Skatepark Safety Tips
Like any other sport, action and extreme sports can be dangerous so it's important to wear the correct gear and to check your equipment is safe.
Just the other day we were at the local skate park when a young rider came off his bike and landed with the hand brake slicing into his thigh. Pretty scary experience for the other kids at the park, and for the poor kid that came off his bike. Ambulances and firefighters were called, his bike handlebars were cut and he got rushed off to the hospital for surgery. To be honest this isn't as unusual as it sounds, accidents happen at skate parks all the time, some are minor and some are major injury's resulting from epic stacks.
What could have been avoided in this instance though was the bike this kid was riding had very sharp ends on his hand brakes which no doubt was why it sliced into his leg. Unsafe gear is common, we see so many kids riding around on scooters with no bar ends, kids without helmets and kids on equipment that is too small or too big for them.
It is so important that you take care of yourself and maintain your bike, scooter, skateboard or whatever you ride so that it's as safe as possible. We encourage our guys to at least wear a helmet, but knee-pads, mouth guards, leg pads, gloves, and ankle braces are also very helpful in avoiding painful injury's, broken bones, smashed teeth or a trip to the hospital for stitches.
Our advice: ride with a mate or have a parent nearby. If you aren't with a parent have some form of contact on you like a phone, in case you or someone else has had an accident so you can call for help. Check your bike, scooter, skateboard etc for sharp edges or broken parts. And always wear your safety gear.
If you are a parent of young kids that don't understand skate park etiquette, please manage your kids so they don't get in the way of others, otherwise known as snaking. Skate parks are not playgrounds, they are sports facilities made for their intended use which means pro riders often will be there practicing tricks. Young kids are often known to ride or run out in front of other riders and cause terrible accidents as the rider cannot stop suddenly. Don't get me wrong, everyone is entitled to use skate parks but please keep in mind they are not a playground or babysitting service. If you avoid sitting on the ramps, boxes or rails, don't slide down the ramps on your arse, and stay out of the way then everyone will be a lot happier and safer.