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Night Roller Skating
by Dave VanBelleghem
"HOT TOWN! SUMMER IN THE CITY" sang the Lovin' Spoonful.
(Yes, I'm in my forty's). With summer here all the skaters
want to get out and zip across the pavement. Problem is,
it's too darn hot. Within two minutes you're dripping with
sweat and you've just barely started your warmup. What to
do? Wait till the sun goes down. You've eliminated the
chance of sunstroke and sunburn and greatly reduced
the chances of heatstroke. But there are some other
benefits besides health concerns.
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You'll be able to skate faster. Under the hot sun, the hard
asphalt becomes slightly softer and sticky. After dark as it cools, the pavement hardens up and becomes much "drier". You can roll over it much more smoothly.
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There's less traffic to deal with. The rush hour is over.
People are home watching The Barefoot Bushman or Mr. Terrific reruns.
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You get less gawkers who point and go "Duh!! Look, a roller
skater!".
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It's more peaceful. You don't feel rushed and you can enjoy
your skate more.
There are a few rules you have to follow though to make sure your
night skate is a safe one.
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Wear bright colored clothing. White, orange, neon yellow, etc.
Your black Ozzy Osbourne T-shirt might look real cool, especially
if you're in the emergency ward because a driver couldn't see you
in the dark. You have to be seen to stay alive.
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If you wear a helmet (we all know it's a good idea) wear a white
or chrome one. They reflect headlights better.
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For more reflection get some of those little reflectors at the
dollar store that clip or stick on.
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Survey your intended routes twice. Once in the daytime to see
where those pesky manhole covers and potholes are, and once at night
so you know which streetlights aren't working and which manhole
covers and potholes are hidden in the dark. (I won't bore you with
my own story. I knew the manhole cover was there in the black spot.
I just forgot for a split second and OUCH!).
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When you see cars coming, keep to the right hand side of the road
(or left for Australian and many European countries). It's easier to
bail out onto somebody's lawn that way if a car gets too close. Slow
down a bit when coming to an intersection, especially a blind one.
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In that same vein, always follow this rule. Assume the driver of
the oncoming car will do something stupid. That way you're prepared
in case he (or she) does. I've been run off the road a couple of
times by curb huggers who refused to budge. Also, if you're a real
late night skater (around bar closing time) watch out for the drunk
drivers.
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Watch out for them little critters. I have two skating routes I
commonly use. One neighbourhood is next to a large farm with two
ponds on it. In the summertime the toads and frogs like to hop out
and lounge on the warm pavement at night. I've had to dance around
as many as a dozen of them on a night skate. The other neighbourhood
I skate in is next to a wooded area. At night there are little fuzzy
rabbits hippity hopping about. Some are rather courageous and will
play "chicken" and dart right out in front of you. I once had one
"race" alongside of me for about half a block.
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Last tip. If the neighbourhood you skate in has some "undesirables"
lurking about, take along a buddy. Safety in numbers they say. Myself,
I'm about six feet nine inches with my skates on so I scare the crap
out of most people anyway. If you don't have this advantage a
companion can help. If your buddy isn't a skater, no big deal. They
can ride along on a bike. Those tire pumps that clip onto the bike
frame can be a handy deterrent to unwelcome strangers. Do use
discretion though.
Copyright © Dave VanBelleghem
More Articles by Rollerskater Dave
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