Excuse me for my "hysteria" but it is a crime when it becomes trespass or results in destruction of property. I'm not talking skating in parking lots when I get testy about the kids. I'm talking skating on a newly restored historic building, ON. not near. On. I'm talking jumping on the stairs which certainly deters visitors and does damage to the building. Ignorance of the fact that you are causing damage isn't even the question here but if it were it would be little excuse. Destroying the signs IS intentional.
Why must we wait until an injury occurs to insist that the youth choose to go somewhere else such as the skate park that was created for this activity? If you know that a potentially dangerous situation exists and do nothing to correct it, it is my understanding that you are at greater liability.
If you and your institution care to assume the liability, that is for you and your institution to decide. I think your tune would change if it were your front steps that they were not just skating on but damaging regularly.
>>> [log in to unmask] 04/30/02 09:41AM >>>
Dear List:
I'd like to ask the anti-boarders on the list to take a deep breath and get
a little perspective: if the worst thing these kids are up to is
skateboarding, then they're fine kids. They're outdoors, getting fresh air
and exercise, not doing drugs or having sex or committing crimes or looking
up internet pornography. Yes, they wear ridiculously large pants and silly
haircuts, but so what? Most of us wore something stupid when we were 16,
whether we want to admit it or not. It's a privilege of youth, silly
outfits.
In all of this hysteria about potential liability/lawsuits have I heard of
anyone actually getting sued for a skateboarding injury on their property.
Has it ever happened? Does anyone know, FIRST HAND, of an institution that
had to pay a skater's parents because the kid got injured on their
property?
Another point: 99.9% of teenagers are lippy and have attitude in the
presence of authority. It comes with the territory. Don't get snarky with
skaters because they're just being normal teenagers. You don't expect
little leaguers to be perfect angels and ask sweetly for baseball diamonds
in public parks; why do skaters have to live up to a different standard of
behavior? If our parks depts. are going to put in facilities for baseball,
basketball, tennis, why not skating?? It's not a crime. Can I repeat
that
one more time? Skateboarding is NOT a crime. Nor should it be.
Yes, it can be destructive, but it's not INTENTIONALLY destructive. These
are *kids* and they are *playing*. Please try to remember that. Make your
property unappealing to skaters and they will move on. Don't change
anything, and they'll probably get bored anyway and move on eventually.
And, yes, skaters use our parking lot and loading dock on occasion but so
far we haven't been sued and no-one's had an eye put out.
Jill R. Chancey, Curator
Lauren Rogers Museum of Art
Laurel, MS
(phone) 601-649-6374
(fax) 601-649-6379
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