As of January 1, 2013, a new law in Illinois permits inline skaters, who had originally been required to
skate on sidewalks, to skate on roads. Attorney Ben Neiburger, a speed club member, worked to develop the new law, and former State Representative Chris Nybo of Elmhurst, sponsored the bill.
Under the new statute, only adult skaters aged 18 years and older who use speed skating equipment are allowed to skate on roads in cities with populations of less than two million, so Chicago skaters are still sidewalk bound. Inline road skating is also limited to daylight hours and roads with posted speeds of 45mph or less as long as the skaters follow the rules of the road and do not impede or obstruct regular traffic.
It probably seems a bit scary to non-skaters to send a person on wheels out with vehicles. But, speed skaters who travel at about 25 mph are probably much safer on a road traveling with traffic than they would be going against traffic or on a sidewalk with pedestrians - as previous laws required.
Photo © Labsas, iStockphoto.com
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