Why do cops hate skateboarders?

I used to be a sk8er myself...in my younger years. (well I still have a board, but now the kids use it more than me.)

People who dont sk8 dont relate. Seriously, they have no idea what control you do/dont have over the board, its foreign to them and they are afraid your going to run into them.

I had a guy stop me in the street, here in the small village in Hungary where I live, when I was sk8ing a couple years back. He ran his bicycle over my foot after yelling at me...I have no clue what his problem was.

I had a Hungarian cop stop me on the main sidewalk in town...no signs saying not to sk8.
And it was Sunday when noone is out and about here. (Literally, empty as can be.)
I tried to ask where I could sk8, and they looked confused and pointed toward the bus station.

It is tricky, people dont know where to mentally put it in their head.
Its not a bike, its not a car...they dont get that its a mode of transportation. (Beats walking around from one end of town to the other.)

But I used it as transportation...got tired of the hassle after awhile, but Im sure Ill get the board and start sk8ing again this spring...(need to in order to keep some level of health up.)

So the confusion on their part helps to feed fuel to the 'rebellion' that can happen or show up in sk8ers, or anyone that doesnt feel understood.

I say take it all with a grain of salt.
If there is a no sk8 sign...just go somewhere else.
If they bother you, dont be defensive - they just have to learn to expand their mind.
Chat with them, they are human like me and you...and see past the labels people wear.
See past the cop to the person, and if you reach the person, you won a friend.

See where Im going with this?

But anyway...

Peace

dAlen

-----------------------------------------
* Santa Cruz Boards
* Independent Trucks
* Spitfire wheels

[edit on 8-12-2008 by dAlen]

< old man voice>
Cuz skateboarders are just a buncha hooligans!
< /old man voice>

if i want to take a dive and bust out all my teeth trying to jump down a set of stairs, thats a risk I knowingly take.

reply to post by ClearMindedKansan


Yup, that's perfectly true. However, the first time -I- take a dive and bust out all my teeth because some skater took my cane out from under me, who do you think the cop's going to side with?

I've got no problem with skaters so long as they stay in the skate parks. If there aren't enough where you are, either build some or get someone to build them for you. Sounds like a great CCC project for the new government to put in to reduce unemployment.

Why is this on ATS?
Where's the conspiracy?

Why do hot dog packages and buns come in different numbers?
Why is it I spend my youth working night and day, so I can retire when I'm too old to enjoy myself?
Why do I pay taxes to have my road plowed for snow, if they never plow it?

Well, shoot- Looks like I've got a few threads to make, doesn't it?
The depth of these conspiracies is probably TRULY unknowable.

Why do cops and security guards hate skate boarders?
Because business owners pay for their lease- They don't want kids up and down their property skating around, acting like tools.
Maybe you don't act like a tool- I mean, clearly by the deep curiosity of the post, you're a mature, valuable asset to society.
But for the most part- It's because business owners pay for their property, not some hang out for kids.

Mystery solved?
Could it be so easy?!

i used to skate. waaay back in the day when boards were just getting figured out.
i think a lot of the police animosity was triggered by the general punk attitude or visual appearance of skate punks. (and some punks are more rowdy than others) so that just sets the whole skate scene up as a "bad" to the cops.

Originally posted by WatchTheWorld
reply to post by RFBurns

 

Jeez, that was abit harsh, skateparks are built yes but you got too understand the conecpt of street skating, it's all about the challenge of skating something that wasn't built for skating.

I can understand where you're coming from with that post, that skaters are giving themselves there own rep, but if that's the way it is it's never going to change.

Oh I understand the concept of street skating very well. And I certinaly can see the "challenge" of skating somwhere that was not intended for skating.

However, should people begin to drive their cars on walkways because 1...the walkways were not meant to drive on and 2..its a challenge to see if you can weave in and out of the crowd without hitting anyone?

If there is the need for a challenge, perhaps the skaters could try to make the skateparks more challenging instead of riding where they shouldnt. What is being challenged is not if they can skate somewhere where it is not allowed, the challenge is to see if they can get away with skating somewhere where they should not.

I see their point...to a point. At some point, the point has to be understood and the point taken..yes?

The skaters really should consider what they are doing before doing it..those that just go out there and start skating in areas they shouldnt be. Not all skaters violate the law. But those that do really should look at it in another way. They are only giving themselves the bad rep because of their actions, and wonder why the cops target them so much. It is not about profiling or single the skaters out. Its simply about abiding by the rules, not just for the public's concern, but for their safety too.

Maybe I was a bit harsh before. But what erks me so much is that some just dont give a crap about others when violating those rules, thus I tend to get harsh when seeing these skaters mash and bash thier brains out on the side of the public sidewalk or in the middle of the street, and go "wow dude what a ride!"...while acting like its some sort of ritual right of passage or something and makes me wonder what their mindset is.

Heaven forbid they take that attitude and get behind the wheel of a much larger set of 4 wheels ya know!

I think the worst case I saw of a skateboarder just throwing it to the wind was when one decided to try to turn some 10 steep stepway into his personal pleasure ramp and by the time he got to the bottom and slid out onto the busy street, he got run over twice and there really wasnt much left after that, except for the skateboard turned upside down at the end of the stairway.

Perhaps that is the kind of lesson learned scenario that only works? I certianly would hope not.

Well all I got to say to the skaters who just want to make a statement in violating the rules....reconsider before considering loosing more than just your board or your teeth.




Cheers!!!!

reply to post by WatchTheWorld


If you plan on using places in ways they weren't intended to be used, very often in clear violation of the law, don't expect the cops to not hate you.

reply to post by greeneyedleo


You hit all the points on the head. Skateboarders that complain of being "harassed" are usually stopped from skimming down the steps of a church or office building or such. Skaters need to recognize that - despite their pretense of being outlaws - they are bound by the rules of society. Most property owners can't or won't take the risk of having such activities on their property. They don't want boarders scuffing everything up and filing lawsuits if they fall and that's their right.

I bet if you asked most skaters if they would find it acceptable if some homeless person pooped on their lawn they would emphatically say "no". Yet, somehow they find no distinction in what they do to others property. If you want to skate - fine. But go find a place that you either own or are invited into. Otherwise, you are just another trespasser - and that makes you a criminal. Don't be surprised when the police treat you as such.

The idea that cops hate only skateboarders is a half-truth. Except for their own clique, they also hate non-skateboarders. Welcome to the real world.

I have no sympathy for skateboarders, not after what happened to me.

I was walking down a path near my home and was about to climb a set of stairs when a skateboarder came flying down them (it was a blind corner) and we collided just as I started to climb the stairs. I was thrown back and broke my collarbone when I hit the ground. The skaters did not apologise, they blamed ME for being in the wrong place and then threatened me (they were holding their skateboards menacingly) if I called the cops they would find me and 'deal with me'.

As far as I am concerned, after that incident, all skateboaders should be banned. Absolutely disgusting.

I have had the same problem too with roller blading. I wear a helmet and don't do any crazy moves that could lead to injury. But even then, the police will hassle me. There are no skate parks in my town and it seems like everyone uses the private property excuse to kick me out. It seems like adults would rather I be stuck inside a box playing video games all day. Try flying a remote control helicopter on private or public property too and everyone will go completely nuts!

reply to post by Kryties


And they wonder why cops and people give them the bad rep they have.

It doesnt take a slide rule to figure it out..but then again, when you get these particular skaters who dont care about anything, its no surprise that they cannot figure out why they are sought after by the law and looked upon by society as a problem.



Cheers!!!!

After reading everyone post I cant help but agree with the fact that most skateboarders are punks but thats sometimes comes with being a skateboarder. I mean we take hits and falls all the time so no wounder why most skaters act all hard and punk but not every skater is like that.

Originally posted by mdiinican
reply to post by WatchTheWorld

 

If you plan on using places in ways they weren't intended to be used, very often in clear violation of the law, don't expect the cops to not hate you.

Just for the record I didn't post this thread, i'm not expecting the police to not hate me, and if something bad did happen on the slim occasion i'd take full responsibility.

Try not to stereotype every skater as someone who dosn't give a damn about anything.. Looking at some of the replys on this thread you can tell skaters deffinetly overall have a bad rep and that's probably not going to change.

In the UK where I live we've had the police watch us try ollie some grass gap then watch the footage back and congradulate us, s'all down to the individual really and there personal opinion.

Most skaters i've come across are the most down to earth people i've ever met and probably ever will, your quick to judge on appearence, ah well sod it, going off on one, this threads pointless

Originally posted by WatchTheWorld

Originally posted by mdiinican
reply to post by WatchTheWorld

 

If you plan on using places in ways they weren't intended to be used, very often in clear violation of the law, don't expect the cops to not hate you.

Just for the record I didn't post this thread, i'm not expecting the police to not hate me, and if something bad did happen on the slim occasion i'd take full responsibility.

Try not to stereotype every skater as someone who dosn't give a damn about anything.. Looking at some of the replys on this thread you can tell skaters deffinetly overall have a bad rep and that's probably not going to change.

In the UK where I live we've had the police watch us try ollie some grass gap then watch the footage back and congradulate us, s'all down to the individual really and there personal opinion.

Most skaters i've come across are the most down to earth people i've ever met and probably ever will, your quick to judge on appearence, ah well sod it, going off on one, this threads pointless

They have a bad rap because some of them are complete dicks. Same with cops. There's good and bad people in any group; probably in similar proportions. Personally, I've actually had a lot less problems with cops being dicks than skaters; usually I'm actually doing something illegal when they hassle me.

Here in California, cops generally only go after skateboarders if they're on private property, or going around at like 3 in the morning; since it's about as common as biking as a method of transportation. Wouldn't even be feasible to hassle every skater they see, let alone useful.

Alright, I understand the property damage and stuff but not all skaters do that, most of the time we try hitting a gap, hitting a stair set, or something like that. My opinion is that the laws aganist skating are pointless, the more you put up the signs the more angry they will get and more distruction will be caused. I say that the law should be something saying that we can skate but we are not allowed to damage the property and if we get an injury we can not sue. Ya know? Well... thats just my opinion and if you have a comment on that e-mail me or instant message me at

[email protected]

or is it

[email protected]

hmm, try both. haha

Thank you.

reply to post by EpicJ19


First off, pull your head out of your biassed perceptions. Cops don't hate skateboarders. Though it might be true that police are told to hassel skateboarders. It is only because skateboarders tend to distroy public property trying to do "tricks" to blot their little egos. Grinding the rails, popping the lock and other "tricks" cost money. Do you pay for it? No.

reply to post by Incarnated


What ever man. non skateboarders wont understand. I dont know how many times I was just skating down a sidewalk not even doing tricks and a cop stopped me and tried to take my board. Im done here so mods you can close this thread

This is funny you should bring this up. Just last night I watched a cop car veer out of his way to run over a skateboard in the street and snap it in half. Anybody else would have veered away to avoid it all together, but I was right behind the cop and the two snapped peices came at my car and I had to swerve to avoid them. Thanks, cop.