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Question: Is skateboarding a crime?

Answer: Skateboarding itself is not a crime. However, skateboarding in certain locations may be a crime.

The owners of property - homes, shopping centers, parks, etc.- have the right to set reasonable rules for what visitors to their property can do while they are visitors. Owners could be individual people, in the case of a house, a company, in the case of a shopping center, or a city government, in the case of a park. It is common to see signs on property that prohibits skateboarding. This prohibition would be a reasonable rule because skateboarding could cause injury to both the skateboarder and other visitors. A property owner can be held responsible for injuries incurred by visitors while on their property and so most property owners try to set rules that reduce the likelihood for injuries occurring. If skateboarding in a certain place is prohibited and you are caught skateboarding there, you could be charged with the crime of trespassing, as well as other crimes depending on if anything on the property was damaged due to the skateboarding or if someone was injured.

Some cities have passed ordinances (city laws) that make skateboarding illegal in certain places. It is illegal to skateboard in the street, other than in a crosswalk, in Mesa. It is illegal to skateboard in or around city buildings in Chandler. You should check with your local police department to see if there are specific restrictions like this in your city.

There are many public places where skateboarding is encouraged like Scottsdale Skateboard Park. Its best to skateboard in areas made for skateboarding.


Comments
51 thru 55 of 195 comments
On 05/13/04
Anthony from ID said:
SKATEBOARDING IS A HOBBIE THAT WE THE YOUTH CAN ENJOI IF WE SKATE AT YOUR BUISINESS THAN ASK US NICELY TO LEAVE DONT YELL AT US WE TOO HAVE FEELINGS THIS WILL STICK FOR YEARS TO COME SO GET USED TO YELLING AT US BECAUSE WERE NOT STOPPING!
On 05/01/04
Matt from NC said:
Skateboarding is not a crime. Most people hate skateboarders and they should'nt cause its not like they harm people i mean come on. I finally found a sport that im good at an its illegel besides football. If people got to whine about skateboards skating at their businesses then thay should donate money to help build skateparks.
On 04/29/04
uiui from AZ said:
SKATEBOARDING IS NOT CRIME
On 04/23/04
ME from MI said:
Skateboarding is a sport just like football or basketball, so why do we get mean looks and stuff from adults? We are not killing any one by riding a skate board. No matter what laws people make, WE WILL STILL SKATEBOARD..............
On 04/23/04
Poochie from MI said:
Skateboarding is not a crime! I mean why isn't volleyball a crime or golf or baseball, they are all sports. Who cares! It's not like you are walking with a knife in your hand and trying to kill someone. My best friend skateboards and so does my sister and when they skateboard I have never seen them kill anyone. My friend's boyfriend doesn't kill anyone when he skateboards either. So let me ask a question why is it a crime? I don't skateboard but my friends do and I think it is really ridiculous that people get arrested for skateboarding. It is really freakish.
51 thru 55 of 195 comments



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