Safety Concerns Cited : City Moves to Regulate Skateboarding

Over the objections of scores of skateboarders who feel they’re being unfairly singled out, the San Diego City Council on Monday decided to seek authority from the state to regulate skateboarding throughout the city.

Councilman Mike Gotch initiated the action in hopes of keeping skateboarders off Ocean Boulevard, where he says they have been damaging city property, and limiting their access on the boardwalk along Mission Beach.

Gotch and other council members said they were concerned about the safety of skateboarders and pedestrians along the boardwalk, where joggers, roller skaters, bicyclists and tourists add to the confusion.

But the skateboarders who showed up to voice their objections to regulating skateboards--and who waited more than four hours to be heard--said the council members’ concerns are misplaced.

“They’re saying skateboards are dangerous and they’re destroying public property. Our response is that skateboards are no more dangerous than bicycles or scooters, “ said Jamie Mosberg, 23, a professional skateboarder from San Diego. “Some bicyclist going 30 m.p.h. not paying attention is just as dangerous as skateboards.”

Mosberg noted that the last skateboard park in the San Diego area closed several weeks ago, so people who want to skateboard have few places to go.

A Sport for Kids

He added that skateboarding as a sport can keep kids out of trouble because it gives them something to do. “Take away skateboarding from the kids and they’re going to be out smoking pot in the alleys,” he said.

Several people said they use their skateboards as their primary mode of transportation. Tim Rodriguez, 21, of Chula Vista, told the council he skateboards to work and just about anywhere else he needs to go because he can’t afford to buy a car.

About 100 skateboarders showed up for the public hearing, but their numbers dwindled as the council plowed through other business. Finally, when the council reached the skateboarding resolution, about three dozen skateboarders and their supporters entered the council chambers to express concern that restrictions on skateboarding in one area would lead to a citywide ban on skateboarding.

The council voted unanimously to seek the authority to regulate skateboards, but it also decided to set up a task force which would include skateboarders to study how and if skateboarding should be curbed.

Peter Dingsdale, the only person who spoke at the public hearing in favor of seeking authority to regulate skateboarding, said the skateboarding noise outside his home is “awesome. That noise goes on all day and all night.”

Dingsdale also complained that the skateboarders are a menace.

“I submit that the problem with skateboarding is not skateboarders per se, but that all skateboarders wish to become acrobats,” he said, referring to the flips and stunts many skateboarders perform.