Dear City of Halifax, why is it you treat the ice skaters of winter differently than the urban skaters of summer? Yes I’m a skateboarder and yes I enjoy ice skating. However, when I ride my board at the Commons Skate Park without a helmet I’m met with a fine of $138. Yet I I can put on my skates which I use maybe 3 or 4 times a year, take one step out on the rink and bound my head off the surface, no restrictions. These areas are only a few hundred feet away from one another, share the same amount of danger, the same odds of running into someone, and yes the skatepark is just that much closer to the hospital if anything were to happen. I’m disappointed that skateboarders continue to be treated like criminals. So as the season of rinks and frozen lakes begin remember to use your head, not just about safety but being treated as equals. —Ice is no softer than pavement
This article appears in Dec 16-22, 2010.
Something tells me that mixed pairs figure skating would lose some of its allure if willowy Russian ballerina types had to wear tard helmets.
This bitch is incredibly valid. Anyone have an answer, other than probably a law inforcement bias towards what is seen in skateboarding as a youth activity?
Here is something for you to consider. Skateboarding is more dangerous, with all of those vertical inclines and drops. Look at the stats. There are more injuries, especially head injuries in Skateboarding and it is an extreme sport. Skating is not. Who pays for your head injury and you being a vegetable after you or one of your pals smashes their head in. I will tell you.
WE DO. THE TAX PAYERS. AND WE ARE TIRED OF PAYING FOR DUMBASSES WHO DON’T CARE TO TAKE CARE OF THEMSELVES.
No one is picking on you. You are in an extreme sport, embrace it.
Even if you don’t care about your own health, or you never have an accident, why don’t you shut your hole and allow HRM to protect some of its own who aren’t intelligent enough to make smart decisions on their own, or people who aren’t so godly as you and actually make mistakes that hurt those around them.
meh, I think it’s a valid point.
fine ’em all….
if they can charge for overnight street parking in nice weather, they can charge for sliding around on a slippery surface.
Maybe they should start charging us to walk on the sidewalks or charge us to breathe the air. That’d ROCK.
Well I can’t see them taking the law away that makes skateboarders where helmets and I guess it is true what they say misery loves company so what are you trying to do ruin it for the ice skaters too. Just be glad if you hate helmets that much that you can still ice skate without one. geesh
OB has a valid point for sure. At any hockey rink my son is not allowed on the ice for a public skate without a helmet (or any skate for that matter). So I think there are rules but it’s for an age group…not everyone. Ice skating has been around since 1000 AD…skateboarding was invented in the 1950’s. I think there have been many more recorded accidents with skateboarding then ice skating.
I agree, very valid point.
although to bring it a bit further, skating has a possibility of an injury rarely seen in skateboarding & that is the chance of getting cut by a blade. They are sharp, someone falls & another skater goes over their fingers for example…ouch !
Then there’s the ‘public figure skating wannabee’s !
Not that they can decapitate anyone, but a flying sharp blade could slice someone in the crowd.
So helmets for all, padded elbo’s & knees & make reinforced gloves manditory for all, damn it why take chances…3 layers of bubble wrap for everyone !
It’s a liability thing. When I was in recreation, it was a battle we fought constantly. Anyone on municipal property skateboarding has to wear a helmet – and the communities get in shit if they aren’t enforcing it. Blame the litigation tards who’ve fucked with the system.
When it comes to skating – it hasn’t become as litigious yet. There are movements afoot to have everyone under 16 on the ice in a helmet. That seems to be dictated by insurance policies, rather than municipalities. And rest assured, there’s incredible backlash. I would say it’s coming though probably within 3-5 yrs.
Ice skating is a bit more engrained into the national psyche so it’s taking longer, but the safety nazis are out and working on it.
Now, when you’re a private renter of the ice facilities (say, a figure skating club), then you assume the liability and responsibilities and the municipality waives them. So the renter has to have special much more expensive, insurance for their sport. Anyone looked up the cost for figure skating lately? It’s more than hockey.
Dude, if you want to set up an organization, pay for the higher insurance, self police and then rent the park – THEN you dont’ have to wear a helmet.
The Nova Scotia helmet law came into effect July 1997, requiring people in all “wheeled activities” (bikes, scateboards, roller skates etc.), to wear a proper helmet.
Ice skates don’t have wheels, if the OB has a problem with this I suggest that he/she get the law changed to include skating. Even better, how about all outdoor activities require helmets, pads and personal air-bags.
Perhaps Avril Lavigne will write you a protest song *HeeHaw*
Some of you must never have skated before, ever fall back and slap your head off the ice? Hurts with a helmet. Wouldn’t want to do it without one.
12 years and under are required to wear a CSA approved multi-impact heltmet on the skating oval. Everyone else is just encouraged to wear one, and they have helmets you can borrow on site.
Sure, it’s a valid point, but you’re not being treated “like a criminal”. You’re being treated like a child, which is who should be wearing a helmet in any head-bashing activity they chose to partake in.
I kind of agree with you OP. Want a crazier example of municipal laws though? In Sackville NB you aren’t allowed to rollerblade or sidewalks, whether you’re wearing a helmet or not. I’ve seen bylaw officers make rollerbladers take off their skates and walk home in their sock feet. No kidding.
Ha ha, I’m familiar with those by law officers in the Sack. They’re a-holes. Crazy town.
yeah but here goes, 1, you don’t ice skate in the middle of the street, 2, you don’t look like a dick with your sucky fucking skater shit hanging off your ass, and 3, they are just better than you, period, suck it the fuck up.
As long as I’m paying taxes for healthcare I want people to be forced to wear seatbelts and helmets. If this was the US and “every man for himself” I would be fine with people splitting their heads open or launching themselves through windshields.
the oval is open for business, saw some folks skating this aft. the boy was thrilled until i told him it was being dis-assembled after the games. some people should wear helmets all the time…raises hand
Are you saying that you have been fined multiple time for not wearing a helmet OP? Why not just wear a fucking helmet and not worry about who isn’t getting fined? I also think that skateboarding in a half pipe or bowl is a little more dangerous than a leisurely skate at open ice time with the family.
and o.p., the only thing really hurt most of the time with ice skaters is their pride. when they fall on their asses. but yes, some do crack their heads too, but they aren’t traveling on a cement surface, and it is very seldom. less than a skate board freak/ette.
Not only that but I don’t see ice skaters attempting stupid stunts.
Valid Bitch. I hadn’t even considered it. I am sure City Council will call an emergency session over the holidays to ensure they don’t miss out on a good opportunity to write tickets.
http://images.amazon.com/images/G/01/dvd/a…
This place is such a hellhole, lol
Haha how is being made to wear a helmet, being treated as a criminal? Yes I think this is a bit ridiculous, skating is on a level surface, and generally does not take place in the street. I understand enforcing some type of age restriction for helmets at the oval to protect kids. But I think it would hinder attendance of adults who participate.
What would Don Cherry do?
One thing I like about Edmonton is that they don’t have silly helmet laws like back home in Halifax. If you’re over 16, you’re not even legally required to wear a helmet while cycling, which is awesome. Yeah yeah, I won’t think it’s so awesome when I crack my skull open, blah blah blah. Well my grandfather didn’t think it was awesome to crack his head open while simply walking down the street, so I guess we should require anyone walking to wear helmets, too. Curlers and ice skaters should also be required to wear helmets, since falls can be common there, as well. Maybe I should be wearing a helmet now sitting in front of my computer, because you never know…
And as for the “well we pay for your healthcare, you fucking moron” argument (since because we don’t share the same opinion, I must be a fucking moron), get after the oldies who just won’t die when they’re supposed to! They cost many times more than a few people making mistakes on a bike or skateboard. People are living way longer than they were ever intended to nowadays. And while we’re at it we should let suicidal people just off themselves rather than trying to help them, too. And yes, healthcare is still free in Alberta too, I guess they just like to let people have a bit more freedom of choice than in Nova Scotia. And OK, since I “obviously love it (here) so much,” I’ll stay. OK, no more rambling… man I’m in a mood.
I’m not so sure Bro Tim….this looks like it could of went badly
http://www.google.ca/imgres?imgurl=http ://www.corbisimages.com/images/67/26F8F2AB-4527-4DCA-9C35-784B65649AB0/VV9774.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.corbisimages.com/Enlargement/VV9774.html&h=480&w=619&sz=69&tbnid=FPa6AJcpL98XAM:&tbnh=105&tbnw=136&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dphotos%2Bof%2Bice%2Bskaters%2Bjumping%2Bbarrels&zoom=1&q=photos+of+ice+skaters+jumping+barrels&usg=__1IQNR0c1Xij7nzO3SrS4K5J9TNg=&sa=X&ei=Y8YUTdaoKoibnweauLHJDg&ved=0CCUQ9QEwAw
Wow…what did i do ?
Sorry guy’s see if this link works !
http://www.flickr.com/photos/43312810@N04/…
yes that one works mr. more. are you from the uol as well?^^
Us Old Luddites? *poit*
university of luddites rah rah sis boom bah. i’m sure you and myself are not the only undergrads…screee heehaw squack
If you consider profane, drunken ramblings about how much better it was in the the 80’s to be a speech, then I guess I’m Class Valedictorian. Screeee, Rawk & label, label, label >; )
OMG SHUSH OR THEY WILL MAKE ADULT WEAR UGLY BIKE HELMETS TO THE ICE RINK!
oops typo
Good points OB. More importantly I’ve just been promoted to number two commenter. That may seem insignificant when compared to your problems, but I am more important. The world will now see my picture (of part of my cd collection because its piracy to steal anothers work) whenever the site is accessed.
I’m not entirely sure how many more comments I will need to post to take the number one spot, but I deserve it and am up for the challenge.
I want to apologize now to those whose place I have taken, but I earned it.