With longboarders and skateboarders regularly cruising the busy streets of Kamloops there is always a risk that accidents can happen.
On Aug. 21 a skateboarder was taken to hospital after ending up under a vehicle on Fortune Drive near Overlanders Bridge.
“The skateboarder had travelled down the abutment across Fortune Drive and skidded under the vehicle,” said a report from Kamloops RCMP. “He was taken to hospital where he was treated for non-life-threatening injuries.”
The name of the rider and further details of the incident were not disclosed.
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President of the Kamloops Skateboarding Association, Landon Muzio, speculates the boarder was likely dropping in on the embankment under the overpass that connects to Tranquille on the North Shore.
He said “downhill bombing” is a common and dangerous thing skateboarders have been doing for decades.
“We are still in the process of finding the individual and figuring out what went wrong,” he said. “We do know that skateboard accidents occur when boarders are bombing hills.”
Muzio said in the 80s and 90s, downhill skateboarding or “bombing hills” was a popular thing to do, and still is today. He said Kamloops has a natural landscape for bombing hills with its hilly streets.
“The thrill of bombing hills, like most extreme acts, outweigh the dangers associated with it,” he said. “Having bombed hills for years myself I can relate to the adrenaline rush you get from it.”
Landon said today skateboarders will typically have their friends divert or stop traffic if they are going through intersections but that doesn’t always happen.
“Every once in a while we see situations where someone doesn’t follow traffic lights,” he said. “We all try to be safe on the streets. The advice I can give to fellow skateboarders bombing hills is to make sure you have a group of friends that will keep you safe, keep off of busier streets, and wear protection.”
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A long time skateboarder and a bit of an adrenaline junky himself, Muzio understands the temptations to take risks but does not condone dangerous behaviour.
“That road is very busy and I can understand the attraction to that spot,” he said of the accident location. “But the risk involved is much higher. Having a spotter is very critical for a spot like that. I don’t condone the use of that spot or any other dangerous spots for that matter but you can’t stop people from doing things.”
Muzio suggests new skateboarders go to downhill skateboard parks to get some riding experience before hitting the city streets.
The same rules apply for those riding longboards, longer and more stable boards. Over the years longboarding has reached greater speeds, become more technical, and increasingly more skill-driven. They are more suitable for cruising and commuting on streets than regular skateboards.
“Our group has strict rules with always wearing a helmet whenever stepping on a board as helmet safety and safe skating is our first priority,” said president of the Kamloops Longboard Club, William Chung.
“We also have free weekly sessions on Thursday nights at the Longboard Park and at Thompson Rivers University Lot N to teach people how to skate.”
Chung said the club is currently working on a proposal for a Longboard park expansion to include a pump track and a beginner run so they can accommodate more new riders.
He did not have any new information to provide on the skateboarder in the Aug. 21 accident.
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