SEPTEMBER 1, 2011 ISSUE
Boone Skateboarders Feel Grind of Local Laws
A group of skateboarders travel down the new pedestrian walkway on Howard Street in downtown Boone. Photo by Ben Wofford“
As long as someone isn’t causing damage to property, they should be left alone.
” —J.P. Pardy, owner and operator of Recess RideshopSkateboarding has risen from the backyard do-it-yourself mentality into a $5.5 billion dollar industry, according to a 2006 New York Times article. Yet, it’s still illegal in a majority of cities and towns across the United States, including Boone.
According to Boone Police Capt. Jim Wilson, the town code prohibits skateboarding on sidewalks and streets, while any individual who owns private property is allowed to mandate whether skateboarding is allowed on their property.
“If you are caught skateboarding on city streets or sidewalks, there is a $50 fine, and if the individual is not wearing a helmet, that’s another $50, but the ticket can be waived on the first offense if the individual can produce a helmet,” Wilson said.
When asked about the possibility of skateboarders being able to legally use bike or pedestrian lanes, Wilson said he didn’t know enough about skateboards to know whether they could be of harm to pedestrians, cars or skaters.
“We have to ensure the safety of the entire population—not just a smaller sect of it,” he said.
ASU doesn’t permit skateboarding, either. According to the Police Policy Resource Manual for ASU, “The use of skateboards, skates, roller blades or similar devices is prohibited on property owned or controlled by Appalachian State University. Anyone observed skateboarding on university monuments, steps, benches, retaining walls, rails and other structures or inside a building shall be issued a university citation.”
With many college students and locals looking for sustainable transportation options, are skateboarding laws outdated?
Brandon Haynes, a junior industrial design product major at ASU, said, “I’m not happy about being fined for riding a skateboard, and to know that an officer will work with me on a helmet law is frustrating—why can’t they just work with me on riding my skateboard in the first place?”
Haynes said he almost missed his first day of class because an AppalCART bus was stuck in traffic.
“Everyone on the bus was complaining about being late for their first day of class,” he said. “Well, I made it to class on time because I got off the bus and rode my skateboard, which I see as the same thing as a bike—just another form of transportation.”
Crystal Simmons, sustainability specialist for ASU, said, “I believe that skateboarding is a method of transportation that students, faculty and staff should be able to use on campus in a responsible way.”
Colleges such as N.C. State have an “all four wheels on the ground” rule, which limits the skateboard to transportation uses only. N.C. State has also made a small portion of its famous Brickyard available for students who want to use skateboards for tricks.
As for private property, most businesses in Boone have no skateboarding signs posted. Wilson explained that most businesses are afraid of lawsuits or damage to their property because of skateboarding, which was the case with Sherwin Williams in Boone. According to Wilson, skateboarders were jumping a gap at the paint store and if they fell, their skateboards would hit the store’s air conditioning unit. The damage resulted in a $30,000 replacement bill for Sherwin Williams.
“In that instance, if the skateboarders were caught doing that, they would be charged with property damage,” Wilson said.
Skateboarding is slowly gaining acceptance by towns nationwide. Skateparks are becoming commonplace alongside baseball diamonds and soccer fields.
At one time, Watauga County provided a place for skateboarders and similar activities. The skatepark was made possible by the efforts of the Appalachian Skatepark Council, formed in 2006 by community members, parents and Buzz Berry, host of the local television show “Sqrambled Scuares.”
The park was only present for three years, when, following controversy over the use of helmets and pads and the presence of a security guard, it relocated 45 minutes away to the Ashe County Park complex in Jefferson, where “it is in a good home and will more than likely stay,” said Berry.
A few local businesses could benefit from relaxed skateboarding restrictions. Recess Rideshop sells skateboarding clothing and gear, but currently its sales are dominated by snowboarding gear.
J.P. Pardy, owner and operator of Recess, said, “[Boone’s skateboard] laws don’t help, but as a whole, it’s not having a skatepark that is more damaging. [As a business] we could not survive off of skateboarding alone as opposed to how it was when we had a skatepark.”
Farmers Backside, Social Boardshop and Board Paradise—businesses that sold products for skateboarders—have all closed their doors within the past five years.
“On the transportation side of things, it shouldn’t be an option to be ticketed for riding your skateboard,” Pardy said. “As long as someone isn’t causing damage to property, they should be left alone.”
Community Interest
News & Notes
Events
Arts & Entertainment
