According to KSBY news (“Skateboarding not allowed in bike lanes in San Luis Obispo,” April 30), a skateboarder was fined $203 for riding his skateboard in SLO town, in the bike lane, outside the downtown prohibition zone. According to the police officer quoted in the story, skateboarders are considered “more like a pedestrian” than a bike. Oh yeah? Tell that to the old couple being run off the sidewalk by some thirtysomething lug cruising at 20 mph toward them. It’s bad enough we pedestrians have to dodge the ignorant cyclist on the sidewalk who comes up from behind without any warning.

The SLO city code was written primarily to prohibit the riding of skateboards downtown. By prohibiting skateboards on roadways, it does not take into account that adult-sized skaters and skateboarders are too dangerous, when coupled with pedestrians, on sidewalks in any area.

While I am not a skateboard advocate, I think William Fink was doing the right thing by staying off the sidewalk, and his fine should be rescinded. The skateboard community should show up en masse to have the city council change this code to limit skaters and skateboarders on the sidewalk to those younger than 16 years old.