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Trip to the Amsterdam
Friday Night Skate
by Mike van Erp
18th August 2002
Some details on the Amsterdam Friday Night Skate, together with photos below:
- They have about 10-20 volunteer marshals, called blockers that all wear reflective gear and have radios.
- These blockers watch all the skaters, stop traffic at each
minor intersection until skaters have passed, etc. Major
intersections with traffic lights are, mostly I think,
dealt with by obeying the lights.
- There are also about 6-12 "flying nurses",
volunteers with some kind of paramedic training who deal
with any accidents. These skate in pairs and spread
themselves along and amongst the skaters. Should an accident occur, they
often stay with the victim until an ambulance comes or the problem is sorted
out.
- There were about 1800 skaters last Friday, but the weather
was not particularly good. Not as big as Paris, but
still plenty of people to deal with.
- The entire skate happens on the road itself, amongst the
traffic. Cars and other vehicles are thus delayed for a
short period while the skaters come through.
- Shortly after the start of the skate, those skaters that
can't cut the mustard are turned back to the park - i.e. those that are too
slow, can't brake, deal with tramlines, etc.
- A little later on the skaters are split up into a couple of
groups based on speed. This is to ease crossing
intersections and allow traffic a chance to cross as
well.
- The Amsterdam Friday Night Skate website is at http://www.fridaynightskate.com/.
By the way, they've posted details on the London Skate started by BettyBlade the last time I looked. Amsterdam is also probably
a little easier for skaters because it is already a
bicycle city and cars are thus used to slower moving
unprotected wheeled vehicles. We saw a lot more skaters skating
during the day than is common here in London.
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