Dealing with Authority

"Respect my authority!"

What to do when you are confronted with:

Normal People

These are the people that have just as much power and authority to you. They can be snitches, onlookers, store employees, store owners, homeowners, etc. They can't really do anything to you except call the cops (or pretend to call) to scare you away or get you in trouble. They will usually give you one of these excuses:

  1. "There's a sign that says no skateboarding."
  2. "You're chiping up the paint / ledges."
  3. "Why don't you go to the skatepark?"
  4. "If you get hurt or hurt someone else, we're reliable."

When they first start yelling at you to get the hell off their property, parking lot, or whatever it's best to just play it cool; ask them why and be a little annoying about it. Sometime you can just talk them out of kicking you out if you talk to them for a while. Most people immidiatly start screwing with them and they give skaters a bad name. Try to throw some jokes at them that they wouldn't understand so that you can get a good laugh about it later.

If you think they are going to or did call the cops, don't worry. You still should have at least 10 min before they will show up (decide how long you have dependent on the distance to the closest police station). At this time it is best to make a judgement decision... you can either start screwing with them or get the hell out of there before the cops show up.

Security Guards

These are the wannabees and rejects of the police force. They were either too dumb or too lazy to pass the acadamy test. They love to read Guns and Ammo magizines and feel usfull about their pathetic lifes. You have a few options with these guys/gals:

  1. You can try to play it cool just as with the normal people and try to get them to leave you alone. If you start to piss them off, who cares? Keep on doing it. Sometimes it takes a taste of reality to put some motivation back in their lifes.
  2. You can just say, "Okay" and leave. If you have to keep doing this, then you're either going to have to keep on leaving every time they come or make a stand.
  3. If they immediatly start yelling at you to leave and get a cocky attitude (and they usually have one) then give it straight back to them. After awhile they'll probably call the real cops on the PA. At this time it's best to get the hell out of there.

Cops

These guys are the real deal. They can do anything they want to you. If you see them you can either run or sit there and take your punishment and try to talk your way out of stuff. Most of the time they will let you off with a warning the first time they catch you. But you do occasionally get the one cop who will take your board, and ticket you (In California it's $75.00). It all depends on your local laws.

If somehow you recognize the cop as someone who has warned you before, run! Just make sure you get away. Also if a cop asks for your name, its always a good idea to have a "nickname" made up ahead of time. If it's possible, try to have a "nickname" of someone you hate and have memorized their address, phone number, and even their social security number if possible. Also make sure you talk to the other people you are skating with ahead of time about your "nickname" so they won't end up ruining your "nickname" by cracking up when you say it. Also it might be a good idea to leave your ID in your car or whatever.

Whatever you do, try not to talk back to the cop or get them upset. But remember, you have rights and you don't have to talk to the cops if you don't want to and they don't have the right to search you without a warrent unless they have probable cause, like if they saw you do something bad. You can also download and then print this ACLU Bust-Card for the free Adobe Acrobat Reader. You can photocopy this and carry it in your wallet, pocket or glove compartment to give you quick access to your rights and obligations concerning police encounters.

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