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How To Bring Your Surfboard On The Subway
By
Jen Carlson
Published Aug 9, 2013
Modified Aug 9, 2013
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By
Jen Carlson
Published Aug 9, 2013
Modified Aug 9, 2013
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(Getty)
This week we discussed bringing bikes on the subway... but what about surfboards? We're in prime surfing weather season, but how can you lug your board to the beach without harshing anyone's vibe? A tipster sent in this photo, illustrating how not to do it:
He explained the scenario:
"These photos are from the Manhattan bound L train around 4:30 p.m. on Friday. I saw this couple walking down the steps at the Broadway Junction stop. The guy was carrying a short board and the woman had this extremely long longboard.... approximately 10 people had to dodge the board as she tried to maneuver it into the position you see in the pictures. The board basically divided the train car into two sections. The couple made no attempt to find a better solution (end of the car?). No apologies. Nothing."
But what could they do? Unlike a bike, aka a mode of land transportation, surfboards you need to transport to the water. They don't fit in a cab, so there's not really any other way to get to the beach with them unless you have your own surfboard-friendly vehicle and what are you a millionaire. We reached out to a seasoned urban surfer, and he gave us the top 4 tips, noting, "it's the obvious stuff":
(Getty)
1. Get a padded board bag with a shoulder strap
2. Travel early in the morning
3. Ride in the first or last car of the train
4. Smile and excuse yourself
Stick to those simple rules, and you'll lessen your chances of being publicly shamed on a website.
Tagged
etiquette
subway etiquette
surfboard
surfboard etiquette
surfboards
surfing
original
Jen Carlson
Jen Carlson is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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