Knickerbiker: Shining a light on NYC's skate commuters
Steve Rodriguez Credit: Rob Meronek
With Bike Month completed, let’s turn our attention for a moment to the city’s most daring commuters: skateboarders. Whether on longboards or standard-length varieties, they’re the ones kicking their way up bridges or grinding down the city’s flat avenues.
Ahead of this weekend’s Maloof Money Cup NY in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park, I spoke with NYC skateboarding impresario Steve Rodriguez, who designed the homage to city skate parks that is the bedrock of the second annual showcase.
What is the essence of a New York City skater?
Everything here is a little rougher and ... grittier, and you only have half the year to skateboard all the time. A true New York City skateboarder, it seems like every time you see him, it’s the last time he’s going to skateboard, in a way.
Is skating convenient for getting around New York?
I think it’s for short distances — I don’t see it [for] going over a bridge because the method of propulsion is kind of very difficult going uphill on a skateboard. But being that Manhattan is kind of flat and most of Brooklyn’s kind of flat, I think it’s great for commuting. ... But a skateboard is so convenient. ... The No. 1 complaint in New York City why people don’t want to use a bike is because it’s gonna get stolen.
Are the same New York skaters who do tricks just using their boards for transportation?
I do [think so]. Those are the people who can best handle themselves on a skateboard. You know, who’s going to feel more comfortable riding through New York City on a bicycle than someone who is a BMX biker?
'I do think he saw the writing on the wall' Rex Heuermann's Attorney Michael Brown sat down with Newsday following his client's sentencing to discuss the case. NewsdayTV's Shari Einhorn reports.
'I do think he saw the writing on the wall' Rex Heuermann's Attorney Michael Brown sat down with Newsday following his client's sentencing to discuss the case. NewsdayTV's Shari Einhorn reports.
