Naiditch: Skateboarders need to get out of the way of campus flow

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.

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.

Reach Ava Naiditch at letters@collegian.com or on Twitter @CSUCollegian.