Young boys in Hout Bay have been putting themselves in danger by skateboarding downhill along busy roads. Hout Bay councillor, Roberto Quintas, plans to put a stop to this by having rumble strips inserted on the roads.
“Groups of boys ranging from eight and ten-years-old up to about 15 years-old are utilising some of the arterials for extremely reckless and dangerous speed skating downhill, lying flat on their backs,” Quintas told Cape Talk. He says this activity endangers not only the boys but motorists too.
Making use of Karbonkel Road, Chapman’s Peak Drive, Edward Road, and Suikerbossie hill, the boys seek an adrenaline rush without considering the possible risks of their actions.
A Hout Bay resident who lives in Edward road told Cape Talk that skateboarders have made use of the road for years. “They go right through the stop streets. We are really terrified,” she said.
Reportedly there was an incident two weeks ago in which a skater attempted to slide under a car as he sped down a hill and was injured in the process.
Quintas says that despite the preventative measures already in place and the availability of designated facilities for skating, such as Eyethu Skatepark, the boys still opt for the more reckless and dangerous alternative.
One may think that speed humps and raised crossings – the preventative measures mentioned above – would be a deterrent, however, they seem not to stop the skaters at all. According to Quintas, the boys “speed down and literally get airborne right over those humps.”
There are law enforcement and metro police officers present during the day, and they have been instructed to be more vigilant in the areas in question. However, this is not enough to solve the problem.
“I think smaller rumble strips could potentially make it unviable to skate,” says Quintas. The rumble strips, which essentially will be indentations in the road, seem to be Quintas’ best solution for now.
It is important to note that we are not referring to professional skateboarders in this article. The issue in question is in regards to young boys who are skateboarding for recreational purposes.
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