Would you have said anything?

[nemesis]

Yesterday I was filling up at our neighborhood filling station. Some kid about 16 was tearing up (so to speak) the parking lot on a skateboard. Mine was the only car at the pumps and he kept staring at me.

I had parked close enough to the pump that there was enough room for me to stand while pumping the gas, but not much more room.

After the tank was full, I replaced the pump nozzle, etc, and proceeded to wash the windshield.

At that point the skateboarder starts skateboarding off and on the island I was using, coming really close to my car. It was weird because mine was the only car there, so there were plenty of "islands" for him to do his thing. I didn't say anything because I couldn't believe anybody could be so obtuse.

For what it's worth, I'm 6'6" tall and weigh 240 pounds. He was just a skinny kid. So I don't think it was an invitation to fight.

Would you have said anything?

Also, had he scratched my car, is there any recourse? Or has our culture simply degenerated into accepting this behavior?

 

[Oklahomabassin]

Yeah I probably would have said something. Like hey man, how ya doing? Tell me about that skate board. My son has been wanting a skate board and I have no idea what to get.

I don't have a kid, but that would probably have stopped the kid long enough for me to finish and leave.

 

[Glock]

Kids are, and will always be stupid. The culture of skating is as anti-authority as it gets, always looking to play the defense after this type of antagonistic behavior. Kids like that usually need a positive role model in his life.

I would have spoke up and asked him to show me some cool tricks, away from the ride

 

[turkeyrun]

I would have shook the water out of the sponge 'accidentily'. He was being an ass and just seeing IF he could antagonize you.

 

[71buickfreak]

The culture of skating is as anti-authority as it gets

In the 80s and 90s, yeah, but not as much today. Cities have put up free skate parks for pete's sake. When I was kid, the closest skate park was OKC and you had to pay to get in.

 

[J.T.]

I don't see the problem. Why would you feel compelled to say anything other than hi?

 

[been]

I would have called him a punk and thrown something at him.

 

[SMS]

I woulda shot his dog....

 

[Johnny]

One to the hip

 

[dennishoddy]

Damm, as big as you are, you should have knocked him off the board, snapped it over your knee, and told him he needs to show respect for his elders when you handed the board back to him.