Cities Verus Skaters

Dear Nike People:

Can I ask you a question? Yes? Thanks. Who did the research for your newest wave of commercials (the skateboard ones)?

Someone likened joggers, tennis players, and golfers to skateboarders in an obviously fallacious attempt to win support for skaters. Now before you throw this in the garbage by thinking I only want to rip you for the commercials, read on you might actually like what I have to say.

I don’t know where you live, but I live in a city filled with skateboarders. And I have seen the damage caused by skateboarders, yes they do cause damage—a fact you conveniently left out of your commercials. Arcing black streaks along walls, concrete benches cracked, public trash cans that are used to jump over are dented or completely smashed from a rider not quite making the jump, hand rails bent or destroyed, these are some of the things I see from skateboarders who were just “having some fun.” I don’t know any tennis players who go around ripping down nets or any joggers who wreck the paths they run on. Golfers on the other hand pay to play on a course where they can kick some dirt around.

I do think it is unfair for the cities to ban all skateboarding without offering a viable alternative—a place where they can meet, hang out, and a place with things they can jump on, grind on and trash if they want—that you and I (people old enough to pay taxes, because most skaters aren’t) do not have to pay for when it gets destroyed.