Letter to the Mayor of Portland

June 12th, 2000
Dear Mayor Vera Katz,

As a skateboarder of ten years born and raised in Portland, I submit the ignorant, uncivil and unjust
code 16.70.410 B:

Oregon Vehicle Code

City of Portland Title 16

16.70 Miscellaneous Regulations

16.70.400 Other Transportation

16.70.410 Roller Skates and Skateboards

                B. No person may use roller skates, including in-line skates,
                    skateboard, or other similar device upon any street within the
                    City between the hours of sunset and sunrise.

This code is unbelievable. I can not believe such a blanket law is even legal. Besides outlawing the
fifty year old sport and means of transportation of skating, the phrase "or other similar device"
discourages the many new and innovative transportation alternatives surfacing everyday.
Lack of dialogue -willful ignorance- does not excuse this law.
Portland is great with public transportation and it's surge in bicycle friendly efforts. Portland is also
home of the world reknowned skatepark, Burnside. A thousand thank yous from the skating
community for allowing it to grow and live.
Portland is great and has great visions for its future, but Oregon Vehicle Code 16.70.410 B has no
place in either.
Please remedy this uncivil code.
Thank you for your time.

Yours,

Sam Beebe

I would love to help with a dialogue concerning this issue. Please feel free to contact me.

sam at SkateOregon.com