“A little information for you,” he said, handing me a pamphlet. My heart sank as I read that all skateboard activity was now deemed illegal on the Cal State Fullerton campus and would warrant citation starting October 6. This left an unsettling lump in what felt like the pit of my soul.
Skateboarding has become much more than a reliable form of transportation for me – it’s a source of satisfaction, my escape.
I don’t consider myself a skater. I can’t kick a varial heel flip, I tried that in seventh grade and decided it wasn’t for me on account of my distaste for cement flooring. I consider myself a rider. Nothing makes me feel freer than cruising through the atmosphere around me on a sleek long board.
Skating is therapy for me; I do some of my best thinking carving the streets on my four-wheeled deck of wonder. This passion of mine really took off when I was given a sexy Sector 9 board as a gift from someone very special. The bliss that overcame me while riding that board made the pain that much worse when it was stolen shortly thereafter. Again I was forced to lug myself around by foot and felt a void of emptiness that stung like a scorpion every time a skater whizzed past me moving with such convenient speed.
That hole was finally filled with the entrance of Ninja Turtle into my life. Had I found some cool new show/toy/game to keep me occupied? No, but that’s a good guess considering I used all of the above in my youth. Ninja Turtle was my buddy Johnny D’s board that had somehow ended up in my possession. But I think he saw the joy it brought me because he said I could keep it – he’s a good guy.
The board itself was hideous, but I always thought it resembled a turtle with its worn, oval-shaped brown deck, which sat on top of green wheels and fish skin-patterned belly. Then all I did is add "Ninja" to the name, and it worked!
Beyond taking away the pure satisfaction I and so many fellow Titans experience on a daily basis, the powers that be are eliminating an amazing method of transportation.
For all the students who live within a 1 to 2-mile radius of campus that aren’t itching to spend $144 on a parking pass and join the melee that is morning parking, skateboards are a lifesaver.
To help demonstrate this, I did a little experiment.
I took identical paths, two school days in a row, timing myself from building to building, the first day on foot, the second by skateboard. A 62-minute journey by foot took me approximately 31 minutes when traveling via board, cutting the time in half. Think about how much more you can accomplish in a day’s time by cutting transportation times in half.
Skateboards can be an asset in so many ways and I believe this new law will affect a lot more students negatively than it will positively. So I’d like to use my public voice to cry out in desperation: President Gordon, if you’re reading, please re-consider. If nothing else, let’s come up with a positive alternative. Maybe the sanctioned bike paths can be shared by boards. At least students will still be able to use them to travel to the campus.
It's not too late to stand up for skaters everywhere. Because, as the saying goes, skateboarding is not a crime.
Too cliche? Not anymore.
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