It has become a common trend to commute with a skateboard besides its former use for fun. In most places, lots of people now use skateboarding as their full means of transportation within the city. In some cases, it can serve as the means to get to a train station or the nearest bus stop.
So, if you’re considering joining the flow, you’ll need to first learn how to use a skateboard for transportation. The right steps begin with selecting a good skateboard that is suitable for you. Then, you can proceed to familiarize yourself with the regulations on the use of skateboards within your locality.
This article comes as a guide for using a skateboard as transportation means. Also, you will learn some safety tips while using a skateboard for transportation.
Is A Skateboard Good For Transportation?
Besides creating fun and leisure, skateboarding now has other utilitarian purposes. One of such uses is for transportation. But is a skateboard good for transportation? Well, there are some features and factors that support skateboarding as a suitable means of transportation in a city. Here are some of them.
Fast and safe transportation means for short distances
When it comes to commuting short distances within congested traffic, skateboarding remains the faster means. You could maneuver through most congestion to get to your destination faster than a car or bus. It offers a good means of getting around within the city or catching a train and bus.
Also, skateboard use for transportation is quite safer and easier than riding a bike or bicycle. For short distances like half a mile to five miles, you can quickly skateboard through without stress. Moreover, skateboarding is great for exercising that will help in keeping you healthy.
Highly portable
Skateboards are not bulky and heavy, like bicycles and motorcycles. Instead, they are lightweight and very portable. So, you can conveniently pick them up and walk through congestions.
Furthermore, it’s quite hard to get stolen as you can carry it along with you always, unlike a bicycle. Finally, in cases of sudden confrontation when you’re on the move, your skateboard can serve as your protective weapon.
Requires no formal training or much technicality
You don’t need any formal training to start using a skateboard. Through the coaching of any experienced rider, you can make your first attempt. With consistent and continuous practice, you will improve your skill in skateboarding.
What’s more, skateboarding has little or no limit on the age of riders. So high school kids can commute using a skateboard, unlike most other transportation means like cars and bikes.
How to Use Skateboarding As Transportation
That stated, let’s consider how to use skateboarding for transportation.
Find Out the Local Regulations and Laws
Find out if there are any regulations or laws concerning riding your skateboards on the street. If there are restrictions, then you must ensure not to break any of the laws. If you do, you’ll land in some serious trouble. Skateboarders who are caught breaking the law are usually fined, and you don’t want that to happen to you.
To find out if there’re laws against riding your skateboards on the street, drop by at the resident police stations and ask. Alternatively, you can still browse the internet to get more information regarding it.
Always Put On Protective Gear
Another paramount point to note while transporting is that you must always ride with protective gear on. Wearing protective gear saves you from fatal injuries during accidents. An effective protective gear is necessary because accidents occur within just a few seconds. You may not have ample time to react properly. But good protective gear will secure you against fatal injuries.
A full protective gear comprises arm pads, knee pads, and helmets. They usually don’t need to be fancy gears, as far as they are protective.
Defective Skateboards Are A ‘No!’
Once you get protective gear, you have to scrutinize the skateboard. Run some checks on the skateboard you’re riding for any deficiencies. If your skateboard has some faults, it can put your life at risk. On the other hand, defective skateboards are also one of the causes of accidents and fatalities, and you won’t want that on a highway with huge trucks and high-speed vehicles. So, always check your skateboard before going out to ride.
Once That Is Done, You Can Ride.
After doing all that preparation, you can now get down to business. You can freely glide through the path with your skateboard. Just ensure not to break the basic road rules while riding. You can stunt freely, probably an Ollie here or an Ollie there, as far as you aren’t causing trouble for other commuters.
In addition, you should discover which road paths are most convenient for skateboarding, as that will enable you to have a stress-free ride. You can also make use of shortcuts on your way to your desired destination.
Ride Steadily
While riding your skateboard on the street, feel free to attempt all types of stunts and tricks. However, you should be careful with how you ride. Be watchful of how you ride, as it can negatively affect you and other commuters on the road.
Ensure to keep a steady speed, typically slow or medium speed, if you’re not alone in the road. This reduces your chances of encountering an accident. Also, tricks are best in the skatepark. The skateparks allow you to stunt and practice for as much as you desire. However, if you’re transporting with your skateboard, stunting will increase your chances of having accidents.
Is A Regular Skateboard Good For Transportation?
A regular skateboard comes with hard wheels and is suitable for performing technical skating and tricks. It has a length and width range of 30′′ to 32′′ and 7′′ to 9′′ respectively. Also, it features a kicktail and nose. Users can easily jump and flip the deck when skating with its kicktail curving upwards to form a concave shape.
From the design of a regular skateboard, it’s not suitable for transportation. It’s stiffer than a longboard or cruiser. Furthermore, a regular skateboard has less momentum. Since momentum directly relates to velocity/speed, this invariably means that the speed is also low. Hence, regular skateboards are not the best option for transportation.
However, where there’s no other option for commuting a short distance, you can make some adjustments on your regular skateboard. You can change the wheels to bigger and softer ones to reduce their level of stiffness. Despite that, the regular skateboard will need more effort while skating.
Can You Use A Short Board Skateboard For Transportation?
Most shortboard skateboards are commonly referred to as mini cruisers. In considering all the types of skateboards, cruisers are the best types for transportation.
A shortboard skateboard or mini cruiser will usually have a length range of about 25′′ to 28′′. The wheels, though smaller than those of longboards, are bigger than those of regular skateboards. Its typical wheel size is between 55mm to 65mm. Cruisers have different shapes and sizes.
The shortboard skateboard is lighter and can be easily carried with little effort. In addition, the wheels are soft, which enables them to glide over cracks and rough surfaces. Hence, they move with enhanced acceleration and give the rider comfort and balance simultaneously during transportation.
Safety Tips While Using A Skateboard As Transportation
- Safety Gear First.
- Always ride your board alone.
- Skateboarding in wet weather is a “NO, NO.”
- Avoid riding in the streets.
- Don’t ride in crowded places.
- Don’t use headphones while skateboarding.
- While falling, crouch.
- Ensure to be flexible while falling, not stiff.
- When at skate parks, play by the rules, not against them.
- If you’re just learning to skate, try your best to skate around smooth driveways. Avoid crowded places like in traffic; instead, skate in the beginner areas of the skatepark or an empty parking lot.
Final Words
Skateboarding is fun, adventurous, daring, and very ecstatic. As a starter, you might wonder how to use skateboard as transportation. While it is possible to use a skateboard, you need to understand and note the various precautions on skateboarding as transportation.
Among the things to note is that you should avoid riding in wet areas, crowded places, or at high speed. With that in mind, you can head now to using your skateboard to commute.