Go Skateboarding Day 2010 - Some Tips

I won't go into the mess that was the last year in terms of go skateboarding day, but it seems to be kinda quiet this year. I won't be able to do much this year, so here's some advice to keep in mind:

• 1. Despite the rumors, no, you can not skateboard at Dilworth Plaza, LOVE Park, or the Municipal Services building on Go Skate! Day. They didn't change the law, they didn't give out permits... don't bother.
  
  
• 2. If you are confronted by an officer, be as polite as possible if they are trying to be polite as well. If they immediately start hassling you, ask yourself A) Am I skating in a place where I know its illegal and B) Do they have a point? If you're able to, simply speak in a calm matter and co-operate. If they become abusive or start by using force despite the fact you are not doing anything to warrant it, REPORT IT! Get a badge number, post it on a blog... get the word out about them! Simply fearing retaliation will do nothing more than allow it to continue!
  
  
• 3. Try to hit the legal places, like FDR Park on Broad and Delaware Avenue. The best way to get there is to take the Broad Street Subway to the end of the line (Pattison Ave) and keep going South. You can't miss it. There's also "5-Block" off Broad and Girard. Trust me, you can't miss it. Just listen and look for a ton of skateboarders.
  
  
• 4. Make sure you always carry a copy of the actual law, §10-610. Skateboarding, Rollerblading and Bicycling on Public Property! If any officer says your breaking the law and you know you're in the right, take this out. It states, and I quote, skateboarding is allowed on "public roads, highways, bicycle and/or skateboard paths, or sidewalks abutting private property....... Recreation Department facilities, which facilities shall be subject to the rules and regulations of the Recreation Department." So if you get hassled for skateboarding on the sidewalk, you're in the right!

Got it? Good!

Have fun and stay safe out there!


EDITORS NOTE: Recent visitors of this article include: North Penn School District and City of Philadelphia. HI THERE!!! :D

Sitting on the Sidewalk is Against the LAW!: Why Skateboarders Rights Also Effect You

As you may have seen in the comments section of my post, "NO Skateboarding Day 2009", it was pointed out that, to a degree... the officer was right. Damn.

Its incredible confusing to explain, so I'll state this as easily as possible.

For starters, there is a section of the law called §10-611. Sidewalk Behavior.

The question I'm posing, and many will, is does this supersede the law stated in 10-610, which basically contradicts this in terms of rights for skateboarders?

But I'm getting ahead of myself. If you clicked that link, you head, more likely than not, is now spinning and it hurts like hell. If you start reading it, you realize that this law prohibits... well, pretty much everything.

Here's what applies to everyone:

(a) The following provisions shall apply city-wide: Subsections (2)(a), relating to parking a motorized vehicle on the sidewalk; (2)(b), relating to gambling on the sidewalk; (2)(f), relating to unlicensed sale of goods or services on the sidewalk; (2)(i), relating to the sale of goods or services, or solicitation of funds, on the highway; (2)(j), relating to displaying for sale objectionable material; (2)(l), relating to unreasonable obstructions on the sidewalk; (5)(a), relating to honor boxes on the sidewalk without a permit; (5)(b), relating to littering on the sidewalk; (5)(c), relating to excessive noise on the sidewalk; (6)(a), relating to owner/occupier of private property keeping the sidewalk clear of litter and obstructions; and (6)(b), relating to owner/occupier of private property keeping the sidewalk in good repair.

Or, in short, you can't do the following on the sidewalk: Park your car, gamble, sell things without a permit, panhandle on the highway, display objectionable material, create an "unreasonable obstruction", you need a permit for an honor box, litter, make excessive noise, and if you own property, keep the sidewalk in good shape.

Make sense? Good!

OK, here is behavior that is prohibited in certain areas:

(b) The following provisions shall apply only in the zones designated by Council: (2)(c), relating to riding a bicycle on the sidewalk; (2)(d), relating to riding a scooter, roller skates or skateboard on the sidewalk; (2)(e), relating to loading or unloading a commercial vehicle on the sidewalk; (2)(g), relating to lying on the sidewalk; (2)(h), relating to sitting on the sidewalk; (2)(k), relating to unlicensed placement of any bench, planter, fixture or street furniture on the sidewalk; (2)(m), relating to unattended belongings on the sidewalk; (2)(n), relating to unrestrained animals on the sidewalk; (4)(a), (b) and (c), relating to aggressive solicitation; and (6)(c), relating to owner of take-out restaurants care of trash receptacles on the sidewalk.^[98]

Confused? Me to. It says that the following applies to riding your bike, scooter, skateboard, or roller skates on the sidewalk, commercial vehicles, unlicensed fixtures on the sidewalk, animals, and solicitation. Oh, and sitting and lying on the sidewalk. It also deals with aggressive panhandlers.

Now, the next part of the law deals with the locations. It is the single most confusing thing for a lay-person to try and understand. It takes a while, but if you dissect it, it makes sense. I'm not going to go through the entire thing right now since the purpose of this is to deal with it in relation to Center City. The reason I'm doing that is because it effects the most people.

So, in terms of Center City, the following areas are covered:

• The area bounded by the north side of Vine street on the north, the west side of Broad street on the east, the south side of Lombard street on the south, and the Schuylkill River on the west.
  
  
• Broad street, from the south side of City Hall-South to the Philadelphia Naval Business Center.
  
  
• South street, from the west side of Broad street to the Schuylkill River.
  
  
• The First Councilmanic District.

Now, the last part is where it also gets confusing. The First Council District covers... well, everything east of Broad Street, from Spring Garden all the way down to Oregon Avenue. Amazing. Amazing dumb.

Even more so? Here's three maps. The first is based on the initial wording.



OK, west of City Hall. That stinks, but OK, there's still the east side....



Oh, wait. When we pull out, we see that the 1st Council District makes even the East Side illegal. And not just in Center City. No. Its worse than that!



Yep. From (and I'm being nice here!) Vine Street down to South Philly, all the way to the SHORE, according to this inane, confusing, idiotic law, YOU CAN NOT DO ANYTHING ON THE SIDEWALK!


Let me guess, your chuckling to yourself right now. "Well, I guess those skateboarders and cyclists are going to have to realize now that their little 'hero' here just helped everyone else get them busted!" Well, guess what? This law basically applies to more things than you can imagine! For starters, do you ever sit on the sidewalk? You know, you get tired, no where to sit, you're tired... you sit on the sidewalk. Well, you're breaking the law!

Homeless people who bug you for change? Illegal! Ever walk in a group of people and block the sidewalk? Illegal! If they enforced that one, I think the tourists would get mad! "What do you mean our group of 20 people are getting tickets for obstructing the sidewalk?! We're trying to look at the Liberty Bell!"

Or how about people on Market Street who like to make as much noise as possible to raise money for their marching band? Or the 12 Tribes of Israel group that like to use a loud speaker to spread their hate? Illegal acts all!

So, to clarify, you can't do the following in most of the city:

• (2) Obstructing the Sidewalk Prohibited. No person shall:
  
  
• (a) Park any motorized vehicle on the public sidewalk.
  
  
• (b) Conduct any gambling or other games of chance on the public sidewalk.
  
  
• (c) Ride a bicycle upon any public sidewalk.
  
  
• (d) Ride a scooter, roller skates or skateboard on any public sidewalk.
  
  
• (e) Obstruct the public sidewalk while loading or unloading a commercial or other vehicle, except as shall be necessary for the safe and expeditious loading or unloading of such vehicle.
  
  
• (f) Sell or offer for sale any goods, wares or services on the public sidewalk, without a license from the Department of Licenses and Inspections pursuant to Chapter 9-200.
  
  
• (g) Lie on the public sidewalk, or on any object placed on the public sidewalk.
  
  
• (h) Sit on the public sidewalk, or on any object placed on the public sidewalk, for more than one hour in any two hour time period.
  
  
• (i) Sell or offer for sale any goods, wares or services, or solicit funds for any purpose, in or on the public highway, except for licensed vendors

In terms of skateboarders, its even crazier! The law literally forbids riding your skateboard to the ONLY skate park in Philadelphia, FDR Park! It states you can't skateboard on Broad Street towards the Philadelphia Naval Business Center, which is on the coast, and past the skate park!

Did anyone use their brain when they came up with this?! Was FDR Park not THERE when they created this? Why didn't they modify it up to there?! On top of all that, isn't it safe to say that this also makes having a legal skateboarding business in the heart of the most busy area of Philadelphia next to impossible?! Nocturnal and Bainbridge Skate Shop are the last two skateboard shops standing down there, with Subzero forced out and forced to move north.

Skateboarders have a distinct disadvantage to these inane laws that others who wish to enjoy the "prohibited activities" don't; and otherwise legal right. Center City has the best sidewalks, the nicest areas, and is one of the safest plays to skateboard in Philadelphia. Skateboarders are, to this extent, allowed to skateboard on the street.... which is as dangerous as you can imagine. Have you ever tried skateboarding down Market Street at 3PM? Or even at 8PM? It isn't easy!

City Paper did an article recently about cyclists in Philadelphia, and just how much cycling is a benefit to the city. Skateboarding, for me, is the same. I can't do tricks. I wish I could... I can't. I've been doing this for 12 years, I've been riding on Market Street with ease since 2002 with only 2 actual problems of me running into someone (by accident, completely forgiven, everyone was fine). Its great to get around with, and until Sunday, I've never had a problem and police officers have always been nice to me and let me by. Why? Because I'm kind, courteous, and I watch out for what I'm doing! And most skateboarders are the same way as well.

At the same time, cyclists, for example, are also participating in a legal activity as well that tends to be more dangerous than skateboarding for both themselves and others. They have to stay alert, attentive, and courteous. To their advantage, they can attain and maintain a decent speed that skateboarders can not. Cyclists are given a respect that skateboarders only dream of, and while the same laws apply to them as they do to skateboarders, Philadelphia is more welcoming and, more than anything, TOLERANT of their illegal behavior. My story yesterday is testament to that.

So this law effects more than simply skateboarders; it effects all of us who wish to do otherwise legal activities.

But, as I said at the start, does this circumvent §10-610. Skateboarding, Rollerblading and Bicycling on Public Property? The law is specifically geared towards skateboarders and was passed in 2000. If "Public Property" doesn't apply to, of all things, sidewalks, does that then mean that this law is, in the end, moot? Does this make skateboarding, in essence, illegal in 70% of Philadelphia?!

Like I said, this is incredibly confusing and makes little, if any, sense! So are you still laughing at the skateboarders and claiming it doesn't effect you?

Coming soon, I'll explore what alternatives this leaves for teenagers who want to enjoy this legal and healthy activity, the effects on society, and what it means to your tax dollars. Trust me, you will care.

EDIT: Haveboard pointed out a correction: Bainbridge Skateshop is on the same location that Skatenerd's Minnow was. Bainbridge Skateshop is Elite's new name. Exit and Nocturnal are the two other shops in Philly.

NO Skateboarding Day 2009: The Laws Do Not Apply!

My heart was already beating out of my chest when I got to the stairs.

The plan was incredibly simple: Take the subway to City Hall, go up the stairs, and head to Love Park, skateboard in hand. Give the deck to someone to hold on to while I go and give a brief speech, reminding all the skateboarders of the simple rules and laws, that they can't skate here, but the sidewalks were legally allowed to us. To wear my stuff shirt and tie and show my self as still one of them.

My heart was racing although I knew all would be fine.

Then I saw them, two officers almost waiting to greet me as the skies remained gray above. They wore bright blue shirts and were not happy at my arrival. It was 10:58 AM and from a quick look around... no one was around. An odd sight for Go Skateboarding Day in Philadelphia, very odd indeed. "You know you can't skate here?," the officer asked while making the statement. I knew it very well. Dilworth Plaza has been off limit to skateboarders for years, and I was fine with that.

"I know, " I said, already feeling my lips tremor a little, not very easy though knowing I'm in the right. "Skateboarding is banned here, LOVE Park, and the Municipal Services building-"

"And the sidewalk and anywhere else in Center City."

"Um.... no? I have a copy of the law stating sidewalks are fine with me."

"Look, if we catch you, it's a $1000 fine, you loose your board, and you go to jail! I've already got 10 skateboards in my trunk! Now I'm giving you a warning!"

The other officer stood there, loosing his patience as I tried to calmly explain that... well, they were wrong. Its always an odd spot to be in, and you rarely ever win. But I had the law on my side, and a copy on my cellphone... that was getting increasingly hard to get to. As I tried to reason, the other officer took out his citation pad, ready to give me a ticket for doing nothing more than stating my case.

"Are you filming this? Go ahead, I don't care! Get my badge number, too!"
"I'm not filming you."
"Yeah, of course your not!"

While this was happening, a woman on a bicycle began to ride up towards the plaza and continued onto the plaza. "Well, aren't you going to arrest her? She's breaking the law!" "No."
"Why not?" "Because bicyclist... bicyclists don't go around jumping everywhere and damaging property." Anyone will tell you that... no, that isn't the truth. Anyone will also tell you that this was discrimination and selective enforcement of the law. A law that clearly reads on a sign that skateboarders, scooters, and bicyclists are banned from riding Dilworth Plaza, but I'm being targeted for simply walking peacefully? For getting ready to skateboard within the law?

I took a deep breath and tried to find the law. I couldn't, and I was just getting frustrated. I left the steps, crossed the street, and wrote down his badge number in my book. I will be reporting him to his officer.

The rest of the day was a proverbial washout. Officers surrounded LOVE Park, showing very little of it for skateboarders, and the Municipal Services Building was as well. Other skateboarders arrived to enjoy the day... but to no avail. I took photos, did interviews, talked to people, and spent the entire day doing that.

Talking to some skaters outside the 7-Eleven across LOVE Park, we talked a bit and soon 4 Red Bull cars pulled up. We knew what this meant: FREE RED BULL!!! We all ran over to get a free soda and the ladies organized a skateboarding contest. The police permitted it to happen, and a lot of fun was had by all!

I walked back over to Dilworth Plaza to talk to some people when I ran into someone I knew who was also taking photos. We soon headed up to "3 Block", a famous local skate spot, and taking a ton of photos there of local skaters. A quick trip to McDonalds and I was on my way back to Center City.

It was now 2PM and the area was still empty. Sporadic skateboarders here and there, while the Eastern Side of City Hall on Market Street was home to those who chose to enjoy the day unhindered. By 3:30PM, I had had my fill of not being able to enjoy what I legally should have been allowed to and headed home. Of course, this was right after taking some awesome photos at the Criminal Justice Center. Oh, the irony of it all!

Meanwhile, the entire day also consisted of being harangued by homeless people and drug addicts for change everywhere, and of people questioning why, exactly, skateboarders were being harangued.

I could go on and on about how things like this detract from the image of the city. I could go on and on about how much money skateboarding brings to Philadelphia, or would if enforcement of the law wasn't as biased. I could go on, even, about the simple fact that the office who spoke to me was wrong and that the most I would be fine would only be $300 as well as confiscation of the board, with actually being sent to jail being a last resort. I could go on and on about all of this.

Today... today I won't. Instead, I will simply sit and wait. I've got a long article to write about skateboarding in Philadelphia.

For now, though, lets focus on those who did get to enjoy this beautiful day! I have photos of people making the most of it and pulling off some simply incredible and wonderful tricks!



Check out the full set on Flickr!