"Skaters heading down Oxford Street!" If your taxi driving exploits
involve Friday evenings, then you’ll have come across that message on
your terminal. This group of several hundred individuals on skates cause
much irritation to motorists and especially taxi drivers. Call Sign
asked one of the skaters, Louise Goodall, why they do it…
Since May 2001, the Friday Night Skate (FNS) has been taking to the
streets of London every dry Friday between 8 and 10pm. Hundreds of
skaters navigate a 12-mile circular route - usually starting and
finishing at Hyde Park Corner - all in the name of fun. You may have
seen us; with more than 500 skaters in summer, we can be hard to miss!
The FNS is for people of all ages and all professions, from 7 to 72;
anyone who can skate is welcome to come along. Tourists even come from
across Europe to join us, whilst many who do not participate, love to
watch us fly by…
The FNS is NOT - and we can’t stress this enough - about taking over the
streets, slowing down traffic or anything anti-car or anti-cab. We have
no political agenda. We are not ‘yobs’ out to create havoc on
London’s streets. We are respectable, decent, hard working
individuals like your good selves. We just |
FRIDAY NIGHT SKATERS – A MENACE
OR JUST FUN?
|
want
to enjoy our favourite activity and make the most of our beautiful city.
Every week we plan our route and send a copy to the police so
they know where we will be skating. You can see the next route at
www.thefns.com. We always design routes to take other road users
into consideration and zigzag to avoid a build up of traffic behind us.
Marshals in yellow vests help by guiding skaters through the streets
quickly and safely, hopefully without blocking the streets any longer
than necessary.
Unfortunately, and because we do inevitably delay traffic, we often
encounter impatient drivers who can be abusive and aggressive. Without
wishing to accuse Dial-a-Cab drivers in particular, those |
who make
a living from London’s streets are often the worst offenders. We have
even had occasions where hostile drivers have knocked down skaters.
Fortunately no one has been seriously injured… yet. That’s why we
want to do everything we can to minimise the inconvenience to you.
In return, if you encounter the FNS, all we ask is that you show us
some consideration. Please drive carefully and considerately while
passing or overtaking skaters and try to be patient if you are held up
at a junction. We will pass by in very few minutes. So why not sit back,
relax and enjoy the spectacle that is the London Friday Night Skate…
Louise Goodall |
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