Have you ever been arrested?for skateboarding?
Tyler Soukup has.
Soukup, a sophomore in biology, grew up in Ogden and would sometimes skateboard at Weber State University with his friends. People around the campus would harass the group and eventually police even arrested him, just for skateboarding.
Now, Soukup skates to class at the U and doesn’t have to worry about cold, metal handcuffs.
Unlike most campuses and city areas, the U allows skateboarding and longboarding. Students, for the most part, don’t seem to mind the boarders and police are generally OK with the practice as long as certain rules are followed.
The rules include: being cautious, giving pedestrians the right of way, not exceeding a speed of 10 miles per hour and not riding in buildings, on campus structures or over landscaped areas.
So basically, don’t hurt yourself, other people or damage the campus. Easy enough, especially when compared to the act being considered criminal if one even tries to ride to class at other universities.
Some students at the U feel lucky to have the option to skateboard or longboard to class.
“Walking sucks,” Soukup said. “I get pissed when I’m walking and think how much faster, easier and (more fun) it would be on a skateboard.”
Not only is boarding fast transportation around campus, it’s more environmentally friendly than driving or taking the shuttles. It’s also a great way to relieve stress before, between or after classes.
Many students take advantage of the U’s skater-friendly routes to class. Sidewalks take you all the way from the dorms to any building on campus.
“There are ramps everywhere, you don’t have to worry about stairs,” said Jon Ramanujam, an undeclared sophomore.
The campus is also a safer place to ride, opposed to the streets in the Avenues or around the capitol, for example.
“The U is the best place to ride because there’s no car traffic to deal with,” said Devin Deaton, a junior in marketing.
Skateboarders and longboarders use the campus even when they’re not headed to class. They can ride any path through the U, end up at the stadium TRAX station, take it back up to either Fort Douglas or the Hospital and repeat. It’s not uncommon to see boarders riding TRAX at 11 p.m. to get a few more runs in.
Whether you’ve been on a board since you could walk or you want to finally try it, everyone can appreciate what the U offers skateboarders and longboarders: a safe, fun and convenient place that doesn’t carry the penalty of a fine or being locked up in the clink to enjoy.
