DO YOU THINK THIS IS A DANGEROUS SPORT?
As usual I was shocked at the danger several young people put themselves in near Houston's city hall Wednesday afternoon. I was getting out of the news unit when I spotted several skateboarders having what they call fun. They were sitting at the top of a small hill with a metal surface just off the street. After the cars passed each of them went for it. They actually skateboarded (if that's a word) through the cars and each red light cycle. They did it time and time again on Walker at Bagby Streets. I thought to myself this is quite dangerous. They could kill themselves. But apparently the skateboarders weren't feeling the same way. Do you think this is a dangerous sport?
NOTE: THE FOLLOWING PRESS RELEASE HAS ARRIVED JUST IN TIME FOR THIS POST-
Announcing a World-Class Skatepark for Houston
A Public In-Ground Skatepark for All to Enjoy
WHAT: A new place for the young and young-at-heart to ride the bowl, grind the rail or skate the half-pipe will soon open right here in Houston. Early next summer, Houstonians will have a public, state-of-the-art, 30,000 square-foot in-ground skatepark.
MEDIA OPP: On Thursday, June 14, 2007, city leaders and avid skaters will announce the name of the park, provide an opportunity to visit the future site of the park and will be available to discuss the importance of the new park facility to Houstonians.
Interviews and photo opportunities available with:
Mayor Bill White
Joe Jamail, Donor
Roksan Okan-Vick, Executive Director, Houston Parks Board
Joe Turner, Director, Houston Parks and Recreation Department
Barry Blumenthal, Jason Espeseth, Public Use Skateparks for Houston
Local Skaters
B-roll containing footage of skaters in similar facilities and interviews with Houston skaters will be available.
WHEN: Thursday, June 14, 2007
11:00 a.m. – Park site opens
11:30 a.m. – Remarks and Interview Opportunity
WHERE: North end of Sabine Street Bridge – at the Houston Parks and Recreation Department access path. A shuttle cart will bring you to the site West of Sabine St. Bridge.
16 comments:
Yes, it's dangerous and they are looking for drive and adrenalin, not just to be sporty...
Announcing a World-Class Skatepark for Houston
Awesome.
It is always cool when Houston can be world class. And like Manhattan.
Come on, Live a little!!!
live a little? did you see the paper the other day? a 15 year old prodigy, all around student, athlete and human being, was killed after he fell off of his skateboard.
i know we can't protect our children from everything, but no point in taking dangerous,potentially deadly, risks for a few minutes of living a little.
According to American Sports Data Association, in 2004 skateboarding injuries were less than sports such as tennis, baseball, soccer, and basketball. Most of the serious injuries that skateboarders incur involve automobiles. All the reason for providing Houston skaters a safe place to ride.
That being said, please encourage any skateboarder you know to wear a helmet. You can never be too safe when it comes to your head.
Dangerous, yes. Stupid stunts being performed by a bunch of idiots, yes. Should we waste taxpayer time and resources to protect those who don't want to protect themselves? No. If they don't have the common sense necessary to compel them to stop playing in traffic, then why should we worry so damn much? Geez.....
Sorry you feel so complacent about Houston's youth. These kids just want to skate but have no where to ride. Providing a public skatepark gives them the opportunity to pursue their passion in a safe environment. As the third most popular sport in the US, providing public facilities for skating is now as common as building soccer fields and basketball courts. Houston happens to be the only major metropolitan city without a concrete public skatepark.
The danger in what was observed in the article above was not the skateboards. It was the street. Any activity done in a busy intersection is dangerous. And stupid kids will be stupid kids. Take away those kids' skateboards and they would have been in that same intersection with bikes. Take away the bikes, and they'd get Rollerblades.
It's nice to see that Houston is finally realizing that if your city doesn't have a skate park, then your city IS a skate park. I've been skateboarding for 22 years. Skateboarding in-and-of-itself is an activity that is statistically less dangerous than other sports. At first glance, by someone who never developed the ability to ride a skateboard (most people), it appears that there is a great potential for injury. But the fact of the matter is, because it is primarily a solo activity (no team, no coach, and very few formal competitions), most skaters have little inclination to push their limits too far beyond their own ability, unlike activities like cheer-leading, football, and hockey.
Skaters strive for the rush, but there is a difference between pushing yourself to the point of the rush, and pushing yourself to the point of fear (ie: no control/danger). Skaters learn their skill for the most part by continuous practice and incrementally raising their own bar, pushing their limits slowly, staying in control. The whole point/skill in skateboarding is control. Control of one's focus, of one's body, one's speed, and ultimately of one's skateboard. When you see someone skateboarding, try and think about how much they must have practiced and how much control they must have developed to even be attempting the maneuvers they do. When you see someone playing in an intersection, call the cops.
Because you think it looks dangerous doesn't make it so. Obviously if it was you attempting these tricks, there would be injuries. But it isn't you. It is a free-willed human being choosing to enjoy life as they see fit.
I've skated 18 years. I'm 33 years old now. The worst injury I've suffered is a sprained ankle. No big deal.
You'll never understand unless you're a skateboarder. Nothing else feels like skating fast, catching air and landing tricks.
And I know it's harsh, but people die everyday. I'm very sorry to hear about the 15 year old who died ... but accidents happen. Kids die riding bikes, too.
And calling skateboarders idiots? Why? Skating in the street doesn't equal "playing chicken." You wait for the traffic to clear, bust your trick (which takes a couple seconds) and then wait for traffic to clear again. Trust me, it isn't as dangerous as it looks.
Loosen up people. If you have a problem with kids skateboarding ... then you really need to chill out.
You'll never understand unless you're a skateboarder. Nothing else feels like skating fast, catching air and landing tricks.
I agree: it's fun. But I pay for my own hobbies, and skateboarders should pay for theirs.
The problem here isn't skateboarding. It's the taxpayer subsidy.
I hear you Matt. I don't really like skateparks that much myself, so I'm ambivalent in regards to the new park. I prefer skating the streets. But know that public financed skate parks are the norm in many parts of the US. Houston should be able to afford this. Do you think Houston spending money on this is any different than spending on a basketball court or a muni golf course? They seem equal to me.
As for the tax dollars situation-
it is a park. If you don't believe in paying taxes for parks, well then I really don't know what to say to you. Houston has public pools, dog parks, basketball courts, tennis courts, golf courses, jogging trails, and scores of other facilities that serve small sections of the community. Building things like this is part of any good metropolitan parks and recreation department.
While most of these other facilities were completely funded by the city, the skaters in Houston were not so lucky. Houston donated the land, but construction costs are being largely paid for by private contributions, fund raising, and the price paid for naming rights. As a concrete park, it will not require much in terms of maintenance. Far less than the FRISBEE GOLF COURSE right next to it.
Not so sure I think of it as 'dangerous' but I do think it is a nuisance. Why won't the city --or some private entity-- build some safer places for these kids to do this?
True, many cities have public skate parks. But what kind of reason is that? It's not as though we're going to lose some vital skateboard-centric industry to another city.
As far as "Houston should be able to afford this," what makes you think that? We don't have enough cops and we can't afford to pay municipal pensions. Skate parks -- really, parks of any sort -- are low on the list of priorities. We have urgent public-safety and fiscal problems to contend with.
As a concrete park, it will not require much in terms of maintenance.
Right. And as a concrete roadway, Interstate 45 doesn't require much in terms of maintenance.
Holy missing the point, Batman!
OK, OK, I get it, Matt. Government should not spend money on nice-to-haves when there are need-to-haves to be taken care of. Feed the hungry, clothe the poor, abolish crime, make everything safe, and THEN build parks. You are absolutely right in principle, but that isn't the real world.
Also,
Comparing the maintenance costs of a skate park to a freeway is ridiculous.
...Unless you plan to drive hundreds of semi trucks and thousands of cars on it every day.
A concrete skate park will require about the same maintenance as a basketball or tennis court.
FYI, The Lee and Joseph Jamail Skatepark is being funded with private donations, Not Tax Dollrs..
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