Yesterday I saw something I have never seen before.

[wnylib]

52. There is nothing absurd about

pointing out that kids on bikes do not have complete control over the bikes no matter how skilled they are, or that they have no control over people's reactions to a swarm of bikes coming at them. Yes, it is obvious that the kids do not have control over the reactions of people to bikes coming at them. That's the whole point. Since they cannot control the way people will react to a swarm of bikes on a public walkway, they should not be doing bike tricks there.

What's absurd is your apples and oranges comparison of the first time somebody sees a bike or car to the situation of several kids on bikes coming down a pedestrian walkway, leaving no room for anyone to move out of the way.

In my town, there are occasionally 2 or 3 kids on bikes on a sidewalk, sometimes doing wheelies or racing each other. I do a lot of walking and have not had a problem with it. I can step off the walk onto grass, or edge over to the curb. Usually I don't need to because they slip into single file and ride around me.

Same with skateboarders on sidewalks. My city has a lot of hills. Kids love going down them on skateboards. They are usually just a couple kids out having fun and competing with each other in demonstrating their skills. I sometimes wish I were young enough to do the same things.

But, there is a serious problem with large groups of kids in town using parking garages for their skateboards. They race each other down the ramps while their friends stand by watching. There have been near misses when they get so absorbed in what they are doing that they don't notice a car coming around the bend on its way out of the parking ramp. There have been near misses the other way, too. People going to or from their cars while a group of skateboarders cruise by, weaving in and out around the people on their feet. They call out things to the pedestrians like, "Over here, behind you," and laugh as people look around. It's hard for one or two people on foot to keep track of where 8 or 10 skateboarders zooming around them are.

The ramps have signs posted that skateboards are not allowed. The kids get aggressive with ramp employees who point out the signs or ask them to go somewhere else with their boards. The employees no longer call police because the police refuse to come or do anything about it.