Now let’s get one thing straight: I have nothing against skateboarding. I mean, I wish I had the ability to glide at upwards 40 miles an hour, catching wind in my mouth, looking cool and stuff while not faceplanting miserably to the ground. Yet I stick with the tech decks, replicating all the 180-degree tricks with my fingers, and without endangering lives in the process.
I cannot explain how many times I walk down Main Street and hear the tumultuous WHOOSH of wheels as I frantically turn around deciphering which direction the sound is coming from. Frankly I cannot articulate the strange fear I get of potentially meeting my demise being steamrolled by a skateboarder.
An overarching issue with skateboarders on-campus is the safety hazard. Skateboards differ from other forms of transportation such as bikes or cars in that it is more difficult to brake. Especially at the velocity the skateboards move at, trying to stop abruptly is nearly impossible to swiftly swerve away and avoid hitting an innocent student.
Furthermore, skaters are putting themselves at risk as well. Rarely do I see the skaters wearing any kind of protective gear to prevent personal injury. It is easy to fall and skid across the concrete filled campus. Is it really worth the bloody knee (that you can’t tend to immediately because you’re late to Calc)?
Going that fast, there is not a lot of space to warn bystanders, or for them to react soon enough. Most times all I see is a blur bypass my trek to class. One student, Issac Lukose, remarks “generally, I find the skateboarders on campus to be a goofy little clique. I have experienced some near-death excursions with them, which bothers me.”
Considering that the campus sits at a steep slope, and many of the colleges rest on the upper half of the hill, skateboarders carry their vehicles over using them. Someone please tell me, what is so great about lugging around a skateboard everywhere you go, especially if you’re in a rush? I’m waiting.
The danger that plagues campus can be solved. Maybe in the form of a skateboard strict lane. Or building a skateboard park someplace on campus for people to skateboard to their hearts content. I just want to wander campus without this added fear. I already have tests to worry about. And not falling off the Zimmer stairs. I rest my case.
By Casey Harloe, Activist Writer
