Skatepark for the blind (ideas thread)

[GinosGroceries]

I just got done watching The Blind Rider on YouTube and I'm feeling very inspired. I highly recommend you watch it.
It got me wondering  how a skatepark for the blind would work.
Hopefully we can bounce ideas off each other and maybe one will be built someday somewhere.


-There could be a sign at the park entrance with a Braille layout so riders can get an idea of where everything is.

-The perimeter of the park could be done in tile so they would know when they are about to leave the area.

-Shallow line grooves in the concrete(or tiles different from the perimeter tile) could help give the skater an audible sense of timing when riding up to a flat bar or manual pad. This would have to be well designed since we all know cracks=death

-The last idea I have is a pedestal with a button on it. You push the button and it triggers a beeping or tone that would come from an obstacle.

[I.C. Weiner]

finally, the dozens of blind skateboarders will have somewhere to congregate

[jomeara1]

I like your tile idea a lot.  I think that would be very helpful.  Also mandatory helmets- but that's obvious.  At the end of the day though, it might end up just being too much of a liability for the town/city.  There would be way too many accidents because no one would be able to see each other unless if they had some kind of alert mechanism.

[shark tits]

finally, the dozens of blind skateboarders will have somewhere to congregate

there's more than i knew of and fuck it, they've ruined every curb cut where i live w. those yellow bumps, might as well hook em up w/ a spot. incongruous as it sounds, maybe skating could be popular amongst blind people?

[GinosGroceries]

finally, the dozens of blind skateboarders will have somewhere to congregate

You'll fit in right at home here at Slap with a user name and an attitude like that.

Seriously though I understand what you're getting at, but many blind people simply haven't tried skateboarding. Maybe they would if they had a safe environment with elements that would help them progress.

[stabbedbywiggers]

Ramps that have a sound depending on the height/curvature. Like a tall tranny wall would go WHOOOOOO and a lil bank would go SHWEEEE. Like L.E.D. ramps but instead of light its sound.

But fuck skating blind, I would quit. Imagine all those pebbles.

[Tracer]

Has to be all about half pipes. Pump a mini ramp with your eyes closed, someone fully blind could totally do that and develop other tricks because of the wall repetition.

[AllBranFlakes69]

I picture a vert ramp or mini ramp but built in the shape of a donut so you could never fall of the edge... Or just a bowl of some sort... 

[stabbedbywiggers]

You could have the hesh homies yelling "Whooo" "Get that shit" "Do it" so you know when the obstacles approaching.

[Bumpovertrash]

I like your tile idea a lot.  I think that would be very helpful.  Also mandatory helmets- but that's obvious.  At the end of the day though, it might end up just being too much of a liability for the town/city.  There would be way too many accidents because no one would be able to see each other unless if they had some kind of alert mechanism.

Mandatory Helmets.. that's fucking weak

[StinkyLarry]

Expand Quote

I like your tile idea a lot.  I think that would be very helpful.  Also mandatory helmets- but that's obvious.  At the end of the day though, it might end up just being too much of a liability for the town/city.  There would be way too many accidents because no one would be able to see each other unless if they had some kind of alert mechanism.

[close]

Mandatory Helmets.. that's fucking weak

There's a fine line between being raw as fuck and just fucking regular.

[himlor]

finally, the dozens of blind skateboarders will have somewhere to congregate

yup and they can read all about it here first

[jomeara1]

Expand Quote

Expand Quote

I like your tile idea a lot.  I think that would be very helpful.  Also mandatory helmets- but that's obvious.  At the end of the day though, it might end up just being too much of a liability for the town/city.  There would be way too many accidents because no one would be able to see each other unless if they had some kind of alert mechanism.

[close]

Mandatory Helmets.. that's fucking weak

[close]

There's a fine line between being raw as fuck and just fucking regular.

I know how weak that sounds..but we're talking about blind people here.  If you're in charge of running a skatepark for the blind, their safety is a big concern. 

[Maggie]

My neighbor raped a blind girl last summer I still smoke with him though fuck it

[GinosGroceries]

Expand Quote

finally, the dozens of blind skateboarders will have somewhere to congregate

[close]

yup and they can read all about it here first

That's the spirit!

[fulltechnicalskizzy]

Treadmill on hill setting and tell them it's a snake run

[Fecal Fury]

At least 4 foot of vert ya pussies.

Drop in or GTFO....

[h00man]

Maggie fuck you and fuck your piece of shit neighbor



Anyway this idea seems great but most likely wont happen due to liability issues and such. That Blind Skater is amazing though! So stoked for him and anyone else who is disabled in ways but manage to still do the things they love.

[nosporlactune]

one of my best friends happens to be blind and skates, and he really doesnt need a special park or anything, he skates tranny of any type and gets to know the parks by just walking around them. really only consideration is no rails of any kinda in bowl complexes, theres one for bikers in our home park nad he just completely avoids that section of the complex cause of it, all in all though, no considerations really need to be taken into account i think. just make a transition heavy park that you'd have fun skating. the number one thing he hates is people overaccomodating for him cause he's blindness, so that being said, i know there's not many blind skaters out there but if you meet one just skate. anyways, my friends name is tommy carroll, he's floated around on the internet for awhile now for anyone curious.

[shark tits]

that kid is awesome. i've seen a few tommy carroll videos and i thought he used echolocation but he just memorizes it? rad either way. the blind skater from spain could ollie a gap and i seen a 3rd blind skater on youtube who boardslid a flatbar so maybe it doesn't have to be only tranny just have the street obstacles well separated?
or like nosporlactune said just make a regular park and the blind rippers will figure it out but i feel like there's only a few and skating could enrich the blind community like it does women in us occupied arab countries [via skateistan].

[BacksideWallride]

I think a blind specific park would be too much. Look what this kid does, skates a mini, flat ground at his plaza, and looks like a mini park, those fun boxes/ manual pads.

I looked up that Tommy kid, now that's crazy, blind since 2 so he don't know shit. But both these guys seem at home and having fun where they're at. They don't need flat bars that yell out robotic commands to board slide em, ya know?

Speaking of disabilities, the kid with no legs is next level upper-body strength.. He does, fuck what would you call it, finger flip to grinds and shit? Almost every skate trick with hands...



Fuck! And Jon Comer had me blown away...

[GinosGroceries]

I looked up that Tommy kid, now that's crazy, blind since 2 so he don't know shit. But both these guys seem at home and having fun where they're at. They don't need flat bars that yell out robotic commands to board slide em, ya know?

Calling it robot commands is a little much, but I hear ya.

My idea was that you could "see" the skatepark through sound. There are a lot of variables when rolling up to something. You won't roll up to a flat bar or stairs the same way every time even if you have the park memorized. Being able to rely on a sound could help with consistency.

But maybe it would all cause more harm than good. Learning to skate somewhere while depending on sound would make it hard to skate anywhere else

[j....soy.....]

I think the ground Braille thing would work better.....in that clip where the guy ollies into a bank....he uses his cane to feel the top of the bank..
Then times his Ollie.....I bet if you had a groove just before he'd know....

They probably have such a better memory and feel for distance than we do.

Just cause there are no skaters doing it doesn't mean it'll always be this way....it works well because they can go at their own pace.... Skateparks now too are pretty accommodating and with a buddy I'm sure it would work...

[Tracer]

It's great work they do with skiing for the blind, and running for the blind.

[andocom]

I picture a vert ramp or mini ramp but built in the shape of a donut so you could never fall of the edge... Or just a bowl of some sort... 

Yeah I'd just go with the bowl.

[BacksideWallride]

I think the ground Braille thing would work better.....in that clip where the guy ollies into a bank....he uses his cane to feel the top of the bank..
Then times his Ollie.....I bet if you had a groove just before he'd know....

They probably have such a better memory and feel for distance than we do.

Just cause there are no skaters doing it doesn't mean it'll always be this way....it works well because they can go at their own pace.... Skateparks now too are pretty accommodating and with a buddy I'm sure it would work...

I don't know if you've guys seen the Traffic edit where Oyola and them go to Japan... Over there they do have braille-like bumps at intersections so blind people don't walk out. Ricky didn't notice them and ate shit on one.



Japanese dude loved it haha

[BacksideWallride]

Also reminds me of this:

[Shifty Flip]

You bastards got me to Google braile skateboarding, turns out that's one of those kooky Revive brand YouTube stations. Now my video feed is full of garbage.

On a more serious note, those yellow bumps ruining every curb cut in the country piss me off to no end.  They won't stop until they're on every intersection. ADA mandated. 

Hell ya to anyone fully, or partially blind, who skates. Can't be stopped