When did "riding my skateboard" change from...

[stevenpensacola]

actually standing on top of the board, and riding around on it...and actually going somewhere...

to...

standing on top of your skateboard, jumping up in the air, spinning the board with your feet, and SLAMMING the board into the driveway hard enough to crack the concrete?

My son buys a new skateboard...from a nice shop in town...has to have the "right" trucks/wheels....I ask why...you don't actually "ride" on it. I wonder if I could sell a board with fake trucks/wheels...would not have to actually roll...which would withstand this abuse.

He has a board that his uncle gave him...that he made back in the 70's...my son was amazed at how good of shape it was in...duh!!!

...and don't EVEN get me started on the finger skateboards....

 

[LuvOrlando]

Good question. I could ride a skateboard in the 1970s but all we did was ride around the neighborhood. My 12 year old son and his friend were here over the weekend and literally snapped the friend's board in 2. I still don't quite know how they did it because as they explained, the list of tricks made my head spin, but there was something about kicking it up and landing wrong. When they stopped all I could get out was, "Did you break any bones?" They both said no while laughing. I then dropped them off at the friends' house because the Dad built a half pipe in the back yard.

My son has both a regular board, which seems to be only for tricks, and a long board, which is for cruisin' I never know what they are talking about so I guess I am officially old

 

[The Mystery Machine]

I don't know. My 43yo DH still has his 70's skateboard and can still jump and walk it, he thinks he looks cool.

 

[FlightlessDuck]

Early 80's, although it didn't become popular until the early 90's.

 

[golfgal]

We were doing tricks, etc on our skateboards in the 70's. We never road them "around town" other then to get to the parking lot to do tricks.

 

[Mickey'snewestfan]

I agree with golfgal. I think that change happened a long time ago.

I read a great book, whose title I can't remember, that talked about how empty swimming pools in California served as training grounds for the first serious skateboarders many years ago (70's???).

 

[Tinijocaro]

One of our dogs is named after a basic skateboard trick-his name is Ollie.

 

[PrincessKsMom]

I'm sure that started many years ago, but it probably didn't hurt when this guy became a millionaire: http://www.tonyhawk.com/.

 

[AKL_Megs]

Ah, the "Ollie"... it's a skateboard trick that's been around for DECADES!

I must admit, I was a "sk8ter gurl" in the 90's and in high school. I remember that afternoons at my friends house consisted of her brother pulling the ramp into the street, and simply doing tricks, the Ollie included, in their small driveway and in the area of the street right in front of their house.

Sadly, I never mastered the Ollie.

Just be thankful that he's OUTSIDE being active. I remember how much we worked up a sweat out there doing "nothing"!

 

[LisaR]

We just visited a large college campus the other day and I can assure you the art of riding a skateboard for the sole purpose of transportation is alive and well. These boys (I did not notice a single female) were FLYING through campus on those boards. They were honestly rather frightening. I imagine they barrel into a few people here and there.

 

[Iott Family]

I don't know. My 43yo DH still has his 70's skateboard and can still jump and walk it, he thinks he looks cool.

Cute!

 

[ForTheLoveofDisney]

We just visited a large college campus the other day and I can assure you the art of riding a skateboard for the sole purpose of transportation is alive and well. These boys (I did not notice a single female) were FLYING through campus on those boards. They were honestly rather frightening. I imagine they barrel into a few people here and there.

Yuppers, it's their mode of transportation around here. And, funny you should say that about the girls, just today we had a girl come through our department with skateboard in tow.

 

[SandrA9810]

We just visited a large college campus the other day and I can assure you the art of riding a skateboard for the sole purpose of transportation is alive and well. These boys (I did not notice a single female) were FLYING through campus on those boards. They were honestly rather frightening. I imagine they barrel into a few people here and there.

Me and Kari did that a few times at UM when she went there. We never mastered anything besides standing on the board and going forward.

Now one of the first Christmas gifts she ever got me was a razor scooter. I still have the original one and a new one and use it all the time to get around where ever. It was great when I had my dog, she loved pulling me. So we'd ride down to the dog park or the corner store or even around the block a few times. It was great. I miss my scooter doggie.

 

[MM27]

...and don't EVEN get me started on the finger skateboards....

I hate those finger skateboards. The kids are not allowed to bring them to school, but these boys use anything that resembles a skateboard to do those stupid tricks. I can't tell you the number of pencils that slam down on desks on a daily basis doing these "tricks". I got to the point in my classroom where I told them if I caught them doing that with their pencil, I was counting it as their recess and those minutes would come off their real recess.

There is a family behind me with a few kids that skateboard and do the trick stuff. The father made them a half pipe and they do all sorts of tricks on it. But yes, the constant slamming does get annoying. I just think of all the bad things these kids could be doing though and deal with a little noise.

 

[stevenpensacola]

I don't know. My 43yo DH still has his 70's skateboard and can still jump and walk it, he thinks he looks cool.

there's several folks who compete on the big ramp competitions who are as "young" as I. I like the fact that they're showing those young whipper-snappers a thing or two...