Are they a TOY or a SHOE? ... Roller shoes, that is!
They are accidents waiting to happen
These trendy wheeled sneakers that let kids zip along across playgrounds and through crowds could also send them rolling into emergency rooms on a stretcher, say doctors who blame a rash of injuries on them.
A few months ago in the supermarket foyer where I work I noticed a gradual increase in the amount of kiddies coming in who were wearing these so called shoes. I ignored "it" at first; for whereas we don't allow roller skates, roller blades, skate boards or bicycles into the store the odd child with these on seemed quite insignificant.
BUT NOW They are driving me CRAZY
Ours is an extremely busy store and at the weekends there is a constant stream of customers filtering in and out with no let up. There are customers with trolleys, buggies, invalid scooters, old ladies in wheelchairs....and...it seems, every third or fourth child comes zooming in with a pair of these things on their feet.
Do they really belong on regular shoes so that kids are skating alongside walking kids and adults?
Why should we allow kids to skateboard in supermarkets...admittedly I feel like a killjoy when I request that the child refrains from rollering in the store as the surface is ideal for this pastime, but how come parents can't see how dangerous it is?...both to them and to others.
With roller shoes there is no warning that suddenly a kid will come zooming down an aisle and around the corner where there could be any number of obstacles in the way.
We are having an increasing number of customers making official complaints about the children bumping into them when in 'flight'
If a parent wants their kids to wear these by all means go ahead, after all I loved my roller skates when I was a child but PLEASE get them to roll responsibly on bike paths, in your own drive, in an open park...anywhere but not in MY store....thankyou.
menhir
very annoying....I can imagine....It will take a serious death before anything is done to stop it though I guess....
I was watching child after child rollering around in London last week. I have observed them here where I live. I don't know whether there is a demographic aspect here or not. Per head of population I would say there are fewer youngsters here of tender years wearing wheelie trainers than I saw in the big city. They are more commonly seen on the older child of 8 or 9 years up. I have also seen the strap on wheels attached to footwear. In general the kids here with them, appear to be well behaved and respond to parental requests. On the other hand, we don't have cycle paths nor wide pavements, those we have are not that well maintained so would not be inviting. A horde of kids rollering into view would be most unwelcome. Something would soon be done about it.
I agree there is a control requirement and health and safety issues are not being accounted for. When the A & E departments kick up a bigger noise someone might take notice. Kids do not have the same appreciation of danger that adults do, until after the event.