How to be Local friendly and handle feuds

**Smitty010493** · 06-03-2009 11:29 AM

there is only one hill near my house that i ride down all the time, and i havent since rode down the other day since i fell and these three old people on their lawn yelled at me and threatened to call the police. i give bikers/ walkers/ and drivers the right away. i talked to the people with respect saying that " im sorry, i never intended to make anybody angry, im just trying to have fun". and only got the reply "whats the matter with you? your gonna end up wearing a hat and working at mcdonalds...." Now how should i handle a situation such as this? should i keep skating there, or take their advice realizing that as soon as I longboard again, my life will only go down hill (pun)....

**Largeboarder** · 06-03-2009 11:36 AM

Welcome to the United States of Skating! Just don't listen to them,do what you will,but if the thing gets too risky,run away!

Everytime when I used to skitch,loads of old people started to shout the same things.I don't care,if I fall and get killed it's my f*cking problem,not theirs.But Longboarding has nothing to do with working on McDonald's or with your future profession.

**enemy combatant** · 06-03-2009 11:43 AM

Originally Posted by Smitty010493

your gonna end up wearing a hat

Hunh? What's the matter with hats?

**gratefulguitarist** · 06-03-2009 11:46 AM

Originally Posted by enemy combatant

Hunh? What's the matter with hats?

Many things are wrong with hats, many things.

**8ftbed** · 06-03-2009 11:46 AM

...and there's some very rich people who started in McD's wearing a hat, worked their way up through the ranks and eventually got their own franchise, or 2, or 3...

It's not uncommon for the big, successful chain restaurants to smile fondly on, if not require new applicants for a franchise to have worked x amount of time in one and know the business.

I'll pick up a broken, McDonald's WORKING skater any day, as opposed to the riff raff scamming and scheming on how to get enough change for their next burrito so they can skate some more.

**CasterTown** · 06-03-2009 11:53 AM

The old people are the ones who have something "the matter with them." It sounds like they are not to be reasoned with so just keep skating. If they call the police you can either leave, or skate until they come and just be respectful. Leave right away if the police tell you to. But you don't have to go anywhere just because some old people don't want you there for some unjustified reason. Its a public street, right?

Apparently there are plenty people who think it would be better if all young people stayed home and watched TV instead of enjoying our wonderful world to the fullest extent. Maybe we are the only ones who won't grow old and become the wretched, bitter hags who hate skaters because they wish that they had done something exciting when THEY were young.

**enemy combatant** · 06-03-2009 12:05 PM

Originally Posted by CasterTown

Maybe we are the only ones who won't grow old and become the wretched, bitter hags

I dunno 'bout that... I skate and am still wretched and bitter!

**pennypusher** · 06-03-2009 12:16 PM

Originally Posted by enemy combatant

I dunno 'bout that... I skate and am still wretched and bitter!

ha ha me too.

**gratefulguitarist** · 06-03-2009 12:23 PM

Originally Posted by CasterTown

Apparently there are plenty people who think it would be better if all young people stayed home and watched TV instead of enjoying our wonderful world to the fullest extent. Maybe we are the only ones who won't grow old and become the wretched, bitter hags who hate skaters because they wish that they had done something exciting when THEY were young.

The muthafuckin truth home skillet!

**8ftbed** · 06-03-2009 12:38 PM

I'm just bitter and sometimes pissy and according to some, to old to be skating

**mcgoon** · 06-03-2009 01:06 PM

Bring them an apple pie from McDonalds...

**OldSkateGuy** · 06-03-2009 01:42 PM

Originally Posted by Largeboarder

I don't care,if I fall and get killed it's my f*cking problem,not theirs.

The dead don't skate. Keep living my friend.

**Largeboarder** · 06-03-2009 03:37 PM

Well,you can also start to longboard with a Mc Donald's hat in front of 'em just to see what they'll say.

**8ftbed** · 06-03-2009 08:11 PM

Originally Posted by mcgoon

Bring them an apple pie from McDonalds...

he said pie...

**LTRS** · 06-03-2009 08:42 PM

Originally Posted by Smitty010493

there is only one hill near my house that i ride down all the time, and i havent since rode down the other day since i fell and these three old people on their lawn yelled at me and threatened to call the police. i give bikers/ walkers/ and drivers the right away...

Sounds like you were skating on the sidewalk?

Check the local laws in your area. If skateboarding on the sidewalk is legal, let them call the police. If it's legal, the cops won't bother to show up anyway.

**tarzan** · 06-03-2009 08:50 PM

Originally Posted by Smitty010493

there is only one hill near my house that i ride down all the time, and i havent since rode down the other day since i fell and these three old people on their lawn yelled at me and threatened to call the police. i give bikers/ walkers/ and drivers the right away. i talked to the people with respect saying that " im sorry, i never intended to make anybody angry, im just trying to have fun". and only got the reply "whats the matter with you? your gonna end up wearing a hat and working at mcdonalds...." Now how should i handle a situation such as this? should i keep skating there, or take their advice realizing that as soon as I longboard again, my life will only go down hill (pun)....

I'd just be polite to them and not do a thing they say. they are old people that like to yell at "young punks" for fun. keep skating around them, stop when you see them and ask how they are doing. politely. show them that although you are "young" you are not a punk.
or
just say f### it and skate everywhere

**Largeboarder** · 06-04-2009 03:34 PM

This made me remember one time that we were in the mall,and accidentally one of the guys bumped on an old woman,we said we were sorry,she started walked away,looked and said with an evil voice "These young hip hop boys.."

**Spudders** · 06-04-2009 10:37 PM

Sounds like you've got a problem on your hands. On the one hand you like to skate down a particular hill. On the other hand, you don't want the locals to call the cops and get busted. So either you find another hill to skate, skate around more so you're not attracting too much attention in one local; Or you find some way to make the neighborhood like you and accept the fact that you will be skating near their houses. A harder challenge but one with many creative possible solutions.

So far I've only received a few bad looks, but most people, irregardless of their age/sex/race/etc. are pretty happy to see me longboarding, it doesn't produce a lot a of pollution compared to cars and promotes exercise which is good for you. Just remember, if you let a few bad apples get to you then you're gonna miss the best part of longboarding, which is, longboarding

**HyperDad** · 06-04-2009 11:43 PM

Originally Posted by Spudders

...Or you find some way to make the neighborhood like you and accept the fact that you will be skating near their houses. A harder challenge but one with many creative possible solutions.
...

This is possible. It will take time a patience. There's a hill near my house. When I started skating it, I was sure the neighbors didn't like it. It's a good slide hill BTW. A few people harassed me in the begning. I remained friendly and well behaved. Over time they warmed-up. Now they love me and the homeowners assc. is talking about sponsoring a slide clinic and actually closing the street for this event.

**B_Dubya_B** · 06-05-2009 08:10 AM

as much as i always recommend trying to maintain positive relations with the neighbors, some people are just bitter.

the one thing that has always made them take a step back and shut up is after they make their comment, i reply "I can only hope that if im lucky enough to make it to your age, that I am not as ignorant and bitter as you are."