Living in northeast Ohio, we have been experiencing some great weather for the end of February and the beginning of March. If you're familiar with this region, the weather is never clear and sunny during this time of the year. Typically, it is freezing cold with high gusts of wind and a horrendous amount of snow.
Lately, the temperature has been an average of high 50s, and people are more prone to being outside. Some people like to pick up a game of football on the student greens or even hang out with friends and do homework outside. It's definitely a good time to just be happy and active.
Every time the weather clears up and people feel the need to go outside, there is a group of people I am sure every pedestrian walking on a college campus despises and/or fears: the longboarders.
Whether you're walking on the oval at Ohio State or taking a stroll down the Esplanade at Kent State or any major walkway at any campus in America, I am more than sure you have had to play human dodgeball or even have been run over by these people on your walk across campus. They can be inconsiderate or even rude to people who are walking or are "in their way."
To The Longboarders:
I sincerely commend you for being able to ride a board on four wheels across campus and not totally die. I personally wish that I could do it myself. It seems like a cool hobby, and you guys can do some really cool things. I understand that some people are dumb and do not move out of your way when they need to. Seeing some accidents happen on campus, I can understand that people walking and people longboarding can both be at fault. However, for those of you walkers out there who get run into all the time, like myself, I understand your rage.
For those longboarders who are unaware, people walking have the right of way. It is possible that in some states, that is not the law, but when on a sidewalk that runs through a college campus, it's an unspoken rule to not be rude to the walkers. Here are some tips for people who maybe confused about walking on the sidewalk and longboarding on the sidewalk.
Tips:
Walkers: It would be fantastic if you could pick up your head and watch where you're walking. Whomever you're texting can wait. Trust me. They can.
It would also be fantastic if you would stay in your lane. Here at the Kent State of America, there are little gray lanes on the Esplanade that are designated for people on bikes and longboards. If you look away from your phone while walking on the gray part of the walkway, you will see the little bicycle symbol.
Longboarders: Since you cannot text and longboard safely, please be verbal or take caution when going on crowded walkways after class. I promise you will not plow into someone and eat the pavement.
If you are going to run into someone who is walking, please be respectful. You ran into them, and that is not necessarily always their fault. Do not be the guy who cusses out the person they hit (personal experience). That will not earn you points with the person that you knocked to the ground with your body.
If you do hit someone and break their things, you should at least offer to help pay for their things or be nice. If you break their phone and computer, I would not judge them if they took your longboard and assaulted you with it if you were rude to them about it.
Just remember to always look where you are going, friends.
