Transportation Question

[cjbautista.livejournal.com]

First time @ Dragoncon this year... First Con ever actually... 


I was wondering about getting around to the various host hotels and downtown Atlanta in general:


Is longboarding or skateboarding allowed? Advisable?


I understand not riding in the hotels, but how about outside? To-and-from my hotel? Sidewalks? 



Thanks

Comments

[i-heart-cameron.livejournal.com]

I'd say there's way too many people to do that.

[freak-thankyou.livejournal.com]

I've seen people skateboarding, so I assume it's allowed (though jsut because someone does it doens't make it legal, especially in Atlanta). It's very uncommon and regardless of legality, there are way too many people to do it in the con vicinity. If you want to do it for the sake of the activity. I know a lot of people who skateboard and longboard around Piedmont Park and say it's a really nice place to do it.

[iheartmyblog.livejournal.com]

Downtown Atlanta is an urban area with all the urban traffic that is to be expected. On Friday you have business people trying to get to work--along with all the Con people. On the weekend you will have weekend foot traffic as well as Con traffic and the crowds from the football game. Considering it is hard enough for someone on foot to manage the crowds I'd say that skate and/or longboarding would be dangerous to both you and the people around you. And, of course, the streets are full of traffic, so don't do it there either.

Actually, I'd just plain advise against it. Feet are made for walking, and the hotels are two or three blocks apart at most. Not a long trek by any means.

[cjbautista.livejournal.com]

Thanks. That's what i figured.

[kittenspeaks.livejournal.com]

Although it is not posted in most areas, skateboarding is illegal on sidewalks and streets in Downtown Atlanta. (Atlanta is not a bike/pedestrian friendly city and skates/ skate boards combine the worst hazards of both activities.)
Most cops have better things to do with their time than to ticket kids for it but you never know.
A friend of mine was boarding by the Fox theater (a few blocks from the Con) and was arrested for it a few months ago.
He lost his board, had to may a 1500.00 fine and was given 200 hours of community service.

[cjbautista.livejournal.com]

That's what I needed to know.

I'll stick to walking.

[vixendarkfairy.livejournal.com]

Also, I want to caution you about straying off the path between the host hotels. Just one block over from the con is a rather bad neighborhood, and some of those folk come to the streets around the con to pickpocket the tourists, beg for money, and other less savory forms of victimization during DragonCon time. Atlanta is a CITY, and has all the pros & cons that go with it. (Used to live there, and have been to plenty DragonCons.)

[shivilowy.livejournal.com]

Well Christmas on a cracker I didnt know this till now.So you know what eheh no exploring downtown Atl for me dont need to get mugged.Thank you so much for this nice info since this is my first DragonCon and Con ever.Wouldnt want to be on the local news saying that a con goer was killed in atl.

[pixiekingtom.livejournal.com]

Don't be thinking you'll need a retinue of guards to keep you safe, now. there's a LOT of police around the hotels specifically because the city realizes how much money we bring to the area every year :)

[fluffydragon.livejournal.com]

jesus christ on a pogo stick!

[pixiekingtom.livejournal.com]

On the bright side, the hamster trails between the hotels makes travel pretty quick between locations

[nyssa.livejournal.com]

+1 for just walking. :) I mean, honestly, even without all the other people around, the terrain is just not good! The main Hyatt-to-Marriott route has a bunch of stairs, and the main Marriott-to-Hilton route is all indoors. The only trek I could MAYBE see being worth some wheels MIGHT be to the Sheraton or the Westin, because both of those are a bit apart from the main three hotels...but even then, Atlanta sidewalks are terrible and the roads are even worse...

[sparr0.livejournal.com]

Other advice aside, the three primary D*C hotels occupy a 15-20% slope. I wouldn't advise skating down it even with empty streets, let alone busy. And forget skating UP.

[earendilgrey.livejournal.com]

I was just going to mention this. It's a pretty good slope from Hyatt to the Hilton. Fairly good hill from the Sheraton to the Westin too if I am remembering right.

This!

[lanikei.livejournal.com]

Speaking from personal experience of skating (on quads) in the parade last year. There are some NASTY slopes along the way. I was wearing full pads and was fine, but there were very few of us upright all the way down the hill. And that was when we had a whole street's width to weave across to slow down. I can only imagine dealing with traffic. Eesh.

[cjbautista.livejournal.com]

You guys are awesome. I love this community.

[orcapotter.livejournal.com]

And one of the glorious things about the new hamster trails is that the need to go outside isn't there anymore if you want to go through the 3 major host hotels. It's like a geek ant farm over the weekend and I'm sure the surrounding buildings like to look down on us in wonder.

But yeah, the Sheraton and the Westin sidewalks are usually so congested with foot traffic that you can't move any other way than walking. Enjoy your first D*C!