Comments on: Decatur Considers More Specific Ordinance Prohibiting Skateboarding Downtown

By: Writerchad

Writerchad — Thu, 06 May 2010 14:46:39 +0000

Well, let’s just put those lawless skaters on a MARTA train and send them to the Old Fourth Ward.
Tony Hawk Foundation awards $25,000 grant to the BeltLIne Skatepark.

http://www.tonyhawkfoundation.org/news/2010/05/04/atlanta-tops-spring-skatepark-grants/

By: smalltowngal

smalltowngal — Wed, 05 May 2010 21:31:36 +0000

Unfortunately, enforcing social behavior to the degree it would be required in this case is not within the realm of possibility.
_____

The closest we can come is an ordinance regulating the offending behavior. If skateboarders don’t consider it against the laws of common courtesy and respect to engage in pastimes that damage public property, then we have to make it against municipal law. Otherwise, we’re saying Decatur is a place where it’s okay to do whatever you want to, regardless of the impact on everybody else. That’s not the kind of community we like to think we live in.

By: taxus

taxus — Wed, 05 May 2010 17:48:48 +0000

Are a few abusers causing problems for the innocent masses of skateboarders?
Skateboarding used to be when a young dude rode a board on wheels and tried not to fall off.
Now “skateboarding” is trick riding. And it takes a lot of varied terrain to support trick riding.
If I were to offer my 2c, I’d say there are more than just a few abusers. I’d say most skateboarders are causing the damage due to the present demands of the sport itself and the egos of the participants.

By: karass

karass — Wed, 05 May 2010 17:37:41 +0000

The strollers may be a little hard on the curb at crossings but even sleep-deprived, frustrated mothers of triplets don’t usually do much damage to statues and staircase walls and bannisters. Now wheelchairs and walkers……those are real hazards!

By: Marshall

Marshall — Wed, 05 May 2010 17:25:31 +0000

Why don’t we ban those double wide strollers all of you rapidly breeding yuppie invaders walk down the sidewalks with while we’re at it? I can’t get down the sidewalks sometimes due to those things. It’s a public safety issue, I tell you!

By: karass

karass — Wed, 05 May 2010 16:06:24 +0000

Are most of the skateboarders local? Or are they coming from all over Metro Atlanta for Decatur’s skateable landscape? The reason that I ask is that, if mostly local kids are involved, I think an inexpensive, one-time, short, coordinated campaign by the City will take care of the problem. E.g. email blasts from the schools, the City, the churches, and the neighborhoods, some website coverage, press releases, nothing expensive at all. Once the level of awareness and shame is raised among local families, and a few offenders are apprehended to put the fear of God into other offenders and their parents, I suspect that the offenses will go way down. However, if a lot of the offenders are over age 18 and from elsewhere, I think a more global effort will be needed, both physical prevention and aggressive law enforcement.

By: Jeff

Jeff — Wed, 05 May 2010 15:56:06 +0000

Unfortunately, enforcing social behavior to the degree it would be required in this case is not within the realm of possibility.

And even if it were, it would be much more expensive than purchasing and installing skate stoppers like the ones in the link.