Byron Bay Carnage

[diggerdickson]

Ive been thinking on this a fair bit lately, and a incident came to mind last summer at yaroomba. A certain shortboarder, solid nuggety guy was hassling the crap out of everyone in his agressive manner, snaking waves, dropping in and being a real nuisance. The surf was bloody good and fairly crowded. I had never seen the guy there before and I know he was not any sort of regular.

After a while a young guy droped in on this arsehole, after the wave the nuggity guy started going off. Immediately 7 other locals paddled over to the situation and advised the arsehole to paddle in or face concequences as they had seen enough. The guy paddled in, I have not seen him there agian.

Moral to the story, bring back some sort of localism, any sort. Another perfect example was when I was out at moffats the other day, people were hooting the kooks when they were catching waves, encouraging them where to paddle and sit so they werent in the bloody road. Its not to hard to do this at most breaks. I got educated this way, was forced to spend my time in the white water by the elder guys until I could paddle and duckdive probably. At the time I thought they were arseholes, but know I actually appreciate what they did (the f@#$%^#@ng arseholes )

As for the pass and a few other places, just dont bloody surf there, surely its not worth it.

[BDL77]

Be careful for what some of you wish for.

http://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/sign-of ... -m4ts.html

[mical]

From SMH.com.au

"VISITORS to Manly Beach will notice a new arrival among the forest of signs scattered along the esplanade this week.

[attachment=0]manlysurf5-200x0.jpg[/attachment]
Poking out among the notices banning dog walking and kite flying will be large surfboard-shaped placards outlining the proper etiquette for surfers and body boarders.

Following escalating tensions between novice surfers and the hardened local crowd, Manly Council will become the first Sydney council to regulate behaviour in the waves beyond simply keeping surfers outside the flags.

Surfers will be instructed not to ''drop in'' or ''snake a wave'', told that those waiting longest have first dibs, and reminded to tell their fellow surfers whether they are going left or right.

The president of the local surfers' action group, Neil Ohlback, said the signs were necessary because beginners and tourists were constantly breaking the rules, which was dangerous and occasionally led to instances of violent ''surf rage''.

''Instead of signs it could have been muscle,'' Mr Ohlback said yesterday. ''Some of the guys were saying, 'if it doesn't improve we're going to do something about it ourselves'. There was definitely tension with the [Manly] surf school. This way if someone paddles up the inside instead of going around you can point them in the direction of the rules.''

But others see the signs as yet another restriction on beach behaviour by local government.

At Bondi Beach, Waverley Council has already banned volleyball, all football codes, frisbees, shell collecting, smoking and drinking on the sand, and Manly is not far behind.

''There are now so many things banned at Bondi Beach that it'd be more appropriate to put up a list of things that are actually permitted rather than what is not,'' the president of the NSW Council for Civil Liberties, Cameron Murphy, said. ''It is a council's role to balance the different needs of people in the community, but it's not the council's job to run the local finishing school. If you try to regulate every aspect of people's behaviour you just create more tension.''

Manly Council's general manager, Henry Wong, said such rules were put in place to prevent people hurting themselves.

''Manly attracts a lot of tourists and not everyone is aware of the tribal rules that apply,'' Mr Wong said. ''We have a 2-3 kilometre length of beach and regulating behaviour is expected of us by the general public.''

The erection of the signs follows a serious accident at Byron Bay last Friday when a 10-year-old boy was critically injured while surfing when struck by the stray surfboard of an inexperienced surfer.

It is the latest in a series of similar incidents there in recent years."

[matt...]

what?!?
i can't go shell collecting at bondi anymore???
what is this world coming to???

and at manly...
we sould vote the "harmless travellers" off the beach at a "tribal" council, seeing as they aren't aware of the "tribal" rules!! ha ha ha

glad i'm not at bondi or manly this summer!

[Beanpole]

Glad to see the surf rules are "tribal". That just means if you aren't part of the "tribe" e.g. goat boater or body surfer you can ignore them?

I would encourage more people to give the person waiting longest a wave. How many surfs feature a feeding frenzy by a couple of over amped individuals. Its like some people get bummed if they actually miss any wave that comes through while everyone else sits there waiting. Its no wonder learners don't know the rules if nobody uses them themselves.

Theres a small crew of overzealous groovy young log riders at Bondi who haven't worked that out. They think the ability to catch every wave means they have to catch every wave. Share this summer.

[papa]

"Or Furthest out"???? WTF! It'll be full of mals and SUP!

[Beanpole]

Nah, I reckon if someone's been waiting in line for a crack at a wave patiently it is everyones responsibility to give them at least the occasional go. If they blow it thats that. The alternative seems smart at the time but if there are no rules other than dog eat dog then the situation were talking about here will continue to happen. This is particularly directed at mal riders who can and do paddle past everyone.

Take it out of the surf. If everyone pushes in everywhere like they do in the Eastern Suburbs because they think theyre better and more important than everyone else its an ugly sh#tfight. More accidents happen.

If the "elders"/ "locals" are all busy ruthlessly dominating the substandard conditions and ripping every other punter off theyre hardly going to be credible giving advice to anyone.

[Ned Flanders]

What about a booking system like a dentists office.

You call the Manly Council and they have an appointment book for surf spots throughout the day. The day could even be divided into beginner, intermediate and experienced surf sessions.

When you book they give you a code which you then give to a range on the beach to get approval to go out and have a surf. Then the lifesavers come out at the end of the session and clear the surf before the next session starts.....

[boardscape avalon]

This photo of the grommet is posted with the consent of the family, i want everybody to know that he is doing as well as can be expected.He has vowed to get back in the surf as soon as he gets the medical all clear..thanks for the well wishes, they are greatly appreciated.

[Beanpole]

I reckon its funny that people cant cop the idea of priority which everyone knows is one of the basic rules of surfing. It always has been. You wonder why it f#cked?

As far as rules on Bondi beach goes I don't see too many people being told to stop playing paddle ball, soccer, frisbee, cricket, smoke, drink etc. Maybe unleashed dogs and possibly intravenous drug use but I,m not sure. You can put up signs but if everyone ignores them its p#ssing in the wind.

Thats a savage gash. I hope hes back out there fit and firing on all cylinders real soon.

[Grant Moss]

Well happy days ahead thanks to all the wankers who have allowed the bureaucratic regulation of the surfing way of life to commence at Manly.

Some predictions of the consequences of this disgraceful voluntary surrender of the freedoms young men lying in unnamed graves on the battlefields around the world gave their lives to PRESERVE.

(1) Your carparks will be full of bottom dwelling scum sucking laywers waiting for an incident to occur out in the line up that they can help the aggrieved sue for compensation over.

(2) Council will, within a very short period of time, recognise a new opportunity to raise revenues by fining anyone who breaches "the rules"

(3) Surfers will respond to the possibility of a council fine by pissing off as soon as it looks like the council ordinance officer is after them therefore forcing council to introduce a system of board registrations to enable the perpetrator to be identified and fined by mail.

(4) Councils along the entire Australian coastline will be forced to advertise the same "rules" or be liable to be sued by a bottom dwelling scum sucking lawyer acting on behalf of a surfer injured by someone who "would have known the rules if council had put a sign up".

(5) As soon as all councils are forced to put up "the rules" on all beaches the things listed in points (2) & (3) above will occur on their beaches too.

"Sign, sign, everywhere a sign
Blocking up the scenery
Breaking my mind
Do this, don't do that
Can't you read the sign?"

Stop the world, I want to get off

You fu(king city wankers

[Chillin]

I have an idea, bring back board registration!

[Animal_Chin]

Some predictions of the consequences of this disgraceful voluntary surrender of the freedoms young men lying in unnamed graves on the battlefields around the world gave their lives to PRESERVE.

**blah farkin blah***

You fu(king city wankers

Seriously dude. I got no idea what you are talking about there.

[chrisb]

I would encourage more people to give the person waiting longest a wave.

Good idea and workable at most surf spots.

Not sure about The Pass though because of the huge numbers of surfers out there.
Do the sums: Sets of 4 waves every 5 minutes, 70 people in the lineup. If everyone takes their turn the longest waiting person will get their first ride after waiting 90 minutes. Many surfing sessions last less than 90 minutes.

I think the solution is to avoid the crowds. Even at Byron this is possible. What would you prefer:
1. A possible good ride at The Pass ride accompanied by crowds/aggravation/aggression/risk of damage to both your body and your board?
2. An inferior (to The Pass) but rideable wave a few hundred metres west, east or south of The Pass without crowds and their associated problems?

PS: Mr Moss, your argument has resorted to the "slippery slope fallacy".

[steve shearer]

i didn't surf the Pass for a few years but got sick of all the volvo-driving seachanging fathers at my daughters ultra-exclusive private school raving about the surf they had there.

It's actually incredibly easy to get waves there and quite fun to surf and thats no bull. And what .....your gunna surf 2ft onshore dribble when it's blowing sou-east and the Pass is a ruler-edged 2ft wave running for close to a mile perfect for mals, fishes what have you?
I don't surf there when there is a swell on...i'd rather surf sideshore Ox with a fiftieth of the crowd....

surely a little bit of fcuking edumacation can reduce the danger level out there.

Why should we give a perfect sandbar wave to kooks....surely local people have a reasonable expectation to surf there.

[Nick Carroll]

No disrespect to NC and others who have suggested having the 'elders' do this informally but I just think that'll be ineffective. The nature of those offending almost by definition means they won't recognise their authority.

Ya reckon?

I think quite the opposite: the surf is a scary place for many beginners and they're very likely to take cues from someone who's moving quickly through the lineup and clearly knows what's up. And they WANT to know what to do! They know they're hopeless. Think about it for a moment -- what do you imagine their state of mind actually is?

Nobody's ever flared up at me when I've offered 'em some gentle hints, if they did I'd just laugh in their faces. Someone mentioned earlier the possibility of being "snotted" in the lineup by a "touro", ha! That's a comedy sketch waiting to happen, that one. Try it some time, sit on your board and swing on somebody. It NEVER works. Specially if you're having trouble balancing on the board in the first place.

But of course there IS always the spectre of "surf rage". Maybe we should start telling each other stories of the terrible surf rage incidents we all see happening around us every day in these crowded times. A newspaper journalist will read the thread and suggest an article to his editor. Soon a rash of "surf rage" articles and tabloid TV gold will flood the media ... and all you'll have to do is look sideways at someone to send 'em in.

[Nick Carroll]

Well happy days ahead thanks to all the wankers who have allowed the bureaucratic regulation of the surfing way of life to commence at Manly.

Grant, it's OK mate. The Manly "rules" have no force of law at any level. It's just one of those "tribal law" sign thingos.

[OddaP]

Self regulation-often the kook are not even aware of the danger or transgression of rules. if someone paddle for the shoulder or throws their board anywhere near me then they get a gobful and then a more measured explanation of why and how their actions are dangerous. I have no problem whtsoever "advising" someone that if they can't or won't do either then they should not be out there-sure it may create a "bad vibe maaan" but I"d rather that then lose an eye.

I agree with you Steve, locals and competent surfers have every right to surf a good wave and in safety. If people are prepared to be vocal then maybe the correct ettiqute might just sink in