Surfer arrested for surfing in the Gulcoast of FL!!!

[Guest]

http://www.gulfsurfforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1522
Can you imagine, just surfing along, and then WHAM! your on your way to jail.

[bbrink]

Yeah in some places on the east coast, like where I'm from, its a fine surfing close to the piers, say within 200-500 ft. The coastal towns there rely more on the fisherman during the off season than surfers so they try to make the fisherman happy, surfers will always come in second.

Another case in point is Surf Zones. In this one beach town where I"m from you can surf anywhere from dawn until 11am, but after 11am you can only surf certain spots on the beach...if you're caught in the wrong spot then you're subject to a fine. I guess the reasoning is that Surf Zones keep swimmers safe by lessening the chance of collision, but thats lame because I think surfers are the ones who more than likey would save a swimmers life....but whatever I really don't know the exact reason, I'm just glad I don't have to deal with it. I'm just lucky I live hawaii yeah.

But its hard for me to believe the guy got arested just for that, he must've been talking smack or something, usually they just give you a warning or maybe a ticket if you're unlucky or a repeat offender.......but off to jail, there's more to this than just being too close to the pier. I say he was talking smack.

[acrorrusd]

Actualy, there where at least 5 surfers arrested. No one was talking "smack". They where surfing too close to a peir, but it was because the drift, and direction of the swell, was dragging them too close. I know they where supposedly breaking the "law" by getting too close to the pier, but to arrest instead of fine, or even warning? I think it is a travesty, but that just my opinion.

[surfer9joe]

I can see why they stayed out, it was kind of going off out there, especially for panama beach florida where it's flat 95% of the time.

This vid from the thread http://www.revelationproductions.net/temp/March23x.wmv Of the guys getting arrested is horrible, going to jail for surfing.....

[bbrink]

If the case was just being at the wrong place at the wrong time then thats jacked up..I've only seen it play out this way:

1. fishermen gets pissed at some surfers in the way of casting his line.
2. fishermen complains to pier owner.
3. pier owner calls cops.
4. cops come out to pier.
5. cops start yelling at surfers to come in so they can bitch and re-educate the pier restrictions.
6. surfers refuse and stay out longer forcing cops to stand on the beach and fume.
7. surfers finally come in, pissed to be called out of the water on a good day and hence start talking "smack" like what the fak pig? why you call me in?
8. cops already pissed because the surfers didn't come in when told, hear nothing of it and start writing tickets (or in this case haul the dudes off to jail)


this has been my experience, and I still think some of that happened here, but again this its just my opinion...

playing dum might have worked, one could've said they were a visitor and didn't know the rules. aloha.

[bbrink]

I just watched the video and they were warned before hand, the cop said so on his loud speaker...but they stayed out and pissed the cops off so they went to jail....if they would've come in at first I don't think they would've got that, just a $100 fine or some shit. but whatever, learn from this kiddies.... big brother's everywhere

aloha

[maleko]

i didn't watch the vid but all the stuff on talking trash and being arrested made me think of this guy who stays ovah heah. the cops know him really well. he's known to say " if you can take me down, you can take me to jail" (to the cops). he then begins to throw down. (i'm not a friend of his)

[neosponge]

I got a ticket once for bodyboarding too close to the pier at Virginia Beach! Ridiculous and stupid. $45. Hey, it was like navel-high and the sandbars were groomed better around the pier.