There are a few things in surfing that you try not to do. And some beginner's don't know what these things are and the result can be a few very ticked off people. Here are a few things to keep in mind to send a friendly message to a few other surfers.
Dropping in on People
Dropping in on someone is when someone catches a wave and you catch it as well and get in front of them thus getting in their way. Some people really hate this and get very mad. So when you're catching a wave, be aware of where other people are and let the person with the best position on the wave (usually closest to the curl) have the wave. Hitting Boards
This can be caused by just not paying attention or not being aware. Some people get very mad when you put a ding in their board. Although this might very well happen to some surfers. It just kind of happens. But still avoid it. Getting Hit
If you hit someone with your board then most people would probably get very pissed. Hey, if you hit me with a rock hard surfboard I would get pretty mad. You will probably find yourself paddling out and a guy is surfing and is coming very close to you. Either he isn't paying attention in which this case you bail (bodies before boards, seriously) if he is going to hit you and if he is going to come really close then paddle to the side of the direction that he isn't going, even if it means you go right into the whitewash (but if it's like a huge wave 3 times your height, do your best not to get clobbered sideways). Hitting People
When you surf especially on a busy day, you always got to be aware of other people. I wouldn't go surfing in a really crowded spot if there was a lot of beginners or if I was a beginner because some beginners don't really get the turning thing right away or wipe out and soon as they attempt it. Wiping out right in front of someone is very bad. You should try not to shoot your board at them and immediately grab your leash and pull hit in as a last resort effort to not have your board fly into their face.
If you are about to hit someone and you have the ability to turn, gesture for them to go one way so you can go the other and reduce chances of hitting. If you are the one about to be hit by a board with no rider, just bail and go underwater.
Well there are some tips that will help you prevent injury to yourself, others, and make less people angry. Good luck surfing!
