Police issue warning to longboarders
Police have warned it is only a matter of time before there is a fatality involving longboarders in the Adelaide Hills after catching a large group of illegal skaters over the weekend.
An unmarked patrol spotted the group skating down the treacherous Mt Barker Rd from Eagle on the Hill yesterday afternoon, allegedly travelling at more than 60km/h.
The group made it to the bottom of the hill safely, and were immediately met by police.
“Very dangerous, a breach of both the Australian road laws and the state traffic road laws, so they were suitably stopped and reported,” said Superintendant Tom Rieniets from SA Police.
Police seized one of the longboards, along with seven GoPro cameras worn by the skaters, along with the footage will be used as evidence.
“It is quite dangerous, it really is,” said Supt Rieniets.
“The least damage they’re going to do if they come off is take a lot of skin off, but obviously our concern is if they get hit by a car or run into a car, we have had a whole series of accidents on this road as it is.”
Police say all of the 18 males aged between 14 and 23 years old could be fined for riding on a prohibited road, crossing dividing lanes and other traffic offences.
Some of the youths are expected to appear in the Adelaide Youth Court once police review video from their helmet cameras, but the maximum fine they could face is just $350.
Police have reminded people that it is an offence to skate on a road where there is a dividing lane and/or the speed limit is 60km/h or more.
