I'm convinced Heelys are proof of a decline in civilization.

[JunieJay]

Saturday morning in front of the entrance to Magic Kingdom. In circles--around groups of people..myself included.

Why should I or anyone else--be placed on guard to avoid getting knocked down by little miss zippity do doh?

I don't know why it is hard for the heely supporters to understand that there are several kids out there abusing their heely privileges. It's like you think we are making it up.

It is a skate--and around here--it is used in many places where skating isn't allowed. It didn't bother me so much before---but the kids are getting more...creative with their usage.

I've never said you were making it up. In fact, I've passed no judgement on you whatsoever, can't say you've shown me the same courtesy.

What I said is my own kids have not knocked anyone down, run into anyone, or even knocked themselves down. Nor have I seen any Heely accidents, ever.

 

[JunieJay]

Well this was at Fort Wilderness---so she could have been city folk..or she could have been country folk. Depends on what your stereotype of someone who camps is.

I don't really live in an "urban" area.

Huh?

Now I'm completely confused. Who is stereotyping? Are you even considering what you are typing here, or what?

My mention of living in an urban area is to point out we don't have malls, per se. My kids are never in malls. We have stores that sit directly on the street, so my experience may be different than yours. I don't live in a neighborhood on a cul de sac, I live on a busy city street, so you don't see kids whipping through the neighborhood on Heelies.

Hopefully that clears up any thought you might have had that I'm "stereotyping".

 

[MushyMushy]

Exactly. You yourselves are equating heelies with riding skateboards and running in stores. All are inappropriate.

That was my whole point earlier about bringing up skateboards, but that just got jumped on as being "more dangerous."

Okay. Well, by that argument then, heelys are more dangerous than walking, therefore they should be banned from public places.

They made the argument for me!

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

I've never said you were making it up. In fact, I've passed no judgement on you whatsoever, can't say you've shown me the same courtesy.

What I said is my own kids have not knocked anyone down, run into anyone, or even knocked themselves down. Nor have I seen any Heely accidents, ever.

I spoke generally for the most part. I didn't judge you personally--I did judge that you think all heely users are like those in your area...b/c around here they are not. Once I realized that, I modified my posting.

But the implication is there b/c in one of those classic DIS moments (saw this on the last heely thread as well)--if I didn't notice it, it must not happen.

There is a potential for accidents--and that is why they are problematic. Even the most skilled skaters cannot break out a pair of roller blades in the mall and have at it. They won't hurt anyone--but the potential is there.

If a heely is classified as a skate, then you do open yourself up to liability if your child causes an accident while using them.

 

[MushyMushy]

I've never said you were making it up. In fact, I've passed no judgement on you whatsoever, can't say you've shown me the same courtesy.

What I said is my own kids have not knocked anyone down, run into anyone, or even knocked themselves down. Nor have I seen any Heely accidents, ever.

Right, but surely you must acknowledge that just because you are a decent (not saying perfect ) parent, doesn't mean that they all are. Hence the great disdain many people feel towards kids wearing them. Unfortunately that spills over onto the well-mannered kids, like anything else in life.

I never saw the problem with them either until Christmas when we did all our shopping. Wow. The idiots were out in force then! I was in Sears when two kids came flailing and flying down an aisle, and one of them wiped out on shelving. How easily the shelving unit could have been ME standing there getting plowed into.

 

[JunieJay]

I spoke generally for the most part. I didn't judge you personally--I did judge that you think all heely users are like those in your area...b/c around here they are not. Once I realized that, I modified my posting.

Actually, what you said is that I might think my kids are "perfect". Hopefully I cleared up that misconception.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Huh?

Now I'm completely confused. Who is stereotyping? Are you even considering what you are typing here, or what?

My mention of living in an urban area is to point out we don't have malls, per se. My kids are never in malls. We have stores that sit directly on the street, so my experience may be different than yours. I don't live in a neighborhood on a cul de sac, I live on a busy city street, so you don't see kids whipping through the neighborhood on Heelies.

Hopefully that clears up any thought you might have had that I'm "stereotyping".

I do have pregnant brain afterall....

But you said you haven't seen it b/c you don't live in an urban area. I wasn't in an urban area when i witnessed this and was making a joke about where that child may have been from. It was at a peaceful campground in pitch black dark where people would be walking and cars could be driving. No mall around formiles.

 

[JunieJay]

Right, but surely you must acknowledge that just because you are a decent (not saying perfect ) parent, doesn't mean that they all are. Hence the great disdain many people feel towards kids wearing them. Unfortunately that spills over onto the well-mannered kids, like anything else in life.

I never saw the problem with them either until Christmas when we did all our shopping. Wow. The idiots were out in force then! I was in Sears when two kids came flailing and flying down an aisle, and one of them wiped out on shelving. How easily the shelving unit could have been ME standing there getting plowed into.

I actually don't think ALL parents are well meaning, but I think most are. Maybe its the optimist in me. I don't seem to run into as many problems with kids....maybe its because I grew up in a large family with screaming kids around all the time, I've learned to block it out for the most part. Unless a kid is blatantly being a jerk and his parent is looking the other way, I guess I tend not to notice.

As for the Heelies in the mall at Christmas, I did most of my shopping online. I'm rarely in the mall, but when I am, I just haven't observed this dangerous behavior. Not saying it doesn't happen, only that I haven't witnessed it with my kids or any others.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Actually, what you said is that I might think my kids are "perfect". Hopefully I cleared up that misconception.

Okay--you got me.

They aren't perfect..but they are pretty darn good at using their heelies that you have no concern that they will harm anybody or themselves and you are defending them accordingly.

I didn't notice them so much and like MushyMushy--have seen a lot more since Christmas. And not all parents have children as disciplined with the heelies, unfortunately.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Unless a kid is blatantly being a jerk and his parent is looking the other way, I guess I tend not to notice.

While some of us may not use the word "jerk"---it is what is making us notice the heely craze.

 

[taximomfor4]

I actually don't think ALL parents are well meaning, but I think most are. Maybe its the optimist in me. I don't seem to run into as many problems with kids....maybe its because I grew up in a large family with screaming kids around all the time, I've learned to block it out for the most part. Unless a kid is blatantly being a jerk and his parent is looking the other way, I guess I tend not to notice.

As for the Heelies in the mall at Christmas, I did most of my shopping online. I'm rarely in the mall, but when I am, I just haven't observed this dangerous behavior. Not saying it doesn't happen, only that I haven't witnessed it with my kids or any others.

Around me, they were not really in the malls till right AFTER Christmas this year. Guess my area was a little slow on the spread of Heelys. I do think the links I provided above in my pp pretty well illustrate my opinion on where/when Heelys are appropriate, though.

Beth

 

[JunieJay]

I do have pregnant brain afterall....

But you said you haven't seen it b/c you don't live in an urban area. I wasn't in an urban area when i witnessed this and was making a joke about where that child may have been from. It was at a peaceful campground in pitch black dark where people would be walking and cars could be driving. No mall around formiles.

Actually what I said is I *do* live in an urban area.

Again, no malls, no cul de sacs, just busy city streets not appropriate for whipping around on Heelies, so I guess that is why I haven't witnessed it. You'd get yourself killed if you tried to do that around here, for sure. We have a winding bike path where my kids ride their Heelies. They do need to watch out for joggers, people on bikes, and people just out walking - just as those people need to watch out for people on Heelies.

 

[JunieJay]

Okay--you got me.

They aren't perfect..but they are pretty darn good at using their heelies that you have no concern that they will harm anybody or themselves and you are defending them accordingly.

Yep. I base that on the fact they have had Heelies for years and have yet to have an accident with them. I'm not saying that its beyond the realm of possibility, but they could have an accident walking or riding their bike too.

It honestly has nothing to do with me thinking my kids are better than other kids, or that I'm a better parent than other parents, simply that my kids know how to ride their Heelys in a way where there is little danger of an accident. Even if an accident were to occur, it would be minor since they don't whip around on them recklessly, they are actually gliding along pretty slowly.

 

[Crankyshank]

I have to say I've yet to see any kids using their heelys in what would be considered an appropriate location.
Probably because I live in a busy area and they really don't sweep the streets on a regular basis (ok really they don't sweep at all) so there's no place to heel outside in public place safely.

I feel bad for the kids, but not bad enough to think it's ok for them to be whizzing around people at breakneck speed in the mall or the grocery store.

 

[arminnie]

I'm just afraid that one of these kids are going to crash into one of the elderly or disabled members just because they wanted to "have some fun".

It does just boil down to a lack of respect.

Some children (with or w/o Heelies) are being raised to respect others -some unfortunately are not. Those of you who have taught your children how to behave in public (with and w/o Heelies)- Thank you.

Those parents (who are probably never going to read this as they probably aren't here on this board) who let their children run wild and be brats - well I am one of those elderly and disabled folks, but I will look out for myself. If there is ANY choice of who ends up splat on the floor it will be the brat NOT me.

Would I knock down a 3-4 year old - no, I'm not that mean. But I'd take out a 10-12 year old brat who was threatening me in a minute. If someone is going to end up on the concrete floor with a broken bone, I would prefer that it not be me or my 86 year old father.

 

[goofygirl]

Do those things come with a warning or disclaimer?

I am just waiting for some idiot parent to sue the Heelies company because their kid broke their neck wearing/using them. OR- a Heelie kid will roll into a non-Heelie kid, do damage, and then his parents will sue the Heelie kid's parents. Like a car accident.

 

[Mom2Ashli]

DD wanted Heelys and I told her "no". There really is not need for them. If she wants to skate than she should wear a pair of skates.

And other than our street and the skating rink I don't know of any other place that she would need to have skates in her shoes.

She was none to happy with me.

 

[MushyMushy]

Read this, and then watch the video on the right hand side called "Roller Sneakers Warning."

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/03/03/earlyshow/living/parenting/main1365761_page2.shtml

How many parents here who let their kids use heelies, make them use helmets and padding -- raise your hands.

I had to laugh at the one mother in the interview complaining after her daughter got a concussion that the shoes really need a warning on them that they are skates and not shoes.

HELLO! They have a WHEEL on them -- wheels on feet = skates.

 

[firemanslady09]

The rule in our house is if it has wheels it requires a helmet. That means scooters, skateboards, bikes, heelys and anything else that requires a wheel. I mean my son gave himself a concussion just getting out of bed, no way would I not make him follow that rule.

 

[C.Ann]

How many parents here who let their kids use heelies, make them use helmets and padding -- raise your hands.

---------------------------------

Well I can tell you first hand, not a SINGLE ONE that I saw at WDW in December - nor anywhere else I have seen children using them..