PLEASE...dont skitch...its not worth it

**pony head** · 07-22-2008 01:51 PM

So on saturday I was riding with a couple guys..at one point near the end of the day we were skitching back to the cars. I was wearing my full face, elbow pads, knee pads, and sliding gloves. I dont really remember the crash, but they said it was only around 30km/h...or less than 20mph. I bailed, went face first into a curb, landing chin first, so the fullface offered no protection for my jaw. I remember lying on the side of the road in the worst pain i have ever felt, wishing I was dead it hurt so much. I ended up with a split open chin which needed stictching, a concussion, lost 2 teeth and got some road rash.

Only after x ray did i find out that my jaw was fractured. So here I sit for 3 weeks with my jaw wired shut, and for another 3 weeks after that with elastics on.

Bottom line...skitching is just not worth it. Its far too likely to go face first into the pavement.

**Alpha06** · 07-22-2008 01:59 PM

What fullface were you wearing...motorcycle fullfaces and a lot of others protect the jaw...that must have been an unlucky fall or something

**pony head** · 07-22-2008 02:05 PM

Azonic fury...yeah it was one hell of an unlucky fall , thats for sure

**Joe & Nick** · 07-22-2008 02:23 PM

Thanks for posting this. Glad you only hurt stuff that can be fixed.

**robotopdx** · 07-22-2008 03:07 PM

Thank you for posting your experience. There have been several deaths over recent years and I personally know a person who was seriously injured while skitching.

**Crappysurfer** · 07-22-2008 03:43 PM

maybe boardingkaos will learn something from this

**XPLOAD** · 07-23-2008 10:33 PM

were you hanging onto the back of the car or the side?

**HailStorm101** · 07-23-2008 11:31 PM

[friends account]

As the others have said, Thanks for posting this. Also, i hope you feel better and heal up fast. Thats a sucky situation. I know that chin/mouth pains and injuries can really be the killers for amount of annoying-ness, but as i said, hope you're feeling better soon.

CL · 07-24-2008 03:33 AM

Fact: With the proper safety precautions taken, Skitching is no more dangerous than ANY other skateboarding discipline.

If done right, its no more dangerous than traditional downhill, i.e. just using gravity to get down the hill.

There are ways to skitch safely, and there are also ways to not skitch safely and kill yourself...or break your jaw.

The thread title should really read: "Please...dont skitch without the proper safety precautions...its not worth it"

**EFG** · 07-24-2008 04:15 AM

^^^^^ I agree for the most part, but it does have a different feel than reg DH which can catch may people who are new to it off-guard. Just be smart, wear gear, and stay within your limits.

**geolemon** · 07-24-2008 07:35 AM

Well, the moral of the story I think is:
"You never know when, why, or how, so be prepared"

And head injuries are no joke-
I was sitting on the hood of a car once, someone backed out into the street to be funny, and as they turned, I lost my balance and fell off the hood onto the ground.
But (I don't remember specifically), I must have pitched funny, and my head hit the ground hard.

Not a long distance down, not a lot of speed.

But I ended up in the hospital for 7 days-
Fractured skull, torn connections at my spinal cord, left side of my upper body paralized for 4 days (thank god that connection reestablished itself!!), and to this day I no longer have any sense of smell.

And it could have been worse, obviously.
That's what a low-speed, no-helmet crash could do to you.
Protect yo head!

**Cardan** · 07-24-2008 12:54 PM

i actually got a ticket for skitching before. My friend was pulling me down a dead end street and somehow a cop saw us and pulled us over. I got away with 8 hours of community service while he had to go to court and got two points on his license and a fatty ticket. Def. not worth it.

**mc99david** · 07-24-2008 01:20 PM

i have to say that this is like what i tell people about most stuff.

You shouldnt skateboard,
you shouldnt downhill skateboard,
you definitly shouldn't skich

but i do, and will.. its all very dangerouse, and there is a lot of risk.. but thats why we do it.

sorry about the wreck man, i hope you have a speedy recovery, thats got to be rough. good luck, and i hope this doesnt scare you too much from continuing skating when you recover.

**wardlarson** · 07-24-2008 01:34 PM

ouch that sounds like a bitch.
4 weeks with my right wrist/hand in a cast was annoying the #### out of me, i can't imagine my jaw being wired shut for 3 weeks.

**GPymp** · 07-24-2008 04:00 PM

geeezus!!!!

At least you survived. Every story that I have read on skitching seems like it has resulted in a death.

I skitch on occasion (to be honest) but it is with professionals. Its to the top of a slalom hill and almost everyone I skate with has 20 plus years of skating behind them (or more) and or race professionally. I feel safe around them, but anyone can go down at anytime.

Skitching is a health risk, as well as skating.

**pony head** · 07-24-2008 06:14 PM

Thanks for the kind words guys, I really appreciate your concern. I'm stoked to be alive, because I know it could have potentially been much worse!

Originally Posted by CL

Fact: With the proper safety precautions taken, Skitching is no more dangerous than ANY other skateboarding discipline.

If done right, its no more dangerous than traditional downhill, i.e. just using gravity to get down the hill.

There are ways to skitch safely, and there are also ways to not skitch safely and kill yourself...or break your jaw.

The thread title should really read: "Please...dont skitch without the proper safety precautions...its not worth it"

You do have a fair point. I think I should have titled it: "Think twice about the risks of skitching". This doesnt make me a big anti-skitching protestor or anything. All I wish to see is people wearing (at very least) their helmets when doing so. It is really up to the rider to protect him/herself accordingly if they value their life!

Cant wait to hop back on the board soon!
Skate hard and skate safe.

**Valiant** · 08-21-2008 05:31 PM

Get well... That sounds hard. Heal up.

Hey got a question. Definatly not a noob, I've been skating for 7 years but what is exactly is "skitching". I've never heard of it. Pics also might help show the "nooby" skaters what not to do.

Valiant

**Redline** · 08-21-2008 06:28 PM

Originally Posted by Valiant

Get well... That sounds hard. Heal up.

Hey got a question. Definatly not a noob, I've been skating for 7 years but what is exactly is "skitching". I've never heard of it. Pics also might help show the "nooby" skaters what not to do.

Valiant

Here's a bad example:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qL8rTa3JZlM&NR=1...

**Alpha06** · 08-21-2008 06:52 PM

He fell the right way though, thats how they teach you to fall in judo.

**David H** · 08-21-2008 06:59 PM

Skitching isn't that hard. I've done it a few times successfully, but it was only by coincidence (friend drives by, offers ride, i ask for a tow up the hill). I also know a guy that got his collar bone taken out by skitching, so there you go.

Rule of thumb: if you can be propelled by gravity, you shouldn't need to be hanging off a car.

plus, they did it in THPS. So it must be ok.