Skateboarders and the Homeless

[Binomial Nomenclature]

In a course about American cities and urbanization, we watched a documentary about public places in major cities; plazas in downtown New York, Chicago, Toronto etc.  It was from the 1970s.  It mentioned and depicted various things we see now as "skate-stoppers" on ledges made to prevent homeless people from sitting and sleeping there.  This predates the popularity of street skating.  I'm wondering what stuff skaters and the homeless have in common.  Also, these spikes on ledges made the general non-vagrant population feel disconnected from these public spaces.  Do skate-stoppers also reject the people that don't skate and just want to chill & have lunch or something in these public/private open urban plaza areas?

[Thom Verlaine]

B+.

[sparksandblood]

good topic.
I think it would be interesting to survey people asking if they rather see signs of skateboarding on benches, statues, etc. or bars, spikes and other forms of skate stoppers on them. 

[RightCoastBiased]

Skaters and bums don't mind chilling on the ground eating food, drinking beer in public and fucking with people that need fucking with.

[Nancy Chin The Manicurist]

http://youwontfindithere.com/2009/09/23/peddlers-of-sin/

[Binomial Nomenclature]

Another thing it mentioned is the spectacle that vagrants cause, that people are drawn to watch and and that draws more people.  Skaters sometimes draw a few passersby who at least slow down to have a look.  Maybe skaters draw the public into otherwise rarely used public spaces?

[Canuck]

I think any mark that a skateboard makes on a ledge is way better looking than any skate stopper. Public spaces are not supposed to be calm and pleasant. There supposed to be a place where the pucblic engages with each other. Drinking beer, getting in arguments ,playing chess. Skateboarding. Its the poerty of democracy. And there are very few spaces left in Toronto and a lot cities where the whole public is alloweed to converge and do what comes naturally. fucking neo-liberalism...

Don't get me started about public space and how it is constantly being fucked with....

/rant

Ocean Howell wrote a paper about public space, and he uses a lot of skate photos in his paper. Im pretty sure you can find it on google. If not pm me I think I have it some where.

[sven thorkel]

i think that skateboarding in public space usually produces less damage then what its reputation might indicate. you can only damage so much by skateboarding in that only a few things are of a right height to do anything on. at a skatespot there is usually much more untouched space that the general public can enjoy that wont be ruined by wax or anything like that. plus the damage is only surface damage. i think people should start seeing it  as free entertainment and not so much as a destructive activity    

if your interested in this type of stuff, check out this ocean howell article

http://bss.sfsu.edu/urbanaction/UA2001/ps.html

i like how it mentions that many architects get upset when building owners throw up skate stoppers on their creations. they also have slang for skate stoppers, "pigs ears"  

also, if you got 23 mins check out the save south bank video
http://www.dobedo.co.uk/dbd_viewmedia.php?mId=8

[Canuck]

i think that skateboarding in public space usually produces less damage then what its reputation might indicate. you can only damage so much by skateboarding in that only a few things are of a right height to do anything on. at a skatespot there is usually much more untouched space that the general public can enjoy that wont be ruined by wax or anything like that. plus the damage is only surface damage. i think people should start seeing it  as free entertainment and not so much as a destructive activity    

if your interested in this type of stuff, check out this ocean howell article

http://bss.sfsu.edu/urbanaction/UA2001/ps.html

i like how it mentions that many architects get upset when building owners throw up skate stoppers on their creations. they also have slang for skate stoppers, "pigs ears"  

also, if you got 23 mins check out the save south bank video
http://www.dobedo.co.uk/dbd_viewmedia.php?mId=8

you beat me to the ocean howell essay...

But yeah, I spent half my undergraduate years studying public space... i think in a decade or so after this ma. is over I wanna go back and do a phd. learning is fun.

[Ronald Wilson Reagan]

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i think that skateboarding in public space usually produces less damage then what its reputation might indicate. you can only damage so much by skateboarding in that only a few things are of a right height to do anything on. at a skatespot there is usually much more untouched space that the general public can enjoy that wont be ruined by wax or anything like that. plus the damage is only surface damage. i think people should start seeing it  as free entertainment and not so much as a destructive activity    

if your interested in this type of stuff, check out this ocean howell article

http://bss.sfsu.edu/urbanaction/UA2001/ps.html

i like how it mentions that many architects get upset when building owners throw up skate stoppers on their creations. they also have slang for skate stoppers, "pigs ears"  

also, if you got 23 mins check out the save south bank video
http://www.dobedo.co.uk/dbd_viewmedia.php?mId=8

[close]

you beat me to the ocean howell essay...

But yeah, I spent half my undergraduate years studying public space... i think in a decade or so after this ma. is over I wanna go back and do a phd. learning is fun.

Going back to school is great. I'm 2 weeks into my masters program and am loving it.
And skaters and the homeless have so much in common, that I know people who are both!

[1992]

Great topic. I've always had the best time talking to some of the homeless folks that lurk around where we happen to hang out. Some of the stories I've heard have been so interesting. You might see them on such a frequent basis that you eventually become friends with them and they basically become part of your squad. I have had to sleep on the streets before and it's nice to know that some people have got your back. Homelessness is no joke. Thanks again for making me think.

BTW-your screen name has always got me wondering if you were going to school for botany or something like that. I was just wondering.

[Albatross]

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i think that skateboarding in public space usually produces less damage then what its reputation might indicate. you can only damage so much by skateboarding in that only a few things are of a right height to do anything on. at a skatespot there is usually much more untouched space that the general public can enjoy that wont be ruined by wax or anything like that. plus the damage is only surface damage. i think people should start seeing it  as free entertainment and not so much as a destructive activity    

if your interested in this type of stuff, check out this ocean howell article

http://bss.sfsu.edu/urbanaction/UA2001/ps.html

i like how it mentions that many architects get upset when building owners throw up skate stoppers on their creations. they also have slang for skate stoppers, "pigs ears"  

also, if you got 23 mins check out the save south bank video
http://www.dobedo.co.uk/dbd_viewmedia.php?mId=8

[close]

you beat me to the ocean howell essay...

But yeah, I spent half my undergraduate years studying public space... i think in a decade or so after this ma. is over I wanna go back and do a phd. learning is fun.

[close]

Going back to school is great. I'm 2 weeks into my masters program and am loving it.
And skaters and the homeless have so much in common, that I know people who are both!

here in north van we dont have skateboarding homeless, but i have bombed the big hill from my house with these dudes a number of times

[thieveslikeus]

i'm down for the homeless. they're a lot like us in a way

[robasheep]

One of the few decent spots in my town is a concrete foundation that is adjacent to a rail yard.  A couple of years ago I was skating there and saw some dude sitting in the bushes, he was watching us skate.  My friends were creeped out, but I went to talk to him.  His name was Chuck.  Him and another dude(Roger) lived on an abandoned train car. 

I don't know why, but I've always been intrigued by homeless people.  Anyways, I ended up befriending these dudes.  I would bring them my old clothes, blankets and even started buying them groceries when I would do my shopping.  It ended up being a mutually beneficial arrangement.  They chased away some kids that were messing with the obstacles we had set-up at the spot. 

I had to put a stop to my charity, Chuck started taking advantage of my goodwill.  He began to ask me for stuff...smokes, booze, rides to the liquor store...

[barkeep11]

There are a few homeless in Toronto that skate.  Most are transients from out west that come down for the summer.  Some of them rip!  And all are down for a beer or five.  DUNBAT represent!!

[rawbertson.]

hubba hideout is a homeless person spot
i like when they get psyched on a trick

[CaptainMorganFreeman]

hubba hideout is a homeless person spot
i like when they get psyched on a trick

peace park in montreal is the funniest probably in the world.

[Narcissus]

Why don't we just ask this homeless skateboarder?

<img src=http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b363/d-block-assbag/penny.jpg>
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[MexicanSpaniard]

I don't like talking to people when I skate.

[420]

i'm down for the homeless.

[rawbertson.]

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hubba hideout is a homeless person spot
i like when they get psyched on a trick

[close]

peace park in montreal is the funniest probably in the world.

that place is like totally over run with crack heads now