Also serving the communities of De Luz, Rainbow, Camp Pendleton, Pala and Pauma

Skateboarders need help, not threats of arrest

I read with great interest your front page story in last week’s issue, “Consequences increase for illegal skateboarding.” I head up the local Rotary Anti-Graffiti Enforcement Group (RAGE), so I believe that I have a perspective worth sharing in this matter.

Although it is true that some local vandalism and tagging can be traced to suspected members of the skateboarder community, I think it might be worthwhile to examine the root cause of teen crime problems in our fair village.

Unless a teen is involved in organized sports for some time, there is little for them to do in Fallbrook.

I find it more than a little ironic that we are decrying the problem of illegal skateboarding when Sgt. McCracken said specifically that skateboarding is not illegal.

Furthermore, for being such a “Friendly Village,” Fallbrook is shockingly unfriendly when it comes to pedestrians, bicyclists and skateboarders – particularly in the Albertsons plaza mentioned in the article.

There aren’t even any sidewalks connecting that shopping center to the rest of town. I guess our Planning Group was out to lunch when that deal was sealed.

You would think that with serious crime on the upswing here in town, and experts regularly bemoaning the problem of teens spending too much time on the Internet and not enough time outside pursuing more athletic activities, that this story would be taken from a different angle.

Let’s find these kids a decent, legal place to exercise their limbs rather than threatening them with arrest.

Rick Aldana

 

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