SKATE TIP OF THE WEEK
Presented by Bont Skates
Inline secrets from the world's top skaters and coaches

This week's tip:

Safety Tips for Street Skaters

By Debbie Rice
May 18, 2007

Quiet subdivisions can serve as excellent training grounds for inline skaters. I know, I do much of my training in a subdivision near my home. But don't be lulled into a false sense of security. Even peaceful streets can be hazardous. Here's a few things to keep in mind:

Always Wear a Helmet

I used to be one of those skaters who refused to wear a helmet. Then one day, during an outdoor practice, I took a nasty fall. Skating in a pace line, I tumbled head first under a parked car. Fortunately, my coach had insisted I wear a helmet. The impact split it open like a smashed watermelon. I hate to think what it would have done to my head if I hadn't been wearing a helmet.

Remember: road rash fades but a broken brain is forever.

Start With a Slow Warm-up Lap

Don't assume your route is safe just because it was fine yesterday. A midnight storm may have littered it with branches or layered it with sand; a construction project may have scattered it with loose gravel.

Start your workout with an easy warmup lap. Make sure the pavement is in good shape before you kick it into high gear.

Look Out for Kids!

Always yell out a warning as you approach children. And even then, don't expect them to get out of your way. Be prepared for the unexpected. You never know what they are going to do.

Don't Trust Drivers!

Drivers often underestimate the speed of inline skaters while overestimating our ability to stop. Other times, they just don't see us at all.

Keep this in mind when you're on any street and always have a plan for how you are going to react if a driver does the unexpected. (Remember: it's better to cut cartwheels through the grass than crash head-on into a moving or stationary object.)

Beware of Unleashed Dogs

They will sometimes chase and may even attack you. After numerous run-ins with dogs, I have found a solution: Halt! dog repellent.

A favorite weapon of postal carriers, Halt! contains capsicum, an extract of chili peppers. Sprayed into a dog's face, it causes extreme, though temporary, discomfort.

I think of it as an attitude adjuster. Once a dog has had a taste of it, you can bet it will never bother you again. (You can buy Halt! at your local bike shop or online at halt.com.)

...

Debbie Rice does her training on the streets of Denham Springs, LA. In March, she added another item to her long list of skating accomplishments, winning the Texas Road Rash marathon in Round Rock. A Houston native, Debbie trained and raced on the same team as Chad Hedrick and Cheryl Ezzell. She has won 15 indoor national championships, in addition to numerous outdoor races. In recent years, she has twice won the pro master division of the Northshore Inline Marathon. In addition to her day job, she is a Bont sales representative and team manager for Bont North America.

• Debbie's MySpace page
 

Related reading:

• Skate Tip of the Week Archive
• How to avoid getting hit by a car
• Beginners Guide to Outdoor Racing.
• Beginners Guide to Inline Skating.

• Know a nice street route? ... Add it to the Skate Route Mapper