ASK THE DOCTOR
One thing that PARENTAL DISCRETION
hasn't changed
much over the
years is that
boards still
snap when you
least expect.
There's no way
around it.
When that
baby is ready
to go, it's gone.
With decks
evolving so
fast these
days, you
probably
needed to
anyway.
Parents, well, everyone has them. The
trick is to deal with them. The conflict
is as old as the hills, though the road
goes two ways. While they might.
think you are a skate zombie, you
might be ashamed to be seen with
them in public. Somewhere there is a
common ground where you can all
feel comfortable. The logical way is to
sit them down on a Saturday or
another non-hectic time and explain
how much skateboarding means to
you. The sooner they know how com-
mitted you are, the better. Fads come
and go, but skating is forever.
POOR SUPPORTS
My dad makes me so mad. I hear
upgrade about all these skaters who get support
from their parents. My dad doesn't even
tell me that he is proud of me for being
involved in a sport. It is really hard get-
ting no support, and most skaters here
26TH M
look at me and think,
"What a poser." I feel
so alone sometimes..
What should I do?
A Pissed and
Confused Skater
Tullahoma, TN
Some parents, like
most clueless peo-
ple, think skate-
boards are toys,
something you will
eventually outgrow.
They cannot under-
stand your commit-
ment to something
so "childish." Skate-
boarding teaches
you about life. You
learn that you get
nowhere without
working for it. Just
like getting good
grades and finishing
school, you have to
work at it. Skating
can enhance the
learning process
and the will to suc-
ceed. Allowing one's
physical ability to
grow expands the
mind as well. If your
parents don't
believe that learning
and sports go hand
in hand, then every
high school and col-
lege must be wrong.
Another parental
argument is that it is
too expensive. Well, most athletic
tools of this nature cost much more,
so I'd say skateboards are a bargain
Tell your Mom and Dad they should
understand that what you are into is
healthy, fun and cheap. They should
be glad you're not into being a gang
member or something really expen-
sive, like auto racing.
GRIP GRIPE
My ma's husband and I have a major
quirk. He has it stuck in his head that
griptape is the major cause of my quickly
deteriorating shoes and serves no pur-
pose. Common sense tells a skater that
griptape has significance in skating. Tell
this to my old man. He hears my side but
thinks it's the answer of a snotty nose.
scarred-up knee bone, crazy-haired,
skate fanatic and know-it-all punk.
Please help me by telling him how, what
and why we skaters need griptape and
that rubber and felt cannot take its place..
Told-U-So
Milwaukee, WI
While I'm sure most of us could
imagine many different, ingeniously
bizarre replacements for griptape,
nothing works like the original, stick-
on, sandpaper-like, shoe destroying,
face-rashing griptape. The reason it
might slightly wear out the shoe is
because it works. When you're drag-
ging the side of your foot across your
board or when the only contact point
is the very edge of your foot, griptape
gives you control. The amount of
wear on the shoe is usually minimal.
Most shoe wear is sustained by drag-
ging the shoe in kneeslide mode or
ground contact in general. Therefore,
stick with griptape and tell Dad to
take his rubber and felt and make a
bumper pool table.
BENCH THE STENCH
I have an old pair of Rector pads, and
they stink. When I take them off, they
make my knees stink. It's pretty embar-
rassing because I'm a girl. I want to
wash them, but others say if I do, the
rubber will disintegrate. I can't buy a new
pair every weak. What should I do?
Zinnia Umana
El Salvador
Whoa, big problem, although the
bad smelling pad syndrome can be
rectified rather easily. Whoever told
you washing would ruin them is
wrong-you can. Disinfectant sprays
also work well. Products such as foot
sprays, Odoreaters, anti-bacterial
sprays and even Lysol spray helps
keep pads germ-free, which also
means stink-free. So wash them,
spray them or use a clothespin on
your nose. Perfume wouldn't hurt.
Anything is better than stale body
boarding, not going to the prom. So,
odor. Just remember, you're skate-
while any physical workout is inher-
ently stink-filled, your pad stench can
be held to a minimum.
DEATH-DEFYING FEETS
I wear a size fourteen shoe. It makes
some tricks easier and others harder. Do
you think I should stay with a normal
width board or wider?
Brad Roy
Austin, MN
This is definitely a personal call
deal. In this case, you have to make
the final decision. I know a lot of guys
who have big feet. Some ride narrow
boards, some ride wide. Usually, a
bigger skater finds a bigger deck
more comfortable, but your riding
style should determine ideal deck
size. Try riding a few different shapes
to find out which one allows you to
skate your best. -Rick Blackhart
ere, where
Her
the road bends
sharply to the
left,
dstream
the
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