Skateboard ban has potential to save lives

Five years ago, members of the skateboard community in Sandpoint celebrated when they finally had a place to call their own – a concrete skate park.

Last month, the skateboarders of Sandpoint again claimed victory as the City Council voted 4-2 to direct the Sandpoint city attorney to draft an ordinance that lifts a ban on human-powered transportation – with the exception of bicycles and wheelchairs – from navigating through the downtown corridor. The law pertains to the area bordered by First and Fifth avenues and Cedar and Pine streets. Under the new proposal, the sidewalks would still be reserved for pedestrian traffic only.

Councilman Stephen Snedden voted in favor of lifting the ban.

“People are riding long boards all over the downtown already. This is especially true for people going to the City Beach,” said Snedden, adding that while the primary concern is safety, the busiest streets in the downtown core are public highways and protected by state law.

“I support this change because it reflects what is already occurring in our downtown – people are using a variety of modes of transportation. By state law, nonmotorized transportation will be required to have special safety measures if they are riding on the busiest streets in our downtown,” Snedden said.

But Councilwoman Carrie Logan, who voted against lifting the ban, has reservations.

“I am supportive of alternative modes of transportation – skateboards being one of those. My concern is based on what I have seen over the last several years. I see boarders – and bicyclists, for that matter – riding the wrong way on streets,” Logan said. “If there were a concerted educational effort and subsequent enforcement of those rules, I might be more agreeable.”

After the city’s Jeff Jones square first opened, the council amended the Town Square Policy to prohibit the use of human-powered vehicles at the city center. This was in response to the council receiving complaints about the excessive damage inflicted by the skateboards around the square.

But Snedden said that should not be a reason to ban skateboards from downtown.

“I would prefer to give people the greatest amount of freedom and work to address the problems caused by the minority. If we find injury to Jeff Jones Town Square, we can limit the problem by a municipal ordinance prohibiting skateboarding at Jeff Jones square,” Snedden said.

Logan worries about the potential for injuries.

“I am concerned about the ages of those who might be riding in that downtown core. Little ones don’t have the judgment that older riders hopefully would,” Logan said. “The sheer volume and speed of traffic in the downtown core is just too dangerous for the commingling of all these (transportation) modes. I can’t imagine a skateboard versus a cattle truck.”

In December of 2006, pedestrian Mark Carter was struck and killed when crossing Fifth Avenue near Poplar. Now the city has posted signs at that crosswalk to help reduce the likelihood of similar tragedies.

The city should have one more reason to be proactive than reactive when it comes to skateboarders in downtown.

It seems that the majority of residents do not support lifting the ban. On one local Web site, a resident points out the difference between bicycles and skateboards – brakes.

It seems the comments by those on the council who voted in favor of lifting the ban rationalize it by stating that people are already engaging in the activity.

Does this mean if all the kids in school are engaging in a certain activity we should push for its legalization? That’s not the method of reasoning I wish the elected officials of my city to engage in.

So what will it take for the council to reconsider the recent decision to lift the ban on human-powered modes of transportation in the downtown core? I pray it will not take the death of a young skateboarder to make the council realize the potential for tragedy. Laws are made to protect. I would like to see this ban stay in place and do just that.