Skatestoppers are skate-deterrent or anti-skate devices placed on

urban Urban means "related to a city". In that sense, the term may refer to: * Urban area, geographical area distinct from rural areas * Urban culture, the culture of towns and cities Urban may also refer to: General * Urban (name), a list of people ...

terrain features, such as benches and

handrails A handrail is a rail that is designed to be grasped by the hand so as to provide safety or support. In Britain, handrails are referred to as banisters. Handrails are commonly used while ascending or descending stairways and escalators in order ...

, to discourage

skateboarder Skateboarding is an action sport that involves riding and performing tricks using a skateboard, as well as a recreational activity, an art form, an entertainment industry job, and a method of transportation. Originating in the United Stat ...

s from grinding on the surfaces where they have been installed.(1) .
(2)
(3)
(4) . They are a form of

hostile architecture Hostile architecture is an Urban design, urban-design strategy that uses elements of the built environment to purposefully guide behavior. It often targets people who use or rely on public space more than others, such as youth, poor people, and h ...

. The name Skatestopper is a

registered trademark A trademark (also written trade mark or trade-mark) is a form of intellectual property that consists of a word, phrase, symbol, design, or a combination that identifies a product or service from a particular source and distinguishes it from ot ...

of Intellicept of

El Cajon, California El Cajon ( , ; Spanish language, Spanish: El Cajón, lit. 'the box') is a city in San Diego County, California, United States, east of downtown San Diego. The city takes its name from Rancho El Cajon, Rancho El Cajón, which was named for the ...

, but in some skateboarding circles it has become a

genericized A generic trademark, also known as a genericized trademark or proprietary eponym, is a trademark or brand name that, because of its popularity or significance, has become the generic term for, or synonymous with, a general class of products or ...

term referring to any anti-skate device. Skate stoppers on the large bench at the China Banks skate spot

Design

The most basic skatestopper design is an L-shaped bracket affixed at intervals along a grind-able structure. Early designs were made from

nylon Nylon is a family of synthetic polymers characterised by amide linkages, typically connecting aliphatic or Polyamide#Classification, semi-aromatic groups. Nylons are generally brownish in color and can possess a soft texture, with some varieti ...

while more recent designs have been made from

aluminum Aluminium (or aluminum in North American English) is a chemical element; it has chemical symbol, symbol Al and atomic number 13. It has a density lower than that of other common metals, about one-third that of steel. Aluminium has ...

. More ornamental versions have also been produced. Because the devices have been targeted for removal by skateboarders, there have been attempts to make skatestoppers tamper resistant.

Criticism

Some view skatestoppers as an obstacle to be overcome. The presence of skatestoppers can actually encourage skateboarders to stay in a location longer.

References

External links

* {{Skateboarding Skating