From: greg@rio.Columbia.NCR.COM (Greg Porr)
Subject: Re: Inlines: Emergency techniques? (Kind of long)
Organization: NCR Corp, E&M-Columbia, Columbia, SC
Date: Fri, 17 Apr 92 13:15:26 GMT


I'd like to add my support to the side that believes the brake is very
useful and useable.  I've been skating for less than 3 months, and have
found that I am quite able to use the brake to stop in very short distances,
even at moderately high speeds.

The first time I used my skates, I spent enough time in the privacy of my own
driveway learning to brake.  Not having anyone else to teach me how to
stop, falling was the only alternative.  I considered learning to stop
to be a very high priority.  I'm not extremely athletic, and no more than
average in terms of body coordination (I can't dance to save my life).
However, I quickly learned how to place my braking foot out in front and
put my weight on the brake while continuing to roll with my other skate.

Unless I am in an area where there are no obstacles (other people included),
I will not skate faster than the maximum speed at which I feel comfortable
braking.  On level ground, I can skate as fast as my ability will let me,
and am still not going faster than my braking ability.  Going downhill,
I will adjust my speed either by periodic braking or side-to-side skating
so that I'll be able to stop if I need to.  If there are no obstacles and
the ground levels off afterwards, I can feel free to go faster.

With regard to the issue of avoiding other people, I think it is our
responsibility to skate in a manner in which we can avoid the other people.
Just because we can go faster than people who are walking doesn't mean
we have the right to ask them to get out of our way.  We can warn them
that we are approaching, but we must adjust our speed enough to avoid
a collision, even if they walk into our path.  If you were jogging and
you came across some people walking, you would go around them.  You
wouldn't expect them to move for you.  If you're walking in a mall,
and some other people are in front of you, walking more slowly, you'll go
around them.  The same reasoning applies if you're driving a car and
the car in front of you stops suddenly.  If you run into them, you'll
be the one who gets the ticket, for following too close.

I'll admit that it would be helpful for the slower traffic to take some
responsibility for helping avoid collisions as well.  Just as we have
"slower traffic keep right" signs on highways, and some airports have
two moving sidewalks, the one on the right for people to stand, and
the one on the left for people to walk, I think it would be a good idea
for similar provisions or warning signs in areas such as parks, where
skaters, joggers, bikers, and walkers might all be present.

However, it should always be the responsibility of the people who are
moving faster to be in control enough to be able to stop.

If we want to continue to be able to enjoy skating whenever and wherever
we want, we need to let the rest of the world know that inline skates
are controllable, and that the rest of the population does not need
to fear a collision.

-- Greg Porr
   (greg@rio.ColumbiaSC.NCR.COM)
Newsgroups: rec.skate