Local Public Park Regulations - Skatepark

[lmsappr]

In California-
I have twin boys who are 3.5 years old. One is now very interested in riding his bicycle at the local skatepark and the other his scooter. However the "Skatepark Rules" list states no Bicycles or Razor Scooters. I simply want fair and equal access for people using the park for its intended purpose. Stunt and trick riding.
Is there any legal grounds that I can use to demand access to a public park that my taxes have likely helped fund?
As of right now, riding there is a "Ticketable" offense for $300+, yet riding without protection is on the same list as the no bicycles rule and those tickets don't seem to be being given out much if at all.

Revisions to CA Gov. Code Sec 831.7 includes Bicycle riding and jumping in the hazardous activities list, and I am assuming this was the major stumbling block in the past.

Please help me and my kids ride legally and in a place designed for what we are doing.
Thank you for your time.What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)?

 

[CdwJava]

In California-
I have twin boys who are 3.5 years old. One is now very interested in riding his bicycle at the local skatepark and the other his scooter. However the "Skatepark Rules" list states no Bicycles or Razor Scooters. I simply want fair and equal access for people using the park for its intended purpose. Stunt and trick riding.
Is there any legal grounds that I can use to demand access to a public park that my taxes have likely helped fund?
As of right now, riding there is a "Ticketable" offense for $300+, yet riding without protection is on the same list as the no bicycles rule and those tickets don't seem to be being given out much if at all.

Revisions to CA Gov. Code Sec 831.7 includes Bicycle riding and jumping in the hazardous activities list, and I am assuming this was the major stumbling block in the past.

Please help me and my kids ride legally and in a place designed for what we are doing.
Thank you for your time.What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)?

You cannot force the city to allow your kids access. You can lobby the city council, the city manager, or whomever is responsible for the ordinances governing the use of the skate park to see if they will permit some form of bicycle or scooter riding.

Enforcement of current rules is a political decision and not a mandate. Many times, municipalities will not enforce the local ordinances governing pads and helmets in a skate park because it can be cited to establish a special relationship (or so I have been told by the city attorneys) and thus potentially increase the liability of the city should injury occur.

I do not know of a city that is going to be easily convinced that allowing bicycles in with skateboards is a good idea! There are enough dangers in those concrete bows without adding bicycles ripping all over the place, too.

So, if you want to change the rules, you and some like-minded residents need to lobby the city government for a change.

 

[cyjeff]

Just so you know... the chances of you closing down the skatepark so that your 3 year old boys can ride their bikes are very slim.

That is a place set aside for the skateboarders... and your sons would be at risk riding there.... skateboarders have ... um... control issues.

That is why the place was set aside. All the skateboarders are not going to stop skating because you are there...

Find someplace else.

 

[lmsappr]

Closing down the skatepark so my kids, and many other peoples kids can ride isn't the idea. It's exactly the opposite of the idea. The children at the parks are almost always civil and sharing park access is what this is about. It's not about segregating kids into the sports of their preference. There are many public parks across the united states that allow equal access to Bicycles and Skateboards. None of these parks have been "Since shut down" due to safety issues with the two disciplines mixing.
Perhaps there are some resources for information for me out there on successfully presenting an idea to city council that you can refer me to? Something akin to "City Hall for Dummies".
Thanks for your time.

*Edit*
Finding someplace else includes driving anywhere from 20-100 miles and only having set times for 5%-10% of the week. Or riding on private property posted no riding. There is definitive blind ignorance to this portion of bicycles riding that has gone on far too long. I feel it's time for it to end.
As to safety... Bicycles have brakes, Skateboards do not. Bicycle riders often wear pads more consistently. In terms of physical injury, I see skateboard and scooter and roller skate injuries far more often than I see Bicycle injuries.

 

[CdwJava]

If you can make a compelling argument to the local city government, then do so. Understand that most city governments I know of are smacking themselves in the forehead for even allowing skate parks to be built over the last couple of decades because of the liability and maintenance issues involved. Some cities are closing them for those reasons. You will have a hard time convincing them to open them up for bicycles so that they can further increase their potential liability. But, maybe you can. Perhaps have a time set aside (a time of day, days of the week, etc.) where bikes can use the park without skateboards ... who knows? That is the sort of ordinance being proposed in my town ... though the police are against it, and so is the city attorney, there is at least one council person who is amenable to the idea.

As for a primer on how to approach city government, I don't know of any. But, if the only advocate for this is you, it won't matter because it won't work. Your best bet is to get other parents involved who think as you do and then together you can wade through these waters.

My children rode their bikes at a local school, on a cul-de-sac around the corner, in front of the house, etc. I did not need my pre-schoolers riding up and down and doing tricks at the skate park for them to learn to ride a bike safely.

 

[cyjeff]

If you can make a compelling argument to the local city government, then do so. Understand that most city governments I know of are smacking themselves in the forehead for even allowing skate parks to be built over the last couple of decades because of the liability and maintenance issues involved. Some cities are closing them for those reasons. You will have a hard time convincing them to open them up for bicycles so that they can further increase their potential liability. But, maybe you can. Perhaps have a time set aside (a time of day, days of the week, etc.) where bikes can use the park without skateboards ... who knows? That is the sort of ordinance being proposed in my town ... though the police are against it, and so is the city attorney, there is at least one council person who is amenable to the idea.

As for a primer on how to approach city government, I don't know of any. But, if the only advocate for this is you, it won't matter because it won't work. Your best bet is to get other parents involved who think as you do and then together you can wade through these waters.

My children rode their bikes at a local school, on a cul-de-sac around the corner, in front of the house, etc. I did not need my pre-schoolers riding up and down and doing tricks at the skate park for them to learn to ride a bike safely.

So you are saying your kids weren't trying out for the X games at 3?

 

[CdwJava]

So you are saying your kids weren't trying out for the X games at 3?

Only one of my sons ... he is the one child that would answer, 'Yeah!" to the proverbial question, "If your friend jumped off a cliff, would you?"

We spent so much on bikes for him over the years that the guys at the bike shop (in another city) knew us by name! Heck, if they had a gold card, we'd have it!

But NEVER at the skate park! And, as a note, my youngest son got his head clocked and an elbow cracked when a bike making a jump in the skate park tagged the top of his helmet with a rear tire (he was trying to skate). It was not intentional, but such accidents are not uncommon when you try to mix the two.

 

[justalayman]

I simply want fair and equal access for people using the park for its intended purpose. Stunt and trick riding.

the intended purpose for the park would be stunt and trick riding of skateboards.

so, if you want fair and equal access to the park, get the boys some skateboards.

 

[ecmst12]

Bikes and scooters would pose a danger to the SKATEBOARDERS who are the park's intended users. Which is why they are not allowed. If you want a place for bikers and scooter-riders to practice tricks, then open your own park for them.

 

[stealth2]

What ever happened to 3yo's riding their bikes in front of their own homes?

 

[Zigner]

What ever happened to 3yo's riding their bikes in front of their own homes?

Perish the thought!