The selfish 'rich person' beach trend everyone is sick of

Is a little bit of fun really worth the damage?

I know what you’re probably thinking, ‘Okay, we get it, people are annoying at the beach’. CoolCabanas are annoying. Playing bad music out loud from a speaker is annoying. Beach trolleys are annoying.

But, there’s one more thing we have to address, and that’s jet skis.

If you’ve ever tried to speak to someone who’s fond of jet skis about how frustrating they are to everyone else, you’ve definitely heard them say something along the lines of, ‘but you’ve never seen someone sad on a jet ski’.

Whilst that may be true to an extent, does it really outweigh how bad they really are?

Want to join the family? Sign up to our Kidspot newsletter for more stories like this.

Image: iStock.

RELATED: Kmart trend spotted in every store has shoppers puzzled

They’re straight up annoying

Associated with the rich and selfish, jet skis combine the worst parts of boating with the worst parts of motorbikes.

Picture this: you’re trying to have a nice day out on the water, enjoying the sun in some peace and quiet, and then you hear one of the most irritating sounds possible - a jet ski.

Not only are they loud, they take up space in the water which could be used by swimmers, meaning everyone needs to be hyper-aware of their surroundings at all times.

This week, Aussie content creator Nikka took to TikTok to share her take on jet skis.

“I don’t know who needs to hear this today, but in order to have a rich and fulfilling life, you don’t need a jet ski,” she said in the video.

Whilst she definitely got some push back from jet ski owners saying they’ve truly been a game changer in their lives, plenty of people also agreed with her.

“Yes, the jet skis ruin the beach for everyone else,” said one commenter.

“I get groups of jet skis exploring islands in the ocean. Only 1 doing circles on a lake? Really. We also have a neighbour who revs his in the garage! 😅” said another.

“Please no jet skis! They are the worst thing ever,” a third agreed.

Introducing our new podcast: Mum Club! Listen and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts so you never miss an episode.

RELATED: People are officially sick of this Aussie cafe trend

They’re bloody dangerous

Aside from them being annoying to other beachgoers, jet skis are extremely dangerous to riders and swimmers alike, and have only become increasingly so in recent months.

Victoria's Water Police Squad put out a warning just a few weeks ago after they were called to more than 100 incidents in the first week of 2025 - over 6 times higher than the same period last year, and most of which were involving jet skis.

One particular incident saw a 14-year-old boy flown to the Royal Children's Hospital after a collision between a jet ski and a boat, with a 43-year-old male jetski rider and another 14-year-old second passenger also rescued from the water and taken to Frankston Hospital.

A man in his 20s was also taken to hospital following an incident at the same beach just hours later.

In New South Wales, the situation is similar.

"The NSWPF Marine Area Command has a constant presence on our waterways providing assistance to persons and vessels in distress but also enforcing marine safety," a NSWPF spokesperson told Kidspot.

"The use of personal water craft’s (PWC) on our waterways is significant with the number of PWC registrations increasing.

"Although the large majority of users are law abiding citizens a small percentage are causing problems and the Marine Area Command utilises many strategies to monitor, engage, educate and where appropriate, take enforcement action against these persons.

"Police will issue infringement notices for lifejacket, speeding and other offences detected on the water and utilise various vessels including police PWC’s to specifically interact with PWC users. The most common infringement issued to PWC users is speeding or operating their PWC irregularly.

"Although the majority of people do the right thing, time and again we see preventable incidents occurring due to people behaving in a reckless manner and over-estimating their abilities whilst operating PWC’s."

Politicians are also stepping in, with select beaches ultimately banning jet skis due to the dangers.

“People deserve to be safe so they can have fun on our beaches this summer. And unfortunately irresponsible and dangerous behaviour by a few can ruin the beach experience for many,” said Bayside Council Deputy Mayor Heidi Lee Douglas on Facebook last December.

“That’s why this summer I’ve written to Rockdale MP Minister Steve Kamper, our state Minister for the Police and our state Minister for the Environment asking them to form a jet ski hooning task force for Botany Bay specifically focusing:

1. Safety for swimmers

2. Protection for endangered animals and marine habitat

“This could mean areas of Lady Robinson’s Beach are designated jet ski free zones. Creating a jet ski free safe zone on a popular beach has just occurred on the Central Coast, after years of enduring similar dangers there from dangerous jet ski drivers.”

The Central Coast beach she’s referring to is Ettalong Beach, where new waterway restrictions were introduced last November meaning anyone seen using a jet ski in the 300m paddle craft only zone will cop a $300 fine.

And, as far as I’m concerned, rightfully so!

Is there a way to do it properly?

If you’re one of the few jet ski owners reading this and wondering how you can be more conscious of others, thank you, on behalf of everyone else.

Ahead of what would be a busy summer, Victoria Police shared their guidelines in a post to Instagram, which include sticking to five knots when near other boats, ramps, jetties, swimmers and surfers, and the shore, and wearing the correct life jacket type at all times to ensure the safety of both yourself and others around you.

In New South Wales, the police are also reminding us to avoid other risk factors.

"Jetski riders are reminded to wear life jackets at all times, to stay within the speed limit zones and not to drink alcohol or take drugs," the NSW police spokesperson told Kidspot.

Guidelines are similar in the other states, with additional rules specific to different beaches and bodies of water.

But, overall, the key is to have some common sense. Have your fun, and enjoy the toy you spent so much money on, but just be mindful of those around you. Okay? Please?

Originally published as The selfish 'rich person' beach trend everyone is sick of