Support AB874 - Remove pad laws from CA

[sk8norcal]

Skateboard IASC | News

5/15/2009 - Support AB 874- remove pad laws from CA skateparks!

As many of you know, IASC has been working tirelessly for many years to change the laws affecting California's skateboarders and public skateparks. We were previously able to extend the bill which protects public skateparks, but in doing so, had to make some concessions in the bill.
Recently IASC has been working to remove the outdated clause under which skateparks must require elbow and knee pads to be worn while skating in public skateparks. As any skateboarder knows, pads do not prevent serious injury and requiring them actually deters skateboarders from frequenting their local skateparks and in many cases forces them into the most dangerous place to skateboard, city streets. In 2008 IASC had a meeting with Assembly woman Lori Saldana who picked up the cause and has been working to get the Assembly Bill 874 passed for California's skateboarders.

Now is the time for you to get involved.
Please join IASC in a letter writing campaign to help get this bill passed! Write a letter to your State Senator encouraging them to support AB 874. With your help, the pad laws will be removed, the tickets will stop, and skateboarders will skate freely in California's skateparks.
Below is an example of a letter you might send. Of course a letter in your own words is the best representation of your support, but this one makes all the important points, so feel free to use it. And for your convenience IASC has supplied some easy step by step instructions on how to get this done.
Feel free to post this info on your web sites, send it to your family, friends, staff, and fellow skateboarders.
Let the letter writing campaign begin!!

STEP ONE:
Click here to find your assembly person Your Legislature
Enter your zip code to find your representatives information.
STEP TWO:
Click on the name of all representatives found on your page (this should bring up their email address in your email program)
STEP THREE:
Copy and paste the letter below (or write your own)
STEP FOUR: (THIS ONE IS IMPORTANT!)
Replace the info in red / parentheses with the appropriate Senator's names and info about yourself.
It is important to include your name and address so they know you are a California resident in their district (in other words- a current or future voter!).

NOTE: You could also fax and/or mail this letter to the fax/address found on the representatives page- if that is how you prefer to communicate.

Dear Senator (insert the name or names of the senator in YOUR district):

I am contacting you regarding Assembly Bill 874 (Saldana). I am a [skateboarder, parent of a skateboarder, skateboarding advocate, concerned citizen, etc.] who resides in your district. I urge you to support and vote for AB 874, which removes the requirement of wearing elbow pads and knee pads at public skateparks and makes them helmet only.

Although counterintuitive, current law threatens child safety by prohibiting skaters without pads from using the safest possible environment for skateboarding (public skatepark) and forcing them into the most dangerous place to skateboard (our cities streets, sidewalks, and parking lots).

AB 874 represents a more realistic and practical application of Section 115800. Passage of AB 874 encourages more kids to use public skateparks eliminating the dangers of traffic, uneven surfaces and pedestrians.

Again, I kindly urge you to support AB 874.
Thank you.
(Your Name)
(Your Address)

[enemy combatant]

Hahahahahahahaha!

[sk8norcal]

Hahahahahahahaha!

I am guessing you are laughing at the irony that you can't even roll down the street without needing full pads...

[enemy combatant]

Whenever I don't pad up I always seem to fall/slide/hammer that part of my anatomy that wasn't protected. Of course a lot of people here would say I shouldn't bother wearing a helmet since I've obviously got nothing to injure there!

[latenite]

pad requirements do stop skaters from going to parks, but i say we let those skaters do what they want and make sure the parks are left safe. we dont want skaters getting hurt in parks

[sk8norcal]

yes, let the skaters make their own decisions...
no need for pad nannies...

besides, you will never get street skaters to wear full pads...

[Moogleluvr]

pad requirements do stop skaters from going to parks, but i say we let those skaters do what they want and make sure the parks are left safe. we dont want skaters getting hurt in parks

As much as I love freedom of choice, I think that pad requirements help save the uninformed from themselves. Kids (~6-13 or whatever), especially, will benefit, because they haven't realized how badly they can hurt themselves without a fall. A majority of us know that we can get hurt, but choose not to wear pads. These kids have no idea- they just want to be cool.

[breamo]

Pads don't prevent anything other than scrapes.

Good post Sk8norcal!


Message sent.

[glideronfreerides]

Pads don't prevent anything other than scrapes.

Good post Sk8norcal!


Message sent.

really? don't they help to prevent trauma injuries to the knees and elbows? nerve damage, torn cartilage, broken bones and the like?

[Dizi]

Maybe, if we ever adopt universal healthcare. Until then, its not like I want to help pay for even more dumbasses emergency room visits.

[Blix]

really? don't they help to prevent trauma injuries to the knees and elbows? nerve damage, torn cartilage, broken bones and the like?

Yes they do for sure.