Riding the face of a wave is one of the most amazing experiences you can have. Make those wave faces larger and more powerful and the experience is even more intense. Unlike other board sports or rock climbing, every wave experience is different. The water is constantly changing under you depending on the tides, wind, wave size+direction, ocean bottom, the list goes on.
Part of the pull is also that you simply cannot go surf whenever you want. You have to wait for waves. Every surfer is also an amateur meteorologist for this reason. Even when waves finally show up, you have to paddle out and wait more. Surfing is not a group sport, even though you may see many surfers in the same location. They are all jockeying for position to catch the next wave and get a hit of the drug they all crave.
The only times I've gotten hurt surfing was when idiots who who had no business being out in the conditions have hit me. So yeah, surfers can be jerks if you are new and have not proven you know what you're doing yet.
Part of the pull is also that you simply cannot go surf whenever you want. You have to wait for waves. Every surfer is also an amateur meteorologist for this reason. Even when waves finally show up, you have to paddle out and wait more. Surfing is not a group sport, even though you may see many surfers in the same location. They are all jockeying for position to catch the next wave and get a hit of the drug they all crave.
The only times I've gotten hurt surfing was when idiots who who had no business being out in the conditions have hit me. So yeah, surfers can be jerks if you are new and have not proven you know what you're doing yet.