Longboarding Illegal?

**Christopheros** · 08-20-2008 12:55 PM

Hey,

I am hearing mixed things out there, that you'll get fined and maybe jail time for longboarding/shortboarding in Japan. Has anyone heard anything about anything?

Chris

**raphayakawa** · 08-21-2008 08:24 AM

Hm...... I've been in Japan before june and I heard no such thing on longboarding/shortboarding illegal. What place are you in/longboard? Who were the people that told you longboarding was illegal? But for me, I wasn't called even I passed by traffic enforcers.

**T.s.** · 08-21-2008 12:12 PM

it all depends on which cop you pass.
Ive been pulled over several times, but most of the cops are just like "hey buddy, just keep safe alright and dont make a nuisance for traffic."
and as rap said, Ive also bombed (on the wrong side of the road..) in front of a police car and the guy freakin waved.
so it doesnt matter where you are (cause longboarding IS illegal) its about wether or not the cop around you is a douche

***SWEET*** · 08-21-2008 07:38 PM

No its not.
Cops are usually more shocked about seing you going down a mountain road and they have no freaking idea about what to do. And there are no laws against it anyway, basically we ride a bike.

**Xgecko** · 08-21-2008 07:55 PM

pretty much what sweet said, short boarders can and do get in trouble for any destruction they they inflict grinds slides etc but if you are just skating they treat you like a bike or scooter

**Rarrazz** · 08-21-2008 08:18 PM

Originally Posted by *SWEET*

No its not.
Cops are usually more shocked about seing you going down a mountain road and they have no freaking idea about what to do. And there are no laws against it anyway, basically we ride a bike.

Originally Posted by Xgecko

pretty much what sweet said, short boarders can and do get in trouble for any destruction they they inflict grinds slides etc but if you are just skating they treat you like a bike or scooter

I don't know about where you live, but we have a law here that states that you can't ride a scooter, skateboard, or other nuisance vehicle on any roadway that has an adjacent sidewalk.
Luckily most of the mountain runs have no sidewalks, which makes it totally legally for us to skate on them. Only problem then is the roadways which do have a sidewalk, but not one that is really in a great condition for riding on; they are technically illegal.
On a bike it is totally legal, not on a skateboard though, which unfortunately includes longboards.

**Xgecko** · 08-21-2008 08:21 PM

Originally Posted by Rarrazz

I don't know about where you live, but we have a law here that states that you can't ride a scooter, skateboard, or other nuisance vehicle on any roadway that has an adjacent sidewalk.
Luckily most of the mountain runs have no sidewalks, which makes it totally legally for us to skate on them. Only problem then is the roadways which do have a sidewalk, but not one that is really in a great condition for riding on; they are technically illegal.
On a bike it is totally legal, not on a skateboard though, which unfortunately includes longboards.

we were refering to Japan where I lived for 3 years and sweet just returned from a visit...awesome place to skate

**Christopheros** · 08-22-2008 08:26 AM

Hey,

thanks for the info I am going to be around the Yokohama area for sometime, and seeing as I wont have a car I was mainly just going to use my board to get around. The information I read, was probably just to scare and deter people. It was saying that you'd get a 30000 yen fine and jail time. Thanks again though.

**Xgecko** · 08-22-2008 08:32 AM

unless you are going way into the country Japan is one of the few countries in the world where you really don't need a car....in the 3 years I lived there I didn't own one and I only rented one 4 times. Trains and buses will get you everywhere

Yokohama: my experience was that other than the ledges around the feris wheel sessioning a particular location would always attract attention. But using a board for transportation never got me any more attention than riding my bike

**lsdmt** · 08-22-2008 01:50 PM

There actually are laws, atleast in tokyo, for both skateboarding and rollerblading in the streets. These activities are only allowed on sidewalks and in parks. However in the ten years that I lived there and did both, I never had any trouble. Actually I take that back, got chased by cops in Odaiba but that was partly my fault, Japanese cops do not like to be mooned. Also was simply asked to leave a rail session in the Jyuban. As long as you are not being a total idiot, I highly doubt you will get any flak. Its hard to find a cop even if you go looking. I miss the days of skitching in Tokyo traffic.

**SlyTX** · 10-08-2008 11:43 AM

Kind of a random question, but are some of yall Japan natives? Im just curious as to how and why some ppl to take trips to Japan and stay for years at a time. It would be my dream to be temporarily permanantly living in a foreign country where I didnt need a car and could find decent fun work.

***SWEET*** · 10-08-2008 12:06 PM

It must be hard to LIVE in Japan... You got to be aware of how it is... My guess is that if you stay around tokyo, it should be fine... But if you are alone, moving to Nagoya for exemple, it's very different.
Japanese are not racist, but they are NOT used to see foreigners. You can often feel alone and fed up about the country when you live there permanently. I base all that on other french, friends of mine, who are living there right now and who speak japanese fluently.
It can also be a fantastic way of living for you...
But dont forget about the cultural shock if you've never been there... Fun for holidays, for the entire life... I have no idea. It's just not the same

**evan.blacksheep** · 10-08-2008 12:12 PM

it is illegal in nova scotia in some parts. in my town there are many streets where it is illigel.

**lollygag** · 10-08-2008 12:56 PM

**theshmoo** · 03-01-2009 09:09 PM

Piedmont cops hate longboarders.

**dtwood** · 08-25-2009 01:31 PM

Man, i go to Ball State University in IN and any kind of skating is illegal. I've been pulled over and fined and all that good stuff and when i argue that i'm not hurting anone/anything the cop is all "well it's not safe". I've seen so many assholes hit people with bikes here but have never seen anyone hurt on or by a board. Me and a group of my longboarder friends are getting a club together, getting signatures and all that ####. I doubt it'll make a difference though. #### that police.

**mcgoon** · 08-25-2009 01:31 PM

haha ball state.

**dtwood** · 08-25-2009 01:32 PM

you familiar?

**RollyPolly** · 04-29-2010 10:32 PM

I live in NW Washington, so everyone luvs the longboarders (ppl look at it as greener for env. :] ) Even some of the cops longboard. + we got dope hills
Also, longboarding is really picking up. The number of boarders in my neighborhood has probly quadroopld in the past year or two, and a good # is some lil' gnars! its gr8 to see kids sk8.
Rolly~