Skateboards in Bike Lanes

Question

Max asked:  I go to a university and I ride a skateboard everywhere.  Until recently I have always skateboarded in the bike lane because I go just as fast as bicyclists and the sidewalks are packed with people. Police have now started to give us skaters $52.50 tickets when we ride in the bike lane.  I was wondering if and what law states that skateboarding is illegal in bike lanes and why. And also if there was a way to add brakes or some small mechanism to our skateboards that would make it legal to ride them in the bike lanes.  Riding on the sidewalk to not an option and if not fixed this law is going to eliminate all skateboarding at the university.

Answer

The bike lane is part of the roadway.  The roadway is for vehicles.  The use of roller skates or similar devices in the roadway is unlawful.  Adding brakes as you suggest would not change that.
You didn’t indicate the statute that was cited on your ticket, but I assume it was the following:

s. 316.2065 – Bicycle Regulations

(12) No person upon roller skates, or riding in or by means of any coaster, toy vehicle, or similar device, may go upon any roadway except while crossing a street on a crosswalk ….

See this previous post:

http://flbikelaw.org/2010/02/can-pedestrians-use-bicycle-lanes/

There may also be a local ordinance that addresses this.  Check with your school police department.

8 Comments on “Skateboards in Bike Lanes

  1. One of my friends were skateboarding in Duval st. and was pulled over by a law enforcement official. I’ve always heard it was frowned upon to skate in key west especially in town but is there a specific law or statute making it unlawful to skate anywhere besides a skatepark in the Florida Keys?

  2. Where exactly was he skateboarding? Sidewalk? Street? In a park? On a bicycle path?
    Depends on the local ordinances.. Key west specifically or another municipality?

  3. Re-read your post…

    Here is the specific ordinance..

    [QUOTE]
    Sec. 70-407. – Prohibitions.

    (a)
    Roller skating, skateboarding and inline skating are prohibited on all streets, sidewalks, and alleys within that area of the Duval Street right-of-way bounded on the north by the Bay of Florida shoreline, and on the south by the Atlantic Ocean shoreline, including all sidewalks and portions of driveways or alleyways crossing these sidewalks. Roller skating, inline skating and skateboarding are otherwise prohibited along city rights-of-way in accordance with state law.
    [/QUOTE]

    So, looks like it’s a no-no.

    P.S. ANY time you get a ticket, the specific ordinance or statute should be written (or circled) on it.

  4. Specifically stated in that is Duval street….

    Sec. 70-407. – Prohibitions.
    (a)
    Roller skating, skateboarding and inline skating are prohibited on all streets, sidewalks, and alleys within that area of the Duval Street right-of-way bounded on the north by the Bay of Florida shoreline, and on the south by the Atlantic Ocean shoreline, including all sidewalks and portions of driveways or alleyways crossing these sidewalks. Roller skating, inline skating and skateboarding are otherwise prohibited along city rights-of-way in accordance with state law.

  5. Is a school parking lot a “roadway” (FS 316.2065 (4)) and per 316.2065 (20) is the school parking lot private or publick use for purposes of vehicular traffic.

    This was for using a skateboard in the school lot after hours

  6. School property is either state, county or private depending on the school type. They set the rules for its use. Similarly, we can’t go into a school and have lunch or use the basketball courts just because we want to.

    s. 810.097 – Trespass upon grounds or facilities of a school; penalties; arrest
    (1) Any person who:
    (a) Does not have legitimate business on the campus or any other authorization, license, or invitation to enter or remain upon school property; or
    (b) Is a student currently under suspension or expulsion;
    and who enters or remains upon the campus or any other facility owned by any such school commits a trespass upon the grounds of a school facility and is guilty of a misdemeanor of the second degree

  7. What are laws/regulations against riding a skateboard down a road with no sidewalk located on either side, not white lines to signal a pedestrian walk way? Specifically in a neighborhood.

  8. See the answer above. Although there is no specific mention of skateboards in the statutes, I believe they fall under the description of “any coaster, toy vehicle, or similar device” and are not allowed in the roadway whether there is a sidewalk or not.

    You might want to check with your local law enforcement agency to determine their enforcement policy on such matters.

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