Skateboarders Need Healthy Dose of Fear

What a tragic waste of a young life--the 19-year-old male who was so seriously injured while being towed on a skateboard.

I agree with David Swift, associate editor of Transworld Skateboarding, that merchants should set up more professional skateboard parks.

However, I disagree that the merchants whose customers are endangered by skateboarders in the parking lots or the government should pay for these parks. The skateboard manufacturers and skateboard magazine publishers who benefit from this mania should foot the bill.

Mr. Swift further states that pedestrians wrongly believe that skateboarders purposely try to scare them and freeze up.

As a pedestrian at whom a skateboarder was swerving from side to side--missing me by inches and laughing while racing down the street--I find it safer to stand still so they will miss me. Otherwise, I might move in their swerving path.

They are all confident of their ability to miss pedestrians, cars and animals, and take unnecessary risks. It is too bad when their misplaced confidence causes serious injury and/or death.

REGINA E. POGER

Cypress