What would you have done?

by **wilko** » Fri Dec 22, 2006 10:31 am

Surfed little rollers on thursday with about 30 other people. I was out the back with one other surfer. A little peak comes through. I turn and paddle. The other surfer on my outside paddles for the wave without looking. I call out to get his attention. He is in kook mode --- totally focused ahead. Not wanting to risk getting run over by him and figuring he might have a hearing disability, I yell at him. He backs off and yells at me. I surf the wave into the inside. See a friend of mine who owns a local surf shop, chat a bit, catch a little inside roller than paddle back out. Maybe 10 minites had transpired. Pick up a vibe and see this guy on a Bic looking board glaring at me. He paddles in towards me and yells "there's no need to yell at me, the waves are not that good." He was pissed. I am thinking " I called this guy off the wave for safety reasons and he's pissed." Earlier I had seen him paddling for a 2' wave and he had nosedived before standing up and the board shot out the back between his legs. Paddling for the wave with him on my outside had been a little disconcerning. Now he's trying to bitch me out because I had called him off the wave. To my discredit I came unglued and called him some nasty names. He paddled off even more offended as I had again "yelled at him."

by **Stiffler** » Fri Dec 22, 2006 10:37 am

we shouldnt even be talking about this here. that spot is so secret that you will probably recieve a barrage of pms from people attacking you publicly and then apologizing privately.
I think we can expect a lot more of this kind of behavior in the water. What can you do against such sheer, unbridled ignorance, coupled with total entitlement? my experience has been that these things do not occur between 5am and 8am, and 5pm to 9 pm, Mon-Fri, between April and October.

by **brdsurf** » Fri Dec 22, 2006 10:45 am

"there's no need to yell at me, the waves are not that good." He was pissed. I am thinking " I called this guy off the wave for safety reasons and he's pissed."
It seems that is the MO for so many. But really what can you do? You yell, he tells others what a dick you are. They tell their friends and so forth, next thing you know, you are a dick by everyones opinion. It also seems to come up that the waves arent worth it since they arent that good. Why do so many really clueless about putting others at risk?
But seriously, Wilko, you have been around long enough, I sure hope you shrug it off and dont think twice about it. Someday they will run over one of their friends and you know there is nothing more eye opening than having a friend yell at you for being a kook.
Its unrelated in some ways but when I was working at one of the best restaurants in France (rated one of the top in the world also), when a newbie was doing something wrong, either in method (resulting in potential harm to oneself or others) or in general (resulting in potentially less than stellar food), the Chef would just go off on the poor worker. The worker in turn stop for a second and realise that they were maybe doing something wrong and think about it, learn from it and maybe later in life pass that on. But unfortunately since the "waves belong to everyone duuuudde" so many dont even stop to think for a second what "have I dont to get yelled at?".
Oh well.

by **Wilbur Kookmeyer** » Fri Dec 22, 2006 10:51 am

I would have sat 6" away from him all day. Until he either snapped, or left.

by **Stiffler** » Fri Dec 22, 2006 10:52 am

as a follow up, i have had that same experience at that same place several times. More often than not, the rest of the crowd sees it the same way you do, but they all just sit there being quiet. Its unfortunate that such a mellow place has become such a clod magnet.
Next time yell "party wave". its gonna be one anyway, at least you can feel like you orchestrated it, and bic-man probably wont be able to hold his spot in the melee anyway.

by **The Betty** » Fri Dec 22, 2006 10:52 am

Wherever he is, what ever hes doing, Im willing to bet he is not still thinking about the crazy old fukker who yelled at him on a kneeknocker at all.

Great story, now get over it.

by **Wilbur Kookmeyer** » Fri Dec 22, 2006 10:54 am

F-ckin straight wisdom there. Or is that streight? Or strate? What is the spelling again?

by **Wilbur Kookmeyer** » Fri Dec 22, 2006 11:02 am

Stiffler wrote:we shouldnt even be talking about this here. that spot is so secret

http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=591738228

There is all sort of video footage of NW "Secret" spots.
Even a few of one notorious Point break.....

by **Stiffler** » Fri Dec 22, 2006 11:10 am

my point exactly.

by nm » Fri Dec 22, 2006 11:23 am

I'm trying to figure out why you just didn't start discussing your Women's Studies courses with the guy........? Sure crowd thinner......

:lol:

by **Gazsurf** » Fri Dec 22, 2006 11:58 am

It's a "Brik" not a "Bic" you shoulda yelled in English, your accent confused me..................my hearing is fine.

by **thurgood jenkins** » Fri Dec 22, 2006 3:23 pm

You did the right thing, people don't hear you over the noise of the surf and half the time they're wearing a hood. I have no qualms about yelling or raising my voice if someone looks like they're gonna drop in, or hit me, you got to look out for yourself. In a couple years the guy who yelled at you will figure it out and then he'll be yelling at kooks to watch out for him. Its' the circle of life in the surfing world...

You gotta put your personal safety first because if that guys bic k.o.,'s you you're dead. As in deceased. You really think a guy who isn't attentive enough to see you in his way nor hear you warn him, would notice you floating face down on the inside with the bic emblem indented in your forehead? I don't think so.... Face it when you're in the water, you can't count on anyone to take care of you so you have to look out for yourself sometimes that means yelling or raising your voice to get someones attention.

It may have been a good idea to tell him, you were just yelling so he'd hear you and not hit you... People can be pretty sensitive in the water and take a well meaning comment, like watch out, when they're trying to drop in and make it like your'e the a-hole. :roll:

by **Kalani** » Fri Dec 22, 2006 4:43 pm

by **pro moe** » Fri Dec 22, 2006 4:54 pm

10 minutes was far too long enough time for the kook to rationalise his kookinest any infraction requires immediate attention otherwise they cant
take advantage of a learning opportunity

by **Doc** » Fri Dec 22, 2006 6:11 pm

Was it windy?

If so...get downwind of him...stomp hard on the tail...shoot your board high into the air...the spinning action of a 9"6" plus board should break his concentration...apologize for your ineptness.

Repeat as necessary.

Once everyone has gone in due to extreme fear...surf waves at your leisure...helll, even let a few "good" ones go by.

Doc