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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
1 thru 5 of 195 comments
On 05/13/09
chris from AZ said:
you should skate where ever you want. people that ride bikes have the rite to bike where they want in my town we shouldnt skaters have the same right too. ive been put in a COP CAR JUST FOR SKATEING PAST I.G.A and put on diversion for it. way unfair if you ask me. if anything they should put a "skate at own risk" up.
On 05/04/09
from Othr said:
this is so stupid skateboarding should'nt be a crime in any place at any time and its not a sport its a lifestyle , other kids are allowed to play hockey or baseball in the local park so why can skaters do that too are these parents afraid that we are going to make their kids into trouble makers.... think twice not all skateboarders are bad kids i bet that 90% of the skateboarding community isnt bad . people just jump to conclusions and think that we are going nowhere in life just because we dont want to waste our childhood away by getting yelled at by a powertripping coach and egomaniac kids!
On 03/26/09
from AL said:
skateboarding is totally not a crime like really in a lot of places you can play baseball soccer or what ever because the government thinks there sports and skateboarding isn't well you get payed to skate if your pro as well as other sports and have you heard of the x games so i think you should be able to skate wherever.
On 03/17/09
Nick from MA said:
I know that in certain states skateboarding is on some sort of list of "inherently dangerous activities", this means that no one besides the skater can be held liable for an injury that occurs while skateboarding. i think all states should have this law, that way ppl will stop kicking skateboarders off their property for liability reasons
On 03/11/09
Trevor from WA said:
This is a load of bull i skate and dont do drugs so @#$% off and leave us the hell alone
1 thru 5 of 195 comments



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