Extreme Sports Vs The Public

[skandy32]

hello all, im just starting a new photographical project at uni: -

documenting the battle between the general public and extreme sports in city-like areas.

Basically, for some initial research i need to know what you guys think about the whole issue.

In your answer, please include:

-your name

-your location

-your age

-your opinion/ view on the subject, which you can write as much as you want about!

In your opiniony bit, you might want to consider....

-Do people stop and watch you riding?

-Do they say anything? good / bad?

-Do you think we are 'naughty/bad' people for riding in pedestrianized like areas?

-What makes you want to ride in these areas?

-Apart from all the 'telling off' you probably get.... does anybody say "wow, thats good!"?

etc etc you get the idea...

I think thats enough to get me on my way, your welcome to cast absolutley any opinions you may have regarding it.

Thankyou very much if you do contribute towards this research!

Andy

[JT!]

Jonathan Trillo

19

Whitby, North Yorkshire.

We get 'told off' very little really. Mainly becuase we live in a smallish town, and our main riding area the sea deffence rocks, and no one can really tell us not to ride on them can they. Alot of people do stop and stair, and some do have a quick chat.

Never really heard anything bad from members of pubic, this one woman had ago and one of my mates for not wearing a helmet, but he deserved it.

You can understand why people get kicked off certain places. I mean, if your riding something like a bench, you've goto understand that if it gets broken, people are gonna be pissed off, understandably.

We got caught in the rain one day, so i thought it'd be fun to ride though the local paddaling pool seeing as though we were soaking wet anyway. But when we were in there, we got shouted at by the people who owned the shop nearby "Get out of there, don't be so inconsiderate". Assumingly, they thought we were getting the water dirty, even thought people ejaculate and piss in it every night.

I suposed it's a bit harder in the bigger areas, your riding on more 'pubic' things. But when i was on a ride in Leeds, i noticed there wasn't really much damage done. The majority of damage is created when i rider starts to go BUI. I mean nice soft tyres arn't going to create much damage are they. So really if you keep in on the rubber, there shouldn't be a reason not to ride anything.

I'll think you'll find that most members of the pubic don't really see much of a problem with riders, i think they're too busy gawping at people flying about on their bikes to even start to think about the potential damage that could be caused.

Edited March 27, 2006 by JT!

[Houseface]

steve howeson

14

wokingham,berkshire

we get told off loads around the area i live in because its got lots of old people in or the security around the other areas are really harsh

only some old people and little kids stop to look sometimes but hardly anyone chats to us.

then all the other places are a trek away from where i live(train journeys) and still then we get kicked off by the security/pedestrians who dont want their brick wals with tyre marks on

overall it is not too good because the good places we are kept off of

steve

[trials_pimp]

-your name- Lee McCaw

-your location- Worthing, Sussex

-your age- 22

-your opinion/ view on the subject, which you can write as much as you want about-

Exteem sports are going be be everywhere, and it will be imposible for venues to be situated in all the right areas for all the right sports. Therefore there will allways be street sessions happening, the general public will all have mixed veiws, be it for or against. Generaly its the older generations that dont like it, they have gorw up in a time where these things didnt exist and they are unaware of what the sports actaully are.

Thereofre they think it to be mindless vandalism. No dout when we are older, there will be new more extreem sports that will confuse/anger us.

-Do people stop and watch you riding?

Yes, and the opinion is 50/50. You will get parents with their kids asking what we are doing and where to buy bikes from, people who are generaly impressed and intreeged. You will get angry people thratening you and trying to take things into their own hands, and you will get those who simply accept it, and walk on by.

-Do they say anything? good / bad?

50/50, there will allways be people who dislike somethigns they dont understand, and people who are interesed as its somethign they dont understand

-Do you think we are 'naughty/bad' people for riding in pedestrianized like areas?

In they eyes of the "law" yes. In the eyes of society, no. This sport is keeping us fit, healthy and generaly out of trouble.

-What makes you want to ride in these areas?

Location, Friends, Features.

-Apart from all the 'telling off' you probably get.... does anybody say "wow, thats good!"?

Yes, alot of the time we get people asking us where to get started, how to do tricks, and where they can see proper events.

[Dan6061]

-your name- Dan O'Shea

-your location- Steeple Claydon, Buckinghamshire

-your age- 15

-your opinion/ view on the subject, which you can write as much as you want about-

People will always find something to moan about. If they don't like it, they'll moan.

Sometimes they'll stop, have a 'friendly' chat, or have a go at you.

Many people in the UK do extreme sports. And they'll always be a street scene.

Whether it's Trials, BMX, Blading, Skating etc.

The older generation will see it as vandalism. They have no idea what it is, and with the majority of teenagers being chavs, they see every teenager as that. A vandal.

But then again, you get the odd few that are impressed by it. They can see that we're not trying to break whatever we're riding on, and if we do 'slip to bash' it's accidental.

-Do people stop and watch you riding?

Yes, nearly wherever me or my mates are riding.

It's always mixed opinions though, wherever you are.

People will either stop and watch in amazement, or they'll stop, then have a go at you.

In my village, there's this 'old peoples' estate, and in their carpark, there's afew walls.

My mate was tapping it, and occasionaly slipping to bash, and this old guy was walking to his house, and stoped and watched us. And like it.

We stopped and had a chat with him, told him what it's called, and explained why the bikes were like that.

Amazingly, he understood.

He could see the logic in it all, and I guess he could tell we were learning, and this seemed a good spot to ride at.

Then the other time we were there, this old woman came out and told us to go, as we were causing a disturbance or something.

I couldn;t see how, but i'm not really the type who'll argue with an old person, so we just said sorry, and went somewhere else.

-Do they say anything? good / bad?

It's always mixed opinions, some like it, some don't.

-Do you think we are 'naughty/bad' people for riding in pedestrianized like areas?

No one's said anything to me yet. If i'm on the path, i'll either go onto the road to miss people coming the other way, or i'll stop and let them past.

-What makes you want to ride in these areas?

The Location - Nice place, friendly people. Not too crowded with people.

People there - Friends there aswell, other riders to meet. Always a friendly bunch.

Features - Many things that are good and fun to ride on.

-Apart from all the 'telling off' you probably get.... does anybody say "wow, thats good!"?

Yep, It's quite rare that people will ask questions.

But when they do, we're friendly and explain everything so they'll understand.

If we're rude and sarcastic, they'll think we're twats. And will have a go at us next time they see us riding. Which isn't good.

[ScotchDave]

your name: David Spain

your location: Glasgow, Scotland

your age: 17

Do people stop and watch you riding?

Yeah, they stop occasionally, it's the same as anything else novel, people stop for human statues doing nothing, so they stop for trials riders too.

Do they say anything? good / bad?

Yeah, I feel it's about a 25:75 split, 75% are angry aggressive old people who scowl and bitch.

Do you think we are 'naughty/bad' people for riding in pedestrianized like areas?

Not really, if the gumment would make proper cycle paths that people wouldn't park in and make decent trials parks then I'd feel guilty, but ptherwise no.

What makes you want to ride in these areas?

I go where the good ridng's at.

Apart from all the 'telling off' you probably get.... does anybody say "wow, thats good!"?

Yeah, you get enthusiastic people, but for every one who likes it theres 3 who walk by scowling at the "vandalism".

I think you've forgotten the fact that people who don't like it often just scowl and bitch, they won't have the balls to stand up to us chavs.

[skandy32]

wow aweosme response chaps!! Thanks, couldnt ask for anything better , well, apart from more opinions

andy

[PaRtZ]

-your name = Matt Everett

-your location = North Wales Colwyn Bay

-your age = 17

I have to say that here I have no major problem with the public. Usually a lot of people sit and stare at my bike and sometimes get excited when I start riding. Ofcourse there are a couple of whingers "There's a skate park up the road for that" - We all know the answer to that. In all honesty the reason i don't like the public is the stupid questions they ask (seats, tyres etc)

Also the reaction of people I have found to be compleltly random. I've had older generations moan, and similarly older generations applaud me. There's no bias according to age, its simply the individual's opinion.

I should point out too that the crime rate around here (based on what I've heard) is minimal in comparison to other areas of the UK, so possibly this has an effect on the result.

Finally authorities here don't seem to mind too much. I had 1 incident that was COMPLETLEY over the top (got told off for destroying soil ) but apart from that we've had community police officers come up to us and talked to us and then said please move on so it looks like they're doing their job no arsey guys either

[Krisboats]

-your name - Chris Jacques

-your location - Leicester, england

-your age - 19

-your opinion/ view on the subject, which you can write as much as you want about!

-Do people stop and watch you riding?

Quite often people stop and watch because trials is generally a very awe-inspiring sport, people often wonder how its possible to do things like that on a bike and are usually always curious about it.

-Do they say anything? good / bad?

The majority of people will ask how long you've been doing it for, and whether you enter competitions and general things like that. There are some that will want to know more about it like how the bike is specially designed to withstand the abuse and whether or not the things ever go wrong and how rewarding is it to complete something that your trying. There are also the type of people who will go out of their way to try and get you to stop doing something. I've had someone run around a car park after me because i was trying to do static 180's on a car park space line (last thing on a sunday evening so the car park was empty ). There's also always someone that will shout something at you one their way past, this can vary from do a wheelie to get off that f**kin wall you should be old enough to know better.

-Do you think we are 'naughty/bad' people for riding in pedestrianized like areas?

Not in the slightest, there aren't really any specifically set up places nearby and local rocks and things are too far to ride to frequently. Riding on walls and things in a public place isn't that bad and i won't ever try something if theres a risk of injuring someone walking past... its just considerate to wait till they've gone. however there are some people who will ride on things that they shouldn't do. For example, i don't often ride on areas that have lots of nice flowers on and i NEVER ride on memorials of any kind. But some people just see something they want to ride on and go ahead and do it. But that isn't anything thats solely related to biking is it otherwise there wouldn't be crimes at all, some people steal, some don't its the same with respectful biking.

-What makes you want to ride in these areas?

They're generally just good fun and present a challenge. Most of the public places i ride in are quite and out of the way anyway because i find it hard to concentrate if theres a lot of people rushing around me. Plus some buildings are just amazingly good to ride because architects want to do something different to make their mark on somewhere and this sort of thing isn't found in a trials or skate park.

-Apart from all the 'telling off' you probably get.... does anybody say "wow, thats good!"?

Yeah quite a lot. It's mostly younger people (under 16's) who are very interested in it and want to learn how they would be able to start doing it themselves, but then at this age a lot of people are easily influenced. It is always better to get these people interested in it though instead of telling them to get lost because you are potentially drawing them away from a life of chavness and doing drugs as trials helps a lot with self control and discipline. There are quite a few older people in early thirties and late forties who are interested and glad to see that we're outside doing sporting stuff rather than being inside playing on computer games all day and they quite often take a minute to think about what they used to do when they were younger, which sometimes follows with a story for us. Not many old people are interested about it and the majority consider it to be nothing other than complete meaningful vandalism and are under the impression that rubber damages brick walls. But then again, most old people don't have a lot to do and like to feel they can boss younger kids around. But there are still some old people who will congratulate you and say its good... and even one guy knew what it was!

Wow, that was pretty much an essay. :$

[Dr Greenthumb]

Your name - Daniel Pendry-Moore

Your location - Bromsgrove, Worcestershire

Your age - 17

I wouldn't say we have a big problem by us but there is a problem. The general public see trials as an act of vandalism and by backwheeling a bench that is automatically an offence. We have tried every sort of responce you can imagine, being polite, offensive, saying nothing, being logical but every single time we don't get through to them.

When we are asked to move along politely that's fine, we do as told as we want to preserve a non anti-social image. But, when we are sworn at, threatened with a call to the police, threats of assault etc then it get's a bit tiresome. Half the time the objects we are ridding on are of not concern to the member of public anyway, i.e a rock or a bench.

The police are a mixed bunch aswell. Sometimes we are watched and applauded, then a few hours later we can be stopped and threatened with asbos and court orders for vandalism.

I hate to bring up the subject but chavs do get away with a lot more, i mean if there are a big group of chavs they aren't dispersed, instead the trials riders are.

We ride in our town and various other nearby locations and we get the same old rubbish. We chose to ride in these locations because they are good local areas with something for everyone.

Aswell as the negative comments and remarks we do get the occasional "wow, look at that" usually from little chavs, families, occasional old people and older couples.

Sorry if the answers are a bit jubbled up but it's all there i think.

[Jules]

-your name = Julian Blackwell

-your location= Reading, Berks

-your age = 15

-your opinion= On the whole me and other locals dont really have a huge problem with pedestrians and security, however we do get the odd security guard telling us to move on at our industrial estate or other nearby places. Most of the time i can understand why they are moving us on, and that they are only doing there job so we usually just move on. On a few occasions we have had some really angry security guards just come straight out and shout at us.

From the public ive never really had any major problems, they usually just walk past like we arnt even there; fair enough. Quite often people give us evil looks, but they rarely ever have a go at us. I/we have had a few occasions where people stop of to say something nice or ask a few questions about what we are doing, on 2 ocasions we have had a passing by photographer stop of and take a few shots

I do realise most of the places we ride, we shouldnt be riding there , so you could say I/we are naughty but we arnt really causing any trouble, just minding our own buisness and riding.

So generally we dont have many problems.

[Greetings]

If you're interested in an opinion from abroad I'll try and write something useful.

[anzo]

-your name = Matt

-your location= Derbyshire

-your age = 18

-your opinion= I don't get much hassle from the public, more interest to be honest. I get the occasional old folk asking if I have re-enforced spokes or something, or get him trying to tell me I need to sort my brakes out.

Younger people tend to just ask about how much the bike cost, or how light it is, or if I can do a bunnyhop. When I ride, if I ride past a bunch of younger lad I may hear the 'its a trials bike' from them, so they seem pretty clued up on it around here.

I've got into 2 fights regarding riding, one with a taxi driver and another with a pensioner, both complaining about me riding on public property and asking if Im going to pay for it when I break it...if they have an attitude with me, I'll have one with them.

Police are wankers were I live. They find it impressive but their priorities of law enforcement are a bit messed it, for example they'd be more concerned about me, liam and foster having no lights rather then trying to find a lad on a stolen bike.

I've had 2 police fines and an Anti-Social behaviour warning for riding, If I'm caught again its off to court...fun fun.

I don't think I'm at all doing anything wrong with riding on public property, its public right? i look out for other people and I give them right of way all the time. Me riding on a wall and possibly marking it a bit with my bashplate is a little different to the f**kers that smash up bus-stop for fun.

Trials keeps me occupied, fit and out of trouble...if I'm not riding its pretty guarenteed I'll be out destroying my liver up town.

I ride were I ride because its local, after work its nice to just go out and have a relaxed ride on your doorstep, this weekend was the first time I've rode anywhere out of my town and I loved it, and will be going again this weekend.

[ogre]

Matt ogley

15

notttingham(ish)

People watch me riding alot even though i'm not that good i still get compliments etc. but most of them are genuinely interested and curious if they talk to mewith that said i've had a spot closed down when me and one other guy rode it (they bulldosed it and fenced it off 'cause of one letter) i don't live imediatley near "pedestrianised areas" although when i'm out and about i will ride them if there's something decent and worth riding but not to piss people off (which it never does anyway, in my experience there usually amused/interested)

[Simpson]

-your name - Michael Simpson

-your location - Benfleet, Essex

-your age - 16

-your opinion/ view on the subject, which you can write as much as you want about!

-Do people stop and watch you riding? Yes all of the time some people are really condiderate. Younger childern usually 13 and under admire what you are doing but afraid to approach you so stand and watch which is cool. Older teenagers (round this area) are all chavs and were we rider they see as there "patch" at the times of night that they ride but they tend to stand back. As long as your respectfull usually ok. and then is a 50:50 split of older people - they usually scowl but some pricks come up and start hastling you saying that there call the police e.t.c.

-Do they say anything? good / bad? People have to be pretty brave to approach us when were out in a group because as far as the conserned your young - wearing chavvy clothes and prob look quite intimidating to them. But in smaller groups some people show interest but the same questions start to get annoying.. seats, brakes e.t.c. some people come up in your face and start getting abusing kick your bike tell you to f**k the f**king hell off - my patch vandalism e.t.c. and others just threaten to call ther police and spit at you e.t.c.

-Do you think we are 'naughty/bad' people for riding in pedestrianized like areas?

Depends - there are repectfull places such as large pathways with few people on with a cube on the middle is fine to ride. but when we ride central london e.t.c. your have to be carefull because the all foreign and dont understand it!!!!! but genrally people see you and move round you. ive never felt bad because if it made me this bad i wouldnt do it.

-What makes you want to ride in these areas? Best lines! best places best selection! if it was shit you wouldnt ride it youd just go somewhere else. And convenience...... if its good locally your going to do it anyway

people never say wow thats good apart from the lil kids. Everyone want to criticise you because your young and you MUST be doing something wrong its the same with all extreeme sports. Skating is vandalism with wax - trials is criminal damage they always want to label it as something bad. they cant see what we are trying to do - for me it was either getting pissed and stoned at parks every night or doing something more creative! and thats the difference between me and some people i used to know unfortunatly - its really popular round here to be a gangsta be a face be a name what ever. Been something like 2 stabbings in a month in one of my ride places - people do it out of a sick repect cult thing

Hope i helped - that was long

[nmt_oli]

-your name

Oli Lewis

-your location

Salisbury, Wiltshire

-your age

19

-your opinion/ view on the subject, which you can write as much as you want about! smile.gif

In your opiniony bit, you might want to consider....

-Do people stop and watch you riding?

-Do they say anything? good / bad?

-Do you think we are 'naughty/bad' people for riding in pedestrianized like areas?

-What makes you want to ride in these areas?

-Apart from all the 'telling off' you probably get.... does anybody say "wow, thats good!"?

etc etc you get the idea...

This is a good question. I have seen public responses vary from applause and amazement, through inquisitive right to very pissed off/angry calling the police. I don’t think there’s one way the public feels, it all depends what they are doing at that time.

Pretty much anyone likes watching extreme sports- but people don't tend like it if you nearly ride into them, ride on there property ect. This is an understandable response, and we should be responsible enough to accept that, apologise and move on. If this happens, they don’t usually mind too much, and were seen as nice considerate people. Unfortunately, sometimes riders get a bit mouthy and talk back/argue. This just annoys the person in question, and may get the riders into more trouble, as well as making us look bad.

Unfortunately the general public image of young people riding bikes will tend towards bad behaved yobs, if only due to the chavs in this world riding around on £50 bikes shouting at people. The more extreme sports groups can show they are reasonable and responsible, the more respect from the public they will get.

On the damage front, yes this is a problem. If you ride/skate anything there is a risk of damaging it. Unfortunately, councils/planners/builders are very very good at constructing objects which are ideal for extreme sports purposes; these will always- no matter how hard people try- attract riders/skaters and eventually get damaged.

If more construction companies teamed up with professionals from sport it would make life easier. For example there is a school in the states that was designed by a BMXer, every bench, ledge, flower bed, wall ect was ridable- t was like a tony hawk/matt hoffman level.

Implementing things like this would help on many levels. Objects would be constructed to withstand the abuse, to damage would no longer be a problem. If there are plenty in a city, it would disperse riders/skaters more, causing less hassle for the public (and free up skate parks often overloaded with stoned chavs trying to steal your bike). it would show that sports like this are becoming accepted by society, and the publics attitude might be influenced by this.

Overall, the publics immediate reaction is based on there mood, and how you approach them/deal with the situation. The general public’s wider view is dependant on many factors.

[Krisboats]

For example there is a school in the states that was designed by a BMXer, every bench, ledge, flower bed, wall ect was ridable- t was like a tony hawk/matt hoffman level.

Implementing things like this would help on many levels. Objects would be constructed to withstand the abuse, to damage would no longer be a problem. If there are plenty in a city, it would disperse riders/skaters more, causing less hassle for the public (and free up skate parks often overloaded with stoned chavs trying to steal your bike).

And would increase the chances of the places getting sued because peoeple injured themselves on the specially designed areas.

[skandy32]

wow, such a great response chaps, plenty to read into anyway, sometimes even too much

the general opinion is quite simular, and i figured it kinda would be, but needed a bit more detail, which you lot have done very well!!

If you're interested in an opinion from abroad I'll try and write something useful.

Go for it..... it would be iunteresting to see if theres much diffference!

cheers again - andy

[Greetings]

Alex Zoltowski

Poznan, Poland

19, 20 this year

We have a huge park where we ride most of the time. We get approved of by quite a few people, mostly old farts and families with kids, who very often stop and have a look at what we're doing. Sometimes a drunk chap will be tailing us, commenting on what we do - these guys are normally quite excentric and I have even come across one who jumped upwards when my friend was doing a sidehop

If however we go riding near the city center, very many people seem to be unhappy about what we're doing. Sometimes they say they're going to call the police, sometimes they shout at us. Among those negative comments there are some positive ones though

IMO we can be considered as naughty/bad because we do devastate walls etc. and there is no excuse for that. However the most annoying thing is when we ride rocks (in parks) and people say we're destroying them. For Christ sake, how can one destroy a rock with rubber or even a rockring/bashguard. We need a save-the-rocks campaign as somebody has stated in his signature.

And finally, some do say "wow, that's good!". If we're on a big ride with some of the pros, one can hear that very often. This might be so because of their age (22-29) - they are therefore percieved as people who have chosen to ride this sport and dedicated their life towards it, and not silly young kids destroying the city because they have nothing better to do.

[nmt_oli]

And would increase the chances of the places getting sued because peoeple injured themselves on the specially designed areas.

All the council/lanowner need do is place clear signs they are not responsable for any personal injury! yes i have researched into this, as we were tryign to get a bmx track/skate park built locally and its one of the points the local council argued about.