Andy Anderson Will Will Never Stop Wearing Helmets

[@Felttipfuzzywuzzyflyguy]

The fact that Andy interrupted himself to address Wolf and apologize for interrupting him tells me all I need to know about this young man. Very solid dude.

[@MinnieTHEcat99]

very Canadian thing to do

[@sunburystudios8234]

That's when I stuck around for the rest

[@derfdessert773]

@@sunburystudios8234 me too

[@zebdawson3687]

Andy was significantly more polite to the guy who wouldn’t even look at Andy the entire time. The bald Meathead came off as very rude and arrogant here, if that wasn’t his goal he needs to work on social skills and body language, because yikes it’s uncomfortable to watch him interact with such a cool and respectable guy like Andy as if he’s just some inexperienced little child. Just my opinion though.

[@TheTuttle99]

​@@zebdawson3687pretty weird opinion

[@DoubleSupercool]

The fact that many skaters gatekeep how you look/what you wear while you are skating is the ultimate in being a poseur. Giving people crap for their clothes or style not being acceptable enough for "real skaters" is the opposite of what skating is all about. Turning up to a punk concert with in a 3-piece suit and short back and sides is more punk than turning up looking exactly like every other punk is "supposed" to look like.

[@harvey_weenstain8857]

Exactly right it's just so lame

[@RSpracticalshooting]

i also hate how the punk scene gives you shit if you care about literally anything else. like, sorry i have more than one interest you boring loser.

[@Clynikal]

Skaters don’t gatekeep, posers do. Anyone who dumps on other people have self esteem problems.

[@dvs620]

​@@ClynikalGo to a video where a guy slams and point out that he's not wearing a helmet. Then watch how many people defend the lack of a helmet.

[@michaelryan3818]

The funny looks I get longboarding to work in business casual are great lol

[@chadpearson8597]

I don't think Andy realizes by wearing his helmet, setting the example. He is going to save so many kids' lives who will wear one because Andy Anderson does.

[@vorpalblades]

I think that's kind of the point.

[@Ps1ClassicGameplay]

It's such a good thing. You can see the difference between people who wear helmets and people who never wore helmets. Completely different level of coherence in speech. Slams to head are not good for the ole noggins thinking ability. This ain't a dig at those people but look at someone like jaws awesome dude and a skater but man has to think a sentence for 5 minutes and when he answers he slurs. You can watch older clips of him speaking normally and answering things normally.

[@seymourglass26]

@@rniggardson Crying because of your own brain damage or something else?

[@seymourglass26]

@@rniggardson I'll go with "special needs" on the records. Thanks.

[@seymourglass26]

@@rniggardson Maybe 'Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables' by the Dead Kennedys. I also love 'Raw Power" from Iggy and the Stooges, even if it's mixed like crap.

[@Devil_EMS]

I drive an ambulance and I've transported more kids with skull fractures than I'll ever be comfortable with. You guys are dope for encouraging helmet use.

[@robbeaton]

Andy Anderson is a class act for always repping helmets. Not to mention being a brilliant dude and free thinker - gotta make sure nothing happens to a brain like that 🛹🔥

[@tomas746]

@@robbeaton a free thinker. His thinking is so free it has no rational relationship to anything else! Here, in 2024, 240 years after Kant issued his famous interrogatory, we finally have a free thinker! Who is he? A philosopher? A scientist? An artist? No! Fools! It is Andy Anderson, a man who lacks any capacity for shame, reveling in the most base forms of freestyle skateboarding. You stupid idiots! Don’t you know you can wear a helmet? You naves! Don’t you know you can just like have fun, man? No need to gatekeep. Also, buy my skateboard (it has lines on it) AND BECOME A FREE THINKER!!

[@Lowgarr]

I cannot even imagine having Tony Hawk sitting across from me and saying all those great things. But Andy does deserve it, he's just on another level.

[@nytim666]

I honestly tink there is no greater praise than being compared to rodney mullen by tony hawk, that's just impossible to top

[@stephenwelsch4728]

"Don't worry mom I just got to start skating and theyll see" I loved that

[@Chalepastel]

fucking adorable

[@_WESTSIDE_]

😎

[@zoRkilla]

Having tony compare you to mullen is arguably one of the greatest skateboarding accomplishment ever

[@Epyonix]

100% and Andy is probably the only person to be humble enough to not let it go to his head

[@elorrambasdo5233]

​@@EpyonixThe helmet is protecting him

[@Nefariousbig]

Andy has the *exact* aesthetic and vibe to make helmet wearing cool and retro. He looks like he rocked up off the cover of a vert era ps1 game.

[@fhlwrhqrhqfnb]

We have the most ripped, head-tattoed, visually "macho" dude here (in the complete interview) wearing nail polish, talking about how much he values acceptance of different styles, talking about how being macho keeps us from being smart and protecting our brains, and telling us how it's healthy and important for men to cry. Turns out we ALL need acceptance, understanding, and support in order to be happy and healthy. It's not just the weak and the weirdos. He gets it. Thanks Wolf and Hawk for a really great interview. I really appreciate that you guys have so much honesty and vulnerability when so many people have entire shows just talking about how they're better than or judge others. Really, thanks so much. (I also think Andy is amazing and think we need more people with his kindness in skating.)

[@Lavasioth]

If you've never seen it, there is an AMAZING interview with Macho Man Randy Savage about crying as a man. Its cool as hell. We need more guys like all 3 of these dude this out here as roll models for young boys. Middle school teacher, the landscape of people boys have to latch on to is... bleak.

[@NightshadeDE]

@@Lavasiothhey love your comment I’ll have to check out that interview I just wanted to ask why you landed on the worst monster in world to name yourself after? Ugh nightmare creature I can hear the bounces of my weapon from here lol

[@Lavasioth]

@@NightshadeDE lol, this account is ancient and he used to only be a online monster, I believe I was using Gypceros a lot back then for accounts and it must have been taken. I'm haunted by the choices of my youth, haha.

[@TheRealJohnMadden]

Dude, the “life before cell phones” comment is so insane. I remember breaking my arm while out skating and just showing up at home with a cast a few hours later.

[@samuellaureano9159]

Having Tony Hawk praise you the way he did to andy must feel mindblowing

[@DragonKriz]

Thankfully he was wearing a helmet

[@franki1990]

@@DragonKriz HA!

[@accessiblelinuxgaming]

I've fallen 100 times on a skateboard and I've hurt myself in so many different ways, but I never hit my head proper. This last fall was almost nothing as far as what my body took, but I slipped out and hit my head on the asphalt in just the right spot. I got up immediately on my hands and knees and went into instant headache. My eyes were sensitive to light. The rest of my body tingled and I started sweating like crazy. I took in deep breaths as I sat on all fours. I couldn't walk for 20 minutes. I think my body was trying to cope with the impact and trying to resist falling unconscious. I've been thrashed out before and I felt cocky, but this last little fall just hit me in the right spot. Don't play around with it. You don't want to bash yourself in the head. Wear a helmet while you are learning. It's not cool to get knocked in the skull. All it takes is getting hit in the right spot.

[@mellobotstudio]

This young dude is wise beyond his years. His creativity and high level of intelligence shows up in anything he's passionate about. Lucky for us... it's skateboarding. It really is amazing to wonder how far humans can go, and being alive when one of the greats comes along and shows you what can be. I remember thinking how impossible a 360 kickflip was the first time I witnessed it in person, or a freaking darkslide! To be able to witness the shear drive and adaptive nature of humans is worth the price of admission.

[@brains84]

If you don't protect yourself, nobody is going to do it for you. Good on Andy for protecting himself.

[@Truthserum7]

Yeah dude I can’t believe he skates with a automatic

[@Shawn-ff2rf]

I respect his decision to wear a helmet but it's simply not as daring or cool when you wear them. Part of skateboarding is the danger and risk

[@Truthserum7]

@@Shawn-ff2rf tru

[@lefty9419]

​@@Shawn-ff2rfHe isn't trying to be cool. He is being himself. Would football players be cooler if they played without a helmet? They get millions to do what they do.

[@korumu]

​@@lefty9419football is played without a helmet, what are you taking about?

[@01NATHAN10]

Andy Anderson has saved at least ONE child's life by teaching him to wear a helmet, God Bless this man!

[@sfirlaki]

I hope more kids see Andy, and even if they don't get into skateboarding, just emulate HIM. Andy seems very willing to listen and learn, feeling like he has nothing to prove to others, and just does it for the love of the sport, and himself. What an awesome attitude dude, he WILL go far.

[@tomas746]

If they’re going to become insufferable they might as well skate

[@franki1990]

@@tomas746 Hey, don't need to tell us your life, buddy. Hope you're doing better, though.

[@tomas746]

@@franki1990 yeah it’s true I actually skate. Enjoy walking around your apartment wearing a helmet.

[@user-to9ge8ii9n]

Dude is saving lives by blazing a trail and living his truth. ❤

[@MonstaMunch101]

I'm teaching my 5 year old son to skate at the moment and I get him to watch Andy Anderson vids to normalize wearing a helmet for him. It's working, he won't skate without it (not that I'd let him), nor will he let me skate without mine xD

[@Benw3790]

A group of us went to a skate park like 16 years ago and we were all skating around the park for about 5 minutes before my buddy goes to board slide this super tall flat rail. Board slipped out and he bailed hard with no helmet. After helping him up, he was asking us for a dollar so he could grab something to drink. Of course all of us teenage skaters were broke af so we didn’t even have one. But once he asked everyone and everyone said no, he started asking everybody again. Long story short he ended up asking everyone so many times that we are started to get pissed off!! I decided to take him home. Just him and I and none of us were aware of concussions or how they worked at the time. We were like 17 years old. It took an hour to get home and he asked me where we were going, where we had been and why were we going, over and over and over the WHOLE way home. I was getting so mad and he just started crying.. he was so fucking confused and couldn’t understand why I was mad at him (I thought he was fuckin around). It was super freakin scary and super sketch. His mom’s a nurse so when I get him home, she knew exactly what was up. I felt so bad for him. He didn’t remember shit the next day. Really good skater, goes for normal boardslide during warm up and gets a proper, gnarly concussion just like that! Had skated huge gaps/stairs etc… had taken plenty of slams. But all it takes is that one little slip up

[@isaiah1516]

I bought a helmet and the next skate session I warmed up without wearing it. I waxed a rail a little bit and didn't realize it would melt so quickly in the Florida sun. Landed a great boardslide and then went to do another and slammed my head pretty hard on the ground. Had a nice lump for a few days and am waiting for the weather to cool off. Now I wear my helmet to warm up...

[@lukemilwright]

Wolf r u super afraid that Hard Rock Nick the multi billionaire is suing you? Hahahaha

[@Benw3790]

@@lukemilwright lol what are you talking about homie!?? 😂😂

[@28russ]

I did it just cruisin down a nothingness of a hill. Went for a walk with my girlfriend and decided to cruise down the barely even a hill so pushin pretty fast and just carvin like I was surfin. Carved too hard backside, wheels slipped, I came off running backwards and after about 3 steps I tripped over my own foot, went down backwards and whiplash smashed my head into the concrete. I got up and was like, shit that was pretty hard, oh crap I'm bleedin a lot. Big splat of blood on the concrete lol. Girlfriend had a look and said that's pretty bad might need some stitches. So I was just like bummer better walk home and go to the hospital then......5 mins later and the concussion kicked in and I was like, what happened, where are we, why am I bleeding, what happened, I feel dizzy, oh look I'm bleeding, there's a lot of blood, why am I bleeding, what happend, where am I??? lol. Lucky we weren't far from home so she said sit down and I'll run and get the car, she went and got the car, took me to hospital and I got like 8 or 10 stitches in the back of my head and admitted over night. The weird thing now is I can remember not being able to remember lol. And that was just cruisin. Can happen anytime. Andy's a smart dude. 🤷‍♂

[@rodneysmart9774]

My buddy, 5mph mistake on a bicycle (pro mtb) ..... coma for 3 months.

[@shaynejenkins446]

He doesn't have a choice. Its his whole look

[@jacobfarmos]

Big facts dude, the internet is oversaturated with content and Mr. Anderson is still out here shining bright

[@GlazeonthewickeR]

1:40 exact same type of concussion happened to me when I was 12 or so. I was riding on the back of my cousin’s bike, on the pegs we had just screwed in, and one of the pegs fell off when we were going down a pretty big hill. I just remember rolling / crawling onto the grass and saying “need grass, need grass” and drifting in and out of consciousness. Fun time, and one of the only times I wasn’t wearing a helmet.

[@slow88LX]

The idea that the "cool" kids don't wear helmets is an indictment of the culture.

[@NitroCigarette]

It's also an indicator on how skewed ''cool'' is in the eyes of youth. They're so fixated on LOOKING cool, but hey if you're dead or turned into a potato, you can't do any of that ''cool'' stuff anymore.

[@perc3136]

Helmets are lame never gonna change

[@perc3136]

@@NitroCigarettehelmets just don't look good in skate videos bro that's what it's all about , of course they're fixated on looking cool especially if your making skate vids tryna get sponsored

[@ObscuraDeCapra]

@@perc3136 Literally posting this under a video about a dude that somehow gets sponsors and makes money with a helmet. This is what's known as cognitive dissonance. Get concussed less.

[@perc3136]

@@ObscuraDeCapra just saying brotha that's why dude never wore helmets !

[@mevinsmiley5210]

Became aware of this dude 3 days ago & I'm legitimately addicted. Such a great personality & worldview. Great example for the younger gen.

[@jwil425]

This kid is a gift to skateboarding 🙏 love his flow 💯

[@ferryvantichelen6521]

I'm 34 and started inline skating (again) during covid. Andy Anderson made me decide to always wear a helmet. I'll be happy I did when I fall and when I see kids making the same smart decision because they saw me do it.

[@DstrtdMnd]

Came here for my respect for the helmet and got unexpected brilliance about Jeff Ross. This is one cool dude

[@jasonvelez7317]

I cannot even imagine how Andy is sitting amongst giants, staying humble, propping up a positive individualism persona that doesn't require %^#! on someone else, and has the full attention and respect of two legends! Multiple masterclasses in simultaneous session here! ❤️

[@jgavpercussion]

What a real talk about masculinity, self-identity, and being true to yourself. Andy is a real one

[@lasagnahog7695]

The anti-helmet attitude shows how much more emphasis the skateboarding community places on aesthetics opposed to actually skating.

[@OscarMeyerJon]

Who are you? And where do you get your information? I can tell you that aesthetics mean jack shit if you can skate. Didnt you hear the part when he talked about showing up with a helmet to the park when he was a kid? He said "Dont worry mom, they just have to see me skate" or something to that effect. Meaning the older kids didnt give a damn about him wearing a helmet when he started shredding. If your good, then you put in the time, and you get the respect..... Period.

[@BP-iz2lt]

you mean skaters have opinion dont dont care about your rules and laws? cry me a river

[@Xfacta12482]

@@OscarMeyerJon How can you watch this video and then have that kind of response lmao.

[@TheTuttle99]

​@@Xfacta12482hilarious. The lack of self awareness loll

[@alexlarson2203]

Anarchy is part of the roots of skating. Much more so than the esthetic aspect. You the type who doesn't know anything about the culture I assume.

[@MrLvngscrfc]

Thank you for giving Andy the recognition he deserves! Great guy and great skater!

[@Jordi_Llopis_i_Torregrosa96]

You go Andy! Glad one of the coolest skaters right now is extra safe. Wouldn't want a skate scene without Andy.

[@jasond7978]

It's so sweet to see Andy getting all this attention lately. Dude shreds.

[@HRM.H]

CTE is no joke. Props for him wearing a helmet

[@mitch9186]

Helmets don't prevent CTE

[@One777oto72ide]

@@mitch9186 this is misleading. You can still get CTE even if you wear a helmet. But having a helmet is better than not having one.

[@sgtjonzo]

​@@mitch9186bulletproof vests don't stop all bullets, still better to have one

[@TravisHi_YT]

@@mitch9186 You're right, they prevent splattering your brain onto the pavement.

[@canadianeastcoaster5142]

Tony and Jason are a great collab. I had Faction on sirius back in 2014, was greatness.

[@candyapu3]

I’m old enough to remember when seat belts were not yet mandatory by law. People who had them in the car, but wouldn’t use them on purpose as to not look “gay”. Intentionally not wearing a helmet for a sport that involves jumping down concrete stairs is actually insane that people still don’t for ego reasons.

[@lostvagabond365]

andys insight is a thing of beauty

[@synthiandrakon]

I think one thing to realize is that its past the point where being a skater is any real fashion statement. If you're skating these days pretty much everyone already thinks you're a dork helmet or not. And like skating really isn't popular enough that people can be so choosy about who they skate with. Wearing a helmet really isnt a problem like socially, anymore people just think it is

[@shannonpatrick77]

Andy is a a top notch individual just listen when he says he doesnt keep things from his parents

[@AnExPor]

Full face motorcycle helmet legit saved my life. Full face downhill helmet saved me from brain damage, if not my life, at least twice. I LOVE HELMETS!

[@BP-iz2lt]

DID YOU TRY IT WITOUTH THE HELMET? if no you suck at logic homeschooler

[@mrkang4080]

Never heard of this guy, never skated in my life, never looked at a skate video in my life but somehow Andy keeps showing up in my feed... what a great guy.

[@archiechoke23]

Andy takes skating to a whole other level.

[@randomguysays]

Kudos to Andy for setting the example he didn't know he was setting by doing what he loves.

[@Horrordelic]

Andy Anderson is one of the best and really does his own thing, mad respect !! i will buy a helmet like he got as well now, about time!

[@flavio-p]

I’m late to the party. Old head. I used to skate in the 80’s and 90’s. I saw the Tony Hawk interview with Andy. What a great guy. Now im hooked. I’ve never seen anyone skate like this. It’s like a mashup of all the greats with each trick polished…

[@RSpracticalshooting]

Andy is one of the best ambassadors for skateboarding that it's ever had.

[@idontknowleavemealoneplease]

Being seen in a helmet is infinitely cooler than being seen in a coffin because you wanted to be fashionable at the skatepark.

[@nicknorthcutt7680]

Its really cool seeing his impact on the industry, i fuck with it.

[@erickwinter6402]

Brain damage is not cool ergo helmets are cool. Simple as that kids. Bobble head or vegetable the choice is easy. any Anderson is by far the coolest skater ever for promoting the use of helmets. The skater that will save hundreds of lives through his influence. I used to skate with Tony at Del Mar. We wore pads then, which was mandatory, but I still fully pad up. I could care less if other people think I'm a dork. It does not matter how good you are when you skate the park, if your wearing a helmet your smart, which is very cool!

[@harvey_weenstain8857]

I don't skate but if I did I would fully bubble wrap myself lol screw what any macho dummy thinks 😂

[@Fatelvis2]

@@harvey_weenstain8857 I wear padded shorts and a helmet shit sometimes I even wore a reflective vest but being that I am in my 60's riding a surfskate on bike paths I escape most scrutiny

[@ryno4ever433]

@erickwinter6402 helmets aren't going to prevent brain damage, but they will prevent you from dying and maybe lessen the severity of brain damage.

[@BP-iz2lt]

being a little bitch about helmets is even worse than wearing a fucking helmet jesus grow up let them live

[@Underpantsniper]

Andy is a true inspiration!!

[@richnubbz4910]

i'm a snowboarder, we have a term for his style of skating in snowboarding... its called "relatable riding" , I'm 44 a disabled vet and am never going to be able to spin to win or rail tricks at my age. luckily there's a nice online community for a "gray on a tray" like me

[@masonsims8457]

I’m just starting out at 30. Being new and learning at a park where NOBODY is wearing helmets the pressure is real to not wear one. Should have watched this video. I busted my head open a couple weeks ago not wearing one. I’m still at it but never without a lid

[@maccmoses]

At 8:15 he talks about people making fun of the tricks you choose to do and that makes me so angry to hear that Skateboarding got to a point where Skaters were making fun of other Skaters. Thats not what skating is supposed to be,it's supposed to be about having fun and expressing yourself. Skaters need to make sure that that never happens again. Skaters are supposed to be united as Skaters and not click up. It's like when I hear people trashing others over pushing Mongo like it's fucking matters,WTF People,Skaters are already the outcasts and some of you wanna act like the people thatve picked on us since the beginning. I started in the Early 80s when being a skater automatically meant you were a dork and the jocks and preps used to pick on us so we came together and anyone that loved skating was in and part of the group,you just had to love skating. It doesn't matter how good you are or how you skate you just gotta love Skateboarding. That picking on each other shit makes me sick and that's why I didn't play sports or ever wanna be a preppy asshole.

[@hashbrownsRL]

Agreed. On pushing mongo: it can actually hinder your skating (shorter lead up time, awkward balance switching back and forth) so I would always recommend to other skaters to teach themselves to push normally (with your back foot). Never from a place of malice, more from a coaching POV. I say that as someone who used to push mongo and got way better once I learned to push normally. But yes, skateboarding is a form of expression and not about seeking others' approval.

[@dudermcdudeface3674]

When I was growing up, anyone wore a helmet got called a f**. Lots of people died. So wear a helmet.

[@Michael_Hunt]

Lots of people died? Who?

[@dudermcdudeface3674]

@@Michael_Hunt What, you want names? I got about half a dozen names, bro.

[@MichaelFoster117]

@@Michael_Hunt don't be such a smartass, growing up in santa cruz there was a famous incident of a dad in his late 20s who died cracking his skull at jose avenue skatepark. It's happened to lots of guys, don't be so sure of yourself.

[@jk-76]

​@@Michael_Hunt Poser Poser

[@matthewpeterson3329]

Andy is setting a great example for young skaters. When I was a kid skating (50 years ago, I'm old), we had a more punk, anti-style attitude. So there wasn't a dress code, and if you showed up wearing branded shirts, you stood out as a poseur until you showed off your skills. And helmets were barely a thing. My older cousins skated professionally, and surfed for G&S, and when I saw them start to wear helmets, I knew it must be important so I started wearing one too. I really looked up to them and wanted to emulate them. I caught a little grief for it around the neighborhood, but it was worth it.

[@TheLokiBiz]

As someone who fears he might have CTE (i have a physical disability that essentially makes me so clumsy/uncoordinated that im basically a danger to myself at times. as such, i tend to have slip and falls on the ice every winter - its bad enough i almost wanna leave canada to get away from the ice!), i'm really glad people are talking more about concussions and just how serious they can be.

[@terrapin6]

Dude used to be at competitions at our local bowl in Vancouver back in the day. Nice dude, great skater

[@SteamCheese1]

Andy is setting is a great example. And I love the fact that skating in the last 15 years has become more open towards "weird" skating tricks like dancing, freestyle and primo tricks. Black Ninja is also a great example for not giving a fuck and using "illegal" tricks.

[@dahalofreeek]

I had a big bike crash when I was a kid. I lost a few teeth because it didn't have a face guard, but at least the big dent was in the helmet and not my head. If you're doing something where crashing and hitting your head is a possibility, it is better to be safe than sorry. Good on Andy for protecting himself and setting a good example.

[@Margarinethebutterlover]

I grew up watching skateboarding, and it was always about not giving a f#4k what others think. Be a maverick.

[@casesandcapitals]

"I didn't mean to cut you off." "No, it's your interview buddy, go for it." I've known these two dudes existed for about 3 days and I already like them so much lol

[@sixter4157]

I just discovered Andy a week ago. Thank you KZbin.

[@Jestyr129]

"I don't hide things from my parents, we have a really good relationship." Hell yeah, Andy!

[@Mydigitalepitaph]

One important thing to consider about a head protection is that a helmet that doesnt fit you correctly can be lethal due to secondary impacts from the helmet to the skull. Always get your helmet bought in person after getting it professionally fitted. (I survived a large crash on a mountain bike due to my helmet. It was nearly split into 2 pieces from the crown due to impact and i had a crater shaped hole in the side of my helmet. Would image my head would have been split open without it). Wearing a skate helmet wont protect you from facial injuries, so be careful if riding with a helmet as the sense of safety in wearing a helmet can make you feel "safer" and may make you try tricks you wouldn't normally try

[@BillFow]

Andy just follows his intuition, that’s what skateboarding is all about. 0:44

[@lane2376]

I had my first concussion at 11, bombing a hill on a borrowed board with loose trucks. I barely remembered anything from the week before and nothing from that day at the time. My buddy walked me home no knowing anything was wrong, but I didn’t “come to” until we were almost to my house. I was literally sleep walking. Walked in the house eyes glazed over, told my parents I thought I hit my head, and burst into tears I was so scared. Luckily my dad was a wrestler and had experience with concussions. I started BMX last year and better believe I wear my helmet every time.

[@teddillon7739]

Tony if you are out there....do youy have an old Tony Hawk Mini from the 80s? That was my board,I'm 52 now and I wish I had it again. Heavy and tough for it's size buit it was mine, and I loved it. Also I saw you and the Powell team in Virginia Demo back then in the 80s.....bouumbp bouumbp...chicca chicca!

[@sammore4745]

Without freestyle back in the 80's there would be no street skating today. As Ellis said, it is amazing to watch the evolution of skateboarding unfold to acceptance of all styles. Blast, Cards would.

[@vorpalblades]

There would still be street skating.

[@sammore4745]

But it would not have as many cool tricks without the freestylers, mainly Rodney, bringing the flips.

[@sebastiansullivan4770]

​@@vorpalblades the Ollie wouldn't have happened without Rodney. He wouldn't have invented it if it weren't for his freestyle influence and mastery. Lots of people know that Allan Gelfand invented Ollie on vert and that Rodney was inspired by this, but they don't know that he was also used the technique in freestyle which was called a transfer. This was essential to the Ollie because it involved standing on your tail and hopping so that you are then standing on the nose, this is what preceded the 'pop'. Freestyle skating also invented the kickturn.

[@erikpeterson70]

I hope this makes a permanent change for the better with skating culture. The social stigma against helmets when i was growing up was a big thing that kept me away from it. I suffered a severe concussion when i was 10 because of a seizure i had in a parking lot, and so i had to be careful about hitting my head, and because people would make fun of you MERCILESSLY for wearing a helmet while skating, it made me stop trying to learn it and get better at it. I wasnt going to risk another concussion, and i wasnt going to keep doing it if people were just going to make fun of me for it. I think theres historically been a little too much gate keeping around skating in general historically, and im glad to see that thats been changing for the better

[@kimohayes98]

That Sinead shirt is rocking ❤

[@Edw1nik]

Andy Anderson's helmet is part of his signature look, it'd be weird seing him skate without it

[@AaronJohnson-o3z]

I've always skated with helmet, but with protech wake bucki laski what ever, saved me a thousand times... But been stunned of my progression by the judgement of people and better at my local... Blah blah but im inspired and busting out the board and giving it ago

[@bchearne]

Anti-helmet stuff is worse in skating, but I hear a lot of weak arguments about it in the cycling community too. The argument amounts to “it’s safer to not wear protective gear,” which is obviously the exact opposite of reality

[@ZebulaJams]

Ever since I was a kid I’ve worn shin, knee, elbow pads, and a helmet. 1. For protection, 2. Because I’m a little more daring to try things with the extra protection. I care about my body

[@Benw3790]

CTE is real too man.. I don’t blame him

[@jaysonmacmillan7503]

Dave Mirra had CTE and it literally killed him sadly 😢

[@mitch9186]

Unfortunately helmets don't do anything to prevent CTE

[@cwj2733]

@@mitch9186they lower the chance of it happening. of course nothing in this world will ever be truly risk free if there’s inherent danger to it

[@Teeveepicksures]

NOT wearing a helmet is the worst decision any skater can make. Peer pressure and thirst for style sucks.

[@BillFow]

Andy just follows his intuition, that’s what skateboarding is all about.

[@kennywayne999]

I have NEVER understood why people are so against helmets. Like, do you KNOW what a Traumatic Brain Injury ACTUALLY mean? If yes, HOW could you ever want to ride without one.

[@collinsmcrae]

It's really a matter of perspective. Skateboard has a clear alignment with the punk rock attitude, historically. Nihilism is baked right into the culture. Yes, a helmet will offer your protection, but traumatic brain injuries occur very rarely within the sport. Some might view wearing a helmet as akin to avoiding swimming at the beach for fear of sharks. I personally don't care one way or the other. I don't think it's necessary when it comes to street skating for the most part, unless you're doing really dangerous shit. But I support anyone who wears one for any purpose. When it comes to vert land, which is where Tony Hawk comes from, a helmet is absolutely necessary imo. Those guys are riding 50+ mph and launching themselves 10+ foot in the air.

[@00ABBITT00]

Guest of the year.

[@rickitynick4463]

New level of respect.

[@ThePatente]

Love this guy. That's exactly the same principle why I don't buy 50$ motorcycle helmets. My head don't have a price. Bell, Shoei, Klim. Nothing else. And I change it every 4-5 years no matter what.

[@BilobateDrip]

At 13, I was riding my BMX bike down a gravel hill, and my father's dog was running with me. Not thinking about it, I turned the opposite direction towards the side the dog was on, and the dog took a right and crossed the front wheel. My face broke my fall. I woke up in the gravel with my pants down, walked a quarter mile to the house with my pants still down, my face perfectly split down the middle with pure roadrash, maybe 40-50 cuts. My helmet was a full face, but I wasn't wearing it. My bell got rung, and I got the snot scared out of me. Pay attention and wear a helmet

[@charlescushman8625]

My friend’s husband died bombing down a hill and not wearing a helmet. He hit a rock and got pitched. Unfortunately she didn’t know what happened. He just didn’t come home. It took her a couple of days to find him in a hospital where he was in a coma (he had no ID on him either).

[@mikeemmons1079]

I ride a bike, and i have a profoundly outsized head. Standard bike helmets go triple digits when you need "extra large" BUT a full face motocross helmet? Half the price, and you know what? I really like wearing it. Way more secure fitting and no one can mistake my "pedaling face" as a personal judgement.

[@pt3rf3cti0n_7]

That attitude is #1, imagine his mom watching him show out!

[@Mr_jz_12]

Scotty cranmer is the definition of why you should wear a helmet.

[@kenc4907]

Yeah for sure. I knocked myself out when I was 15 riding dirt jumps by myself. Cracked my helmet and passed out, I don't even know how long I was out. If I wasn't wearing a helmet I would have died in the woods as a teenager.

[@k_sae1676]

Scott Cranmer was wearing a helmet. He hurt his neck

[@Mr_jz_12]

@@k_sae1676 he also had part of his forehead removed (it was actually in another state than he was for a while.). Hed be dead if he wasn't wearing his helmet. Also if you take that out just the fact of HOW the accident happened should be enough to show you to always wear one.

[@JoshuaTootell]

In mountain biking, you get people questioning you if you AREN'T wearing a ton of gear.

[@the43rdparallelthrift34]

No joke. If you aren't wearing a decent body protector (on top of the rest of the kit), I wouldn't go near a mountain on a bike. I damaged some ribs and bruised my lung, falling on my bike while picking it up to lift it over something in my path, not even mountain biking.

[@roystonlodge]

I had my concussion snowboarding. I lost all sense of direction, but not my sense of balance, so as long as I had my buddy with me to tell me where to go I could keep boarding. I was also the only one with a driver's license that day so I still had to drive folk home. They told me where to turn. lol. Probably some bad decisions that day.

[@tyfighter4509]

I love how dudes at Andy’s age would be like “awesome concussion story” but Tony’s like “that’s traumatic” completely serious.

[@hexdegen]

I can’t believe we are still discussing this. When I was a kid I thought helmets got a pass because it was the X Games era, sponsorship stickers on helmets etc.

[@DanCohoon]

dude is a class act

[@rboes208]

Love this dude!!

[@drinkswatere]

I remember I used to ditch my helmet in my front yard bush when my mom couldn’t see. Fortunately I made it out okay but I had some CLOSE calls. Later in life I got head injuries outside of skating and it sucked and still does. Can’t imagine what it would be like if those dives I took as a kid got my head combined with what happened later. Wear a helmet because you aren’t any more special than the people who didn’t and are now screwed for life.

[@Liefpj]

I heard the same thing about ski helmets vs bike helmets. Ski is for multiple hits, bike is one fall and replace…🤔

[@MrBuckshotJones]

Right on !

[@mickleman52]

Not a skater, but I'm a cyclists who rides mostly in a city, and the amount of people I see without a helmet is astounding. Ask anyone who doesn't wear a helmet why, and they will give you some lame excuse like helmets are: expensive, uncomfortable, hot, annoying, single use, etc. Ask anyone who uses a helmet why, and they will tell you a gnarly story about that "one accident". For me it was a few years ago, when I was riding on a paved running/walking/biking path during a light rain storm. I am coming up to a part of the path that is covered by a bridge, and I see a dude wearing a bright white t shirt standing on left hand side of the path (on coming traffic side). I give him a bit more room and before I know it I am flying over my handle bars. I proceed to land on my back, skid 10-20 feet, and smack the back of my head hard enough to crack my helmet in half. I then get up to see what had happened, and that is when I see that the guy, who I had assumed was a walker/runner/jogger/etc., was actually a cyclist who had left his all black folded up all black brompton in the path (aka invisible). The guy then tries to play it off like I wasn't paying attention, to which I was just like "you have no idea how stupid/dangerous what you just did was. NEVER just leave a bike in a bike lane like that, especially not when it's raining out, and double not when your bike is folded up and all black like that. What I saw was YOU standing in the bike lane, not your booby trap of a bike." To make this whole thing even more avoidable, the place the guy had stopped to wait out the rain had plenty of room to do so not in the path. Thanks to the helmet, I was able to walk it off with some minor road rash, a few good bruises, and a nasty case of whiplash. tl;dr wear a helmet.

[@LenoxMusic-wu3uy]

Where there’s a will, there’s a will

[@mike_majora]

Bro I don't even skate, and I could listen to this all day

[@dustin_yeg_]

i used to work at a ski hill rental shop. when schools are through, it was their policy that all students would wear one. but teachers, they wouldn't take one. always brushed it off. i never understood why, it bugged me to the core. you're not invisible or can't get hurt. be the example! you're a teacher for crying out loud!