Capital on Wheels

REPORT BRUSSELS PARADE KICKS OFF ROLLER SEASON Capital on Wheels Tonight in Brussels, the new season of the Roller Parade begins, and in Hasselt, Ostend, Mons, and Namur, a weekly roller procession will also take place throughout the summer. During the warm summer months, thousands of individual rollerbladers will also appear on the streets. Since 2004, Belgian roller enthusiasts have been allowed to legally use the road. How do motorists react to rollers in urban traffic? De Morgen sent its own roller through the Brussels traffic jams. BRUSSELS Own reporting Kris Hendrickx Pierre Grüter is doing some tricks on his rollers in Poelaert Square. Pierre is the staff manager of the Roller Parade and is responsible for the approximately 130 volunteers who will regularly guide the Roller Parade. He is what you call a 'die-hard roller', someone who is on rollerblades all year round and also slaloms with a certain elegance through heavy car traffic. To the square in front of the Palace of Justice is the traditional starting point for the Brussels Roller Parade. On peak days, up to eight thousand participants gather here, who then cover a route of about twenty kilometers through Brussels. Among them are the 'rollercops', a specially trained police patrol on wheels, who ensure safety along with Pierre's staff. The patrol was specifically created for the parade, but is now also used outside of it, in the Bois de la Cambre during the weekend, or to accompany demonstrations. Pierre hopes that the patrol will be expanded. "Officers on roller skates are much more accessible." For participants who have an unfortunate encounter with the road surface, a medical team skates along. The entire group skates behind a pick-up truck, whose cargo bed is filled with music boxes for the occasion. Atmosphere guaranteed during the Roller Parade. One thing is clear: Brussels is not a paradise for the everyday roller skater But we want to enter daily traffic, like many parade participants who now also use their rollers in daily life as a means of transport. Pierre explains the rules of the game: where there is a bicycle path, we must use it; otherwise, we can choose between the pavement or the roadway. This choice is not a luxury. Cobblestones are omnipresent in Brussels and not only unpleasant for cyclists, as we discover firsthand. We quickly go up and down pavements, over rough asphalt that makes you bounce for a minute, but also over too rare polished pavements. One thing is clear: you cannot call the capital a roller paradise, with its rare bicycle paths, wide range of road surfaces, and overly busy streets. Whoever still wants to go into the city center with their roller skates should do as Pierre does: ride confidently and take enough space. On Lemonnierlaan, there's a traffic jam, but the routine roller always finds a gap and is often faster than the cars. When we cross a zebra crossing, motorists respectfully brake. "Drivers respect us. As a pedestrian, you won't experience this," says Pierre. Whether the driver is simply afraid of paint damage to his car cannot be determined. "You have to imagine the avenue during the parade, without cars and with a crowd a kilometer long," grins Pierre. "A powerful feeling." The entire Roller Parade seems to be all about that sense of togetherness. "This is just a very casual way to experience the city and the weekend. The Roller Parade is open to everyone; you don't have to do anything here. Most participants are between 15 and 35, but there are also babies in buggies or fifty-year-olds." Rollers in the city remain a rarity. During the more than hour-long journey, we don't encounter a single one, and motorists often shake their heads in bewilderment. "For everyday use, the center of Brussels is not ideal," admits Pierre. "In that regard, rollers have the same demands as cyclists: they ask for their own place on the road. That doesn't necessarily mean dedicated roller paths, but rather a bicycle path that we can share with two-wheelers. That's not a luxury: roller skaters even need more space than cyclists, because the skating movement is a left-right maneuver." Anyone who wants to roll carefree through the streets of Brussels for once should be at Poelaert Square tonight at 8 p.m. www.belgiumrollers.com Photo: A skater shows his tricks on a pedestrian bridge in Brussels. Pierre Grüter, staff manager of the Roller Parade: 'This is just a very casual way to experience the city and the weekend.' (Photo Tim Dirven) ROLLER SKATERS NOW FULL-FLEDGED ROAD USERS Until 2004, roller skaters were considered pedestrians. Since last year, there has been specific legislation for roller skaters, allowing them to use public roads under certain circumstances. "Logical, because roller skaters are much faster than pedestrians," says the Belgian Institute for Road Safety (BIW). In a nutshell, the rules for those aged 16 and over: if there is a bicycle path, the roller skater must use it. If there is no bicycle path, there are different scenarios. If the speed limit is up to 30 km/h, you must ride on the right side of the roadway. At a maximum speed of 50 km/h, the roller skater can choose between the roadway, the pavement, and the verge. If the maximum speed is higher than 50 km/h, there are two possibilities: in built-up areas, a pavement or verge must be used; otherwise, roller skating is prohibited. Even outside built-up areas, the roller skater must be on the pavement or verge. Those under sixteen must limit themselves to pavements and bicycle paths. On bicycle paths, roller skates must also carry a white light at the front and a red light at the rear in the dark. On the roadway, a reflective safety jacket is also required. For beginner roller skaters, the BIW, together with the Rollerbond, has published a brochure (www.rollerbond.be).