Summer is here, and you can make warm summer nights more fun with your skateboarding passion. Skating at night was not so common; skaters preferred to skate during the day because of enough lighting. But, nowadays, the night skating trend is becoming popular as people are becoming more aware of skateboarding. They want to enjoy the thrills of skating in every free time they get.
Night skating can be risky but we are here with a complete guide to make your skating nights safe and more enjoyable. Let’s begin with why night skating is becoming popular and why you should skate at night. Then we will discuss how you can turn your boring nights into interesting skating nights.
Why Should I Skate At Night?
Skating at night can be beneficial due to the following reasons.
01 More Space On Streets
The major hurdle most skaters face in skating is not finding an appropriate place to skate. Skateparks are good, but street skating has its own plus points. But, due to traffic during the day, street skating is dangerous. However, most of the streets are empty at night, providing ample space for skaters to skate and practice their favorite street skating tricks.
02 Relaxing
Street skating can be relaxing at night as streets are empty, so there is no traffic noise or horns distracting skaters. Moreover, the empty streets also provide skaters with a sense of freedom, enabling them to get rid of their stress after a busy day. If you are planning late-night skating with your friends, you’ll have double the fun.
03 Ample Time
During the day, most individuals are busy with their daily chores, including work, study, etc. So, they don’t have time to enjoy skating during the day. But, they are free at night. That’s why they can easily manage their timings and enjoy skating during the night.
04 Fewer Chances Of Hitting
There are chances of hitting vehicles on the road during the daytime while skating. Especially if you are a beginner, then it’s really dangerous to skate on busy roads. But at night, this risk is less as there is no traffic.
Moreover, beginners can also practice on the streets comfortably as no one is watching them on empty streets. They can fail many times while practicing skating or learning a new trick without getting mocked. Skating among a few people gives them the confidence to skate and learn more complex tricks.
Related article: Is Skateboarding Hard to Learn?
Where Can I Skate During Night?
As I’ve mentioned before, the best place to skate during the night is the streets as they are quiet and empty. There are also other places where you can skate comfortably during the night. Such as
Parking Garage
During the night, your nearby restaurant and mall garages are totally empty. These places are the best to skate at night. You can take your skateboard to the top and then go all the way down getting the vibes of downhilling. You can also practice some new tricks in these wide and empty places.
Skateparks
If you are living in an area where skate parks night are open then you are lucky. These skateparks are the safest place to skate during the night. They have enough lighting so you can easily practice intricate tricks here during the night.
College or School Campus
Your school or college campuses are also empty at night. You can find a proper place there with enough lighting and enjoy your skating even at night.
How To Skate Safely During Night?
Skating at night is not as safe as skating during the day. You need to follow some precautions to avoid accidents and injuries. Here, I have discussed some precautionary measures. If you adopt them, you can skate safely during the night.
Use Headlamps
I know this sounds ridiculous, but headlamps can save you from major falls or injuries during the night skating. These lamps make any crack visible, and their light can reach 2 to 5 feet ahead of you. So, if you are skating slowly or practicing some basic tricks, then these headlamps are your essentials in night skating. But, if you are planning to skate swiftly, it’s better to use neutral white torch lights.
Skateboard Lights
It is necessary to use skateboard lights when skating at night. These lights make it easier to skate due to light and also make your location visible to others. The skateboard lights will alert oncoming vehicles to your presence. As a result, these skateboard lights can also help to prevent traffic accidents.
Skateboard Helmet
You are wrong if you think you don’t need skateboard helmets because it’s night. Skateboard helmets are as essential in night skating as they are in day skating. The reason is that the light is low during the night, so there are higher chances of falls due to strikes or road bumps. If you are a beginner, then I would recommend wearing skateboard knee pads and elbow pads as well while you skate during the night.
Use Reflective Clothing
Reflective clothes are trendy and make you look more stylish. You can wear reflective jeans or jackets during the night while skating. However, this reflective clothing is recommended not only for fashion but also for safety. The individuals around your or people coming behind can easily identify you and avoid any hits or strikes.
Is Skating At Night Legal?
Skateboarding at night is legal in some areas, but it is banned in other areas. For instance, the city of Barcelona, Plaça dels Àngels has banned skateboarding at night. So, there will be no skaters on the street from 10 pm to 7 am in the morning. If skaters violate this rule, then they have to face hefty penalties. Usually, these bans are imposed for the security of skaters.
However, if you are living in an area where skating is not banned at night, then you are lucky. You need to hold your skateboard and enjoy the skating thrills at night.
Can I Light Up A Place For Skateboarding?
If you have a nearby empty space during the night but it’s not lit up then worry not. You can use the following techniques to illuminate that space.
However, this lighting setup can be costly but if you plan this setup with your friends then collective pocket money can easily lead you to develop a great lighting setup. You can also increase the joy of skating while skating in a group.
Conclusion
Skateboard at night can increase the joy of skating. The tranquility and peace at night help skaters to focus more and learn complex skating tricks easily. They also have more space and time during late-night skating as compared to day skating. Additionally, the sense of freedom that skateboarding provides during the night is also priceless.
However, night skating is risky due to low light. That’s why you need to strictly adopt safety measures and have a proper light back-up in torches, skateboard lights, and reflective clothing.
FAQ’s
1. Is it safe to skateboard at night?
Skateboarding at night is safe as long as you skate with proper safety helmets and lit the skating area with torches and LED lights.
2. Is skating during the night legal?
Skating at night is allowed in some places while this activity is banned in many other places due to safety measurements. If you skate in those restricted areas during the night then you may face penalties.
3. Should I skate during the night or day?
Skating depends on your feasibility. If you have time during the day then it’s great. Day skating provides safety with higher visibility. However, night skating has its pros and cons. You can skate peacefully during the night. But it is risky due to the absence of proper light.
