[goldcigarettes]

Is it okay to cruise around on inlines in the city, on sidewalks, streets and so on? It doesn't surprise me since there are pedestrains everywhere, but I thought I ask, just to be sure....

[inofindy]

Yes and no.

I have had good and bad with them, cruising down a sidewalk at a moderate pace will do you no harm, but I have also been deliberately shouldered by people that do not like you being there (even standing still).

The roads are 50/50. Some are great (liek in the West Village, Hudson Street) with bike lanes and good pavement, others are a nightmare (midtown, chinatown, downtown) with broken pavement, construction, traffic, double parking, horse dung and garbage and few, if any, bike lanes (fewer still that are not used by cabbies as their pick-up drop-off zones. Look out for passengers who open doors w/o looking first!).

Anyway, there are some areas that are better than others, but just keep your wits about you and you should be fine.

Oh, I also recommend a brand of skates called "hypnoskate". They are really solid, dependable detachable blades (the boots are akin to snowboard boots). A little less solid than traditional skates, but more stable than roller-hockey blades.

Hope this helps!

[seooptiman]

This should help you:

http://www.skatecity.com/nyc/law/#city

Personally, I've never understood the charm of rollerblades. It looks like the nerdiest thing a human being could ever possibly do.

ETA: that is, until I found out about that Second Life insanity.

[zttrftwsq]

I inserted {Inline skating} to the title for search purposes.

[KeestRast]

This should help you:

http://www.skatecity.com/nyc/law/#city

Personally, I've never understood the charm of rollerblades. It looks like the nerdiest thing a human being could ever possibly do.

ETA: that is, until I found out about that Second Life insanity.

Depends Schade. I have seen people fully decked out in pads and they look prtty dorky.

I usually ride with wrist straps and try to keep my speed under control (and avoid doing anything X-Treme).

If you know what you are doing, it can be as easy as walking, and the glide can be a LOT of fun (swishing back and forth).

Nerdy though? That I have never heard. Crunchy maybe, but never nerdy....

[trowUrillioth]

Schadenfrau's source is excellent - here's the text:

The New York City Inline Skating Guide:
New York City Law

In spring 1996, the city council passed Local Law 1996/043, making it illegal to skate recklessly, this being defined as skating in a fashion such as to threaten the health or possessions of another person. The fine is $50 to $100. (The law was signed by Mayor Giuliani in mid-June and went into effect in August 1996.) The law is on the books as:

• New York City Administrative Code S 19-176.1

The reckless skating law was a compromise version of a proposal which originally included a ban on skating on the sidewalks by any person over age 14. Happily for skaters, that provision was removed. Nevertheless, city and state politicians have been known to advocate such a ban, including laws proposed in the state legislature. Skaters are thus enouraged to keep their heads screwed on and to skate no faster than a walking pace while on the sidewalk, lest there be an incident which would provide fuel for hostile politicians.

Preliminary signs seemed to indicate that the police would active enforce the reckless skating law, along with the various state skating laws. Among these signs was a spate of reports of skaters being stopped by police in early August 1996 (including the author of this skate guide) and given warnings that something that they had just done would in the near future warrant a ticket. However, since that date, the only known consistent effort by NYPD to enforce skating laws was during August 1998, when they patrolled Central Park on the weekends, looking for violations of the reckless skating law.

But this isn't to say that the police will always ignore your skating infractions. There have been periodic police crackdowns on illegal cycling, usually at the precinct level and occasionally borough- or city-wide. All it takes is a city councilmember who's been receiving complaints from his constituents, or just an irritated police precinct commander, to result in the police getting busy and giving offending skaters lots and lots of tickets. So skate legally as much as possible, be courteous to all pedestrians, and things should be cool.

On Sep. 16, 1996, the city council held a hearing for discussion of three proposed Local Laws (aka "Intros") which would affect cyclists and skaters. In particular, Int. 0844-1996 would have required that all inline skaters in the city to wear helmets. The proposed law was the immediate result of the death of a skater in Central Park in August following a collision with a cyclist. Although there were rumors that Int. 844 had passed, the city council website would seem to indicate that it did not.

A couple other Intros which were proposed to the city council but which also never passed were Int. 1042-1997, which would have made it illegal to be using earphones while skating or cycling, and Int. 0631-1999, which duplicated the state's existing requirement for reflective clothing when skating after dark.

[krasniyluch]

In spring 1996, the city council passed Local Law 1996/043, making it illegal to skate recklessly, this being defined as skating in a fashion such as to threaten the health or possessions of another person. The fine is $50 to $100. (The law was signed by Mayor Giuliani in mid-June and went into effect in August 1996. That rotten son of a b**** would outlaw the laughter of children if he could.

[xtrslots]

No, it was Bloomberg who put the ban on that one.

[gettoblaster]

No, it was Bloomberg who put the ban on that one.

Bloomberg would never ban it.

Maybe charge for it. But never ban it!

[AdSuiteAdobe]

Thanks everybody for your answers. I just got back from new york... I forgot to check this thread before I left Sweden, but anyway I used my skates and it went fine. Only 15 minutes from wellington hotel at 7:th and 55th through west highway at 55th down to 39th (ny waterway ferry), for example.

Mm as you said, the road conditions varied alot. I was close to fall (I don't now how many times) as big holes emerged from nowhere...

But'll bring them next year again that's for sure =)