My mind has just been fucking blown with another pussification of America law that is on the books. Los Angeles city council, how in the hell do you find putting a proposal into law about going too fast on a skateboard, good for the safety of all your citizens? What is next, bicycles have speed limits too? Hell, why you are it maybe arrest the moms who run too fast with their kids in strollers, as those babies aren't wearing seat belts.
Just because two individuals were killed for their own reckless enjoyment, don't create laws around trying to protect other skaters. Oh yeah, also get your facts straight, this isn't a new trend, its always been a part of skating. Bravo Los Angeles, way to go, hopefully your citizens feel safer now. Give yourselves a trophy for doing a good job at work, everybody is now a winner.
"Los Angeles skateboarders can still go on high-risk "bombing" sessions, but they will have to abide by new safety regulations because of a city ordinance passed Tuesday.
The City Council voted to institute several regulations and penalties on unsafe skateboarding
practices. Riders will now have to ride standing straight up instead of
crouching, maintain speeds that will not cause harm to themselves or
others, refrain from hitching onto moving cars and obey all traffic
signs and signals.
Skateboard or longboard "bombing" runs take place on hills, parking
structures and winding roads, or basically anywhere a boarder can build
up momentum very quickly. The riders, who usually bend to make their
bodies parallel with the road and put their hands behind their backs,
can reach speeds upward of 40-50 mph.
Los Angeles Councilman Joe Buscaino proposed the ordinance to stop "bombing" in his district, where he said two young skateboarders had died in the past year.
"Our objective today was to prohibit reckless skateboarding," said
Buscaino. "We are sending a message that skateboarding is still allowed
in the city of Los Angeles, but they have to do it in safe way and obey
the rules of the road."
Before the ordinance was passed, Los Angeles did not recognize
skateboarding as an official form of transportation, so there was very
little that city police could do to stop unsafe skating practices. But
now, the Los Angeles Police Department has the power to ticket "bombing" violators and confiscate skateboards at its own discretion.
Although "bombing" has garnered a reputation for being dangerous, many
view downhill boarding as a growing sport that deserves recognition
from policy makers.
Kyle Chin, an avid
and experienced longboarder, is frustrated by the term "bombing,"
because he believes it shines a negative light on a sport he believes is
legitimate and safe.
"It is a legitimate sport with an accompanying industry," said Chin.
"This isn't just some fad, the sport is growing and the community is
growing. There really isn't a legal place to do it, so it comes down to
personal responsibility."
Chin, who has starred in a few downhill boarding videos
on YouTube, realizes that his sport is viewed as dangerous by many, but
he hopes that laws and regulations will help his sport gain some
recognition and further legitimize its future.
