Skateboarding in the Scott Fountain

[GPCharles]

When I drove around Belle Isle on Sunday, I stopped by to take a look at the Scott Fountain. I noticed 10-12 guys skateboarding in the dry fountain.

Can that damage the marble?

[ndavies]

Yes, Skateboards swill damage the fountain. Not from rolling on the rubber wheels, but it will come from grinding the base and axel assemblies along the rims for the pools. The pools sides and statue animals are also subject to being whacked at high rates of speed by the boards when the rider falls off.

[Pickford-Bentler]

I say yes because, even with rubber or plastic wheels, the grit those wheels will be particles of orthoclase or quartz with a hardness in the range of 6-7 that will erode marble which has a hardness of about 3.5-4.0 .


http://www.rockrollers.com/features/hardness.html


I suppose an analogy would be rubbing a dusty dry rag over car paint.

[Pickford-Bentler]

I say yes because, even with rubber or plastic wheels, the grit those wheels will be particles of orthoclase or quartz with a hardness in the range of 6-7 that will erode marble which has a hardness of about 3.5-4.0 .


http://www.rockrollers.com/features/hardness.html


I suppose an analogy would be rubbing a dusty dry rag over car paint.

Sorry, I am going blind I meant "the grit embedded in those wheels will have particles of..."

[Detroitnerd]

Why isn't the DNR ticketing them?

Oh, I guess it's 'cause they're not playing basketball or something … not sure …

[SpartanDawg]

Why isn't the DNR ticketing them?

Oh, I guess it's 'cause they're not playing basketball or something … not sure …

youre pathetic trying to pull the race card here

[Detroitnerd]

youre pathetic trying to pull the race card here

There's an interesting misconception that people talking about race are "pulling the race card."

But the truth is they only say it when you're talking about, not race, but white racism.

[GPCharles]

FYI - it was a multi-racial group.

I also think there was a wedding about to take place on the plaza around the fountain.

[rjlj]

Yes, steel trucks can damage marble.

Did you notify a DNR officer?

When I drove around Belle Isle on Sunday, I stopped by to take a look at the Scott Fountain. I noticed 10-12 guys skateboarding in the dry fountain.

Can that damage the marble?

[rex]

youre pathetic trying to pull the race card here

Best bet is to ignore him. Its probably why hes so angry and insecure. Most folks can see him for what he is and write him off.

[Detroitnerd]

Best bet is to ignore him. Its probably why hes so angry and insecure. Most folks can see him for what he is and write him off.

Haha. Don't you worry your poor head about me, rex. I'm feeling better than ever, and I dare say I'm engaging more people than I ever have.

I do feel sorry for some people, for whom entire topics are off-limits ... that is, unless they're out in the garage with their buddies and can "speak freely."

[GPCharles]

Didn't see any.

[rex]

Your welcome for the diagnosis. Go on ahead and work on those flaws. You really believe you're engaging people? Trying too hard to bring up your so called off limits topics and injecting them in threads when they clearly dont belong is more counterproductive than anything.

[Detroitnerd]

Perhaps it might be a good idea if somebody would put something more appropriate for skaters to use. I'm not a huge fan of the stick, but a carrot might work.

And I say that as somebody who's generally opposed to building up the park at all.

[bailey]

Perhaps it might be a good idea if somebody would put something more appropriate for skaters to use. I'm not a huge fan of the stick, but a carrot might work.

And I say that as somebody who's generally opposed to building up the park at all.

except they just did that, very nearby..as you know. they likely had to drive right by it.
http://evergreenskateparks.com/ride-...se-2-detroit-m
http://www.mlive.com/entertainment/d...t_sculptu.html

[downtownguy]

youre pathetic trying to pull the race card here

Let's say Detroitnerd said hockey instead of basketball. His point, "where is the DNR?" has nothing to do with race.

[Scottathew]

People bitch about the cops for being too tough on people with warrants, but then want them to go after kids who are skateboarding...

I'm all for the cops getting both the felons and the people doing property damage. Arrest the felons, and give the skateboarders a stern talking to.

The DNR\Police are not omnipresent, you need to report crimes.

[GPCharles]

Frankly, I wasn't sure they were causing any damage AND I didn't want to be the old fart ruining the fun of a bunch of 20 somethings. They weren't bothering anyone that was at the fountain. It looked to me like the now-dry base of the fountain was only concrete anyway. I didn't think about them doing anything to the marble surround.

The last time I was on skateboard, they had ceramic wheels [[mid-60s).

[Honky Tonk]

Perhaps it might be a good idea if somebody would put something more appropriate for skaters to use. I'm not a huge fan of the stick, but a carrot might work.

And I say that as somebody who's generally opposed to building up the park at all.

There's a skateboard park, in your neck of the woods, @ the end of Gallagher and Davison. [[NO, it's NOT on the freeway) It has half-pipes, mounds, rails, slides, everything needed to shred to your heart's content. Even the famous Tony Hawk, visited and boarded there once. I don't understand, [[well, I kinda do) why a historic fountain, or marble museum steps, or other places that are maintained and kept up, need to be wrecked. If a park is too tame for you, try one of the thousand abandoned structures in the City.

[jt1]

Funny that so many people are attacking Dnerd when it is clearly true. It may not be purely race but a socio-economic issue.

Funny that people defend tactics that are near stop and frisk for 'those people' on the island but are convinced that kids that may be causing damage to the fountain should not have their fun ruined or just get a stern talkin' to.

So to be clear: Driving a beater is cause for being searched. Possibly damaging property is just kids being kids. Got it.

This sums up the prevailing, backward attitude that this forum has developed.
Had they been from a different background and knocked over an empty garbage can I' sure this forum would bitch about the 'thugs' on the island.

[aoife]

GPCharles, never be afraid of being that "Old Fart." Skaters know that they damage surfaces when they grind--all of my friends who skated were always careful not to do it on anything that might be considered historical or part of a public art piece. A simple, slight shaming of "Hey guys, it took a million years to get the funds together to fix that fountain. How about you not wreck it?" would probably work.

If that didn't work I would totally narc them out to whatever authority is available. You have to be a total moron to not understand that skating in the newly restored fountain is not cool.

[Honky Tonk]

So to be clear: Driving a beater is cause for being searched. Possibly damaging property is just kids being kids. Got it.

No, getting your plates scanned and discovering you have 42 outstanding warrants, or the vehicle is involved some crime, is. Just to be clear. As far as the skateboarders, they should be ticketed or detained and have their parents pick them up. I drive a hooptie, I've had them scan my plates multiple times, and I've never ended up face down in the dirt. Know why? There's nothing to see here.

[jt1]

I'm curious: Were you stopped? if not, how do you know your plates were scanned? Did they stop you or are you just assuming that they were checked?

I'm all for enforcement but I would like to see equal enforcement. It seems [[now they may have received tickets) skateboarders somehow get a pass. I'm curious as to why.

[Scottathew]

No, getting your plates scanned and discovering you have 42 outstanding warrants, or the vehicle is involved some crime, is. Just to be clear. As far as the skateboarders, they should be ticketed or detained and have their parents pick them up. I drive a hooptie, I've had them scan my plates multiple times, and I've never ended up face down in the dirt. Know why? There's nothing to see here.

But it's so much more fun to blame racism\racial profiling than it is to blame your warrants!

As to the kids, no need to ticket or detain them, just tell them to "stop doin' that", and if they listen, great! Otherwise, start busting out the fines.

[jt1]

Why would the 'kids' be given a pass for this? Potentially damaging the fountain is something just to scoff at because they are kids [[or twenty-somethings)?

Funny this board is always hollering for the harshest sentences but these 'kids' should just get a talkin' to?

Pure hypocrisy.