Skater cops big fine

Skateboarder Reuben Baker knew he was breaking the law by riding his skateboard down a Gisborne footpath.

But he won't accept the $750 fine he copped from police after being caught in a no-skate zone.

"I'll take it to court if it has to go that far," he said. "There's no way I'm going to pay $750 just for going on the footpath."

And his stance has been backed by Gisborne Mayor Meng Foon, who said the fine was excessive and should be reviewed. But it's still not clear just what needs reviewing, as Gisborne's bylaw, which bans skateboarding in the central city, only allows for fines of up to $100.

Police said this week they would look into why the $750 fine was applied.

Baker, a competitive skater who placed sixth in the country last year and hopes to make the international circuit, said he was only "rolling" when the police officer stopped him.

"I just put the board down and stood on it, I hadn't even had a push off."

He said the highway patrol officer said he was sorry, but had to issue a fine for $500.

A letter was later sent increasing the fine to $750, and a $30 penalty was added when the unpaid fine was referred to the courts.

Baker, 22, said he's not against Gisborne's CBD skating ban, first adopted in 1995.

"It's a small town, there's a lot of skaters, and people are intimidated by skaters on the footpath, especially the elderly," he said.

"I could go on all day saying I wasn't going that fast or there was no one on the footpath, but I was in a no-skate zone, and I got caught."

But he said the fine is out of proportion with other offences that are more dangerous and attract a smaller penalty.

"People get fined less for not restraining their baby in the car, things that are way more serious than skating on the footpath."

Failing to restrain a child under 5 years old carries a fine of $150, as do offences including failing to stop for a school patrol, and not wearing a seatbelt.

Mayor Foon agreed with Baker's stance and said the penalty was "quite excessive".

"Whoever sets the fine needs to review it," he said.

Foon said he stands by the city's skating ban, but a fine of about $100 would be more appropriate.

Gisborne's bylaw was adopted following complaints from pedestrians who felt unsafe, said district council chief environmental health officer Sarwan Kumar.

The maximum fine under the bylaw was $55 for a first offence, and $100 for subsequent offences.

A spokeswoman for Eastern district police said it would take time to look into what law the $750 fine related to.