Mark, I think we are talking at cross purposes. I have only been to Dulwich Hill once…my kids were desperate to go as it has a rep as the best park in Sydney, I was keen to go as I had just purchased a new Alva. My kids are bike nuts.
On the day in question there were very few people there…the MASH crew and a couple of Bike Couriers/BMX and a family with a BMX dad.
My older child who is 11 got lucky and ended up chatting with and being helped by a very cool BMX’er who was showing him lines etc…
I have never been to Dulwich Hill with a large group of Bikers, just once with 2 small boys, on the day I spoke to a very friendly MASH skater who also had a kid there, a very talkative and charming kid "eddie’ maybe?
The skater had a go on my new board in the halfpipe…all was cool…later on a young woman turned up and I pottered around with her in the snake run. As I have said previously, the MASH crew departed leaving behind one middle aged guy whom I presumed was part of the crew, maybe he wasn’t. Anyway as I have said previously, the guy seemed angry with the situation and threw his board. My son was sitting up the top of the roll in with the helpful young BMX gentleman, I did not see what preceded. My older son is incredibly cautious/polite and has skatepark etiquette to the point of being painfully careful not to offend anyone or cut anyone off, when you are 11 you learn fast that you are at the bottom of the food chain at most ramps.
Anyway, i’ll say it again…I don’t know who you are or what you look like, I am not an arsehole, nor am I a liar and did not fabricate the story, there was no exaggerating. My kid didn’t snake anyone.I did not accuse you of anything, you were named by someone else on this site. I have not belittled your character or taken anything to a personal level. I was merley trying to contribute to the debate started by ALIMAC.
This seems to be a genuine misunderstanding, and we are talking about different occaisons. I am not a man who you have seen at Dulwich Hill with a group of Mountain Bikers. So please don’t go jumping down his throat…whoever he may be. I am an old skater who fell in love with going very fast on bicycles and so am able to see both sides of the story.
Oh and also the mountain bike sites such a farkin.net and 26in bear no resemblance to that new Ang Lee movie. There is nothing on them about skaters, only North Shore teenagers whose mums won’t let them go to Dulwich Hill. There is no anti skate stuff on these sites because so many of the kids do both and appreciate both.
If I hadn’t thought the gentlemans behaviour on the day was out of order, i wouldn’t have mentioned it, just as ALIMAC wouldn’t have mentioned the dickhead BMX’ers if she hadn’t thought they were bang out of order.
If i have unintentionally caused you any offence then I can only apologise. Being a parent I can understand how being accused of troubling kids would be particulary galling.
And to the charming gentleman who spoiled our morning at Dulwich Hill, remember, you were a kid once too, so cut them some slack…and you can keep the Allen keys.
