Skateboarders Shoot Down Pineapple Walk

By on June 19, 2011 7:32 pm in Kids


Sunday afternoon a “video crew” was shooting skateboarders flying down Pineapple Walk, up and over the Peas and Pickles ramp and onto Henry Street. Apart from a knee-jerk “you kids get off my lawn” reaction, what really bugged us is that it appeared the skaters were actually trying to SUCCESSFULLY complete their jumps. Considering their choice of venue, we’re surprised they weren’t attempting a stunt like this.

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  • Monty

    Some teens were riding their boards down squibb hill yesterday. One of them was evidently going for the first time because he absolutely terrified and screaming curses all the way down when jumped free and his board rolled into traffic. No one was hurt, so it’s okay to laugh :)

  • David on Middagh

    This afternoon I saw what looked like a nuclear family of skateboarders at Modell’s on the Fulton Marketplace. Mom carried one, Dad another, brother and sister their own. I’m not sure they appear in the photo, tho’.

  • Jeffrey j Smith

    Want to know how many skateboarders have collided or had very near misses with elderly pedestrians at that very location?

    Skateborders are like at lot of types today. Self focused and if their activity endangers somewhat else….well…that’s the LEAST of their considerations.

  • Andrew Porter

    The photo shows they’re the same bunch of kids who were doing their stuff under the sidewalk shed on Pineapple next to the St. George Tower several days ago. They were Very Loud and I wanted to kill them. They finally quit after 6pm. Amazing and dumb that they’re doing all this with an enormous park not a block away.

    May they earn their Darwin Awards soon and not trouble us any more.

  • http://heatherquinlan.com Heather Quinlan

    There’s nowhere good in the park to skate. Peas and Pickles is the closest we got to an empty pool.

  • GHB

    When they get injured (or worse), who gets sued?

  • E

    nobody gets sued because they cant afford lawyers.

  • Josh G

    You dang woodchucks! Quit chuckin my wood!

  • Knight

    Heather: the area around the park entrance at Clark Street seems to be very popular with the skaters.

  • Dan

    What’s with the anti skateboarder ‘tude, BHB? Not cool.

  • PierrepontSkin

    As a skater and a resident of this neighborhood my whole life, skateboarding is not, nor will it ever be a crime. There are lots of things I wish to say here but I am civilized and do not wish to offend anyone. Also, tomorrow, June 21st, is Go Skateboarding Day. If you don’t like it, stay indoors. We are just like anyone else. Skate on, brothers and sisters.

  • Reggie

    Last week there were 5-6 kids skateboarding on the sidewalk in front of the HSBC on Montague St. going very fast and jumping onto the railings. There were many pedestrians walking by and their skateboards would go flying in every direction when they would mess up their jumps. Skateboarding should be a crime when you put others in danger with your little stunts.

  • Arch Stanton

    PierrepontSkin, “As a skater and a resident of this neighborhood my whole life” Judging from the rest of your comment that would make you about twelve years old.

  • Homer Fink

    For the record, I have nothing at all against skateboarding. Some of my best friends….

    However my only rule is that if you’re riding a skateboard and over 16 and your last name ISN’T Hawk*, then its totally lame.

    (insert any Top 5 of all timers – http://www.aolnews.com/2010/11/17/who-is-best-skateboarder-of-all-time-tony-hawk-says-its-rodne/)

  • PierrepontSkin

    Arch Stanton, try mid-20’s. Maybe we can be mature and not play the “Judge those I don’t know on the internet” game.

    I don’t skate as hard as I used to, but I still do. It’s fun and it’s a mode of transportation. If skateboarding over the age of 16 when your last name isn’t Hawk is lame, then so is playing baseball if your name isn’t Ruth, playing basketball if your name isn’t Jordan, riding a bike if your name isn’t Armstrong (for the “x-treme” sake, Mirra), or playing football if your name isn’t Elway. Get the drift? It’s a sport that can be done by professionals or amateurs.

    Don’t get me wrong, I don’t ride on the sidewalk and I stay out of peoples way. But don’t bash something that you don’t know about. Maybe it’s generational gaps? Who knows.

  • Mickey

    @PierrepontSkin: don’t bait Arch; he’s not going to come up with any point worth arguing over. He’ll likely resort to bitter language and personal attacks in the end. Quite a pitiful soul, actually.

  • Dan

    I’m 29, live in the neighborhood, and have skated since I was about 12. I pay rent and taxes and don’t like being looked down on because I skate.

    It’s surprising that in a place as full of smart, seemingly open minded people as Brooklyn (Heights) some still harbor this bigoted view of skateboarding. As @PierrpontSkin rightfully pointed out, it’s a sport like any other.

    Yes, it can be loud and few adults over 25 do it because it’s so physically demanding. Yes, some kids aren’t as sensitive to your sidewalk insecurities as they could be, but the idea that anyone’s, other than their own, safety is threatened by a few handrail attempts is just plain silly.

  • JAFO

    I’m not a fan of old crotchety rich people or inconsiderate sk8 boarders, but we need to live together in this AMAZING NEIGHBORHOOD. Let’s try to appreciate our neighbors for what they contribute to the community. It’s FU_KIN’ BROOKLYN.

  • AEB

    Amen, Dan.

  • Soulman

    To the skateboarders:

    I think it’s a great sport. However, a good many of the kids and older dudes in the neighborhood act as if it’s a god-given right and abuse public and private property repeatedly. Good examples are listed above. I’ve been hit in the shins by idiots who lost control of their board (I disabled one when the kid got belligerent – the board, not the kid). The same is true of bikers and skaters who think the world revolves around them. It probably isn’t the majority, but a noticeable minority who need to wise up to the world around them. By and large it’s the macho young men who are out to show how big their board is (or something) who give the rest a bad name.

  • Linda

    Soulman, as a “senior citizen” I wholeheartedly agree with you.
    We all need to be respectful of each other.
    Many seniors already have bad bones, problems with balance, etc. etc. I myself cannot afford another bad fall. I find myself in a constant state of anxiety just trying to navigate the sidewalks these days. The other day I nearly got run down by a gas powered bicycle on the sidewalk going in the wrong direction. Good grief.
    A skateboard hitting me in the leg might necessitate a trip to the emergency room.
    Let’s all just try to live peacefully in this wonderful neighborhood and respect all of our neighbors, young and old, the athletic and the couch potatoes!!!

  • WillowtownCop

    It actually is against the law.

    From the NYC Admin Code: § 19-176.1 Reckless operation of roller skates, in-line skates and skateboards prohibited.

    b. No person shall engage in the reckless operation of roller skates, in-line skates or a skateboard.
    c. A violation of subdivision b of this section shall be a traffic
    infraction and shall be punishable in accordance with section 1800 of the vehicle and traffic law. Any person who is found guilty of the reckless operation of roller skates, in-line skates or a skateboard shall be subject to a fine of not less than fifty dollars nor more than one hundred dollars.