ISSA - International Slalom Skateboarding Association

Skateboarding is a choice you make. You can get wrecked bad skateboarding or even die doing it. Helmets are your choice as well. Just like the right helmet is your choice as well (i.e. crap old Flyaways or worthless Pro-tecs vs. modern helmets).

It is not as simple as we pretend it is. Just read the blog on John Van Hazinga http://johnridinghigh.blogspot.com/. John was wearing a helmet when he crashed downhilling with his skate crew in Burlington, VT. Many prayers are being said for John as he fight for his life.

As for Derek Gertz, it was not as simple that he passed due to not wearing a helmet. Check out what his mom posted on August 1st, 2007 at http://www.velocityskateboards.com/07/2 ... mment-2343 . Sad to say that Derek Gertz was such a promising young person with talents more than just skateboarding but his life was out of control due to an addiction to DXM (cough medicine). Yeah freaking cough medicine. Think "dexing" is not a problem, well it is http://boss.streamos.com/wmedia/drugfre ... n_rev2.wvx . All drug related addictions are a problem...... I'm just glad my addiction is to skateboarding, snowboarding, and surfing.

Respect an prayers go out to Derek Gertz and his family.

DR

Rick Floyd wrote:I don't get the no helmet no pads thing. How tough or cool are you when you are dead? In the X-Games street event I don't think a single skater was wearing pads or a helmet. ????

That is very irresponsible (endorsing and no pads). I think sponsors of events like that should be liable for the events catastrophes and any copycat crap that kids do (adults too I guess). If they were then you would see skaters in armor, or worse no events at all - better no events then brains on the rails - very hard to clean up brains, dense and slippery. Still you gots to wear something.

LAVIN

I hate to add to the grief, but there's also the skating alone thing. No telling what might have happened if someone had been around to call 911.

I often think about it when I go out to ride: is anyone within earshot to come if I bounce too hard?

It sounds kind of a silly analogy but when we were kids we were always taught to NEVER swim along. If you were a boy scout and everyone went swimming you could be in deep trouble if not near your buddy.

Skating by its very nature is dangerous. Skating alone can be catastrophic. Simple situations are compounded by time.

I don't get the no helmet no pads thing. How tough or cool are you when you are dead? In the X-Games street event I don't think a single skater was wearing pads or a helmet. ????

John Dillon wrote:Another reason we need more big skateparks.

...and more skaters wearing helmets??

It is sad to hear of any type of loss, but especially sad to think it might have easily been prevented.

Q

One of the talented street skaters(Derek Gertz) from Bowie tried to gap something in College Park and he fell and hit his head.....since he was skating alone and helmetless he was unconscious w/nobody to help him and he eventually died. This happened a week ago...do a search on Youtube and you can find some of his funny and technical vids....RIP Derek! Another reason we need more big skateparks.