Police remind ‘riders’ about rules of road

NEWS/ POLICE — Spring brings a stern warning from RCMP to skateboard and longboard riders: Respect the City bylaw or face fines and confiscation of their boards.

Cpl. Cheryl Bush said today police have been receiving complaints about riders on local streets, probably as a result of warmer weather conducive to the sport.

“From a police perspective, we would just like to remind them that there are parameters within the City bylaw within which they must operate,” Bush said.

The bylaw, which specifies where riding is not permitted, applies equally to in-line skaters and scooters. Specifically, they are not allowed to ride on arterial roads or in the designated downtown and North Shore business areas (Tranquille corridor).

In general, they are not allowed to impede or interfere with traffic, ride on private property without permission or on steep grades and sidewalks. Fines can range from $25 to as high as $2,000. Boards can be confiscated for up to two months and held until payment of an additional $25 impoundment fee.

Patrick Mutrie, a pro rider who also teaches the sport, stressed the need for safety consciousness among drivers as well as riders. He said riders tend to get ticketed most in the downtown area, but rigid enforcement is not a significant issue in the riding community.

The City has tentative plans to construct a longboard park with the aim of encouraging off-road riding instead. Mutrie said such a facility would attract young riders but not those who use their boards for commuting.

“People who use it to get around will still use it to get around,” Mutrie said.

He was one of the founders of the Kamloops Longboarding Club, which strives to promote safe riding. They do so when they gather every Thursday at 5 p.m. on Boundary Road and it has made a difference, he said.

“I would think so. A lot more people are wearing helmets now.”