there not skateparks...they are skate PLAZAS...therefore the cops..

[-Mu-]

But it's not about whether there's a reason not to wear a helmet. The point of the thread was not to discuss whether or not kids should wear their helmets. I think we have about 200 or so other threads where that IS the point.. this just isn't one of them.

The point is that this (if it holds up) gives us a way around the law. That makes it more attractive for the city to build parks. It means that taxpayers donn't have to pay for staff, or for police to patrol if it's an unstaffed park. It means that the police don't have to waste their time on the skatepark when they could be chasing bad guys or eating doghnuts. It means that the police will have fewer clashes with skaters, which means they'll hate us less, which has to be a good thing for skating as a whole.

But, for those that just can't let go of the safety crusade, I'll tell you what. Go back and replace every instance of "helmet" in this thread with "elbow pads". Because this loophole gets us around the pad law as well as helmets. Anybody want to crusade for elbow pads?

Look, helmets are good, OK? I wear one. I'd just like to see more parks, and fewer cops in them.

I dunno I'm totally in favor of pads. I gladly wear them when I skate, I've seen small falls cut peoples elbows up pretty bad. Hell I've seen small falls break bones and an elbow would not be a fun spot for a lot of heavy impact. I understand people want choice but it really is a stupid thing to want a work-around on. "We finally found a loophole that makes things less safe for us!"

I think the entire aspiration of wanting this is ridiculous.

"Public pools will now be called giant buckets to get around having life-guards on staff"

YAY

[JohnsonCity]

I think a lot of people are missing the point. You have to look at it from the perspective of the public entity providing the facility. They want to be able to provide a facility for skaters but they don't want to blow their budget on a lawsuit. Read this article about skateboarding immunity laws published in last month's issue of Parks and Recreation. !


http://classweb.gmu.edu/jkozlows/lawarts/09SEP09.pdf

[Xgecko]

I can go out with my friends and play football, sans pads, on a municipal football field without fear of getting a ticket. Organized contests taking place on said field may require safety gear; but use of the facility doesn't require safety gear. That's all I want for skateboarding.

I'm just having a hard time wrapping my head around you having friends who would want to play football....


kidding aside my local park requires helmets but, other than few young kids and most of the over 30 crowd, noone wears one....even the dumba55 who put himself in a coma for 3 days after a skateboard bail....let darwin have them all. My favorites are the 20 somethings who complain about abused knees and ankles but wear loose sneakers, refuse to wear kneepads and run out bails instead of sliding them....duh. Honestly if Rhode Island would adopt a California type risk law I could care less what "extra's" they attach to it

[DHBM]

can't hassle you...

received this from my friend Heidi Lemmon of Skatepark Association of USA

OK IASC pushed thru the helmet and pad LAWS.. they are state LAWS that we cant change - have been trying
the law reads
anyone in a skatepark must wear helmet and pads and a city pass an ordinance and must enforce it
that's the part that makes me so mad.. well
Rob Drydek got a way around the law.. he calls his parks skate plazas
that one word takes them outside of the law - yes its true!

So now in CA. we are getting Plazas popping up and no monitors and no tickets. The cities have been trying to get around the skatepark law for as long as I have been doing this but its almost impossible to change a law.
The venice park is called a Plaza not a skate park and not required to use or require helmets and pads.. lol
love the law...

i feel ya, in SD if you skate in the streets you have to wear a helmet but not on the side walks.

also if you're under 18 you must wear one at all times and that is strickly enforced.

I sneak into the skate park at night and on holidays, no just a halfshell and knee pads for me.