TRAFFIC TIPS FOR SKATERS
Dávid Mikulán / Diana Lemos / Klára Simon / Dalma Eszter Kollár
Hungarian University of Fine Arts
Skateboarding began in the beach cities of California , as a surfer ’ s activity , emulating the surf moves on the hard surfaces of urban subdivisions and concrete . Skateboarding has therefore , always been about appropriating the city . Architects conceptualise their building in totality and typically conceive space with a pre-determined use ( seats are for sitting , stairways are for walking ). Skateboarding is fundamentally concerned with micro-spaces and rejects any pre-determined use of space : ‘ Most people think handrails are for people with mobility problems , skaters however say they are for ollie nose grinds .’ Sidewalk surfing is like dancing , it ’ s not based on strict rules like competitive sports , it ’ s about the freedom of moving using human power . There are many different styles of skating , and many different judgments . Our focus is on the so-called ‘ traffic core ’, when people using these ‘ vehicles ’ as a part of the traffic . For many people , skateboarding means an extreme sport , and not a way of transportation , this is an old fashioned stereotype , even if it ’ s dangerous without the necessary skills . The wheel is one of the greatest invention of mankind , but some people think the skateboard is only toy for kids , and it ’ s very sad when the national traffic law saying the same . In Hungary law doesn ’ t make difference between a pedestrian and a skater , in NYC skateboarders have the same laws as bicycle riders , so they can ride on the road .
There is a growing number of skateboard , scooter , and inline skate riders in the city all over the world . In a big metropolis there are several reasons , why people choose an alternative transportation like riding a bike . The whole city structure is controlled by very complex laws , based on local , global agreements . There are many different rules , laws for the riders all over the world . For example in some cities bikes can be carried freely on trams , in Hamburg there is a specific time period out of the rush hour , when it ’ s legal , but not here in Hungary . But these tiny little ‘ vehicles ’ are fully compatible with public transportation , if you carry it in your hand . The pictograms say : No ice cream , no patrol , no radio , no skateboard - and of course please do not smile just watch the ground . We see many instructions warning us what is forbidden and what is not allowed , but there is nothing about what we can do . Anything else than …?
The walker , rider , driver facing many unpredictable steps on a single A-to-B travelling , where they must do individual decisions . When the emergency car is coming , cars have to move away , even if the way is out of legal traffic rules . There are always special situations when people have to override the law . We are over controlled , and not well-trained in problem solving , we are trained to follow the rules . The traffic in India works the opposite , and they don ’ t have more accidents . The Google driverless car was involved in a crash , but Google has claimed that the car was manually driven at the time of the accident .
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It ’ s good to pass the ‘ non-times ’ with real interactions , and not only with angry birds . Many new riders appear , from every age and social class , and they have no clue about their traffic rights . Skateboarding can be understood as a method of Dérive , a technique of rapid passage through varied ambiences . Dérives involve playful-constructive behavior and awareness of psychogeographical effects , and are thus quite different from the classic notions of journey or stroll .