advertisement

Barrington closes skateboard loophole

Barrington officials closed a potential loophole in one of its village ordinances this week by redefining the word "skateboard."

At the request of the Barrington Police Department, the term "skateboard" was broadened by the village board to include longboards, which - as the name would suggest - are longer versions of the traditional skateboard.

The small change reflects a new trend in town. According to Todd Rhodes, owner of Grassroots Clothing and General Store in Barrington, longboards are experiencing a surge in popularity among teens and adults in Barrington.

"The sport has blown up to the point that in a few years eight or nine out of every 10 kids is going to be longboarding, not biking," Rhodes said.

One difference between the longboard and a skateboard is it allows users the ability to ride it in different ways more easily, such as sitting, squatting or lying down.

In his report to the village board, police Chief David Dorn said minor violations involving skateboards are enforced by village police officers to avoid charges appearing on a permanent arrest record and to save processing time.

According to the village code, anyone using their skateboard "with a willful or wanton disregard for the safety of persons" will be in violation of the code.

Article Comments
Guidelines: Keep it civil and on topic; no profanity, vulgarity, slurs or personal attacks. People who harass others or joke about tragedies will be blocked. If a comment violates these standards or our terms of service, click the "flag" link in the lower-right corner of the comment box. To find our more, read our FAQ.