Editor’s Note: This content reflects the views of the individual author only and does not represent a stance taken by The Collegian or its editorial board.
Picture this: It’s 9 a.m., and you are walking to your first class of the day. The sun is out, but it’s still early enough in the morning that the heat won’t make you drown in a pool of your own sweat. You’re walking among the pillars of trees as the smell of wet grass sweeps past your nose, when all of a sudden, your feet leave the ground as you fall on your butt after being knocked out by a skater who has come out of nowhere.
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The world was suddenly disrupted by skateboarding in the 1950s when surfers decided the ocean wasn’t cutting it anymore and they needed to switch to asphalt. After that, skateboards could be found anywhere, whether that be Val Surf, the first store to sell skateboards, or on the big screen below the feet of Marty McFly in “Back to the Future.”
Following the fame of Tony Hawk and skateboarding becoming an Olympic sport, skateboarding is not just an activity or mode of transportation — it is also an art.
“Colorado State University has designated paths meant to be ridden on by anything with wheels. Skaters should fulfill the intentions of that path and ride on it.”
Let me make it clear: I have nothing against skaters or skateboarding in general. In fact, it is something I truly admire, and I find it very impressive considering it is nearly impossible for me to skateboard successfully.
My issue lies with the skaters who think it is a good idea to skate down a busy sidewalk where there is no space for walking and skating to coexist.
There is a feeling people get when they hear a skateboard approaching. As the sound of the wheels scraping against the ground gets closer and closer, people’s hearts start racing, and they start looking all around to figure out where the skateboard sound is coming from. They need to know where to step to get out of the way before a potentially painful collision. Nobody deserves to feel this way. People should be able to walk wherever they want in peace.
So here is my message to all the skaters: Please get off the sidewalk. I have found skaters will usually expect you to get out of their way, but the expectations should actually be reversed. Why should people have to move out of the way for someone who is riding wheels on a road meant for walking?
Colorado State University has designated paths meant to be ridden on by anything with wheels. Skaters should fulfill the intentions of that path and ride on it.
This issue is not entirely the fault of skaters. There seems to be a lack of space around campus for skaters to skate freely without having to worry about the people around them. Maybe the addition of skate parks on campus is all that is needed. Fulfilling this need might be what is best, as skaters continue to use the desolate hockey rink on campus as an area to skate freely.
Because skating is so embraced on campus, it would be nice if CSU could give them enough space to properly work on their skills. This way, students could peacefully walk on campus without skaters having to put their skills to a halt.
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Reach Ava Naiditch at letters@collegian.com or on Twitter @CSUCollegian.
Jack Lepre • Sep 16, 2024 at 12:06 pm
To respectfully object, not all skaters are expecting pedestrians to get out of their way. It has been a known fact for skaters that if you are skating in a populated place, you need to be respectful of people and go around them. However, I don’t want to object the fact that people can get hurt when skaters are in a populated area. These events of injury are absolutely possible, but we can’t just stop skating. So let’s figure out how we can fix this issue. An also commonly overlooked problem is the fact that not all roads on campus are particularly skate friendly. CSU has many roads that have not been maintained in years, making them as rough as ever, and much harder to skate comfortably on. This makes the newer smooth concrete sidewalks much more attractive to a skater. I not asking to pave the roads, I understand how expensive that is and why it’s not a valid reason to do so, I’m just giving some background as to why you see more skaters on the sidewalk rather than the street right next to it. Currently, the only real spot for skaters to gather together is the hockey rink. I find myself going here nearly every day and it is a great place for me to meet and connect with other skaters. However, this spot isn’t always a viable option. There are normally hockey players occupying this space. Now I am not opposing this reality because obviously the rink was built for them and that is to be respected, but it can definitely alienate some skaters. It is the only spot where we can skate in an open space with perfect ground and not get in pedestrians ways. This is also a very beginner friendly spot. The smooth and crack free ground makes it the perfect place for practicing your tricks and pushing around. The community of skaters that has been built here just after a few weeks is made up of all skill levels and allows for beginners to get motivated and learn from others. From what you stated in the article about adding another space for skaters, I agree. I believe that if you want skaters out of the way, give them a place to go to. How long will it be until we get kicked out of the rink and are left with no place to turn to?