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San Francisco Skate Transit Pilot Program

Jan 1, 1999 to Dec. 31, 1999

SEC. 100.1. ROLLER SKATES, IN-LINE SKATES, USE OF, RESTRICTIONS.

Skating is prohibited upon any sidewalk in any business district within the City and County of San Francisco. Skating is prohibited upon any sidewalk in any non-business district within the City and County of San Francisco between the period commencing 1/2-hour after sunset and 1/2-hour before sunrise. Any skater skating upon any roadway or sidewalk shall yield the right-of-way to any pedestrian crossing the roadway within any marked crosswalk or within any unmarked crosswalk at an intersection and shall also yield the right-of-way to any pedestrian approaching on any sidewalk.

Skating is prohibited upon any roadway within the City and County of San Francisco except as provided in Subdivisions (b) and (c) of this Section.

Definitions. The following definitions shall apply to the provisions of this Section.

"Bike lane" shall mean a Class II bikeway which is a restricted right-of-way designated by signs or markings, which shall have been posted at the direction of the City and County of San Francisco, or a federal, State, or regional governmental entity, for the exclusive or semi-exclusive use of bicycles with vehicle parking and crossflows by pedestrians, skaters, and motorists permitted.
"Bike path" shall mean a Class I bikeway which is a completely separated right-of-way designated by signs or markings, which shall have been posted at the direction of the City and County of San Francisco or a federal, State, or regional governmental entity, for the exclusive use of bicycles and pedestrians with crossflows by motorists minimized.
"Bike route" shall mean a Class III bikeway which is a right-of-way designated by signs or permanent markings, which shall have been posted at the direction of the City and County of San Francisco or a federal, State, or regional governmental entity, which is used for bicycle travel and shared with pedestrians, skaters, or motorists.

"In-line skate" shall mean a manufactured or assembled device consisting of an upper portion that is intended to be secured to a human foot, with a frame or chassis attached along the length of the bottom of such upper portion, with such frame or chassis holding two or more wheels that are longitudinally aligned.
"Pedestrian" shall mean any person who is traveling on foot.
"Protective helmet" shall mean a helmet meeting the standards of California Vehicle Code Section 21212(a), which includes meeting the American National Standards Institute (ANSI Z 90.4 bicycle helmet standards), the Snell Memorial Foundation's Standards for Protective Headgear for Use in Bicycling, or the American Society of Testing and Materials (ASTM F-1447 standards) bike helmet standards.
"Roller skate" shall mean a manufactured or assembled device consisting of a boot having clamps or straps or both for fastening, with a pair of small wheels near the toes and another pair at the heel mounted or permanently attached thereto.
"Skater" shall refer to a person who is skating.
"Skating" shall refer to the act of moving by means of one or two roller skates or in-line skates.

Permitted Routes. For the purposes of the Skate Transit Pilot Program, skating is permitted only on bike routes and bike paths that the Department of Parking and Traffic has determined may safely accommodate skaters, pedestrians, bicyclists, and motorists and has designated by issuing a map identifying such permitted routes. In the event State law is amended to allow skaters to travel in bike lanes, then, upon the effective date of such State law, the Department of Parking and Traffic is authorized to designate permitted routes of travel for skaters on bike lanes that the Department of Parking and Traffic has determined may safely accommodate skaters, pedestrians, bicyclists, and motorists and has designated by issuing a map identifying such permitted routes.

In determining permitted routes, the Department of Parking and Traffic shall consult with the Skating Advisory Committee and the Public Transportation Department and shall consider, among others, the following factors: (1) the grade, lighting, and general conditions of the bike route, bike path or, if permitted by State law, bike lane; (2) the prevailing volume and speed of traffic flows, including high-volume Municipal Railway routes, on adjacent or nearby roadways; and (3) the need for north, south, east and west skater access routes.

As set forth in subdivision (c)(11) below, every person skating on these permitted routes must obtain and carry at all times while skating a certificate issued by the Police Department. When issuing such certificates, the Police Department shall provide copies of the map of permitted routes prepared by the Department of Parking and Traffic.

(1) Skaters must be ages 18 years or older.

(2) Skaters must comply with all applicable provisions of State law.

(3) Skaters must yield the right-of-way to any pedestrian, bicyclist, or motorist approaching upon or entering the bike route or bike path.

(4) Skaters must travel with the direction of traffic.

(5) Skaters must travel in a single file line if traveling in proximity with another person.

(6) While skating, skaters must wear a protective helmet.

(7) While skating during darkness, every skater shall be equipped with (a) a lamp emitting a white light which, while skating, illuminates the path of travel in front of the skater and is visible from a distance of 300 feet in front and from the sides of the skater; and (b) a red reflector which shall be visible from a distance of 500 feet to the rear when directly in front of lawful upper beams of headlamps on a motor vehicle.

(8) Skaters must use appropriate hand signals when turning left or right from the permitted route.

(9) While skating, skaters are prohibited from carrying any object that obstructs or impairs their vision in any direction.

(10) While skating, skaters are prohibited from using or listening to any device that impairs their ability to hear.

(11) Each skater must carry, at all times while skating, a certificate issued by the Police Department. The certificate shall state the following:

THE CITY RECOGNIZES THE VALUE AND IMPORTANCE OF ADEQUATE TRAINING IN SKATING. THEREFORE, THE CITY URGES EVERY PERSON TO OBTAIN TRAINING IN HOW TO SKATE SAFELY IN THE ROADWAYS. A LIST OF SEVERAL ORGANIZATIONS, SCHOOLS, AND FACILITIES THAT TEACH PEOPLE HOW TO SKATE SAFELY MAY BE FOUND IN THE YELLOW PAGES OF THE PHONE BOOK. THE CITY URGES YOU TO CONTACT ONE OF THESE ORGANIZATIONS, SCHOOLS, OR FACILITIES TO OBTAIN PROPER TRAINING.

I, THE BEARER OF THIS CARD, UNDERSTAND THAT SKATING MAY BE DANGEROUS. I UNDERSTAND THAT I MUST WEAR A PROTECTIVE HELMET AT ALL TIMES WHILE SKATING. I UNDERSTAND THAT SKATING UPON THE ROADWAYS WITHIN THE CITY AND COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO IS LIMITED TO THE BIKE ROUTES AND BIKE PATHS DESIGNATED ON THE MAP ACCOMPANYING THIS CERTIFICATE, WHICH THE DEPARTMENT OF PARKING AND TRAFFIC HAS PROVIDED TO ME.

BY SIGNING BELOW I ACKNOWLEDGE THAT I HAVE READ, UNDERSTOOD, AND WILL COMPLY WITH THESE PROVISIONS.

NAME: SIGNATURE: DATE:______

The Chief of Police may authorize changes in the language of the certificate that more effectively achieve its purposes, including, but not limited to, promoting skater safety awareness and training.

(12) No skater shall attach in any manner himself or herself to any street car, bus or other vehicle on the roadway, or in any other way skate in a reckless manner.

(13) No skater shall operate skates on any roadway, including a permitted route, or sidewalk, in such a manner as to endanger the safety or property of another.

(d) City Actions. To implement this ordinance, the City and County of San Francisco shall take all reasonable steps to do the following:

(1) The Department of Parking and Traffic shall consider installing signs along permitted routes, as designated in Subdivision (b), which demark the routes and warn of potential hazards in the roadway. The Department of Parking and Traffic is authorized to accept gifts not to exceed $500,000 made to the City and County of San Francisco for the purposes of implementing the Skate Transit Pilot Program.

(2) The Department of Public Works shall consider installing additional lighting necessary to permit skating at night along permitted routes, as designated in subdivision (b).

(3) The Police Department, the Municipal Railway, and the Department of Public Health shall, individually, compile an annual report for each department of known accidents and property damage involving skaters and known incidents of violations in the City and County of San Francisco.

SEC. 100.2. CRIMINAL PENALTY.

Any person who violates any provision of this ordinance shall be guilty of an infraction, and, upon the conviction thereof, shall be punished for the first offense by a warning or a fine of not less than $25 nor more than $50; and for a second offense and each additional offense by a fine of not less than $50 nor more than $250. All fines collected for violations of this ordinance shall be set aside for appropriation to the Department of Parking and Traffic for expenditure by and for the Skate Transit Pilot Program.

SEC. 100.3. SEVERABILITY.

If any part or provision of this ordinance, or the application thereof to any person or circumstance, is held invalid, the remainder of this ordinance, including the application of such part or provisions to other persons or circumstances, shall not be affected thereby and shall continue in full force and effect. To this end, the provisions of this ordinance are severable.

SEC. 100.4. CITY UNDERTAKING LIMITED TO PROMOTION OF GENERAL WELFARE.

In undertaking the adoption and enforcement of this ordinance, the City and County is undertaking only to promote the general welfare. It is not assuming, nor is it imposing on its officers and employees, an obligation for breach of which it is liable in money damages to any person who claims that such breach proximately caused injury.

SEC. 100.5. NOTICE OF PROVISIONS.

The Director of the Department of Parking and Traffic shall publish a map of the permitted routes once, post a copy of such map on a bulletin board in or adjacent to City Hall for a period of 90 days after passage of this ordinance, and cause a copy of such map to be included in a utility bill sent to the public within 90 days after passage of this ordinance.

The notice requirements of this Section are intended to enhance community awareness of the Skate Transit Pilot Program. However, the notice requirements shall be given directive effect only. Accordingly, the failure of the Director of the Department of Parking and Traffic to provide the notice required by this Section shall not be a defense to any criminal proceeding or civil action brought to enforce the provisions of this ordinance nor shall such failure relieve any person of criminal or civil liability for skating in violation of this ordinance.

SEC. 100.6. SUNSET PROVISION.

Section 100.1 shall expire on December 31, 1999. At that time, the original provisions of Section 100 shall take effect over Section 100.1.