I had a weird dream last night that I had purchased roller skates and was wearing them on a subway train.
It has been 25+ years since I was last on skates.
It has been months since I was on a subway.
I suspect I could still get around, although I was never that good on them. Are there still roller rinks around?
When did you last skate?
I’m 49 and the last time was a few weeks ago. I skated almost daily for about 10 years and I wanted to see if I can still do spins and tricks. I probably looked ridiculous at my age but I had lots of fun and hadn’t forgotten anything. My skates are 30 year old quads and I never learned to enjoy blades because I couldn’t dance as well with them. They’re too stiff and all of my instincts are set for softer outdoor wheels. There’s still an indoor rink here but I never used it. I always skated outdoors.
About four years ago I took my son skating at the local indoor rink. It had been, oh, 30 years since I’d had a pair of skates on. I thought, “What the hell? How hard can it be? I’m going to try the roller blades.” I was on them for about 10 seconds before I wobbled over to the desk and switched them for quads.
On quads, it all came back to me fairly quickly. Then, as I was coming off the rink to go to the snack bar, my skates flew out from under me and I landed flat on my ass. My son, unfortunately, had gone to the bathroom and missed the whole thing.
I used to rollerblade with my kids around the neighborhood. I reckon the last time I wore them would have been a little less than 10 years ago - my son is 20, so probably around the time he was 10, I figure.
I wasn’t a great skater, but I could keep up with them. Usually. 
I’ve never ridden a subway though, unless you count Chicago’s El train.
Come to think of it, I did wear my skates on BART once and on buses more times than I can count.
Last summer, during my Weightloss Delusion period, when I thought I could trim down AND have fun. Silly Kalhoun…what the fuck were you thinking?
I bought all the protective gear, which came in handy when I wiped out.
I was always a rink skater. Last summer I decided to skate the trails. It’s MUCH harder than rink skating.
We have a rink here in the 'hood and I had a good time there about 10 years ago. However, I don’t believe I’ll be doing it anymore. It’s too damn scary.
I’m on skates every other day, because I’m involved with my local Roller Derby league.
Find your local league and go to a bout - it’s a lot of fun to watch, and if you’re feeling adventurous, fun to join.
Last time? About 6-8 years ago. My daughter was invited to a skating party and I tried it out. It had been 30+ years since I was on skates, but I took to it pretty quickly. Even went a second time.
I’d consider doing it again.
June 16th, 1995
We went rollerskating as one of the events at our chem-free high school graduation party. I busted my ass that night, and have never skated since which has been no great loss since I never enjoyed skating anyway. I only figured out recently that I actually broke my tailbone that night, though oops.
I skated at least once this year. My daughters go skating at the local rink about once a month, and I occasionally join them.
When I was about 13. Over 30 years ago.
It’s probably about the same for ice skates.
I’ve never been on proper skates (wheels arranged 2 by 2) but I used to rollerblade in 4th, 5th, and 6th grade. I broke my arm in 5th grade at a DARE (anti-drug class taught by the cops) skating night; the paramedics who were hanging out there with their cop friends thought it was just a sprain but it wasn’t. The worst thing about it was that I fell after deciding that the majority of people on the rink were going too fast for me to feel safe skating at that point, so I was headed for the seating wall around the rink and tripped on the bumpy bit of the floor. Had I been less cautious I probably wouldn’t have fallen.
I could still rollerblade if I had a pair that fits. The last time I was on skates at all was a birthday party in my junior or senior year of high school- so 4 or 5 years ago, and I did fine.
I haven’t been on ice skates since 2nd grade, on a Brownie field trip, and I couldn’t stay upright at all.
Roller skates? Oh, God. 1980? Maybe?
Did roller blades a few years ago though. That’s a much more manly way to fall on your ass.
Now if you’re just counting roller skates - 15 years? I rented a pair once at a skating rink.
In-line skates? 10 years. My friends and I used to be huge on in-line skates. They were our preferred method of transport up until we all learned to drive. We got around on them, were in a street hockey league, loved them. I worked at a McDonald’s for one summer; every day, to and from work - on rollerblades. Great times.
Man, I miss them. I’ve been sorely tempted to get another pair for getting to and from work. But I’m afraid I’d look look a damn fool roller-blading as an adult.
I haven’t roller skated since elementary school (some twenty or so years ago). I think most roller rinks were replaced by laser tag places shortly after that. About five years ago I tried in line skates with some friends around campus. But they forgot to teach me how to brake and when we started going downhill I had to throw myself into some bushes to stop!
I’ve been to a rink within the last ten years or so. I was never very good, but skilled enough to go round and round having a great time.
However, I had bad falls the last couple of times I went. Once, a tiny little girl bumbled across in front of me and I had to sit down fast in order not to annihilate her. Most of my ass turned black the next day, and I made the kids look at it a lot, but still. Not fun.
The other time, some chick had lost a fake fingernail on the rink and when my skate encountered it, it came to a complete stop. When I fell, I somehow managed to hit the floor with every bone in my body at once. It was so jarring, I couldn’t move right away and people starting coming over to help pick me up.
So I’d love to go skating if the rink could be swept perfectly clean, no little kids were allowed, and while we’re at it, can we have some good ol’ 70s and 80s tunes… huh. In other words, I don’t think I’ll ever go again!
----- One thing I still love about skating: Do you ever see that guy on the rink? You know, the one who’s about thirty years old and skates like he was born with wheels on his feet and he can dance and skate backwards and stuff? I could watch that dude all night.
Last time I skated was a month ago or so. I used to be sponsored by Riedell. Not for figure or speed, but for a newer style of skating called “jamskating” which is somewhat of a hybrid of hip-hop, break, and quad skating (it was featured on America’s Hottest Dance Crew, though that was OhFace’s brother. I told her to post). My twin brother is still one of the main guys in the scene. He’s the guy in the baby blue hoodie in this youtube clip. FTR, they are at SeaWorld in FL where they do shows.
I only skate once in a great while but, like Flander said, my brother skates professionally. He’s in this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ATR8osQIkxk He’s the one in the gray hoodie in front from about the middle of the video until almost the end. Skating is still alive!
I’ve been on quad skates before (during the fad for skating around 2000), but never rollerblades. Balance on skates (don’t even talk to me about ice skates) in not my strong suit, and I never felt the urge to try them. I’m 16.
Valete,
Vox Imperatoris
ETA: I have noticed, though, that the German people in my area (I live about 30 minutes away from the only Mercedes plant in the U.S.) are the only ones that actually still skate at the skating rink.
Another jamskater here; though I just did it for fun. No shows or competitions. It’s been about 9 months to a year since I put on my quads.
I also used to speedskate competitively on inlines (5 wheel). I still skate outdoors every now and then. The last time outdoors was 3-4 months ago when the weather was still nice.