Skateboarding has been growing for decades, and you wanted know what rights skateboarders have and where can they ride in the U.P.
MARQUETTE -- Most cities in the U.P. have ordinances stating where people can not skateboard, generally business districts.
Since there are few skate parks in the U.P., most skaters are forced to use city streets.
Some of you asked, "what does it hurt?" The simple answer is property damage and liability.
"The biggest problem we're having is damage to property. Business owners get some property damage, and then they are out financially because they have to fix it, and they frown upon that," says Marquette City Patrolman Doug Heslip.
However, most in the skating community insist they are obeying the laws and that the relationship between skateboarders and their communities is getting better.
"There were a lot of kids complaining about getting tickets and about getting their boards taken away and things like that in the last couple years. I don't feel that we've seen quite as big of an issue with it. I think the cops have mellowed out a little bit, and I think the kids generally know where they can and can't be," says Andy Jones, co-owner of Casualties.
The penalty in most cities in the U.P. is a warning and possible confiscation of your board, with fines for further violations.
For more information on the laws in your town, contact your local law enforcement office.
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