For North Shore residents, big surf means traffic.
And the surf doesn't get much bigger than it did yesterday.

Before sunrise yesterday, thousands flocked to the North Shore to get a front-row seat to one of the most prestigious big-wave surfing contests in the world. For residents, the onslaught meant clogged roads and parking headaches.

Yesterday, traffic was bumper-to-bumper for much of the day in the miles before and after Waimea Bay, where the Eddie Aikau surf meet was held. Some residents said trips that usually take them a few minutes took hours yesterday.

Parking was also a problem.

Police were busy responding to calls from homeowners whose driveways had been blocked by cars and tried to crack down by issuing citations. Officers also issued dozens of citations to drivers who parked illegally along Kamehameha Highway in front of Waimea Bay.
Police said people were ignoring "no parking" signs along the highway, and were also parking in front of fire hydrants and blocking roadways and sidewalks.
Warren Scoville, who lives on Papa'iloa Road and is a member of the North Shore Neighborhood Board, said he didn't even try getting into traffic yesterday.
"The mailman said don't go out," Scoville said with a laugh.
Scoville said the traffic situation on the North Shore yesterday bolsters the argument for a second thoroughfare other than Kamehameha Highway. He said traffic gets bad whenever surf is up.
"If you add a surf meet, it's worse," he said.
But some who attended the Eddie Aikau meet yesterday and others said parking and traffic headaches come with the territory. "Traffic is slow. It's bumper-to-bumper," said Michael Lyons, chairman of the neighborhood board.
He added, "People just have to expect that in this situation."
Meanwhile, a fair number of North Shore residents offered up their driveways for a fee or sold homemade goodies and iced drinks to attendees. Many residents were asking for $10 to park in their driveways.