The BoardWalk

When I first visited UCF, my feet ached and I was sweating profusely walking from building to building on my tour. I was perplexed about how students continually made it on time for class, trudging to class in conditions perfect for heat stroke. The concern continued as I got dressed for my first day of classes. I had moved in the weekend before and soaked two t-shirts through simply walking from the parking lot to my building three times. That distance was nothing compared to the trek to the Communications building. I slid into my t-shirt and pulled on my shorts. “Too hot for jeans,” I thought to myself. Making my way down the stairs, the heat hit me. There was no way I could walk to the opposite side of campus in this heat. Yet, I reluctantly dragged myself to class. After that, it was it was evident that I needed an alternative to walking to class.
Being a very large campus, UCF takes a long time to cross. It can take up to half an hour to go from the Hercules building to the Towers. There are only a few ways to get around quicker; biking, skating and long boarding. Many people enjoy long boarding yet some are looking to have it banned on campus. On any given school day, the walkways that connect this massive campus are full of skateboarders and long boarders. Due to the distance between the buildings on the UCF campus, skateboarding is the most efficient way to get from place to place.
Before choosing long boarding as a means of transportation, I explored other options such as rollerblading. I have played hockey since I was eight years old. Thus, rollerblading to class seemed logical. After weighing the pros and cons I realized that rollerblading would be more of an inconvenience. I would have to tie my skates and skate all the way to class while carrying an extra bag for my shoes. Then when I get there I would have to untie my skates and change into my shoes before I go into class. The whole charade would take almost as long as walking. Also considering riding my bike I realized there are too many cons in my opinion. After riding to class there is the hassle of trying to find a place to safely park it and lock it. None of these options would be a sufficient use of my time.
Deciding that walking is not as efficient, the sole remaining and hence logical way to get to class is to long board. In the time it would take me to walk one way from Hercules to the Towers, I could skate triple the distance. Also, by long boarding, I eliminate the problem of changing my shoes or parking my bike. I simply take my long board into class with me. However, until my freshman year of college I had never skate boarded. When I first started, I admit, I could barely step on a skate board without falling. This obviously posed quite the problem to my new plan. When I moved up to college, my older brother gave me his long board to use. It was not nearly as difficult as I had anticipated learning how to ride it.
Long boarding to class is a breeze, literally. The air whirls past you and seems to bend around you as you lean forward into the turns. The bumps in the side walk provide an easy vibration that slows your speed. Once you get past parking garage B, coming from the Academic Village, it is generally smooth sailing. Your wheels simply glide across the cement. A few short kicks and you cruise by the people slowly walking to class.
Banning long boarding on campus seems like a trivial debate. However, it is the hot topic of many peer discussions. Many people who are in favor of banning them have ill feelings toward them from personal experience. Their strongest argument is the danger of them. There are some instances where people have become severely injured riding them. The worst case scenario is when an innocent bystander gets injured. Yes, injuries from long boarding would disappear if they were banned. But at what cost? The minority that have been injured in long board accidents is so small that it cannot be the basis of such a serious debate. You can not just simply ban something because of a few scrapes and bruises. “Abc.net reported 1.2 million deaths from car crashes worldwide in 2007.” How many deaths have come about due to long boarding on UCF campus? None. However, you do not find these same individuals who protest long boards trying to ban cars on campus. That’s because it is a legitimate mode of transportation to get around- just like long boards. If people paid more attention to their surroundings then everyone would be much safer- one doesn’t just walk out into the road without looking where they are going. The same thought process should happen when walking around campus knowing there are hundreds of long boards, bicycles, and roller blades where ever one goes on campus. It is the pedestrian’s responsibility to be aware of his or her environment. Living in a world of oblivion is what causes these accidents. Expecting that the skaters and bicyclists should watch every person and plan for every possibility is a cheap shedding of personal responsibility and allows one to think they can walk around campus recklessly and not be held accountable. Once a pedestrian has learned to truly take in his or her surroundings, only then will these accidents be significantly reduced.
This issue has sparked some heated conversations among many, from skaters to bicyclists to pedestrians. Through my interviews I conclude that while some oppose, most are generally indifferent to the subject. One of the people I interviewed was a girl named Janelly. I asked her, “What are your feelings regarding long boarding?” She responded, “If they don’t bother me why should I bother them?” Then I asked her, “Have you ever been hit by a long boarder?” She answered, “Not yet, but almost!” “How do you feel banning long boarding would affect campus life?” I asked. Janelly responded, “A lot more people would be on bikes and walking, and that would create more traffic which would make the current problems about transportation worse.” The general consensus is that most people do not mind long boarding.
One must take into consideration those who have been hurt in skate boarding accidents and those that will happen in the future. These accidents are unfortunate for both parties involved, but banning long boards is not the proper response to this issue. After all, these accidents are in no way intentional. And accidents happen without the medium of a vehicle of transportation. All in all, using a long board is a personal choice when it comes to getting around campus. It is a preference that cannot be infringed upon as there is not enough evidence to support a significantly detrimental effect caused solely by long boards. By starting with the banning of long boards, what will come next?
Works Cited
1. Crespo, Janelly. “Personal interview on 10/13/09”
2. Scot, Bevan. “1.2 million die each year in road crashes: global study.” http://www.abc.net.au/pm/content/2008/s2609956.htm ABC, 26 June 2009. Web. 15 October 2009.