# I want a pair of roller skates. Talk me out of it **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [September 2, 2022, 8:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-a-pair-of-roller-skates-talk-me-out-of-it/970801 "2022-09-02T08:50:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![ekedolphin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ekedolphin/32/10003_2.png) [@ekedolphin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ekedolphin)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2022, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-a-pair-of-roller-skates-talk-me-out-of-it/970801/21 "2022-09-02T19:23:17Z")
You’ll shoot your eye out, kid! ---
**Author:** ![Folly](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/folly/32/3219_2.png) [@Folly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Folly)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2022, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-a-pair-of-roller-skates-talk-me-out-of-it/970801/22 "2022-09-02T19:23:50Z")
I bet cash money (not really) that you’ll like roller blades or inline skates better as mentioned. ---
**Author:** ![snowthx](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowthx/32/10660_2.png) [@snowthx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snowthx)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2022, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-a-pair-of-roller-skates-talk-me-out-of-it/970801/23 "2022-09-02T19:24:23Z")
> [@kitap](#): > > Yes. Yes you should. Unless your doctor says no. Sounds like something you’d enjoy, so go for it. Not a criticism of @kitap, but why must we always consult a doctor? The OP made no mention of any health issue, and the activity is not exactly new to the OP. I say to the OP - go for it, and enjoy! I see a group of women out on our local bike trail on skates and it looks like they are having a great time. Perhaps there is a local group with which you can ease back into it. ---
**Author:** ![jnglmassiv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f07891/32.png) [@jnglmassiv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jnglmassiv)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2022, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-a-pair-of-roller-skates-talk-me-out-of-it/970801/24 "2022-09-02T19:54:33Z")
Here’s another yes for inline skates. I had an afterschool job at a bike shop during the early-mid 90s and we started selling and renting inline skates. They were quite expensive to buy then and the rentals were really popular. We also did group lessons for free. It was a great move by the owner since the renting often lead to a purchase. ---
**Author:** ![a6ka97](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c2a13f/32.png) [@a6ka97](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/a6ka97)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2022, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-a-pair-of-roller-skates-talk-me-out-of-it/970801/25 "2022-09-02T20:01:14Z")
In my early 50s (late 50s now) attended a church event at the local indoor skating rink. Other older adults, not quite as old as I, were skating. I thought “what the hay” and got a pair of skates. Just like riding a bike, in a few minutes back into my skating groove from 40 years ago. Round and round, forgot how much fun it was. Didn’t do the limbo though. 3 hours of skating. Woke up the next morning and could not get out of bed, when I did I could not walk. My legs and calves were so tight and ached so bad. Overdid the muscles that hadn’t been worked out in 40 years. Never again. I’ll get my skating fix by watching the video of Dire Straits “Skate Away”. ---
**Author:** ![WildaBeast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wildabeast/32/6_2.png) [@WildaBeast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WildaBeast)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2022, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-a-pair-of-roller-skates-talk-me-out-of-it/970801/26 "2022-09-02T20:02:45Z")
All I have to add is thanks a lot for the earworm, darn it. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/RCTMTflcuug/hqdefault.jpg "Melanie-Brand New Key -((Composer Melanie Safka))") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RCTMTflcuug) ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2022, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-a-pair-of-roller-skates-talk-me-out-of-it/970801/27 "2022-09-02T20:15:08Z")
> [@BrickBat](#): > > A couple of years ago I guy I work with came in off his weekend with his face sporting bruises and a big scab that looked like a slice of pepperoni sausage affixed to his cheek. Arms bruised as well. > > Answering our questions as to what happened, he went roller skating. I was going to post that a co-worker of mine took a tumble a couple weeks ago skating. He chipped a tooth. But I still say go for it. You know you’re gonna. 🙂 mmm ---
**Author:** ![Folly](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/folly/32/3219_2.png) [@Folly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Folly)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2022, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-a-pair-of-roller-skates-talk-me-out-of-it/970801/28 "2022-09-02T20:16:24Z")
…but save the triple axel for try #2. ---
**Author:** ![JaneDoe42](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/janedoe42/32/14104_2.png) [@JaneDoe42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JaneDoe42)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2022, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-a-pair-of-roller-skates-talk-me-out-of-it/970801/29 "2022-09-02T20:56:58Z")
As a kid, my BFF used to skate all the time. I know she competed at some level, I’m sure she wasn’t as skilled as the OP. Last year she bought a nice pair of inline skates. She promptly fell and broke both wrists. She says that she still thinks about the skates, then looks at the surgery scars on her arms and puts the skates back in the closet. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2022, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-a-pair-of-roller-skates-talk-me-out-of-it/970801/30 "2022-09-03T02:05:47Z")
> [@snowthx](#): > > > [@kitap](#): > > > > Yes. Yes you should. Unless your doctor says no. Sounds like something you’d enjoy, so go for it. ⁢ > > Not a criticism of @kitap, but why must we always consult a doctor? The OP made no mention of any health issue, and the activity is not exactly new to the OP. > ⁢ I wouldn’t interpret their post as saying to consult a doctor. Just that the only reason not to do it is if your doctor told you it was unsafe for you. ---
**Author:** ![kitap](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b9e5f3/32.png) [@kitap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kitap)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2022, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-a-pair-of-roller-skates-talk-me-out-of-it/970801/31 "2022-09-03T02:24:36Z")
Yes, exactly. ---
**Author:** ![Retzbu\_Tox](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/retzbu_tox/32/11829_2.png) [@Retzbu\_Tox](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Retzbu_Tox)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2022, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-a-pair-of-roller-skates-talk-me-out-of-it/970801/32 "2022-09-03T02:43:57Z")
Skates??? Go high tech. Segway Powered Roller Blades. > **[Amazon.com : Segway Ninebot Drift W1, Electric Roller Skates Hovershoes, Two...](https://www.amazon.com/Segway-Electric-Hovershoes-Ninebot-Rollerblades/dp/B07G34LL58)** > > The Segway Drift W1 Electric Hovershoes are lightweight, portable and extremely unique. Designed for maximum comfort and fun, the Drift W1 is the perfect product to usher in a new type of personal transportation. UL 2272 certified and designed for... Or you could throw $28K at a pair of 25mph Thundrblades. 😁 ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2022, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-a-pair-of-roller-skates-talk-me-out-of-it/970801/33 "2022-09-03T04:01:43Z")
Thanks, everybody, for the insights and comments. I’m not keen on inline skates. I had a pair some years ago, and they just didn’t feel right. Oh, they worked just fine, and performed as promised, but there was something just … off. In my ice skating days (well, they’ve never really ended, but now, I just enjoy skating around the rink, nothing fancy), a group of friends and I would hit the local roller rink from time to time, rent quad skates–the ones with four wheels in a quad pattern–and I was able to do almost everything I could on ice. My inline skates couldn’t. Kind of like the difference between figure skates and hockey skates, if that makes any sense. I ended up giving my inline skates away, but at least my inline skating experience made sure that I have the necessary safety equipment now–elbow, knee, wrists, and helmet. I do want to address this, which made me smile: > [@Dung\_Beetle](#): > > Did you ever notice when you go to a public rink, there’s always that one guy, maybe 20 to 30 years old, who skates like a freakin’ Olympian? He’s awesome. I’d love to see you do it, @Spoons! Yeah, I was that guy. Back in the 1980s, my then-girlfriend and I would hit the local outdoor ice rink on Friday nights. In winter, of course. She was not a good skater, but she loved it, and I’d be there beside her as she gingerly and slowly made her way around the rink. Anyway, one night, we changed into our skates and headed out to the rink. One of the rink guards saw my figure skates as we stepped onto the ice. He skated up to us. “Hey, buddy, no funny stuff, okay?” “Funny stuff?” I asked. “Yeah, no jumps or stunts or stuff.” “Oh, no problem there,” I replied. “But can I ask why you had the need to speak with me?” Note that I was nice and pleasant the whole time. “Well, you’re wearing figure skates,” he said. “So are most of the girls on this rink.” “Yeah, but you’re a guy in figure skates. Guys don’t wear those skates unless they know what they’re doing. You’ve _gotta_ be good at skating!” My girlfriend and I laughed, and my girlfriend told him that I was there to help her make her way around the rink. We had a pleasant skate that night, and many subsequent Friday nights, and I always got a “Hiya, buddy, nice to see you again” from that rink guard. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2022, 11:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-a-pair-of-roller-skates-talk-me-out-of-it/970801/34 "2022-09-03T11:38:30Z")
I’d go for it. Skating is fun. Wear padding and a helmet. Never hurts to be safe. 😉 > **[The Best Roller-Skating Pads, According to Roller Skaters](https://nymag.com/strategist/article/best-pads-for-roller-skating.html)** > > Including budget-friendly sets with every pad you’ll need, options designed for plus-size skaters, and heavier-duty gear for the skate park. ---
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2022, 12:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-a-pair-of-roller-skates-talk-me-out-of-it/970801/35 "2022-09-03T12:08:35Z")
> [@Spoons](#): > > a group of friends and I would hit the local roller rink from time to time, rent quad skates–the ones with four wheels in a quad pattern–and I was able to do almost everything I could on ice If the original post had said “I used to like roller skating, should I try roller skating again?”, I think this would have been a shorter thread. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2022, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-a-pair-of-roller-skates-talk-me-out-of-it/970801/36 "2022-09-03T14:14:21Z")
I remember an article about Scott Hamilton’s comeback after cancer. He mentioned how hard it was to pace himself and not get hurt. His mind knew maneuvers his body wasn’t strong enough to do. He did recover and rejoined the ice tour. He’s certainly had a lot of healtb challenges. ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2022, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-a-pair-of-roller-skates-talk-me-out-of-it/970801/37 "2022-09-03T14:30:16Z")
I don’t know how old you are, but be aware that there is a point (usually in our 50s) where our bodies just don’t recover as fast (or ever) from spills that we could shake off in a few days in our youth. There are sports (like skiing and surfing) that I’ve had to learn to take slower, and others (like skateboarding and skimboarding) that I’ve had to abandon completely. ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21906_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2022, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-a-pair-of-roller-skates-talk-me-out-of-it/970801/38 "2022-09-03T14:38:52Z")
> [@hogarth](#): > > If the original post had said “I used to like roller skating, should I try roller skating again?”, I think this would have been a shorter thread. Wassamatter? You got something against long threads?? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![BrickBat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ac91a4/32.png) [@BrickBat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrickBat)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2022, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-a-pair-of-roller-skates-talk-me-out-of-it/970801/39 "2022-09-03T16:38:40Z")
> [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](#): > > I don’t know how old you are, but be aware that there is a point (usually in our 50s) where our bodies just don’t recover as fast (or ever) from spills that we could shake off in a few days in our youth. Boy have I ever been finding _that_ out over the last few years! Just zigging when I should have zagged can make me take a spill that can make feel like I’ve been maimed for days, maybe weeks. It just isn’t worth the risk. ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2022, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-a-pair-of-roller-skates-talk-me-out-of-it/970801/40 "2022-09-03T19:20:31Z")
You probably don’t want to take your roller skates to Yellowstone. Because, as we all know, you can’t roller skate in a…well, you know the rest. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-a-pair-of-roller-skates-talk-me-out-of-it/970801.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-a-pair-of-roller-skates-talk-me-out-of-it/970801.md?page=3)