How to Skate Safely - the Techniques and Equipment You Need Here's what you'll need to skate safely: the right gear, the right know-how, and the right attitude. Don't hit the trail without them! The Top Seven Mistakes of Beginning Inline Skaters ... Avoid these mistakes and you'll be off to a great start! Don't Hit (Ouch!) The Trail Without It ... . So you don't want to wear your protective gear? Not a good idea. ... Without it, some day --- like a shark from the deep blue --- the pavement's going to rise up and bite you. Respect Hill or Pay the Doctor Bills! ... Lots of beautiful skating relationships have been destroyed by rushing into hills too quickly. New skaters must practice hill abstinence. Just say no — to hills! 10 Ways to Avoid Getting Hit by Cars - Of course, you  could just stay home. But that's no fun. So here's a guide to how to skate in the street safely. It's adapted from Michael Bluejay's excellent guide for bicyclists. Among the topics are where to position yourself at stop lights, how to pass slow moving cars and how to make it more likely that drivers will see you. ... Study it! The best piece of safety gear is a well-tended mind. (Go to the guide.) (Jan. 18, 2006) Battle Gear for TRISTO
 Tim Monroe may be the most heavily armored skater in history. But then again, he should be. His 25-year quest to skate every inch of Oakland, Calif., (which he dubbed Tim's Radical Inline Skate Tour of Oakland) put him eye to eye with some of the steepest hills, toughest neighborhoods and meanest dogs on the Planet. So he wore the standard protective gear and then added on a bunch more, including shoulder pads, kevlar sleeves, slash guards and pepper spray. (For the full list with photos, go to his web site.) (March 9, 2006) | 
