The Los Angeles City Council doesn't want ya bombing hills

[tkp]

The Los Angeles City Council unanimously approved a new ordinance today that gives cops the green light to ticket skateboarders who engage in what's known as "bombing"--when they barrel down steep hills at high speeds, and other dangerous moves.

The ordinance calls for skaters to stand while riding on public roads, sidewalks, parking lots or other public property, explains City News Service. It also makes it illegal to ride a skateboard faster than 10 mph through an intersection or to ride while hanging on to a vehicle. And if you're the knowing driver of such a vehicle, you can now get a ticket, too.

The language of the new law indicates it will now be illegal for skaters to ride "recklessly or in such a manner or at such a speed as to cause or threaten to cause injury to himself or herself or to others.''

During today's City Council meeting, other aspects of skateboard safety were brought up, as well, including the practice of bicycle riders towing skateboards, and if the city should post signs about the new skateboarding ordinance.

Luckily for L.A.'s skateboarders, the ordinance ended up less severe than it began: "The Public Safety Committee rejected an earlier draft of the ordinance that would have banned skateboards on city streets," notes KPCC.

Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa has already said he would sign the ordinance, backed by Councilman Joe Buscaino, into law.


http://laist.com/2012/08/07/cops_can_now_ticket_for_skateboard.php

[MuchasGracias]

The Los Angeles City Council unanimously approved a new ordinance today that gives cops the green light to ticket skateboarders who engage in what's known as "bombing"--when they barrel down steep hills at high speeds, and other dangerous moves.

The ordinance calls for skaters to stand while riding on public roads, sidewalks, parking lots or other public property, explains City News Service. It also makes it illegal to ride a skateboard faster than 10 mph through an intersection or to ride while hanging on to a vehicle. And if you're the knowing driver of such a vehicle, you can now get a ticket, too.

The language of the new law indicates it will now be illegal for skaters to ride "recklessly or in such a manner or at such a speed as to cause or threaten to cause injury to himself or herself or to others.''

During today's City Council meeting, other aspects of skateboard safety were brought up, as well, including the practice of bicycle riders towing skateboards, and if the city should post signs about the new skateboarding ordinance.

Luckily for L.A.'s skateboarders, the ordinance ended up less severe than it began: "The Public Safety Committee rejected an earlier draft of the ordinance that would have banned skateboards on city streets," notes KPCC.

Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa has already said he would sign the ordinance, backed by Councilman Joe Buscaino, into law.


http://laist.com/2012/08/07/cops_can_now_ticket_for_skateboard.php

Un-Fucking-Belivable!

[Pike St]

This part is kinda messed up:

The language of the new law indicates it will now be illegal for skaters to ride "recklessly or in such a manner or at such a speed as to cause or threaten to cause injury to himself or herself or to others.''

So if an officer sees you trying to do some gnarly trick, and he thinks you are threatening your well being, then you can get a ticket?

[SUPERNAUT]

I didn't think LA could get any gayer. Sucks to suck, cali!

[Thrillho]

Das EFX - East Coast	Small | Large

[Brian Clancy]

The inevitable beginning of the end.

[cornholio]

Well that sucks. You would think all this coverage skateboarding gets on TV now they would lighten up. Oh well.

[Jive Turkey]

Well that sucks. You would think all this coverage skateboarding gets on TV now they would lighten up. Oh well.

Lighten up? Never. Just another step toward getting us confined to parks.

[minnesotanice]

Where i live, you're pretty much confined to parks. the police will hand out $140 tickets (which are under the motor vehicle act, so they'll affect your car insurance) for not wearing helmets even if you're just rolling down the sidewalk. Sometimes they even rush the park and dish out tickets to anyone with out a helmet.

[thepman]

it's times like this i'm glad I live in europe

[Microforrest]

Thank god NY still doesn't give a shit. West coast skating was getting tired anyway.

[planman]

This part is kinda messed up:

The language of the new law indicates it will now be illegal for skaters to ride "recklessly or in such a manner or at such a speed as to cause or threaten to cause injury to himself or herself or to others.''

So if an officer sees you trying to do some gnarly trick, and he thinks you are threatening your well being, then you can get a ticket?

Does this mean Nyjah can't skate in LA anymore?

[ttching!]

This part is kinda messed up:

The language of the new law indicates it will now be illegal for skaters to ride "recklessly or in such a manner or at such a speed as to cause or threaten to cause injury to himself or herself or to others.''

So if an officer sees you trying to do some gnarly trick, and he thinks you are threatening your well being, then you can get a ticket?

Skateboarding, now offically a crime.

[Zurg]

hopefully this just leads to more high speed sk8 chases

[Magic Pizza]

The speed limit for a skateboard shouldn't be any different than a car or motorcycle. Its vehicular discrimination.

[BraveUlysses]

hopefully this just leads to more high speed sk8 chases

Hippy jumping fruit stands.

[grimcity]

Where i live, you're pretty much confined to parks. the police will hand out $140 tickets (which are under the motor vehicle act, so they'll affect your car insurance) for not wearing helmets even if you're just rolling down the sidewalk. Sometimes they even rush the park and dish out tickets to anyone with out a helmet.

Fuuuuuuck! That shit sucks.

On topic... if you can skate on the streets, then isn't 10 mph just as dangerous? With all the elderly cats driving their vehicles into farmer's markets and groups of bicycles, it'd make more sense to go faster so granpappy doesn't hit you from behind.

[Seamus_McShamebag]

This part is kinda messed up:

The language of the new law indicates it will now be illegal for skaters to ride "recklessly or in such a manner or at such a speed as to cause or threaten to cause injury to himself or herself or to others.''

So if an officer sees you trying to do some gnarly trick, and he thinks you are threatening your well being, then you can get a ticket?

The wording of that law is pretty brutal and it looks like it lays out the red carpet for handing out tickets for doing anything beyond pushing in a straight line at or below 10mph.  It would be easy to interpret just about anything as a threat to cause injury to yourself.  Maybe they'll start doing aptitude tests like when they pull over a drunk driver.  Say you get caught attempting to kickflip a gap or something.  When deciding to issue a ticket the officer will make you perform a series of kickflips after staring at your pupils to ascertain whether you are a threat to yourself and others or not.

They should have covered their bases better and written additional legislation making it illegal to run, jump, chase a ball or make any twisting motions in any of the city parks/basketball courts/playing fields etc.  The goal is to avoid injury right?

[the_unknown_soldier]

The speed limit for a skateboard shouldn't be any different than a car or motorcycle. Its vehicular discrimination.

You know as well as I do that those just aren't the same thing.

[jay]

Well what do you know, the government passes a law that regulates your actions regarding your own person safety and the safety of others.  I don't even disagree with it, I just hope the more liberal people on this site don't come here to complain.  You can't have your cake and eat it too.

[BuddyPal]

expect only footage of 3 stairs and curbs, skating at 3 mph

[art hellman]

This is not the future John Conor fought so hard to protect!


VIOLATION!

Gleaming the Cube downhill	Small | Large

[Ronald Wilson Reagan]

Since when has skateboarding not been a crime? You guys act like this is something new. I got my first skateboarding ticket in the 90's.

Personally, I'd be willing to pay the fine if I could hang up a ticket in my room that shows that the LAPD certifies that I was hauling ass that day. Kind of a badge of honor or something.

And since I know jay's dumbass will respond with more stupidity, I'll respond to his ignorant and hypersimplistic comment now:

Well what do you know, the government passes a law that regulates your actions regarding your own person safety and the safety of others.  I don't even disagree with it, I just hope the more liberal people on this site don't come here to complain.  You can't have your cake and eat it too.

I think you are thinking of fascists. Liberals actually think things through on an issue by issue basis. That's why its liberals, not conservatives, who say the government doesn't have the right to tell you not to get an abortion.
Conservatives tend to want more "law and order" government- that is, more wars, more prisons, more arrestable offenses, more drugs made illegal
Liberals tend to want more "equality" based laws- a social safety net, a progressive tax code, affirmative action, civil rights, women's rights, Lilly ledbetter, etc.

Neither conservatives or liberals are anarchists or monarchists, they just have different world views of what the focus of government should be on. Jesus fucking christ kid, you didn't learn that when you were 7? You just buy into all the stupid right-wing propaganda right?

The real hope should be that people who understand political issues comment on this thread, but you've already blown that.

[Hercules Rockefeller]

skateboarding is fun.

[tumeke]

I live in Nuu Zeaaaland

[Yushin Okami]

Since when has skateboarding not been a crime? You guys act like this is something new. I got my first skateboarding ticket in the 90's.

Personally, I'd be willing to pay the fine if I could hang up a ticket in my room that shows that the LAPD certifies that I was hauling ass that day. Kind of a badge of honor or something.

First of all, the last time this was brought up you were more pissed than anyone. In fact, I'm pretty sure you said you were going to go to city hall and give them shit for punishing people who used alternate forms of transportation (how'd that work out?). Second, skateboarding in certain places has been a crime for a long time, but not skateboarding down the street or sidewalk, so this is something new.

[brycickle]

expect only footage of 3 stairs and curbs, skating at 3 mph

They aren't going to bring back rave pants and small wheels too are they?

[jerrys_kids]

Where i live, you're pretty much confined to parks. the police will hand out $140 tickets (which are under the motor vehicle act, so they'll affect your car insurance) for not wearing helmets even if you're just rolling down the sidewalk. Sometimes they even rush the park and dish out tickets to anyone with out a helmet.

Where do you live so I can be sure to never go there.

[Schismatic]

Since when has skateboarding not been a crime? You guys act like this is something new. I got my first skateboarding ticket in the 90's.

Personally, I'd be willing to pay the fine if I could hang up a ticket in my room that shows that the LAPD certifies that I was hauling ass that day. Kind of a badge of honor or something.

First of all, the last time this was brought up you were more pissed than anyone. In fact, I'm pretty sure you said you were going to go to city hall and give them shit for punishing people who used alternate forms of transportation (how'd that work out?). Second, skateboarding in certain places has been a crime for a long time, but not skateboarding down the street or sidewalk, so this is something new.

Actually, this is not.something new. Skating on the sidewalk is illegal in many places, I got ticketed in Ocean Beach (SD) for waiting at a crosswalk standing still with my foot on my tail. I've also been stopped by LAPD for "skateboarding too fast on the sidewalk" sometime around 1998. The cop was pretty cool about it when I explained that I only have 10 minutes to get from one job to my other and I assured him that I was always mindful of pedestrians, both of which were true. All that came of it was a warning that I could be ticketed for doing what I was doing but I was able to skate away, at a reasonable speed.

Basically, in most cities if there's a bike lane you're expected to use it. If there's a sidewalk you're only supposed to use it if road and/or traffic conditions make riding in the street unsafe, and while in the street you're supposed to follow traffic laws. Essentially, the same ruled that apply to bicycles also apply to skateboards, it's just not commonly enforced outside of full on no skateboarding zones, like the one where I got busted in OB (plead not guilty, cross examined the officer, poked holes in his story and beat the ticket by the way).

Oh yeah, I actually like the part about requiring skaters to "stand" while skating. No knee-boarding and kneeling longboarders. Now if they only added a "no pushing mongo" clause (switch being exempt of course).

[sluggers]

The ordinance calls for skaters to stand while riding on public roads, sidewalks, parking lots or other public property, explains City News Service.

This should be called the "Gino Law" no bending your knees or crouching down when you pop.