From CBC News in New Brunswick, Canada
Skateboarder jailed after refusing to pay fine
A Fredericton man who refused to pay a fine for skateboarding on city streets has been taken into custody and will be sent to jail. Lee Breen, 25, was fined in the summer of 2007 after receiving several warnings. After not paying the initial $50 fine, it was increased to $100. A judge then ordered him in April to pay the fine or be sent to jail for five days.
But he’s not doing it because he’s too broke to pay the fine, he’s actually trying to make a point! He’s challenging the nuisance law under the grounds that skateboarding is not inherently dangerous and provides a environmentally friendly means of travel. About 80 people rallied outside the courthouse as he was taken into custody. Skateboarding is a crime!
– Thanks to Michael Brooke for the tip
12 comments
Larry
“if skateboarding is not a crime, why am i getting a ticket?” — Rocco
Matt Brady
ok thats just fucked up dude
SKATEBORDING IS NOT A CRIME
Skate and Ahoy..matey!
…Or try sitting in Maricopa county jail/”horseshoe” and trying to explain to a bunch of cholos and felony offenders you got picked up a warrant for skatebaording.
joe lemon
Never ever pay a skateboarding ticket.
In like ol’ Rebel Skates days; (1987?) like 10 of us all got stopped and given $375 tickets! But Funny as anything; when Nick Clark told the cops; “Don’t you know? My Dad is the Mayor?…”
Later I said to Nick; “what’s with taking our boards; because they don’t confiscate the shoes of jaywalkers!”
…and a week later the Mayor said the same thing on tv!
I went to jail for a week in 1990; in Boulder;Co. for not paying a ticket…Sheriff comes down to see me in jail upon hearing about it; “what are you doing in my jail? It costs us $60 a day to keep you in here…”
big al
god bless the land of the free
Paige
I’m back! Either legal or punk rock, and I’m all over it! Well, that and I got a reputation at work for looking at too much Perez Hilton.
Kilwag
You’re back! Long time no read. I guess it just takes a legal matter.
Paige
I’ve never heard of anyone being jailed over fifty dollars, or even a hundred. It might be different in the north. Generally if you are unresponsive to notices to pay, they might issue a warrant if it’s worth anyone’s time. It’s like being arrested over parking tickets, and five days is very excessive (unless, of course, you are a repeat offender, i.e. dining and dashing every meal because you’re homeless). It’s too bad Canada taxes their citizens so much, because I’m sure they actually have the space to make him serve the entire five days. PDX would probably have you serve a couple hours max. VIVA LA RESISTANCE!
Carl
Canadian bars have skate videos on the tele.
Ian
Can you imagine that coming up at a job interview:
HR: It says here you went to jail for five days. Can you elaborate on that?
Kid: I was skateboarding on a public street.
HR: Well it was nice talking to you. Don’t call us. We’ll call you.
Kilwag
Touché!
Though I he’s talking about skateboarding as a method of transportation. You can have it both ways, like it is in Portland for example. Ok for transportation on the streets, and the city isn’t liable if you crack your skull at a skatepark.
some guy at work
“He