Detroit Council to consider crackdown on skateboarders

**JBMcB** · February-22-12, 12:18 PM

Originally Posted by mam2009

If the Council didn't take the time to discuss citizen concerns, they would be accused of not listening to the people.

Here's how the meeting should have gone:

"There are concerns over skateboarders in the city."
"Is there currently legislation covering this?"
"Yes"
"Tell the police to enforce the existing laws, and we'll revisit this later. Now, back to trying to fix the enormous fiscal problems that threaten to destroy the city..."

Any more time than that is a waste.

Buy American · February-22-12, 03:22 PM

Originally Posted by JBMcB

Here's how the meeting should have gone:

"There are concerns over skateboarders in the city."
"Is there currently legislation covering this?"
"Yes"
"Tell the police to enforce the existing laws, and we'll revisit this later. Now, back to trying to fix the enormous fiscal problems that threaten to destroy the city..."

Any more time than that is a waste.

Here, here!

**mam2009** · February-22-12, 07:50 PM

Originally Posted by JBMcB

Here's how the meeting should have gone:

"There are concerns over skateboarders in the city."
"Is there currently legislation covering this?"
"Yes"
"Tell the police to enforce the existing laws, and we'll revisit this later. Now, back to trying to fix the enormous fiscal problems that threaten to destroy the city..."

Any more time than that is a waste.

If it were, indeed, that simple, there wouldn't be thousands of places around the country and probably hundreds in the state of michigan that ban skateboards, bicycles, roller skates, etc.

GUSHI · February-22-12, 08:17 PM

Skateboarders not allowed, guns welcome, the downward spiral of the motor city continues.

SteveJ · February-22-12, 10:36 PM

You just can't make this stuff up

**KJ5** · February-24-12, 12:07 AM

They need to start crackin down on the disabled motorized scooter riders. Those people are a menace and need to be stopped..

**DetroitPlanner** · February-24-12, 09:29 AM

Originally Posted by bailey

Pretty disingenuous posts from many of you that continually post screeds about how detroit should implement a "broken windows campaign" and go after the petty stuff because of the theory that if you stop the petty stuff, that somehow stops the escalation of worse crimes.

So, they go and try to stop the petty stuff...and then you all bitch about how unfair it is.

Clearly many of you have no problem with bored suburban teens having free reign to shit all over the city with their destructive, entitled behavior that would not for one second be tolerated where they live.

Ding Ding we have a winner! This is a broken windows issue. Granted I would have rather seen them focus on actual broken windows or unmowed grass.....

I also second Gannon, normally I could care less, but when they are destroying important landmarks or thier shredding causes damage to walls along the Riverwalk I get dammed angry about it.

**rex** · February-24-12, 09:56 AM

Originally Posted by jt1

but there is nothing wrong with putting this ordinance on the books given the amount of things that boarders have destroyed.

damaging how? a bit of wax on some ledges? chipping paint off some handrails. It isn't even petty crime. Its skateboarding. Hysterical

**Gannon** · February-24-12, 11:24 AM

Originally Posted by KJ5

They need to start crackin down on the disabled motorized scooter riders. Those people are a menace and need to be stopped..

...or sped up. Perhaps they can qualify for higher speed, if a licensing process can include testing of perceptual speed.

Come to think of it...that should be for regular drivers, too.

For 'boarders, it would merely be a test for balance, limberness and agility, respect for public property, and reaction to risk to their existence.

Then we turn that space where Ford Auditorium used to be into a continuation of Hart Plaza, only with everything a seasoned skateboarder would love to ride, slide, glide, and jump...and then let them. We've already got the spectator seating, with the pyramid stage.

The rest of us could patrol the rest of the area with sniper rifles, legally picking off rogues destroying the stuff that breaks and wears with their novel uses and abuses.

Cheers!

**Kevgoblue** · February-24-12, 01:22 PM

Originally Posted by KJ5

They need to start crackin down on the disabled motorized scooter riders. Those people are a menace and need to be stopped..

Not sure if you're being serious here but I find them to be kinda annoying myself. No ill will directed against disabled people. Rather the fact that most of the people who ride the scooters are not disabled, just fat.

**KJ5** · February-25-12, 04:57 AM

Originally Posted by Kevgoblue

Not sure if you're being serious here but I find them to be kinda annoying myself. No ill will directed against disabled people. Rather the fact that most of the people who ride the scooters are not disabled, just fat.

I was bein sarcastic, dude. Just go around them and be thankful you're not obese. Or if you're really resentful at them dangle some KFC coupons just out of their reach.

**ThisIsForTheHeart** · February-25-12, 09:29 AM

Please put this cop in the skateboarding crime unit.

**wolverine** · February-25-12, 12:21 PM

Originally Posted by mam2009

If it were, indeed, that simple, there wouldn't be thousands of places around the country and probably hundreds in the state of michigan that ban skateboards, bicycles, roller skates, etc.

I skateboard and bike as a means of commuting. Disclaimer: I don't linger in plazas or do tricks that put property or other peoples safety in danger.

I've read the laws before traveling to the biggest US cities which turn out to.....surprise!...have the most relaxed laws on skateboarding. Instead of banning it, they regulate it and condition the culture to respect public and private property through enforcement.

I think the only time I was yelled at was for longboarding In the right most lane on Chicago's Michigan Ave. The cop told me to stick to the sidewalks and watch out for peds.

Point is, either way Detroit can't fix the problem. Law or no law, do they have th manpower for enforcement or time to ticket?

**Brian1979** · February-25-12, 05:27 PM

I would have to believe that in a city as dangerous as Detroit that the city council should have better things to do than to crackdown on skateboarders. The city clowncil is a joke and it's the people that are on the clowncil that make it a joke.

**firstandten** · February-25-12, 08:01 PM

Originally Posted by Brian1979

I would have to believe that in a city as dangerous as Detroit that the city council should have better things to do than to crackdown on skateboarders. The city clowncil is a joke and it's the people that are on the clowncil that make it a joke.

I think its time to cut the council some slack. For the most part as a body they have been professional and responsible. For an at-large council this is the best group I've seen in a while.

There are no easy answers to the crime issues in the city. Yet as others has stated there are other quality of life issues that the council needs to address.

The council like the councils and administrations of almost every major U.S. city doesn't have an answer to the crime problem. The solutions require money we don't have, resources we don't have, Ordinances that could be put into place would probably be ruled unconstitutional if there is a court challenge [[see the history of DC and their approach to the crime problem using gun control.)

All of the disrespect, which at this point I don't feel is warranted is a slam on not only the council members , but moreso on the voters of the city.

GUSHI · February-25-12, 08:15 PM

Detroit is f up, it's leaders are f'd up, and so are alot of the residences,

Old man getting beat up and carjacked, little babies getting shot up, and they worried about skateboarders, how about worry about the gangs, murders and Fu Ken drug dealers.

**poobert** · February-25-12, 08:34 PM

Originally Posted by firstandten

I think its time to cut the council some slack. For the most part as a body they have been professional and responsible. For an at-large council this is the best group I've seen in a while.

There are no easy answers to the crime issues in the city. Yet as others has stated there are other quality of life issues that the council needs to address.

The council like the councils and administrations of almost every major U.S. city doesn't have an answer to the crime problem. The solutions require money we don't have, resources we don't have, Ordinances that could be put into place would probably be ruled unconstitutional if there is a court challenge [[see the history of DC and their approach to the crime problem using gun control.)

All of the disrespect, which at this point I don't feel is warranted is a slam on not only the council members , but moreso on the voters of the city.

It is a group of decent people [[aside from JoAnn Watson, the perennial crazy person in the City-County Building's attic). Further, look around at the suburban city councils and in many cases you will have a greater assortment of mixed nuts, yet you NEVER hear anyone bitching about that [[how about those geniuses in Allen Park? And what about Troy and Warren's mayors?) However they are a sadly mediocre group - probably fine neighbors and parents, but woefully ill equipped to deal with a city that is imploding.

Detroiters are idiots? Many are, yes. However, as I've said before, and as I have suspected for most of my life, Janice Daniels being democratically elected is proof positive that Troy is heavily populated by some of the worst people on earth.

Buy American · February-25-12, 09:05 PM

Originally Posted by poobert

It is a group of decent people [[aside from JoAnn Watson, the perennial crazy person in the City-County Building's attic). Further, look around at the suburban city councils and in many cases you will have a greater assortment of mixed nuts, yet you NEVER hear anyone bitching about that [[how about those geniuses in Allen Park? And what about Troy and Warren's mayors?) However they are a sadly mediocre group - probably fine neighbors and parents, but woefully ill equipped to deal with a city that is imploding.

Detroiters are idiots? Many are, yes. However, as I've said before, and as I have suspected for most of my life, Janice Daniels being democratically elected is proof positive that Troy is heavily populated by some of the worst people on earth.

What about Warren's mayor?

**Wheels** · February-25-12, 09:29 PM

Originally Posted by firstandten

I think its time to cut the council some slack. For the most part as a body they have been professional and responsible. For an at-large council this is the best group I've seen in a while.

There are no easy answers to the crime issues in the city. Yet as others has stated there are other quality of life issues that the council needs to address.

The council like the councils and administrations of almost every major U.S. city doesn't have an answer to the crime problem. The solutions require money we don't have, resources we don't have, Ordinances that could be put into place would probably be ruled unconstitutional if there is a court challenge [[see the history of DC and their approach to the crime problem using gun control.)

All of the disrespect, which at this point I don't feel is warranted is a slam on not only the council members , but moreso on the voters of the city.

It will take a long time to get over the stigma of Monica Conyors and Martha Reeves.

I