I used to do skateboard. Now after having read Ian Borden's book Skateboarding, Space and the City, I fully understand what he means. Here are the "social lessons" of skateboarding: - skate sport functions as "focal point" in Schelling's terminology. That means that if you want to look for somebody, you go to the skate spot 8in my village, it was in front of the church). Everybody pass by or come and then you meet your buddies. - skate is also a strong way to visit cities, wandering and hanging out with people around. - skate allows you to see the city as a huge artifacts you can play with: barrier, handrailes... you're trained to pay attention to lots of details. It was certainly my first introduction tu urban studies.