Section D.4 of Traffic and Parking Regulations: Use of skateboards, roller skates, roller blades, etc. are prohibited on Auburn University property, (to include all sidewalks, parking lots and streets).
While it is unlikely that students are clamoring to roller skate on campus, there are skateboarders and longboarders who would like to see a revision to this rule.
Catherine Love, an engineer in the facilities division, explains how this policy emerged.
"It developed from problems we were having on campus," Love said. "As you know, skateboards do not have brakes and the riders have different levels of maturity."
The penalty for riding one's skateboard on campus is the same as parking illegally, a $50 ticket, but it is a risk some students are willing to take.
"I mean, I skate on campus, and I know it's wrong, but that is because there is nowhere else to skate," said David Zima, a senior in architecture. "If we had just an area or skatepark to go to, it wouldn't be a problem."
Richard Daniel, a junior in graphic design, agreed.
"I mean, I am not opposed to restrictions, but you can't just say no skateboarding anywhere," Daniel said. "That's like telling a baseball player, no baseball anywhere. This is what we do."
Luckily, there seems to be a compromise emerging from both the Auburn City Council and campus regulations.
"It has been brought to our attention that students would like to use their longboards to commute to class," Love said. "As far as I understand, longboards can be slowed down and are not used for tricks. Some students have wanted to bring the issue up with the parking committee, and I would be happy to help them with that."
A longboard is an easy adjustment for skaters who simply want the right to roll to class.
However, it could also lead to an even more tense situation.
"I just feel like it could be consistent," said Drew Smith, a sophomore in engineering. "They should either allow both or none."
But, it is not just commuting that has caused skateboards to be banned on campus.
"Skateboards are very damaging," Love said. "They chip limestone, bend benches and leave marks and scratches on campus property."
To remedy this, Zima and others have also been working with the City Council to build a skatepark in Auburn, as the closest parks are in Columbus, Ga., and Montgomery -- nearly 50 miles away.
"Some people are really against skateboarding so they don't want us to build a skatepark, but it is actually the solution," Zima said. "If you give us a place to go, we would not come to campus."
The plans are still in early formation, but the group has plans to meet with an architect later in the month.
Building a skatepark would clear the campus of skateboards and the damage they can cause to the area.
Both skateboarders and longboarders take issue with the idea that they are more of a liability to the campus than bikers.
"I mean I've heard of more people getting hit by bikes and cars," Zima said. "I don't think I've ever heard of someone getting hit by a skateboarder."
However, the students are clear that this is not a simple rebellion against the university, many just want to be able to do what they love.
"We're good kids, we just like to skate," Zima said.
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