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Rollerskier in Fairbanks ticketed
In Fairbanks the state troopers have decided to pursue rollerskiers. A
little over a week ago one rollerskier was ticketed after an off duty trooper passed him and his pole swung out to the side. There were two of them rollerskiing and the citation was obstructing traffic. Unfortunately the off duty trooper was the Capt. of the local detachment. Fortunately one of the rollerskiers is a lawyer. The following day three troopers stopped the UAF ski team during a workout. The students were ordered to take off their rollerskis. Apparently there is an law that states: "No person may operate a unicycle, coaster, roller skates or a similar device on the roadway." The troopers are interpreting rollerskis to be a "similar device". The troopers say that the two incidents are not related. The summer before last the coach of a summer training group was spoken to by the troopers after a complaint and was told the rollerskiers should be sure to ski single file, but nothing about it being illegal. Here's a link to a newspaper article describing the incidents: http://www.news-miner.com/Stories/0,...676677,00.html This is a setback for the UAF ski team and other skiers such as the high school ski team members. Is rollerskiing illegal anywhere else and actually enforced, other than obvious places such as freeways? Anyone else had to fight this battle? |
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#2
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Rollerskier in Fairbanks ticketed
I was rollerskiing in a mall parking lot in San Diego near Xmas one year. A
rent-a-cop came out and told me, "You can't do that here." I said, "Do what?" and he said, "That." He'd probably never seen snow before. Luckily, I was leaving anyway. I thought it was funny. It's too bad that the cops see it that way. I used to live up there and have a hard time believing that most people would be upset at it. I used to battle with the Security Police at the Air Force Academy when my cycling team (road; about 30 guys) used to ride around the base. They had it out for us and there wasn't much you could do but do your ride and grin and bear the harassment. Luckily we were bikes and it was harder to eliminate us from the road. Not so easily said about rollerskiing. Eric "Shmo" Chandler Duluth, MN |
#4
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Rollerskier in Fairbanks ticketed
We used to have all kinds of trouble here in Wisconsin. Some guys used to carry
a copy of the law in their pocket in case they were pulled over. I don't think it's been much of a problem in the last 5 years as long as you behave yourself and ski single file, and stay out of the way. The only time I had trouble was while almost cresting a steep climb, probably a half dozen pushes from the top, I hear BEEP BEEP BEEP behind. I mutter a few curse words to myself as I struggle over the top (who's going to pass on a blind up hill anyway???) .... WHIRRRRR WHOOP WHOOOP !!! Yup, officer friendly couldn't pass on the blind uphill and got mad. Beet red, spittin', and a big 'ol vein popping out of the side of his neck, he gives us the lecture "what the heck do we think we're doing out here in HIS county on HIS roads so early on a sunday morning blocking traffic ???!!". (yeah, all these soy farmers are having a hard time getting to their fields at 8am sunday). He give his lecture, we played 'yes sir' and all continued on their way. No tickets involved. John Wilke Milwaukee |
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Rollerskier in Fairbanks ticketed
On 07 Oct 2003 22:18:13 GMT, (J999w) wrote:
He give his lecture, we played 'yes sir' and all continued on their way. No tickets involved. I really think you should argue, politely, and take the ticket if he won't listen, then fight it. It's not right to take that treatment. JT ******************************************* NB: reply-to address is munged Visit http://www.jt10000.com ******************************************* |
#6
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Rollerskier in Fairbanks ticketed
Here is the progressive and nordic ski friendly state of New York, roller
skiers are (probably) afforded all the rights enjoyed by bicycles. The caveat is that the law discusses in line skaters as having the same broad rights to the road as bicyclists, but roller skiing is not mentioned as an entity. I think that an arguement that roller skis are in line skates probably would hold up in court. In New York State motor vehicles have no greater legal rights to the road than human powered wheeled travelers. In fact motor vehicle users are specifically warned to pass non motorized wheeled users safely. The courtesy I am given by drivers while I roller ski and bicycle has been remarkable of late. Seems that if there is any choice anMV user could make about a situation involving me on roller skis or cycling, the drivers have yielded or given my a wide berth with courtesy. Can't figure it out, and I'm not complaining. Regarding the police: Rosendale used to be a major biathlon center. As biathlon involves fire arms, and it just so happens that a guy who is now a local law officer was on the brink of making the National Biathlon team many years back, it seems that the police have a keen interest in not harassing us. I get nods and supportive comments every once in a while by the guys in blue. Gary Jacobson Rosendale, NY |
#7
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Rollerskier in Fairbanks ticketed
the concept of "rollerskates and similar devices" is widely used in
state parks here in NJ and Long Island, NY. So before I rollerski in a state park I go to the headqauters and check with their policies. I usually take "the similar device" with me, and I load them with b.s. about me being the only XCskier around (Pete Minde and John Hart would kick my butt for that) and remember to smile - and in 50% of cases that say OK. As for the roads, I usually ski in residential areas (like Oyster Bay, LI) and remember to smile at every cop driving by, and at very resident walking his/her dog (Ken Robert's advice), and to switch to double poling every time I pass somebody or get passed by a car - and so far everything was fine. Apparently, locals by now think of me as a unique intersting feature of their neirborhood. |
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Rollerskier in Fairbanks ticketed
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#9
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Rollerskier in Fairbanks ticketed
On Fri, 10 Oct 2003, Karhu Germina (or whoever this really is) wrote: How V2/Pro-Ski/et al. can sell these things without stock, reliable braking systems is beyond my grasp, as is how they haven't been sued out of existence by one litigious ******* who broke his wrist after hitting a patch of gravel. Huh. I suppose you have a point, but there is another view on this, too. Around the time V2 first started offering speed reducers and those cord-pull brake things (do they still offer those?), I spoke to Len about them and he specifically recommended NOT getting the brake. Again this was years ago, but he said it's too easy to pull the brake cable too hard, stop the wheel, and find yourself flying forward with the ski no longer beneath you... -Mitch |
#10
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Rollerskier in Fairbanks ticketed
Yes--the braking systems I've seen were all way more dangerous than
than helpful. (Besides the pull-cord one, didn't someone market a brake that was activated by crouching down? Yeah, that's safe … and if you're classical skiing and get a particularly deep leg compression it stands to reason everything would come to an abrupt halt.) All I'm saying is that it seems like it might be in the manufacturer's best interest to develop something that actually works. In the meantime, speed reducers on big hills. Or, uh, maybe walking when you think things might be sketchy. kgermina (Mitch Collinsworth) wrote in message mr.cornell.edu... On Fri, 10 Oct 2003, Karhu Germina (or whoever this really is) wrote: How V2/Pro-Ski/et al. can sell these things without stock, reliable braking systems is beyond my grasp, as is how they haven't been sued out of existence by one litigious ******* who broke his wrist after hitting a patch of gravel. Huh. I suppose you have a point, but there is another view on this, too. Around the time V2 first started offering speed reducers and those cord-pull brake things (do they still offer those?), I spoke to Len about them and he specifically recommended NOT getting the brake. Again this was years ago, but he said it's too easy to pull the brake cable too hard, stop the wheel, and find yourself flying forward with the ski no longer beneath you... -Mitch |
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