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Editor:
After reading James F. Tracy's letter ("Take skateboarder's 'wooden boards' away and give out hula-hoops instead," Nov. 20), I feel compelled to comment about the skateboarders who saunter. The majority of skateboarders during peak hours of the day (9 a.m. - 3 p.m.) are students using those "wooden boards" for transportation to and from classes rather than for recreation. Skateboards make an excellent form of transportation since there is no need to lock them up as with a bicycle.
As for skateboarding being an attempt to damage public property, I find the use of the word "attempt" to sum up the effect of a piece of wood on a harder surface like concrete. If Mr. Tracy could actually ride one, he would find that more damage happens to the rider than the road surface. Statutes already exist to allow the authorities to take action against vandalism and injury. The authorities seem to be unwilling to enforce these or other statutes as indicated by rampant bicycle moving violations that go unpunished.
The idea of skateboarders almost colliding with pedestrians is also false. The problem is the pedestrian's perception. The perception that the skater is a threat is based on skater's speed and the pedestrian's proximity to the moving skater. While the skater's speed is much greater, the proximity is the same. The speed at which skaters travel is about the speed of someone running. If people were running on the sidewalks, you would have this same argument with respect to runners.
The argument reduces to merely extending the same courtesy to skateboarders that you would extend to other pedestrians. Even with some people withholding that courtesy to me, I have never collided with a person in five years of skating on this campus.
In conclusion, I question Mr. Tracy's motives in banning an "unbecoming element." Uninformed statements about the absurdity of riding and comparing it to a hula-hoop are futile in solving the courtesy issue between all parties using the walkways. In short, banning this pointless practice is ultimately denying students using skateboards as viable, efficient source of transportation.
Mark E. Deason
systems engineering senior
Mark E. Deason
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