Advice for Defense Against a Skating Charge

First, be very cool and professional, wear a suit and portray yourself as someone with responsibility. Indicate that you are not a "kid" using "toys" but an adult with a mission to commute from Point A to Point B. Tell them that you were using your skates as one might use a bicycle, something that is recognized in the State of Wisconsin as having due rights to the road. In this way, the logic that the enforcement of the Toy Skate Ordinance is totally inappropriate and something that was never intended when it was passed. The intent was to keep kids on metal-toe-pinchers out of the street. You are not in that class, you travel with and in the same places as bikes, at the same speed and use similar protective gear (I hope). Demonstrate your ability to stop, accelerate and maneuver.

Indicate that the former International Inline Skating Association had a Government Relations Committee that worked directly with States to propose model skate statutes to update these "toy skate" laws to the current technology. Indicate that the inline skate community has a vested interest in keeping the sport sake and has invested over 10 million in a Skate Smart campaign to promote the safe use of inline skates. Indicate that this statue has been successfully updated in several cities and States and that you would be happy to work on updating your State's law.

Dave Cooper
International Inline Skating Association
Government Relations Committee
(Note: This committee is no longer active)