Ja well, no fine for Kloof Nek skater

Skateboarder Decio Lourenco shows off his hair-raising skills on the road. Picture: Brenton Geach

Skateboarder Decio Lourenco shows off his hair-raising skills on the road. Picture: Brenton Geach

Published Feb 13, 2013

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The downhill skateboarder who became famous after triggering a speed camera on Kloof Nek and posting it on YouTube, will not be prosecuted, Cape Town traffic enforcement said on Tuesday.

This contradicts mayoral committee member for safety and security JP Smith, who had said Decio Lourenco would be prosecuted without the option of a fine for reckless and negligent road behaviour.

Smith said on Tuesday the matter was now out of his hands and was the responsibility of city officials.

Lourenco’s Spoofing the Cam – Kloof Nek video has garnered over 1.2 million views on the video-sharing site since it was uploaded in January.

The number of views rocketed from 50 000 last Tuesday after media reports.

The videos have since been flagged by users and viewers have to be older than 18 years to view them.

City traffic spokeswoman Merle Lourens said on Tuesday the city would not prosecute the longboarder because they couldn’t use a YouTube video as evidence.

“We can’t prosecute him. We can’t use it as evidence. The video could have been tampered with for all we know.”

But the city will send a traffic fine to the owner of the car used to film Lourenco’s stunt down the mountain.

On the video Lourenco, 24, sets off the 60km/h speed camera while going down Tamboerskloof’s Kloof Nek Road at a speed of 110km/h, recorded with a GPS device fitted to one of his feet.

Lourenco said he had previously achieved speeds of between 70 and 80km/h without triggering the camera.

He did not wish to identify the driver of the car travelling behind him.

Meanwhile, he and his friend Andre Roux, under whose account the original video was uploaded, plan to make a video this week to tell people how to be safe on a longboard or skateboard.

“We want to show people that we are responsible and we, too, should be left to skate legally on city roads.”

Cape Town’s streets and public places by-law says skateboarding is illegal on public roads unless a road has been specifically designated for that purpose.

Lourenco says since he made the media it seems law-enforcement officers are targeting more skaters on the street.

“I know of two people, one in Long Street and the other in Sea Point, who got ridiculous fines for skating in the streets,” he said.

Lourens denied that traffic officers were more “vigilant” with skate and longboarders since the video was uploaded.

“We don’t single out anyone; we are vigilant to enforce every law we can,” she said - Cape Times

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