Whos fault is it?

Ledesmada's picture
Ledesmada started the topic in Thursday, 12 Oct 2017 at 9:42am

I surf with my best good mate and we have a lot of fun.

We have a problem though and I want to see if you can help me with it.

So when one surfer takes off on a wave, and another takes the next wave, the first surfer falls off the wave and second avoids running over the first surfer- but runs over surfers' board: whos fault is it?

First surfer, second surfer or accident that will happen surfing?

How can this be avoided?

Thank yOu

thermalben's picture
thermalben's picture
thermalben Thursday, 12 Oct 2017 at 9:56am

Sounds like an accident to me. It's certainly more preferable that the second bloke hit the surfboard and not his mate.

Ledesmada's picture
Ledesmada's picture
Ledesmada Thursday, 12 Oct 2017 at 9:59am

Thanks for the reply. Im the second surfer, and ive ran over two different boards of my friends. I also thought it as an accident, and was glad i avoided his head.

stunet's picture
stunet's picture
stunet Thursday, 12 Oct 2017 at 10:06am

Maybe surf on seperate banks? Have a good chat on the way down the beach and then all go home in one piece.

Ledesmada's picture
Ledesmada's picture
Ledesmada Thursday, 12 Oct 2017 at 10:09am

Good one Stu. Thanks

50young's picture
50young's picture
50young Thursday, 12 Oct 2017 at 10:11am

Maybe you should take the first wave as he obviously falls off more

Ledesmada's picture
Ledesmada's picture
Ledesmada Thursday, 12 Oct 2017 at 10:23am

50young thats one way to avoid this! Haha. He says its 100% my fault and I need to be more aware of my surroundings. We mught have to just surf separate banks.

Fleazool's picture
Fleazool's picture
Fleazool Thursday, 12 Oct 2017 at 11:48am

It's really the responsibility of the guy in the impact zone to get out of the way. Like paddle, or swim if he hasn't had the chance to retrieve the board, deeper so the next bloke can go.
If he's blown a take off & is in the impact zone though, then there's also a duty of car by the guy taking the next wave not to run him over. I'd let the next one wash him in a bit & go one without obstacles.

Ledesmada's picture
Ledesmada's picture
Ledesmada Thursday, 12 Oct 2017 at 11:55am

Great advice fleazool. Thanks.

goofyfoot's picture
goofyfoot's picture
goofyfoot Thursday, 12 Oct 2017 at 2:24pm

You've run over two of your friends boards?

Once I can understand, shit happens...
But twice? I'm thinking that it's your fault. If it's going to happen again, surf a foamy with rubber fins or ride a booger

Craig's picture
Craig's picture
Craig Thursday, 12 Oct 2017 at 3:00pm

Fleazool has it. Obviously is depends on the surf, as when its real close spaced windswell sometimes there isn't enough time to grab your board and get out of the way of the guy getting the next wave.

In this case I believe it's the second guy who has to assess the situation and either not take off or go around. If this second guy hits your board on the inside I'd say it's all his fault as he shouldn't have gone that wave, no matter how good it was.

My one pet hate is kooks in crowded surf who when your paddling back out after a wave, try and paddle themselves into nothing but a closeout, especially when you're right there at the bottom in their way. No idea and dangerous.

indo-dreaming's picture
indo-dreaming's picture
indo-dreaming Thursday, 12 Oct 2017 at 3:35pm

Id normally say it's an accident if an isolated innocent, but if you have run over your mates board twice i think you might be being a bit careless or your mate doesn't make an effort to get out the way.

In your case maybe you just need to pull back and not go if you are about to take off and see your mate floundering in the way.

And in your mates case he might need to make more of an effort to get out the way.

But really no offence i think you are more at fault as if its going to be a close call you just need to not go, I've lost count of the times I've been in the perfect position often waited ages for a wave and then someone is there on the inside and 99% of time i just play it safe and not go, it sucks but i don't want to run over someone or their board.

Willow995's picture
Willow995's picture
Willow995 Thursday, 12 Oct 2017 at 3:41pm

Had that happen to me Craig i was out wide paddling back and this bloke paddled into a closeout with nowhere to go. Got stuck up the top of the wave as he did't paddle hard enough and went to pull back trying to fall of the back but got dragged over the falls .

Unfortunately i was straight on and could see it happening so had stopped paddling and got off my board a good 10-15m from the impact zone hoping to duck under his board put also let my board get pushed back with the whitewash. However, he collected my board taking out all three fins fortunately not damaging the boxes but taking a chunk out of my deck too.

I was pretty pissed when i got up and saw the damage and literally nothing on his board things got worse when he paddled off without giving an apology.

Craig's picture
Craig's picture
Craig Thursday, 12 Oct 2017 at 3:52pm

:o Wow, I would of lost it! Haha.

inzider's picture
inzider's picture
inzider Thursday, 12 Oct 2017 at 3:59pm

The onus is on the person to get out of the way in the impact zone. So sick of fucknuts paddling for the shoulder not the whitewash, take it on the head or get back to kiddies corner.
Learn to duck dive as deep as fuck just in case you going to get run down no matter how hard you try to get out of the way.
Some spots at certain times of the day the sun can be in your eyes and your taking off blind, if it's crowded and lully fucked if I'm not going if the off chance some Muppet is at the bottom who shouldn't be there.

GuySmiley's picture
GuySmiley's picture
GuySmiley Thursday, 12 Oct 2017 at 4:08pm

slightly off topic but ..... I have been deliberately run over at the Pass twice over the years, both times by mal riders taking off from behind the rocks and flat lining it to make it through that first section. i had severe cramping of my right calf after one of those occasions for weeks.

i also hate the guys that do the massive cuttie out on the face right next to you when your paddling out on the shoulder, fucking smart arses hoping to spray you with water, only try it once before getting an ear full.

then there was that time two guys were arguing like hell out in the water, one threatening to run him over if he dropped in or snaked one more time .... well he was good with his threat only trouble was he mistook me for the other guy and i got fins across the back when paddling back out ..... very apologetic he was, even called me into a few, tool.

..... then there are the guys that paddle for every wave and sometimes find themselves too deep and they let there boards go straight in the direction of the pack ........

don't get me started on hipsters that think they don't need leggies

Willow995's picture
Willow995's picture
Willow995 Thursday, 12 Oct 2017 at 4:06pm

I was Fuming to say the least!! Followed him back out and questioned him to only get "that's surfing". I lost it but being young did't exactly know what power i had I just presumed its up to the decency of the bloke?

Can anyone actually clarify i presume it coms down to he said she said without anyone seeing?

Good thing is i haven't seen the guy since at the break or any others around the area.

Craig's picture
Craig's picture
Craig Thursday, 12 Oct 2017 at 4:12pm

"i also hate the guys that do the massive cuttie out on the face right next to you when your paddling out on the shoulder, fucking smart arses hoping to spray you with water, only try it once before getting an ear full."

Sorry but that's all part of the game, haha cummon don't like coping spray in the face, have a duck dive then if you see them coming.

Gaz1799's picture
Gaz1799's picture
Gaz1799 Thursday, 12 Oct 2017 at 5:00pm

Yeah I'm with goofyfoot surely if he's right in the impact zone then you'd know if you can avoid him before you're into the next wave? Only time I've run over a mates board is on a party wave.

Is he falling off on the takeoff or further down the line? I don't think there's any excuse for running over someones board further down the line unless they ditch it in front of you or try and paddle up the face instead of taking it on the head.

Herc's picture
Herc's picture
Herc Thursday, 12 Oct 2017 at 7:33pm

Ledso, as for the woman's weekly, new idea in a man's day 'advice'... no mate. No. Seriously, it's not fucking netball... although... you'd wonder sometimes. Inz is right. No excuse for geeks popping.

If you and your mate are constantly going down, getting flogged and popping up and down unscathed, surrounded by geeks pulling back, left right and centre, you're surfing fluff. With geeks. Heaps love their fluff. Geeks. So all that shit you describe comes with that territory. If you want to avoid fluffy, geeky shit, find a real wave. It will train you and take care of everything. Recently over west, a similar thing happened. Caught inside is always the caught geek's fault. Despite the pleas. Despite the exchange rate. They get away with fluffing around in fluff... playing surfees with massive 'specially constructed crafts. In real waves... real life, not the swillnut club, real consequences... real penalties. Fear. Panic. Exchange rates.

Worst I heard was at Ulu's. Everyone was relentlessly running over some geek's massive, gargantuanly proportioned craft, as the geek endlessly popped up all through the lineup. The humoungous craft looked like killer whales had attacked it, and there were hundreds of bits of broken boards floating everywhere! It seems the geek was filming a doco about a 'life and death paddle' from Ulu's to Padang.

Have a long, hard look in the mirror, before you make these sorts of career choices ledsey. Surfee (swillnut), or surfer.

happyasS's picture
happyasS's picture
happyasS Thursday, 12 Oct 2017 at 7:35pm

i accidentally ran over a bloke a few weeks back. first time for everything. was a crowded beach break with a lumpy swell and I got pushed a little sideways on the takeoff. he was sitting in front of me and trying to paddle for the same wave thinking i wouldn't get into it. he tried backwards duckdiving at the last minute to escape just as I popped to my feet but i clipped him with my fins still. no blood but i would have hurt and he went a bit apeshit. I apologised to cool the tension because its the easy thing to do regardless of who's fault it is.

inzider's picture
inzider's picture
inzider Thursday, 12 Oct 2017 at 8:54pm

@happyass
There is no excuse for someone being in front and blocking your entry , unless of course its a tourist or someone who has just snaked you previously. then fair game.

stunet's picture
stunet's picture
stunet Friday, 13 Oct 2017 at 12:09pm

Second that. If someone positions themself in front to block entry it only provides more motivation to catch the thing...or to run up their back.

Craig's picture
Craig's picture
Craig Friday, 13 Oct 2017 at 12:34pm

Yep, third that!