Today I went Roller skating with my brother, 9, and sister, 13, during the time when kids were allowed to skate, it was over 18's after 8pm. We all had a brilliant time, after we had taught my brother what to do as it was his first time on skates.
It was really busy when we first arrived but then a big group of men came in and were showing off; skating backwards or doing tricks or going really fast whilst there were children as young as ~3years old still skating. Many of these little ones were falling over quite frequently as were most of the other people there. These men that had just come in were cutting these kids up and making them fall over again. As I said earlier this was my brother's first time skating and he was cut up and knocked over 6 times within the space of 20 minutes and that's not because he had no balance.
Notice I say it is men that are doing this. It is the same whether I go ice-skating, roller-skating or swimming there is always a group of men trying to out do each other, it's very rarely women that I see being boisterous and competitive when there are children around.
About half an hour in to being there, the families with small children left the skating area, either to get food or go home. My brother and sister left the skating area as they were fed up of being knocked over and getting up only to be knocked over again. Whilst they were out, I decided I was going to go a bit faster as the area was emptier. But when I was turning in to the corner, I was taken out by one of these hooligans, who then instead of apologising, looked at me as if I was the one who needed to apologise and when I didn't, he just got up and skated away.
I've got quite good balance so not much would take me out. Just think about what would have happened if it was my brother he had taken out or a little one, would he have just stared, waited for an apology and then skated away when he didn't get one? Would the one knocked over be hurt badly?
Should it just be adults with children that are allowed to skate whilst it is time that is allocated to everyone? Over 18's get their own time to go where the aren't any children about, why didn't these men go then? They only had to wait an hour or two before their time started. There should be a time for families with young children to go where they won't be in any danger and will be able to have fun without having to worry about being knocked over.
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