Jason Mitchell, Seismic Nationals 2007, Hybrid Slalom.  Photo by Greg Fadell Northern California Downhill Skateboarding Association
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Skateboard Crashing Stories

 
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Crashing Stories (1418 Posts)
Topic Crashing Stories
On 8/24/1999 Herb n wrote in from (207.198.nnn.nnn)

15-20 is about as fast as you can push on flat ground.20 -30 is about as fast as most short boarders will go before panicking and tring to run off .30 to 40 is where the fun is between 40 and 50 you're dealing with new levels of adrenalin which can be fun and scary ,depending on the road surfacing and turns this could be the limit depending on the area you live in. Lumpy asphalt adds 5 to 10 mph to not only your perceived speed but also to the real danger. Most roads are ment to be driven on by cars year round and that limits the steepness.Breaking into or past the fifties requires pretty serious slope, a hill bellow a certain grade will only be good for 45 mph no matter how long it is .I dropped engineering because of physics but come on ,is there a phyisist out there that can come up with a chart of slope and asphalt grain to speed for a tucked 170 lb. skater everything else is just +-10% or so .

 
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On 8/24/1999 Pee-Wee wrote in from (152.163.nnn.nnn)

Well, I can never tell how fast I'm going. Speed feels so much different on a board than in a car. I guess the only way to really know is to have a buddy with you in a car or on a bike that has a speedometer. Other than that, our good imaginations probably jack up the speed by a few mph. Of course, as the stories get older, the speed always goes up a little every time we tell it.

 
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On 8/23/1999 namon wrote in from (209.209.nnn.nnn)

You know what>? I was reading these crash things, and I find that alot of people allways say that they go about 40 miles an hour before falling. How do these people know how fast they where going?

 
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On 8/22/1999 IBUNYC wrote in from (63.192.nnn.nnn)

OK here's one for the record books. I use longboards in New York City and on this day I was holding on the back of a truck, when the truck started to slow down I catapulted myself forward to get as much speed as possible. It was at
this time that I saw a large metal plate covering the street. Now instinct took over and I knew I had to get off the skateboard or risk falling under the truck which had gotten me to such a high speed in the first place. Well
needless to say I opted to get off the skateboard and started running, now because I cannot run as fast as I can skate I tripped off and slid about 15 feet .when I looked up from the curb someone said" man you'd better go to the
hospital ". Here are some pictures from the hospital and a day after when my eye had swollen up.

 
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On 8/22/1999 Nick 420 wrote in from (207.114.nnn.nnn)

During summer school there wasnt enough room in my friends truck so idecided its cool ill just skitch. i told him to keep it under 25. we were going along about twenty when i started to get speed wobbles at about 30 the speed wobbles were so bad that i let go to coast them out . i got like ten feet and the board fish tailed and i did a head over heels in the middle of the inter section.i took off 4 inches of skin on the left knee skined up my nukles and got a big bruise on my hip.

 
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On 8/18/1999 Herb N wrote in from (207.198.nnn.nnn)

I was on my second run on my 58" Motherlode and I'd just put it together that day , well after closing up my shop I got out to the nearest substantial hill (45+) I was carving up a storm ,the extra wheelbase is really cool,along with the snappy flex the board drifts turns really well, so being a little lost in new improved drifting carves I kind of forgot about the manholes, its not that they stick up but on a humid evening (darkness didn't help) they have some dew on them, well I slid out pretty smoothly and got to my gloves and shoes for the final grinding stop ,seems at high speed if your carving smoothly you tend to fall smoothly so for the most part the roadrash is light, lucky. As it gets cooler I'll probabely even start wearing some pads.

 
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On 8/16/1999 Ripper JONes wrote in from (207.62.nnn.nnn)

going down a huge hill called the death hill by my friends.
AnywayI got a speed doing at least 40 wabble and went head
first, flipped, and side on my back for at least 20 feet.
If I was'nt wearring full pads i would have gotten hurt
a lot worse.

 
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On 8/16/1999 matt wrote in from (131.217.nnn.nnn)

we were skating down this hill on sunday nite, just as it was getting dark. it's like 6 km of downhill and we we going pretty good until we got to this like hell steep corner that is totally not cruisy like the rest of it. anyway somehow i was in front even though it was my first time and i went round and was going like heaps faster than i wanted to for the next bit so i like did a slide and that and stopped and watched my mates come round. the next guy who came round went past me going heaps fast and yelling, and i'm like yelling with him thinking he was loving it, but then he got death wobbles and tried to jump of. he sorta skidded on his front foot for a while, and then he just started tumbling over himself and eventually stopped. He's holding his head and then after a while he goes 'actually i broke my collarbone'. and you could see how the bone was like sticking at a different angle to the rest of it. we took him to hospital and they give him morphine and stuff and then we went and left him there coz they wouldn't let us all see him.

 
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On 8/12/1999 Bug wrote in from (141.213.nnn.nnn)

Benat9; About your fingernail-

I frostbit my feet once, the big toenails fell off, and it took about a year for them to grow back. But you know, you don't really miss 'em after a while.

 
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On 8/11/1999 shredder wrote in from (208.26.nnn.nnn)

dude, i give my props to the royally messed up peter bro who ate it hard. I give you the crash of the millenium award, youre awsome.

 
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On 8/10/1999 benat9 wrote in from (151.196.nnn.nnn)

Has anyone lost a fingernail? I fell off my board bombing a hill and bit thru my lip and ripped off my fingernail. How long does it take fr a fingernail to grow back?

 
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On 8/9/1999 Keith Fellmy wrote in from (134.68.nnn.nnn)

Old hockey helmet? Great now I've got to go through my attic and find mine. Never thought of the hockey helmet. But on my luge I'll still use the Sno-Rider Wedge helmet.

 
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On 8/7/1999 monkey-face wrote in from (24.64.nnn.nnn)

*****************************************
Meta l and leather sure make a hell of a sweet smell and a smoke show too.
My gloves rule and my head is safe in my old hockey helmet!

 
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On 8/5/1999 Keith Fellmy wrote in from (134.68.nnn.nnn)

I think Pete's pictures do more for safety than all of my preaching could do. Even slow speed cruisin' pads are still needed. Anything over 20-25 mph needs leathers and a helmet.
Get well soon Pete.

 
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On 8/4/1999 steve wrote in from (152.163.nnn.nnn)

Where the hell is Spanky Malone???? I'm going to have to start calling guys meatheads if he doesn't come back, and I don't have the experience to award that hallowed title properly. Where are you, big man?
steve

 
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On 8/3/1999 eggman wrote in from (156.39.nnn.nnn)

Jon.
I hate to disagree with you but I am gonna. Acutally society does pay if you don't wear a helmet. That is cause most folks don't have insurance. When you crash and go into a coma and have no insurance, who pays? The money usually comes out of the General Fund of the County you crashed in. More money spent on some dumb-ass in the hospital, means less money spent on other stuff. (like paving smooth roads so we can ride them). Anyway, I do agree that "they" should not make "us" wear a helmet, but at least now you know why they do what they do, the bastards!

 
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On 8/3/1999 Peter wrote in from (152.163.nnn.nnn)

If anyone wants to see the end result of a big hill + no pads + a nasty spill, just e-mail me and I'll send you the pics. They would convince any rational person to always wear pads when bombing a hill. I sure learned my lesson!

 
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On 8/3/1999 Jon wrote in from (152.163.nnn.nnn)

I can understand the importance of safety gear, which I DO use when skitching, but wtf??? what is the point of safety gear laws? ticketing you for not weraing safety gear, whether you're riding a longboarding, biking , in your beat up old honda or (gasp!) shortboarding is a violation of your rights as an american citizen!!!!!!! these laws are created for the sole purpose of generating ticket revenue under the guise that the american government gives a rat's butt whether a dumb punk like you lives or dies!!! if I am intelligent human being I can make an informed decision, and If I'm not an intelligent human being I deserve to crash and die!!!!

 
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On 7/28/1999 Keith Fellmy wrote in from (134.68.nnn.nnn)

Yea I switched to th XT S/S wheels to see how they rode. I still use CHerry Bombs for racing though.

 
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On 7/28/1999 Tyler wrote in from (151.197.nnn.nnn)

This is probably my most embarrasing crash story to date. I had just finished work at the ice cream store and as usual I took a little snack for the skate home. But this was no ordinary skate home. I decided to go see my friend at his job. So I stayed there for a few minutes and then decided that I couldnt waste any more time, I must go home to the air conditioning. I didn't know if I could take the heat. I could have been another casualty to the heat wave. Anyways, I was skating on the Envy Classic 57 with Randall II's and 65mm nineballs. I decided that maybe I should take the side streets because I wouldn't have to dodge as many cars and could concentrate on eating my italian ice before it melted. Well, This was mistake number 1. As soon as I get on the street I see this little window washer kook trying to make it across. He had his little window washer thing and a bucket of water with him. Well, He ovbiously saw that I was coming so he decided to stand in the middle of the street and watch me go by. So I thought, I'm going to make this window washer pay. So I decided to go through the water and spray it up on him. That part worked, but I didn't know there was a manhole under the water and when I went over it with the wimpy 65mm wheels, they spun out and I fell off and the board went flying into the sidewalk. I yelled a word that cannot be repeated as I watched my italian ice fly through the air. I tried to crawl over and catch it. That was my other mistake. It landed right in front of me and splattered all over me. And on top of all of this I scratched my arnettes! I was pretty mad and when I get up and look around the idiot window washer is still standing there and he goes "Dude, are you allright" I was shocked that he used the 'dude' on me so I struck back with "DUDE, you were in my way" And then I look around and theres like 15 old ladies that had made a circle around me. I check the board for any noticable dings but it held strong. I just decided to pick up my board and leave. So I was skating home with no italian ice, no ice cream, no water, no soda, nothing. I thought I might die of thirst. I thought of all the wonderful things I had missed, like living to see my 16th birthday, or going to college, or even graduating high school. Luckily there was a sprinkler on so I washed the red italian ice off me and I also snuck a little drink in (that was the dirtiest water ever, but it was my only option for survival) But guess who I see going by on the way home. That's right. The window washer. He was in his toyota blaring Blink 182. The words "sell out" passed through my mind as I was going home to turn on Pennywise and lay back a can of Nestea. Oh yea, my board sustained some damage and I am fine, only a few minor scrapes, but the mental picture of the window washer standing there is going to scar me for the rest of my life. I will never be the same. I don't know which was worst, the fact that he was a window washer or listened to Blink 182.

 
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On 7/27/1999 Lono wrote in from (205.215.nnn.nnn)

Keith:
You switched to which wheels? Do you mean XT S/S?

 
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On 7/27/1999 Keith Fellmy wrote in from (134.68.nnn.nnn)

Well I do stupid things too:

I changed my luge wheels to the big xkate S/S wheels. I went to my baby hill (15 mph max.) to give them a try. They are heavy and will carry the extra speed to get you over the next ridge. Anyway, I get down to the bottom of the hill and decide to blow off the stop sign. For the first time in two years of luging I blow off the stop sign and lean into the turn. A car had just stopped at the sign as I was half way through it. The car saw me so nothing happened...except he turned on his flashing red and blue lights on top of his patrol car. So I stop and and am laughing uncontrolably. Luckily I knew him and we grew up together so I didn't get a ticket. Then I tell him the story about me preaching safety on this board. Then I go and do something like this. We both had a good laugh. I told him I had a stupidity attack and this will never happen again.

So as you see I screw up too. Hey we are all speed freaks we can't help it.

Those S/S wheels sure do carry your speed even on a slow hill. WOW.

 
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On 7/26/1999 Adam wrote in from (208.151.nnn.nnn)

Keith,

You're right on with that one, bro. I always wear full safety gear and I've been stopped by police 3-4 times over the past couple of years. And guess what, no tickets! They are usually very cool about it, even apologetic in once case that they had to cancel a middle-aged geezer's surf sesh.

 
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On 7/26/1999 Keith Fellmy wrote in from (134.68.nnn.nnn)

Sorry Matt

I don't want to sound like a jerk (or at the very least someone's father), but it's not going to do anyone any good to do dumb things. This section is on safety and I'm here to preach a little bit about it. I remember when I was young and invincible. Riding down hills with no shirt or pads of any kind. I'm just lucky that I didn't fall too hard. I still did it up to three months ago when I was lugeing (with all the proper gear on) and still managed to break my arm. We can't prevent disaster and if we were scared of it then we be on the porch swinging with our grandparents. But please let's not help out those who are against us by showing our suicidal side (everyone has one...I know I do). Laws will be made against us even when we do use the proper safety gear. I am 34 years old now and I know how the system works. It's not out to get us until someone does something really stupid like riding downhill with no helmet or other safety gear (either standing up or lying down). If you go downhill and have the proper gear on, and show the cops or EMT that you aren't some thrill seeking kid out on a joyride. They do show some leniency. I have never gotten a ticket or anything. Even had a cop that wanted to sit on the luge, until his cop buddy showed up and then under his breath said he'd better not.

The cops can be friendly too and the neighbors in the areas you ride can also be won over with a little kindness and respect. If they ask questions answer them to the best of your knowledge.

Oh oh...I'm lecturing again.

Stay fast, stay safe

Keith

 
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On 7/22/1999 Zac Heise wrote in from (205.188.nnn.nnn)

I've had a similar luge expierience, freshman year we took out our home made luges to this hill walked up fine but when you drop a bike path barely wide enough for a car at 30mph in the dark its a whole nother story, there were no street lamps, We all felt pretty good on this run since we had run it many times in the day, it ended up people were walking up the trail we dropped (3 of us) only the leader saw the people jump out of the way a split second before disaster. The other 2 of us never saw these people. We ended up knowing the guys as luck would have it and they were fine, The next event we had was a near collision was had with a luger and a babey buggy, that would have been horrible. We still ride this hill occasionally but a lot more in control, just a note out to people that runs that you have ridden a million times can still be dangerous.

 
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