skateboarding is a CRIME..

[skategeezer]

Skateboarder jailed after refusing to pay fine

Last Updated: Wednesday, May 14, 2008 | 2:11 PM AT Comments86Recommend98

CBC News


Skateboarder Lee Breen is preparing to spend five days in jail after refusing to pay a fine for skateboarding on the streets of Fredericton. (CBC)A Fredericton man who refused to pay a fine for skateboarding on city streets has been taken into custody and will be sent to jail.
Lee Breen, 25, was fined in the summer of 2007 after receiving several warnings.
After not paying the initial $50 fine, it was increased to $100. A judge then ordered him in April to pay the fine or be sent to jail for five days.
Breen opted not to pay the fine to Fredericton bylaw S-9, which is to "prevent nuisances" and prohibits people from using a sled, toboggan, wagon or skateboard on city streets.
Breen turned himself in at the Fredericton provincial courthouse on Wednesday, where a judge signed a warrant for his arrest, and he was taken into custody by deputies. He is expected to be transported to the Saint John Regional Correctional Centre on Wednesday afternoon. It is not yet clear if he will have to serve the full five days.
About 80 people rallied outside the courthouse while Breen was taken into custody. Police had earlier provided an escort while the protesters skateboarded and walked around a city block to show their support for Breen.
Safety cited for ban

Skateboarding on streets is a safety issue, said Wayne Knorr, spokesman for the City of Fredericton.
"When you put individuals like that into traffic, you create safety problems, and when you are backing up traffic and preventing them from making their turns, then you are creating a nuisance along the street," Knorr said.
But Breen said he takes precautions while skateboarding by wearing a helmet, avoiding sidewalks and making hand signals.
When the proper precautions are taken, riding a skateboard is no more dangerous than riding a bike in the city, which is allowed, Breen said.
Riding a skateboard is also an environmentally friendly way to commute, he said, adding he strives to maintain a green lifestyle.
Lee Breen says he takes safety precautions while skateboarding and that it is an environmentally friendly mode of transportation. (CBC)Breen operates a zero-emission lawn-care service that uses a reel lawnmower, hand clippers and organic compost.
Fredericton is trying to maintain a greener lifestyle in its Green Matters campaign. Part of the effort includes encouraging people to find greener ways to commute.
"I'm trying to point out that the City of Fredericton is contradicting itself," Breen said. It would cut down on emissions if more people travelled by skateboard, he said, adding the city should scrap its bylaw.

[TylertheSquint]

that sucks

[WeekendxCarver]

Good for him fight the system they are so ####ed by giving him a ticket for riding a board

[Trygve]

haha stupid city

[Fishguy]

Somebody should make that guy a t-shirt...

"skateboarding is a CRIME!"



Good luck dude.

[mc99david]

i think im still more of the school of "keep skateboarding a crime" its just better that way, keeps us from losing our edge imo.. though im beginning to be more torn as to if i really believe that now or not

[roflsore]

"nuisance." Such bullshit when laws are written like that. It really leaves it up to the cops/law to interpret it however they see fit.

[SBskagod]

thats bullshit, he is doing the right thing by not driving a f-ing car when gas is gonna be 4 dollars a gallon. He isnt creating safty problems, cars releasing poison gas's are. And bikers are constently in the road and its the same thing as longboarding.. thats rediculous that he is put in jail, god the world is ####ed up.. FREE BREEN!!!!!

[CasterTown]

Did anyone notice that he violated law "S9"?

Someone please make a conspiracy documentary about this.

[roflsore]

Did anyone notice that he violated law "S9"?

Someone please make a conspiracy documentary about this.

I saw that too, thought it was going to be some sort of "april fools! hahaha you fell for THAT one sucker!" I wonder what kind of board he was riding though.

[endzone_bob]

Free Lee Breen!

[Oslodunc]

Good to know these damn dangerous guys on their boards are getting the punishment they deserve!
Now we can continue to drive whilst talking, texting on our mobiles and pumping #### into the atmosphere without the fear of these people causing accidents!

[skategeezer]

i pointed that s-9 thing out to the folks at Sector 9...hilarious!

[GreatWhiteFlash]

In Colorado it's only an $18.60 fine... and that was for skating on a highway.

[TylertheSquint]

a highway?

[Jessmo]

While I don't exactly agree with the guy's method, I do completely agree that the by-law is arcane, and needs to be updated. If the guy had been on a bike instead of a longboard, this would be a total non-issue. Give longboards the same rights as bikes in Fredericton. I skate to and from work every day, and since I have to go past the community police station, I run the risk of being fined every day, since I am technically not allowed on either the road or the sidewalk.

The biggest problem for skaters in Fredericton, aside from arcane by-laws, is the quality of the sidewalks. It's illegal for us to skate on the road, but it's downright dangerous to skate on the sidewalk. Cracked, uneven, full of grass tufts...wipe out there and you're taking everyone around you down too, rather than simply cruising smoothly with the bikes on the edge of the streets.

The point of this rant is that the by-law desperately needs to be updated. Either let us ride on the road, or make it safe for us to use the sidewalks. I'm tired of being worried every time i go out that I'm going to get hit with a $50 fine. If the city would work with the skating population, these problems could be avoided.

[chrismcb]

"nuisance." Such bullshit when laws are written like that. It really leaves it up to the cops/law to interpret it however they see fit.

Well the law is pretty explicit:

"No person shall coast or slide on a sled,
toboggan, wagon, skateboard or other
device on a street in the City."

I don't know if you can interpret it any other way.

[RothToAnExtent]

Under Albertan law down here, longboards are legally considered bikes (quadricycles to be exact). Drivers have to share the road.

[Fishtale Boards]

Under Albertan law down here, longboards are legally considered bikes (quadricycles to be exact). Drivers have to share the road.

I think that is pretty common for a lot of places, i know in my county you can ride but once you get into a certain district (which is impossible to define, my friend tried to get the police to tell him where the limits are when he got stopped and they wouldnt tell him) you are no longer to skate. Its more of a law to protect businesses' curbs rather than safety.

[SweetCatarina]

It's an absolutely idiotic law & whoever made this a law needs to have his balls gnawed off by a rabid wolverine.