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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
31 thru 35 of 195 comments
On 01/28/07
Tate from TX said:
Skateboarding shouldn't be illegal. If people don't want us skateboarding.
On 12/12/06
Jade from WA said:
i have been sk8ing 4ever and if it waz illegalized i would die.its tradition.
On 09/11/06
mac from CA said:
 i love sk8boarding and i am never gona quit! sk8ers should be able to sk8 wereever and when ever they want
On 08/25/06
Rhiannon from AZ said:
I'm not a big skateboarder,but even I know that.
On 05/16/06
Adrian from AZ said:
I have been sk8ing for 3 years and i am never going to quit. Who would it is so fun to skate. old people and cops should let us street skate its not like we are bothering them. Even if they say something i just go skate the next day at the same spot.
31 thru 35 of 195 comments



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