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Have you considered the costs to repair the damage the skateboarders do to public spaces? If the kids were just skating along the sidewalk it'd be no big deal, but when they're sliding down railings and scraping along every edge of every planter, wall, etc., and destroying them, it's your tax dollars that pay for the damage. I built an office building a few years back that had granite-clad planters around the perimeter, and within 3 months of opening, every edge was scratched, chipped and broken- total bill to repair? A little over $80k, and then another $10k to install the little steel nubs every 5' along the walls to keep the idiots from doing it again (which made the walls look like crap, btw).
Even more crappy, in fact, than having your edges waxed up, which makes such an investment not very smart. You don't think that it's cool that what you create can be used for so much more enjoyment by those few people than it probably will bring combined for everyone who walks by?
I must confess skate boarders annoy the hell out of me. They do tend to be rude, they dont give a rats azz who they force off the side walks and that man this and dude that crap gets old fast too.
This said the cop had no justification in man handleing the kid. The kid was acting like a bit of a jerk but there is no law against it. The cop was right some day that attitude will get the kids butt kicked. Its not the cops job to do so.
Looked like Baltimore inner harber. Normally very busy with pedestrians. Its no place for skate boarders.
I just don't know what the big deal is about skateboarding in public areas? I grew up skateboarding and boy was I harassed by cops. We were good kids too, we would watch out for people walking by, still harassment.
This guy is here beating and yelling at young skateboarders all the while there are probably gun shots being fired 2 streets down in Baltimore. Where are our priorities people?
As far as the kid being disrespectful by saying the word "dude", give me a friggin break. That is what skateboarders call everyone. The guy obviously is an ego-maniac and this will surely make those kids rebel against authority even more.
Those kids need to move to California and they would have no problems.
They ride on the side walks and loose it. Pedestrians have to jump out of the way, maybe get hurt. No nothing wrong with it. I sat in a parking lot and watched skate boarders do their thing. It was entertaining I admit. I liked when they took a good tumble. ( No not get hurt) Their kids for gods sake.
What I saw that stopped the entertainment taught me to be selective where I park . Skate boards smacking off parked cars..... Harmless? Doesn't hurt anyone? Oh and the language wasn't dude and man. It was f-ing this and that, the whole list of the taboos and old women walking by putting up with it. I'll say this they took some good tumbles and got right back up. They could take some hurt and shrug it off.
I say build skate board parks and give the kids a place to do what they love.
Then there are no victims.
Kids street skate on stairs, ledges, handrails, etc. because it's what the pros do... it's considered to be more legitimate when you "take your **** to the streets," so to speak, (unless the skatepark has a giant pool or halfpipe, but that's a different skill set altogether from that which most skateboarders have.) Here's videos from some of the people considered to be "the best in the world," notice the lack of skatepark footage.
I'm from Maryland, and Baltimore is a messed up city. These cops probably only know how to manhandle 14 year olds and kick homeless people off the streets. They're scared to go into the most crime-infested neighborhoods and go after the drug dealers and pimps.
Anecdote: When I was 13 years old, I encountered a local cop who was extremely aggressive, brutish and bullying (I was walking home and I got the "there have been burglaries in the area" stop-for-no-reason routine. He started screaming, hollering, grabbed me by the shoulders, etc). At 13 years old, it made me feel like crap, since I hadn't done anything wrong. I freely admit this event caused me to harbor a serious distrust of police and caused me to question certain types of authority on fairly deep levels (in a sense, I am a much better person because of this)
12 years, 14" and about 100 pounds later, I encountered him again when he was the first cop on the scene after a homeless bum aggressed upon my then girlfriend and I knocked him (bum) out cold, right in the Albertsons parking lot during the lunch hour. Of course Officer Friendly didn't remember me from when I was 13, but he sure was awfully polite that time.
I find it comforting to see kids out on their skateboards, and beach boards, bikes... as opposed to them playing video games. It's nice to see there's still some spirit left in the world. If it's illegal, it certainly is a minor offense. I'd like to think the cops had more tact then to impress the kids with their brute force. If this were the first policeman that kid has dealt with, he (and his friends) will hate law enforcement for life. Had the cop been professional, he might have respect for the law for the rest of his life. A deciding moment has occured. The establishment has missed another opportunity!
Where do people expect skateboarders to go? Most communities do not have an area for skateboarders. Aside from a few jerks, they're mostly a benign group of kids. Geez, I skateboarded over 40 years ago and never had cops come after me.
I'm sorry that the cop had such a small p****. Must be hard to live that way.
Where do people expect skateboarders to go? Most communities do not have an area for skateboarders. Aside from a few jerks, they're mostly a benign group of kids. Geez, I skateboarded over 40 years ago and never had cops come after me.
I'm sorry that the cop had such a small p****. Must be hard to live that way.
ya i used to skates too and snowboard...we used to skate on the streets and built us a mini ramp on the hill when it snow...
We never have problem with cops and such...
do you think that kid has any respect for laws or cop? What's wrong with the world...kid fight in school..one of them get beat up..they are suing the other kid lol....sad world..
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