(A) General prohibition. No person shall roller skate, roller blade, skateboard or roller ski anywhere in the city without complying with the terms of this section. As used herein, to roller skate shall mean to roller skate on any type of roller skates or street skates.
(B) Due care for safety. No person shall roller skate, scooter or skateboard in a reckless manner within the city. No person shall ride a skateboard, scooter or roller skate without exercising due care for the safety of other persons and property.
(C) Traffic rules.
(1) All on-street operation of skateboards, scooters, in-line skates (roller blades and roller skies) and roller skates shall be conducted as far to the right of the traffic lane as possible, in a single file and flowing with traffic.
(2) All operations of these skateboards, scooters, in-line skates and roller skates shall be during daylight hours, unless the operator has some type of reflective clothing or reflective strips on his/her clothing which can be seen from a distance of 500 feet to the rear and side.
(3) No person operating roller skates shall attach himself/herself to any vehicle upon a roadway.
(4) All operations shall be consistent with the rules of the road established for bicycles.
(D) Prohibition on skating at certain time and in certain designated areas.
(1) Business district. It shall be unlawful for any person to operate or ride a skateboard, roller skates, scooters, roller skies or roller blades in the business district. For the purpose of this section, BUSINESS DISTRICT is defined as:
the area bound by Highway 20, Meeker Street, Water Street and Bench Street, including Washington Park to the Galena River
(2) Grant Park. It shall be unlawful for any person to operate or ride a skateboard, scooter, roller skates, roller skies, roller blades or similar devices in Grant Park.
(3) Posted private property. On private property where a sign prohibiting such use has been posted by the owner, lessee or person in charge of the property. All persons operating such devices described herein shall yield the right-of-way to other pedestrians using public sidewalks and streets and shall not otherwise endanger or interfere with traffic.
(E) Use of helmets. Any person operating a skateboard, scooter, roller skates or in-line skates shall wear a helmet while inside the confines of the Galena Skate Park at Recreation Park.
(F) Prohibition on the use of skates on public steps, city walls, railings or park benches. It shall be unlawful for any person to operate or ride a skateboard, roller skates, scooter, roller skis or roller blades on public steps, city walls, railings, park benches or picnic tables anywhere in the city.
(G) Parental responsibility. The parent of any child and the guardian of any ward shall not authorize or knowingly permit any child or ward to violate any of the provisions of this section.
(H) Agreement for impoundment.
(1) In place of any other penalty provided by law, any person violating this section may, for a first offense, agree to have the roller skates, roller blades, scooter or skateboard impounded by the Police Department for one week.
(2) In place of any other penalty provided by law, any person violating this section may, for a second offense, agree to have the roller skates, roller blades, scooter or skateboard impounded by the Police Department for two weeks.
(3) In place of any other penalty provided by law, any person violating this section may, for a third or subsequent offense, agree to have the roller skates, roller blades, scooter or skateboard impounded by the Police Department for four weeks.
(I) Penalty. Any person convicted of violation of this section shall be punished by a fine of not less than $25 and not more than $500.
(Ord. O-96-09, passed 6-11-96; Am. Ord. O-00-28, passed 10-9-00; Am. Ord. O-03-16, passed 5-27-03; Am. Ord. O-04-19, passed 8-23-04)