Speedboarding
Speedboarding is a longboard (skateboard) race down a hill at high speeds. In the midwest we can find hills that send us at speeds up to 60mph. The sport is very fun and also very dangerous, but there are many ways we make it safer. The best way to keep it safe and fun is to have closed road events, where we have a day to race on a permitted closed road.
As you may assume some people relate skaters with negative prejudices. But our sport of longboard racing is up coming. Every year more people start skateboarding and more events are popping up. The events that start each year are on top of each event that happened years past that continue to run annually.
The reason we need closed roads is so we can race at our maximum potential speed without worrying about cars coming. Usually we will have spotters with walkie talkies telling if the road is clear. There are more ways that we stay safe.
As you may assume some people relate skaters with negative prejudices. But our sport of longboard racing is up coming. Every year more people start skateboarding and more events are popping up. The events that start each year are on top of each event that happened years past that continue to run annually.
The reason we need closed roads is so we can race at our maximum potential speed without worrying about cars coming. Usually we will have spotters with walkie talkies telling if the road is clear. There are more ways that we stay safe.
Most advanced riders will wear full body leather and a full face helmet. All races will require a helmet and gloves that are up to standards (tough leather gloves are ideal). Most people will also wear elbow and knee pads.
This relates to sociology when it comes to social change. Because skateboarding is on the rise and becoming more accepted it belongs in the social change category. Skateboardings reputation started as 'punk kids' but now we have professional racers, and closed permitted events.
This social change was absolutely intentional, we longboarders are trying very hard to earn a reputable reputation and spread the branch of permitted events. Our change is controversial because there are definitely some people out there I have met who get very upset when we are skating on the side of the road. This change may not matter to others but to us longboarders it means everything, and we will go very far to get our passion accepted by the community.
This relates to sociology when it comes to social change. Because skateboarding is on the rise and becoming more accepted it belongs in the social change category. Skateboardings reputation started as 'punk kids' but now we have professional racers, and closed permitted events.
This social change was absolutely intentional, we longboarders are trying very hard to earn a reputable reputation and spread the branch of permitted events. Our change is controversial because there are definitely some people out there I have met who get very upset when we are skating on the side of the road. This change may not matter to others but to us longboarders it means everything, and we will go very far to get our passion accepted by the community.
This is a picture of me at my most recent race. It was posted on the facebook page '1, Onekama'. This event was in Michigan and it's top speed was over 50mph. Racers came from Georgia, Canada, and California. I am the one in the black leather, leading the pack...
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