LA bans skateboard 'bombing' after 2 deaths
LOS ANGELES (AP) - Los Angeles officials on Tuesday banned skateboard "bombing" - in which skaters zoom down steep hills at up to 40 mph - in response to two teen deaths.
The measure will go to Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa for approval, and would take effect 30 days later if he signs it, according to the Daily Breeze.
Councilman Joe Buscaino introduced the measure after two deaths in his district.
In November, Michael Borojevich, 14, died 11 days after a sustaining a skateboarding injury and in January, Caleb Daniel Simpson, 15, was killed while skating down a hill.
"I don't want to go to any more funerals of someone who died because of this," Buscaino said in the newspaper.
The law would require skateboarders to stop at stop signs and obey posted speed limits. It would also ban bicyclists or drivers from towing skateboarders.
Violators could face penalties of up to $250.
Buscaino said the laws were necessary because police told him the traffic laws were outdated and allowed some to skate past their reach.
The council plans to develop written material to hand out to skateboarders to warn them of the new law.
The measure will go to Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa for approval, and would take effect 30 days later if he signs it, according to the Daily Breeze.
Councilman Joe Buscaino introduced the measure after two deaths in his district.
In November, Michael Borojevich, 14, died 11 days after a sustaining a skateboarding injury and in January, Caleb Daniel Simpson, 15, was killed while skating down a hill.
"I don't want to go to any more funerals of someone who died because of this," Buscaino said in the newspaper.
The law would require skateboarders to stop at stop signs and obey posted speed limits. It would also ban bicyclists or drivers from towing skateboarders.
Violators could face penalties of up to $250.
Buscaino said the laws were necessary because police told him the traffic laws were outdated and allowed some to skate past their reach.
The council plans to develop written material to hand out to skateboarders to warn them of the new law.
This will only cause more problems among the community. States need to follow in Portland, Oregon's footsteps.Â
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 http://skatefriendlypdx.com/
Interfering with Darwin. Then they grow up, breed, and worst of all vote.
Why not just ban stupidity in all its forms and guises?
 @Rick4001CS Congress would have to disband itself.
And exactly how the heck do they think they're gonna enforce that? Put officers on 'skateboard bomb patrol'? After all, towing a skateboarder behind a motor vehicle is illegal too but you can find that all over youtube.
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And exactly how are you gonna punish a 14 year old kid who flies down the hill on a dare? I'm sorry for the kids that died because of this; I'm sure that the loss is devastating for the families involved. But isn't this getting a bit nanny-state-like?
 @svensson I understand holding on to a car but now a bike, it's a crime to hold on to a bike while riding a skateboard, insane!  What's next, no riding on the handle bars.
Like anyone will actually care.
Try enforcing yet another law aimed at reckless ninnies, legislation doesn't help thinning of the herd.Â
You can't outlaw Natural Selection.
@thatsjarrod
Darwin.
ALWAYS.
Wins.
Please make a note of it!
In therory, it's a sane law. But unless they have a police officer sitting at the botton of every hill it's going to be hard to enforce. At least the mayor is trying to do something about it.Â
Just another law that they will have no way to enforce, and the skate boarding community will disregard anyways, so its a waste of time, money and paper.Â
 @Kodiak Exactly...and if the individuals want to risk taking themselves out, then that's them. I was not quite that nuts back in the day when I used to ride my board in Des Moines. I lived at the top of S. 216th St, which is a huge hill. One of my brothers broke his hand plowing into the back of a parked car on that street. Dangerous stuff zooming down a hill like that.
I see skateboarders in Seattle doing a better job of obeying traffic laws than cyclists.
 @Citizen#3457899654 I see cyclists running stop signs and red lights ALL the time. They want to "share the road" but only when it's convenient for them.
 @the EXACTLY. I don't hate bicycles - I hate cyclists. This city is full of arrogant I'm above the law and the law only applies when it's helpful to me cyclists.
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Now where's my bike box? I don't care we're broke, layoff some teachers and a firefighter or two - I need my bike boxes!!!
"The council plans to develop written material to hand out to skateboarders to warn them of the new law."
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Yep, that will be totally effective as today's skateboard community youth are big readers. Plus, their respect for the law is legion. There. Done.