What's your opinion on Heelys?

[jmowreader]

Heelys are "skate shoes"--athletic shoes with wheels in the heels, so that kids can use them as either shoes or rollerskates.

I'm starting to think these may be the Jarts of our time--because they encourage children to rollerskate where it's clearly inappropriate, like in stores where heavy equipment is used.

So far...let me see...I have seen:

children using customers as traffic cones so they could slalom around them
child shooting into a cross-aisle in front of a contractor shoving a huge cart of lumber, and almost getting hit by it
child shooting into a cross-aisle between a reach truck carrying a full pallet of ceramic tile and its escort, and almost getting hit by that
children skating near metal roofing laying flat on carts that put it at eye-level or neck level, and the edges and corners of metal roofing are extremely sharp

Most of us are scared of these shoes. We've seen too many kids doing too many stupid things on the shoes to think otherwise. And now, when you tell a child to stop skating in the store his or her parents get pissed off at you. We're getting the same "I'll let my child do anything I want, thanks" bullshit answer we get when we ask kids not to ride on the ends of shopping carts.

I swear...some days I think there should be a parenting license, not to be issued to anyone with no common sense.

[aikoaiko]

1. I say let natural selection work its magic,

:evilgrin:


just kidding. Parents need to keep their kids in line.

[YDogg]

2. Amen. I get particular delight when kids bust their asses on the things.

Sorry.

[Catshrink]

17. In a similar vein...

I saw a 12 yo kid riding a bike while talking on his cell phone. He missed a curb and went flying. He got right up and back on the bike -- meanwhile I was :rofl:

[LWolf]

3. I don't like them.

I'm fine with skates in appropriate places. I'm not fine with causing traffic hazards in public walkways, etc..

We had to disallow "heelies" at school last year; too many falls and walkers knocked down. :shrug:

[Warpy]

4. I think they look like a blast for the kids

and I think their use needs to be restricted by parents. They're inappropriate in a lot of situations and I get to the kicking stage really fast these days. I'm also none too shy to bark at both kid and parent.

Face it, kids learn by doing the wrong thing. It's up to us to correct them if their doting parents won't.

(we don't let kids run in stores, skating is pretty much the same thing)

[smokey nj]

5. When I was waitressing, I asked a girl to who was wearing them to please stop rolling around

the restaurant after I'd seen her nearly fall on her head a few times. She'd come in with her father and they were waiting for other people to show up. I tried to be nice about it and explained to her that I didn't mind if she walked around I just didn't want to see her get hurt.

[nosillies]

6. I can't stand em

I appreciate the fact that many amusements parks and malls have banned them, but I just wish they would actually enforce this rule a little more often.

[AlCzervik]

7. hate them, they used to be really popular here but now not so much.

my daughter wanted a pair and i said no and then after her friend broke his elbow rolling around on them she said "Wow i'm glad you said no".

[demgurl]

8. If I recall, they were voted most dangerous toy of the year....

a few years back. That was when I decided my kids would not have them. Anyway, my best friend got one for her daughter and she broke her wrist!

I don't like them and would not buy them after what I have heard.

[warrior1]

9. I'm

predicting orthopedic problems with their ankles in the future.

[grilled onions]

10. Dangerous,Useless,Mini skateboards of the shoe aisle

I have seen many elders get smacked or whirled around by these busy deamons. Parents pay no attention even when stores have signs that state NO HEELIES ALLOWED. Too bad they couldn't put an exclsion in their liabilty clause that would refuse to pay on injuries of the skater,caused by the skater. On the other hand I wish that those who get injured because of them can go after the parents of these dangerous "toys" and not the store--especially when they don't even sell them!! Just like skateboards,scooters and every motorized riding gizmo out there geared for kids,they need to get the kids off the wheels and onto their own "human" heels and walk for a change.

[CANDO]

11. Our soon to be 8 yr old wants them......

and we keep saying No Way! Dangerous and a nuisance at that.

[JitterbugPerfume]

12. I hate them

someone is going to put an eye out
:spank:


They look like fun (for the kids) and danger for everyone else .

[AwakeAtLast]

13. It took my school less than 3 months to ban them

I was at a grocery store and watched an 11 or 12 y/o zipping around on them. Later on I heard the most horrendous <CRASH>. Sure enough, she had rolled right into the meat counter fast enough to splatter herself to the floor. She got right back up, but I bet she had some bruises.

Sometimes a bruise to the pride is a great learning tool.

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

14. I Think They're A Brilliant Invention That I Regret Not Having As A Child.

I love innovation, and will never get so old and fogeyish that I can't adapt to new generations. I can see why they'd irritate some, but all of our parents were irritated at some of the shit we had too. That's just the way of the world. But as far as products go, whoever came up with this was a genius in my opinion. It just comes down to parents controlling their children's behavior as to not use them inappropriately. But the product itself is fine in my opinion.

[demgurl]

19. But you have to understand they are not just irritating.

They cause many, many injuries. Here is just one article:

http://www.newsmax.com/archives/articles/2007/6/4/152444.shtml

<Snip>
But doctors from Ireland to Singapore have reported treating broken wrists, arms and ankles; dislocated elbows and even cracked skulls in children injured while wearing roller shoes.

Over a 10-week period last summer, 67 children were treated for injuries from Heelys or strap-on wheels called Street Gliders at Temple Street Children's University Hospital in Dublin, Ireland, according to a report in the June edition of Pediatrics.

From September 2005 through December 2006, one death and at least 64 roller-shoe injuries were reported to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, a spokesman said last week.
<snip>

I believe when kids start dying from the product we must take another look at it. It is not a matter of adapting since these are almost ripoffs of roller skates. I used to roller skate as well. But these are more dangerous than roller skates considering the wheels are only in the heels and the child has to balance accordingly. And when they are voted one of the ten most dangerous children's toys you really need to listen to the experts that examine them to make that determination.

Perhaps some folks are just old but there is so much information out there that states others, like me, have a right to be concerned. As stated above, my best friend's daughter had her wrist broken in Heely's.

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

22. Yeah Yeah Yeah Same Thing About Skateboards, Freestyle Bikes, Roller Blades And God Knows What Else.

Why don't you go copy some articles on how many bike riding injuries there are a year. Maybe they should be banned as well?

Maybe, we should put all children in a comfy foam bubble so that they can never be hurt by anything ever.

[demgurl]

23. Wow! That was very disrespectful!

If I said anything in my post that made you think I was insulting you, I am sorry. Otherwise, why the disrespect?

I do not know the history of the items you have posted so I do not know if any of them were named as one of the ten most dangerous toys in any year like the Heely's were in 2006. Both of my kids have bikes and they have owned roller skates. One has nearly drowned twice but we have a season pass to a water park this summer. I feel they are too small for skateboards but when they get older I am sure we will buy them a couple.

Maybe I should be more careful but I just feel life to meant to be lived. Admittedly, after the first near drowning incident I did keep a much closer eye on my child and I threw up when I got home, but I didn't stop him from swimming and I laughed it off to his face. The second time was nearly two years later and I shook the rest of the day but we still stayed in the pool.

I am careful with these Heely's though. Call me old fashioned or overprotective but most of my relatives would tell you that we give our kid's too much space to make their own errors. Hubby always said that a right of passage is when you break an arm or a leg. I am holding my breath waiting for that but I will not facilitate it with Heely's.

I do respect your right to be envious of the kids today. I hope you will respect my rights as well.

Peace!

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

24. I Just Think People Overreact To The Dangers And Hype Them Up To Be More Than They Are.

That's kinda my only point. People always find their new thing to latch onto in an overprotective manner. I see kids on these things all of the time and they use them perfectly well. Just like skateboards, bicycles, roller blades, even sleds, there's bound to be those that get injured from time to time. But overall they're just new fun things for the kids.

But what I think is a lot worse in some ways than it use to be is parenting itself. Too many parents don't teach their children proper behavior and responsibility and that's probably more to blame than anything else.

[goodgd_yall]

21. I have the same thought whenever I see a kid wearing them...

envy and regret they weren't around when I was a kid.

[Name removed]

15. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Proud2BAmurkin]

16. I always wanted them but they weren't available when I was a kid.

nt

[BlooInBloo]

18. What kid of that age goes to Home Depot without a parent?

Time for parents to BE parents.

[jmowreader]

20. Oh, the parents are always Right There

But in Fayettenam, the general consensus of opinion seems to be that children can do any damn thing they want, and you're in the wrong if you try to correct them.

I have LOTS of war stories about children whose parents think the store should become a playground.

I would personally LOVE to be able to make the whole building off-limits to children because it's dangerous for them to be in there (just the amount of hazmat we sell by itself is enough to make me think that), but they won't let me.

[NC_Nurse]

25. They're a fad.

When enough parents have to pay huge bills for broken ankles and arms they
will get less popular. I'm surprised that they haven't been banned in most stores.

They will be eventually.