Toddlers on scooters in Skate Parks

[BrendaFlange]

AIBU to think that whilst teens should not use playgrounds and equipment provided for younger children, it is unreasonable for parents to allow small children and toddlers on scooters to monopolise skate parks?

The skate park near us is well used by young teens (and younger children, 7 years and up) who are learning or proficient in skateboarding, stunt biking and stunt scootering. Amongst themselves they have a well ordered etiquette for ensuring that people do not crash. There is no other provision for teens anywhere in the vicinity.

My son and his friends have frequently had to come home because parents of 2 and 3 year olds are allowing their children to use micro scooters in the skate park, and get very shirty with the teens, telling them off, warning them not to skate, shouting at them (they would NEVER endanger a child). My DS asked a child who was sitting at the bottom of a ramp just enjoying the time of day to sit elsewhere, and got an aggressive mouthful from the mother. There is miles of alternative space for toddler scootering - but their presence in the skate park makes it unusable for skate boarders.

And suppose a toddler wanders into the path of a skateboarder in the skatepark and gets hurt? A 12 year old may not be able to anticipate the next move of a pre-schooler.

AIBU?

It sounds as if Breadstix mainly uses one of those privately run large skate parks. Similar to a climbing centre or dry ski slope, where there are lessons and different sessions. One of my children uses one occasionally, they do have rules in place that everyone is expected to follow.

The ones found in local parks? Fine for young kids to use the if its quiet but the moment older kids, teenagers, or adults turn up then they would be daft to leave them scootering about. We often go to a very good one when visiting a relative, its in a holiday destination, I'm amazed at how many people let their todders play on a scooter when there are skate boards and bmx bikes hurtling around the place. They are so small the older ones dont stand a hope of seeing them. FFS it wouldnt take much for one of the to end up seriously injured or dead.

One thing I would like to see in larger public parks is paths for people of all ages to cycle, roller skate, scooter on. There is such a missed opportunity for one in our town.

FWIW, my DD broke her arm skateboarding at such a park after she was run into by a younger child. (Before anyone asks, she was wearing all the safety gear and was 13 at the time - the other kid looked about six. He was just running around with his eyes closed or something). Skate parks just aren't built for young kids.

CrazyBoo: your poor DD.
Just goes to show that everyone needs to treat skate parks with the respect that their intended use demands.

Toddlers with small cars, small children just running about and mothers strolling through the middle is the bane of DS's skateboarding life .

YANBU.

YANBU - there are very few areas for older kids, everything these days seems toddler-centric in the parks we go to or activities that are organized (I suppose as they will use it more as not at school like older ones).

I don't think it should require a minimum age sign for the parent of a littler one to realize a skate park is not age appropriate, especially since most of these parents are quite good at identifying what is age appropriate when it's the other way round. Any older kids in the younger areas are soon given short shrift

I think of our local skatepark -- its concrete and steel, not rubber-padded playground. Do people want their little ones to break their necks?

Good on parents for standing up to teenagers. Skateparks are for all! Older kids should be respectful and patient