Tag: skateboarding

By Caleb Hutton

Bellingham police want to warn longboarders they’re breaking the law by speedily riding down the residential streets of Alabama Hill.

Police spokesman Mark Young says on some days, more than 20 skateboarders gather at the top of Illinois Lane, near the intersection with Crestline Drive, then coast to the bottom of the hill, barreling through stop signs and causing “all sorts of traffic problems.”

So officers will be doing extra patrols in the area.

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The skateboarders are breaking city laws and eventually, Young said, they might break one-too-many laws of physics and wind up in a fatal crash.

“It never ends well for the skateboarder,” Young said.

Riding a skateboard down the middle of the street in Bellingham can lead to an $87 ticket. That said, it’s legal for people to skateboard on the sidewalk in residential areas, so long as they’re not causing problems.

Here’s the relevant city law.

11.15.020 – USE OF COASTERS, ROLLER SKATES, ROLLERBLADES AND SIMILAR DEVICES RESTRICTED

A. No person upon roller skates, rollerblades, or riding in or by means of any coaster, skateboard, toy vehicles, or similar device, shall go upon any roadway except while crossing a street on a crosswalk; and when so crossing, such person shall be granted all of the rights and shall be subject to all of the duties applicable to pedestrians.

B. Any person using such a device shall exercise due care and caution to avoid hindering, delaying, or endangering pedestrians using ways normally open to pedestrian traffic.