Skateboarding.

[dest1]

Alright, so...

I'm thinking of taking up skateboarding. It'll be less of a hassle having people driving me around, and it can be good exercise.

But, I'm thinking of the safety gear. When you put it on, it looks bulky and ugly. Although, not wearing safety gear would equal becoming seriously injured (the least is scrapes and bruises, while the worst injuries you can get are broken bones, head trauma, and a slight chance of death).

And...I don't think I would be skating on the streets (as in, in the middle of the road in front of cars). And plus, the city where I live in has painted areas on the streets for biking and skating.

Statistics show (back from 1996) that skateboarding is a sport with 8 million people, and has the least injuries. Biking is up there with the most injuries alongside Basketball. These stats are in 1,000 people increments, which means per 1,000 people, how many in that thousand got hurt?

I'm trying to convince my parents, but they're afraid of me getting hurt/getting the skateboard stolen. I mean c'mon, in this neighborhood I live in, it's nearly impossible to walk outside without being gunned down (at night, that is).

So what are your opinions? Should I buy a skateboard (the cheapest + best built skateboard I saw somewhere for 30 dollars), or should I just stick to walking/wasting money by buying fuel and driving a car around?

[FunnyFroggy]

Get the Wave! Special two wheeled board with pivots.

Learn that and snowboarding will come easier.

[dest1]

The Wave! Looks really dumb.

[Arladerus]

Personally, I would suggest a simple bicycle. It's a lot faster than a skateboard, I believe. A skateboard is like a scooter without the handle bars, right? It was extremely slow.

[dest1]

My parents like bikes better than skateboards, even though it's faster.

[David]

Get NX so you won't look so ugly. :3

No but srsly, I broke my skateboard 'cause I slipped and it went into the middle of the road, and so one car went past it, but it hit the edge, and it flipped, but then another car just went through it and snapped it clean in half.

I just went.

F***. >.>

[dest1]

Well, I'm planning to practice balancing and gaining speed at my house before I start using it to travel places.

[MasterCheeze]

Uhh, bike. I always see noobies skateboarding around my town, and it's not a pretty site I'll tell ya.

[dest1]

Well, where I live, it's dangerous for bikes as well. I've seen a person riding a bike get ran over by a car because he didn't signal that he was turning.

Also, I've heard maybe..10-20 people get hospitalized/killed because of bike accidents.

I've only heard 1 person get killed while riding a skateboard (they crashed into a bush and broke their spine), but this was 20 years ago, and the guy was a noobie.

My parents are saying that they'll get me a car when I turn the appropriate age, but I want a skateboard because:

1. Transportation
2. Fun
3. Hobby
4. Exercise
5. Something to keep me away from the computer.

But they don't listen. Well, my mom doesn't anyway. She's WAAY too overprotective.

[Reve]

Skateboarding : Enormous amount of practice time + expensive safety equips + embarrassing yourself in public + big bad injuries because your first attempts at ollies caused you to faceplant the floor


But if you're past all that, say something like, "Oh, I'll spend less time from the computer and I'll also stay away from drugs and drinking if I can take up skateboarding lulul" or "I'll kill myself if you don't let me" or "DANG I'M NOT A KID ANYMORE AND I'M NOT THAT FRAGILE".

[dest1]

Practice...it would probably take me a couple weeks. I'm fine with that.

Equipment...I'll maybe only buy a helmet. I'll just wear thick clothing until I master balance and stuff.

As for embarrassment, I'm used to it.

Injuries? I'm practicing balance first, then ollies. They don't even seem that hard once you master the basics.

[Spadez]

FAGGOT EMO SKATERBOY.

[Reve]

Btw I don't think you even need a helmet or any safety equips unless you're gonna do something crazy like rail grinding and olling over some fence, because it's actually very easy to bail while protecting your head. So save that money.

[Arladerus]

If you really safety equipment for the first week or so, wear like those heavy duty gloves for when you fall. Also, wear gloves on your knees! =D

[FunnyFroggy]

lulofftopic I taught myself how to rollerskate. The skates came with these awesome hobo gloves. With really tough plastic like thingamabob in the palm. lul. Gloves and knee pads are all I need. And a helmet for when the coppers come around. :3

I fail at skateboard. D:

-stepsonskateboard-
-skateboardslipsaway-
-fall-
-hurt-
-senttohospitalforboobooslul-