A Sport of Bumps

Impressive acrobatics and inevitable fractures, wrists are the first to be affected BRUSSELS ∇ All roller skating fans know it: protective gear is essential as soon as you hit the ramp. Well placed to talk about it, Taïg Khris has already suffered more than a dozen fractures. That doesn't stop him from attempting and successfully performing absolutely breathtaking tricks to this day. He even dedicated a trick to his mother: the Gatospin or cat rotation. This trick bears the family name of my mother, who is called Gatos – cat in Greek. "I simply do two turns in the air along a specific axis." He was also the first to perform a double backflip on a ramp. "The sensations are incredible. Finding yourself upside down seven or eight meters high is magic." Yes, but it is risky. In Belgium, insurance companies estimated the number of roller skating accidents at around 6,000 per year. The main causes of roller accidents are high skater speeds, insufficient braking capacity, lack of braking technique, inexperience, and lack of balance. Nine times out of ten, the accident is due to a fall. Collisions with obstacles – walls, parked cars, other road users, etc. – come far behind (5%). The vast majority of these accidents are falls (92%). Furthermore, more than 18% of roller accidents result in wrist fractures. Added to this are the 9% of accidents resulting in a wrist sprain. When the knee (9% of accidents) is affected, it is mainly contusions. On the other hand, when the skater injures their forearm (8.6% of cases), it is most often a fracture. As for the most common facial injury, it involves open wounds. Enjoy the ride. For those who wish to practice before taking the plunge, head over to Mont-des-Arts, just steps from Central Station. The spot is spacious enough to accommodate crowds. And the setting is beautiful. Better yet, the square features low walls, steps, benches, and even a fountain in case of hot weather. On cycle paths BRUSSELS ∇ Not all skaters dream only of ramps and acrobatics. In Belgium, the flat country par excellence, roller skating has experienced a real craze over the last ten years. And the Brussels Roller Parade drew more people every week this summer. Surprisingly, this new category of road users only made its appearance in the highway code last June. And the code says this: if skaters are over 16 years old, they must use cycle paths. In the absence of cycle paths, in built-up areas, they may use the right edge of the roadway when the speed limit is 30 km/h. In 50 km/h zones, they must use the right edge of the roadway, the sidewalk, or the usable verge. Outside built-up areas, in the absence of a cycle path, they must primarily travel on the sidewalk or verge (otherwise, on the right edge of the road). Users under 16 must use the sidewalk or verge. In the absence of a sidewalk or verge, they may use the cycle path. If none of these facilities exist, the use of these devices is prohibited for them, except in residential, pedestrian, or play zones.