I know, this video which popped up Monday shows three skateboarders in Toronto doing something which is crazy dangerous and reckless. And I know, we should always encourage safe fun, especially on major roadways. But this ride down a normally busy stretch of freeway in Toronto’s downtown looks like such a satisfying way to spend an evening, I’m not even mad.
Toronto police, on the other hand, are a bit peeved and with good reason, according to blogTO:
Toronto Police say they’re investigating this video of three people skateboarding on the Gardiner Expressway – ???? Morgan Smith https://t.co/42rah4NVTd #Toronto #Skateboarding pic.twitter.com/jUzMDbk1mr
— blogTO (@blogTO) May 6, 2020
It’s honestly a beautiful scene. The Toronto-focused blog credits local skateboarder Morgan Smith for the video, though the video does not appear on his Instagram account as of Wednesday some outlets are reporting the original video was posted to TikTok. In case you’re unfamiliar with downtown TDOT, these three scofflaws are cruising down the normally busy Gardiner Expressway down what blogTO guesses is the York-Bay-Yonge off-ramp.
A representative with Toronto police told CP24 that they would like a word with these daredevils:
Const. David Hopkinson said under no circumstances would skateboarders be allowed on a major highway.
“Skateboards are treated as toys so anybody on a skateboard is treated as a pedestrian,” he said. “There are no pedestrians or people allowed on the highways, the 400 series highways, at all. It is completely against the law. It’s about a $US110 ($170) fine.”
He said the dangerous activity could have easily ended in a collision.
“When you come off the ramp, it is fairly short and we are talking about skateboarders wearing black on an all-black asphalt highway. Difficult to see,” he said.
“If they were to stumble, hit a rock, fall, cars might have difficulty stopping before they struck them. That is why we don’t allow pedestrians on the highways.”
I hate to say it, but the cops are right here. Just because traffic is down due to lockdown orders, doesn’t mean you can go wild on the roads. That goes just as much for lead-footed drivers as it does for rad skateboarders doing ollies and kick flips on a freeway off-ramp. Ignore the siren song of empty black top; stay home.