Skateboarding is Not a Crime
It was just a matter of time before I had the campus cop/skateboard encounter and I think this encounter had a few elements that contributed to its development. First, I went to work early. Going to work early means that there are fewer people on campus and more reasons that some dude with sideburns on a 40 inch longboard will get noticed.
Secondly, it’s summer session at Penn State and this also means that there are less people out and about. We just don’t have the same level of student activity on campus during the summer sessions. We have plenty of construction, but that’s another blog post.
Third is the fact that skateboarding is associated consistently with anti-social and anti-establishment attitudes – which is ironic because skateboarding is also a business. People on skateboards, in my opinion, are considered undesirables by community members, brick-and-mortar business owners, policy makers, and professionals in law enforcement. In their defense, there are individuals that in their quest for gnar destroy property, put others and themselves at risk for injury, and display less than respectable behavior.
Fourth. The adherence and support of laws and policies that are out-of-date or are just “cover your ass” in nature are not readily designed for expansion, review, or critique. No dialogue means no evolution. Case-in-point is policy SY16 at Penn State.
No person shall coast or ride upon any roller skates, in-line skates, scooter, sled, or similar device upon any roadway, parking area, or bicycle route, or within any building on the campus. Nor shall any person coast or ride upon any sled or similar device upon any sidewalk or improved surface used only for pedestrian traffic. Persons may coast or ride upon roller skates, in-line skates or scooters on sidewalks, provided they yield the right-of-way to pedestrians on foot. No acrobatics of any kind are permitted.
Seriously? I can rock out in leg warmers and terry cloth shorts and roller blade, but I can’t ride my longboard between buildings or from meeting to meeting? Provided that there won’t be any “acrobatics” what’s the difference between “coasting devices?” I’m not chewing up benches and walls and oversized planters. No acrobatics there. Just cruisin’ and carvin’ and maybe some footwork – sans the acrobatics.
Lastly, skateboarding is not a crime. It’s just some not-so-new sport that gets young people and old people off of their asses and away from their computer, smart phone, television, and/or video game console (showing my age) and puts them actively into a real, human-filled environment. There is still a lot to do about the destruction of property, but there’s also still a lot to do about perception and policy making. Let’s talk.
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“Nor shall any person coast or ride upon any sled or similar device upon any sidewalk or improved surface used only for pedestrian traffic.” Keywords: sled or similar device…perhaps you should put some trucks on this: http://www.loti.com/articles/radioFlyerSled.gif