Heelychat, the forum for heelys, the shoes with wheels - View topic

Joined: 15 Jun 2008 Posts: 1391 Location: UK

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/merseyside/7908446.stm

Seems the public has some really stupid preconceptions about skating (of any kind).

In this case it's not Heelys but inline, but the same thing applies, and the guy raises a good point: Many people assume that just because someone is using an alternative method of transport than walking, that you're "more dangerous." It's sort of a natural knee-jerk "be scared of what you don't understand" reaction if you ask me, but that's the common man for ya.

Granted he was skating pretty fast among a crowd, but he certainly seems to be good enough to handle it. As was stated he'd never actually bumped into anyone, and I say more power to him if he finds skating keeps him fit. Have to disagree with the idea that he suddenly came down with crippling pain from stopping tho: I mean sometimes I take a week off when I'm busy but generally I find the skating more demanding (and painful) than NOT skating. (just being honest and giving both sides of the story, health wise)

Now as Slicer quite rightly said (if I remember right) in his guide to "sensible skating in public," he'd been skating for a couple of years and so far not bumped into anybody.

I've been skating now for less than a year, and heeling is the first kind of skating I've EVER done in my three decades of life, so I am still VERY new to it, and yet I still have never bumped into anyone in public. So by those three examples (me, slicer, and the old guy who was fined for inlining) it hardly seems like anyone is being harmed by skating.

And yet when I go round a shop on foot, I sometimes have to watch for people pushing their shopping carts in a kamikaze manner, and yet nobody ever complains about those?

LOL, it's a funny old world. I for one am going to keep heeling everywhere I can, and if I ever bump into anyone, sure, they have every right to try and sue me. I think I'll jump on the band wagon and sue anyone who hits me with their shopping cart when I'm standing still and THEY are the ones going a little bit faster than me. Laughing

That said, the guy should have been aware of the local laws tho: some areas have their own laws that don't apply everywhere else, in this case, skating was forbidden in that particular street: if he had simply obeyed that one law and skated everywhere else there probably wouldn't have been a problem. There's usually signs posted saying where specific local laws are in effect, so I suppose that's his own fault, but still, the reaction of the ignorant masses still astounds me. Very Happy

Mad World.

I haven't ran into anyone in my heeling years either. (1-2years can't remember exactly). The only place i've ever been told to stop was at Sam's. People always look at me like im going to hurt someone, but i never have, have I? Why should you get in trouble for a possibility of something, before it actually happens. That's just how people are, i guess. Confused

Team Heelys - Northeast Joined: 15 Dec 2006 Posts: 1803

I got fined for Heeling in the subway station. I posted it somewhere a while back.

Joined: 09 Nov 2008 Posts: 222 Location: claremore, OK

realy how mutch

I've been escourted out of places and told not to skate around certain parts of town, but I've never been fined.

People see Heeling the same as they see Skateboarders. Unfortunately, they also see people Heeling as kids. So people will ban them from virtually everywhere because there are a few kids who's parents don't know how to beat the kid in the head when their acting stupid.

I mean, I am a semi-responsible adult and I will get people treating me like a kid. When I heel, I only do it in an empty part of the location I am skating. Even in stores like Wal-Mart I only do it when I'm not around people or my girl friend is with me so I can skitch off the cart.

The last time anyone screwed with me was many months ago. I just turn up my aura high enough, and it's never a problem...

Team Heelys - Northeast Joined: 15 Dec 2006 Posts: 1803

It was $100 - and that was the only moving violation I've ever gotten.

Joined: 22 Feb 2007 Posts: 1548 Location: Ohio

I skate EVERYWHERE in this town...there's not enough people on the streets at one time for anyone to care how fast I go XD