do.
Sounds like no use talking to the guy, sad really.
Speak to his daughter calmly and rationally, even if he is there. Maybe she can understand the general concept of sharing and enjoying, and maybe set him straight. As said, he doesn’t set a good example.
If all else fails, ignore him, and your energy will not be wasted. As for the rock thing happening again, call the cops.
man look here, i have, as we all have, been dropped in on, cut off, and probably doen the same by accident. the fact the he seems to do it all the time, to everyone there i assume and not just you, would be grounds for a serious intervention. with some bros backing you up for witnesses, and i agree with the police aspect. with a fool like that the boys in blue may be the only way he gets the clue.
i bailed out of socal just for that reason. way to crowded - good and learners - for comfort. we as a culture, may need to be more vocal, nonviolently, about our ‘rules.’ which are of course assumed we all know.
here we would just steal your boat, and leave your ass on the reef, out at sea
i have the wave in question on tape actually (my girlfriend was on the beach)…only thing is, the video starts as im paddling, and its RIGHT after he turns around…the vid shows me paddling, THEN him going, but it looks like im dropping in on him from the low res.
other than that the vid just shows me bailing over him and him catching my board before it would have clipped him.
thanks for the suggestions guys…i see the dude all the time, ill have a camera at the beach whenever hes there from now on! only thing that stopped my girlfriend from taping the fight was the fact that she was in it too!!!
Regardless of who cut who off it’s just a wave and last time I checked there were more on the way. A rock is out of line.
The very least I would do is take a trip to the local police station and ask to talk to an officer. Nothing formal, but calmly explain the episode without exageration, explain your fear of future confrontations, and ask for advice in how to handle the event should it occur again.
This does two things. It establishes you as a known, calm / collected guy to the police who will be more likely to take your side in the future and also establishes a history of the event so that the next one is not just an isolated event.
During your explanation can calmly paint the guy as a “known wave hog / hot head who we all just try to avoid” but don’t overdo it as the police like to come to their own conclusions.
The second step would be a simple “terroristic threats” type charge against him which, even without witnesses, will more than likely get you a restraining order against the guy.
sounds like he uses his 6 yr old as a shield. he can get away with breaches of etiquette using her as a shield that he couldn’t get away with if he was just riding on his own. if anything untoward occurs, he can feel self rightous in defending his innocent child from your recklesness. the clinical term for someone like this fellow is
“nutcase”.
in the situation you describe, he failed to recognize your positioning and right to the wave, as you were set up while he was still paddling out. he continued to paddle to the inside and then committed the classic “snake” maneuver. good in competition, not so good in free surfing.
and he rides every wave prone?
probably not your bad to have taken the wave. i would have expected he’d verbal that he was going to take off inside you or at least whistle you off, but again this guy is a nutcase.
what would i have done? probably would have freaked and lost my board and clobbered them. then at least he’d have a reason to threaten me.
he is endangering his child by this behavior. in my state the people to contact are children and families. report the behavior and ask them to send a caseworker to observe this reckless endangerment of the child. maybe you’ll get a caseworker that surfs.
most of the places i surf at, he would be spoken to gently by some of the more rational older surfers and urged to find a less peopled area. on the other hand, between memorial and labor day, hordes of similar idiots can be found at most popular breaks, pushing their kids on their rental soft tops directly in front of surfers aleady committed to a line.
eventually. someone is going to crunch this guy. hope the kid doesn’t get hurt in the process.
Regardless of right of way, someone comes at me with a rock, I’ll hurt him. I would rather talk than fight, but I know how to fight, and this guy was asking for a quick full on response. You would be entirely within your rights to do so under the circustances. The guy obviously needs to learn something.
