View Full Version : What Do They Think the Cones Are For?
Seriously, today and yesterday were the absolute worst where I work for people skating through our coned off center, hanging out in it, and just being generally rude when asked politely to leave. So, I wonder what people actually do think those cones are there for!
Oops! Don't know how I forgot "All of the above!" Can't edit it either. Feel free to chime in with your guesses.
Skate@Delaware
12-07-2008, 07:52 PM
You left out my favorite one "for the hockey-types to kick across the rink and see how far they can go!"
My rink(s) do not cone off anything in the center. If there is a lesson they cone off the end OR put up the barriers across 1/3 of the ice. These are the LARGE FOAM BLOCKS that extend from one end to the other. Much safer/better and rather hard to miss!
It is annoying, and I know your frustration! We still have skaters (mostly the kids) that forget that the center is for spinning.
Sessy
12-07-2008, 07:56 PM
You forgot "use them as a voice enhancer for loud, obnoxious, screamy kids" and "put on the head of dad with kid on shoulders to look like pinoccio and skate into somebody because he can't see properly"
At our rink they actually use wooden bulkheads. Seriously. The cones are only there when the city gives skating lessons on public sessions to schoolkids as part of a get-kids-interested-in-sport-before-they-get-fat programme. Luckily they don't start for the first hour of the public session, by which point most figure skaters who got there have trained for at least a half an hour and their trip wasn't completely for nothing. It becomes pretty much impossible to do anything after that, although it can be mildly amusing to unlace and stretch within hearing distance of the first-aid desk and watch darwin's theory at work... I swear, the mentally-challenged group of difficult-to-educate kids who get there twice or thrice a season are smarter than most of the moms (and dads occasionally) who accompany their kids. For starters, the mentally challenged bunch had no problem understanding the concept of skating circles around the perimeter, counterclockwise instead of clockwise against the traffic and along the center, nor did they try to balance standing on top of the boardings with skates on, or play bowling with innocent bypassers and one of the kids as a bowling ball! Just HOW did these people think that was gonna end, huh?!
Makes you think just who has more brains, huh...
YES I'm grumpy today.
jazzpants
12-07-2008, 08:05 PM
You also forgot one more response...
"Cones? What cones!?!?! I didn't see any cones.... Oh, there's <big brother's name>!!! Come back here!!! I'm gonna catch you..."
:roll: :roll: :roll:
I think the little 6 year old don't even know that the cones are there... they just want to skate thru to chase their bigger sibling. (The parents (usually moms) are often NOT on the ice with them. It's like "I can't skate! Who's gonna take care of the kids if I break an ankle or something? Who's gonna drive them around?" The ones with Dads attached to them don't usually break this rule, of course...)
sk8lady
12-07-2008, 08:18 PM
How about, "to imprison the mean scary figure skating lady who says things like, "I'm sorry but if you skate through the middle when I am spinning I may accidentally stab you with my sharp toepick and poke your eye out, kid,"??
sk8lady
12-07-2008, 08:21 PM
[QUOTE=Sessy;380433 "put on the head of dad with kid on shoulders to look like pinoccio and skate into somebody because he can't see properly"
[/QUOTE]
Okay, this is my new favorite reason for cones. Although it doesn't happen at my rink because of Mean Scary Figure Skating Lady (see my previous post).
Skittl1321
12-07-2008, 09:00 PM
One of the few reasons the our rink puts out cones is to mark off a hole from when the roof leaks, or a spot where a kid just had an "accident" and they are waiting for it to freeze so they can scrape it off.
Parents will often move the cones so their toddler can push it. Which often results in the child falling right there. When it's the second case, I always take great joy in telling the parent the cone needs to stay there to mark where the rink needs to clean. It horrifies them that their kid fell in pee, which wouldn't have happened, if they left the cone alone.
Skittl1321
12-07-2008, 09:01 PM
Y
(The parents (usually moms) are often NOT on the ice with them. It's like "I can't skate! Who's gonna take care of the kids if I break an ankle or something? Who's gonna drive them around?"
Ironically, this is one of the rationales behind the Girl Scout "Safety Wise" rule that leaders cannot skate with their troop.
doubletoe
12-07-2008, 09:07 PM
None of the above. They don't think!
Thanks guys! I knew you would cheer me up! :lol::lol::lol: Eight hours in the skates today, most of it trying to teach while dodging the cone dummies. :frus:
AgnesNitt
12-07-2008, 09:35 PM
Our rink looks like a halloween party there are so many orange cones out there. First off, there's the jump and spin area, then inside the jump and spin area parts are coned off because the netting is beginning to come up and there's some ice issue. Then there's the cones marking off the area for birthday parties, and occasionally cones to mark where the sand is heaving.
Surprisingly, no one moves them.
looplover
12-07-2008, 10:41 PM
I've noticed that sometimes they think it's the safe area - for people who are just learning to skate and have stopped hanging on the wall.
Never mind that there are people doing camel spins - surely as they are figure skaters they can get out of the way of those who are just learning to skate. Because in the middle you don't get run over by hockey guys.
:roll::roll:
sexyskates
12-07-2008, 10:45 PM
Personally, I hate the cones! They get in my way when I do MITF and the kids don't stay out of the middle anyway. But I mostly go to sessions which don't have enough people to warrant cones.
I've noticed that sometimes they think it's the safe area - for people who are just learning to skate and have stopped hanging on the wall.
Yup! I've chased out many a parent holding up their tot, and loads of older kids who can barely stand.
Personally, I hate the cones! They get in my way when I do MITF and the kids don't stay out of the middle anyway.
Same here when I'm practicing. The guard at the rink where I have my lessons always puts cones on the red dots! Sometimes my coach and I move them a bit so I can skate a pattern on the line, and the guy puts them back within minutes! Of course, he never says a word to the kids zooming through the center :roll:.
jazzpants
12-08-2008, 02:00 AM
Personally, I hate the cones! They get in my way when I do MITF and the kids don't stay out of the middle anyway. But I mostly go to sessions which don't have enough people to warrant cones.
Okay, WAAAAAY back (okay, not THAT WAAAAAY back!!!) when I was working my butt off trying to pass my Bronze Moves test and I was fortunate enough to skate at the weekday public session which starts around the lunch hour, I remembered being QUITE peeved that they had to set up cones for the public session b/c I keep running over those #$*&(@# cones, especially on the back crossover moves!!! Also, the session wasn't crowded at all and there were that many kids on the ice (if any!!!) I didn't get why during that time why they would put the cones out. So in that case, HELL YEAH, I hated those cones!!! :twisted:
Mel On Ice
12-08-2008, 10:25 AM
just be prepared for the onslaught of skaters as Christmas parties and holiday breaks mean they'll be hitting the rink in droves. I LOVE it when open skaters randomly show up on freestyle ice in their ankle-breaking new CCM Christmas presents to try their "axels" and act as human cones to trip over.
I'm not bitter, I used to be one of those.
jazzpants
12-08-2008, 10:44 AM
just be prepared for the onslaught of skaters as Christmas parties and holiday breaks mean they'll be hitting the rink in droves. I LOVE it when open skaters randomly show up on freestyle ice in their ankle-breaking new CCM Christmas presents to try their "axels" and act as human cones to trip over.
I'm not bitter, I used to be one of those.Me too. (Used to be one of those too...was thankful that I also have the "shelter" of the small patch of empty ice during skating school to practice too.)
You know... I was expecting this year to see a LOT of kids during the Christmas session at my hom rink. It was no more than usual, which is why I'm surprised. Perhaps the fact that this year we have 3 different outdoor holiday rinks sorta helped too!?!?! :P (Yes, THOSE rinks are crowded!!! My gym on the weekends is near one of those rinks. The other two are in Union Square right across Macy's and at the San Francisco ZOO of all strange places. I guess they're hoping that their ice rink is gonna become another "zoo", huh? :P )
sk8_4fun
12-08-2008, 11:27 AM
cones? what cones? :bow:
icedancer2
12-08-2008, 11:59 AM
I think they have no idea what the cones are for... they have no idea what anything is for, they are just trying to hold themselves up on a 4mm blade.:lol:
liz_on_ice
12-08-2008, 07:08 PM
Ironically, this is one of the rationales behind the Girl Scout "Safety Wise" rule that leaders cannot skate with their troop.
Check, no skating trips for my troop. I'm not sitting out and watching everyone else have fun!
AgnesNitt
12-08-2008, 07:12 PM
I think they have no idea what the cones are for... they have no idea what anything is for, they are just trying to hold themselves up on a 4mm blade.:lol:
Can we blame them? I've never seen a picture in any rink that shows the 'jump and spin' area, with instructions "Advanced Skaters, Skating Lessons Only."
If the rinks don't advertise the rules how are casual rec skaters supposed to know?
If the rinks don't advertise the rules how are casual rec skaters supposed to know?
My rink had all 18 rules posted in fine print :lol:. They now actually have a large sign on the glass at one end, with about 7 or 8 of the rules, but I have to go read it again. Don't remember exactly which ones they thought were important enough to blow up like that.
Isk8NYC
12-08-2008, 07:35 PM
In the "old days," rinks (esp. public facilities) had rules like figure skating in the middle, no backwards skating, no chains/whips/tag, no sitting on the wall, stay out of the boxes, and so on. I remember the big rules boards. Our rink has some of them on a board waaaay at the zamboni end, about 15 feet above the ice, lol.
Without ice rink guards, nothing's enforced anymore so it doesn't matter.
I think every rink should "cone off" one end of the rink for beginners. They're usually on the wall anyway.
Of course, that attracts the slalom kings of hockey...but it would keep all of them OUT OF THE MIDDLE.
In the "old days," rinks (esp. public facilities) had rules like figure skating in the middle, no backwards skating, no chains/whips/tag, no sitting on the wall, stay out of the boxes, and so on.
Well, that is the core of our rules, but, as you said, it takes guards to enforce the rules. We now have one absolutely excellent guard, but she doesn't work 24/7.
I'm used to the chaos, even though I still complain, but some of my poor students really suffer from it. On Sunday afternoon, I was working with a 6 yr old boy who was brought to tears out of sheer anger and frustration when he tried to stop to avoid hitting a "darter across the center" and fell awkwardly instead. He assured me he wasn't hurt, just mad. Those foam barriers sound wonderful!
Skate@Delaware
12-08-2008, 09:16 PM
Thanks guys! I knew you would cheer me up! :lol::lol::lol: Eight hours in the skates today, most of it trying to teach while dodging the cone dummies. :frus:
Ah, the "crash-cone dummies"
Morgail
12-11-2008, 09:24 PM
How about, "to imprison the mean scary figure skating lady who says things like, "I'm sorry but if you skate through the middle when I am spinning I may accidentally stab you with my sharp toepick and poke your eye out, kid,"??
:lol: That one just made my day!
or a spot where a kid just had an "accident" and they are waiting for it to freeze so they can scrape it off.
eeeeeewwww... I can honestly say I'd never thought of this reason for a cone...now I know better.
AgnesNitt
12-11-2008, 09:45 PM
How about, "to imprison the mean scary figure skating lady who says things like, "I'm sorry but if you skate through the middle when I am spinning I may accidentally stab you with my sharp toepick and poke your eye out, kid,"??
The Big Guy (6'3", 270 lbs, enormous boots) swears that when he spins small children are drawn into his orbit. He'll be in a lesson start a spin, and suddenly a small child will head right at him. I tell him that since he can spin both ways all he has to do is reverse the spin and that will send said small child outward from the orbit into the boards.
Isk8NYC
12-12-2008, 07:48 AM
As if he has his own gravity field....lol
As if he has his own gravity field....lol
Er, he actually does - it's just not so strong as he imagines!
OK, I am now officially a cone hater. Stepped on one today while marching backwards teaching a tot. Promptly fell on left side of butt. Bumping into the things is no big deal, stepping on them is something else.
jazzpants
12-14-2008, 10:46 PM
One of the few reasons the our rink puts out cones is to mark off a hole from when the roof leaks, or a spot where a kid just had an "accident" and they are waiting for it to freeze so they can scrape it off.Yeah, we've had cases like that, but the cones are usually in an unusual spot when that happens... but yeah, EWWWW!!!
Sometimes we had Zamboni problems... or at my rink's case, the infamous "ditch." The cones are out for that reason too.
I saw a kid this afternoon doing the split leg over the cone business, as well as some hockey kid jumping OVER the cone to see how high he can jump. (THAT kid should have taken up figure skating, BTW!!! :twisted: )
dbny: I sympathize with 'ya! I had taken splats on those cones when I was working on alt back crossovers back in the Bronze Moves days. They are a PAIN... :frus:
AgnesNitt
12-20-2008, 03:50 PM
Okay, today was Santa on Skates day at the rink. We have a natural beard Santa--working on his bronze ice dances, who coaches group classes at the rink--and his wife. They come in elaborate custom made red velvet costumes with realistic accessories (no plastic belt, or fake boots, this stuff is fer real). It's a sight to see--parents bring their kids from counties away. So when Skating with Santa is scheduled, it's packed. (What amazes me is that kids that see 'Santa' as a coach every week, totally don't recognize him when he' s in character. The power of the suit.)
So, it's such a crush, the rink outlines the jump and spin area with five cones a side.
PEOPLE STILL SKATE THROUGH THE MIDDLE!
(don't get me started about little kids with the A frames--they should be banned)
Okay, today was Santa on Skates day at the rink. We have a natural beard Santa--working on his bronze ice dances, who coaches group classes at the rink--and his wife. They come in elaborate custom made red velvet costumes with realistic accessories (no plastic belt, or fake boots, this stuff is fer real). It's a sight to see--parents bring their kids from counties away. So when Skating with Santa is scheduled, it's packed. (What amazes me is that kids that see 'Santa' as a coach every week, totally don't recognize him when he' s in character. The power of the suit.)
So, it's such a crush, the rink outlines the jump and spin area with five cones a side.
PEOPLE STILL SKATE THROUGH THE MIDDLE!
(don't get me started about little kids with the A frames--they should be banned)
That sounds like a lot of fun for the kids, and a real PITA for everyone trying to use the center! Happily, we don't have the A frames. Tonight was worse than usual, with a large number of large people bombing straight thru the center. The one's that bug me the most lately are those who say "I'm teaching my son/daughter/spouse" when told that the center is for private lessons. Then I have to explain that they are not on our coaching staff. I wonder if these same people would dare to take their "student" to the front of the lift line at a ski slope.
Sessy
12-21-2008, 06:37 AM
The A-frames are a total public health hazard! Where kids would normally just fall down - a movement that is not uncommon at all for their age group and no health hazard for a child that small at all - they now bump the sides of their head into one of the rods of the frame and end up with stuff like concussions, gashes that require stitches and that kinds of things. Especially in collisions those are a total disaster.
Worst of all - the balance of a kid skating with a frame is all wrong! It teaches them nothing.
Kim to the Max
12-21-2008, 07:26 AM
Ugh....I hate it when kids use those A-Frames...the worst is that at the campus rink here, they are just sitting out and kids/college kids who DO NOT NEED THEM will bring them out onto the ice to play with....drives me nuts....
ITA about the A frames.
Somewhat OT - Last weekend there was one kid who looked about 9 yrs old who kept moving the cones and skating thru the center. The third time I spoke to him, I was a bit stern. At that point, it dawned on me that he had some kind of disability, possibly autism. About 15 minutes later, he skated by and pushed me! It wasn't a very hard push, but I was totally 8O. I realized that I needed to find his parents and speak with them about it, but I was too busy to do that. This week, the same kid was there, and skated by and hit me hard on the arm 8O8O8O. Although I was again very busy, I took the time to grab a guard and explain, pointing out the boy and asking the guard to find the parents and let them know what was going on. Later I saw the parents with him during an ice cut. I went over to them, and they immediately apologized, which is what I intended to do! I asked if their son liked stickers, and they said no, he would eat a sticker. I saw them later, skating together (the parents, sans son), and realized that the public session was a big, cheap baby sitter for them. While I have tremendous sympathy for them, I also feel strongly that it is unfair to the boy and to the rest of us too.
AgnesNitt
12-22-2008, 12:20 PM
ITA about the A frames.
I saw them later, skating together (the parents, sans son), and realized that the public session was a big, cheap baby sitter for them. While I have tremendous sympathy for them, I also feel strongly that it is unfair to the boy and to the rest of us too.
We have a woman at our rink who puts her son out on the ice with an A frame then goes and reads a book in the warm room. I once caught the boy balancing on his A frame so he could climb up on the boards. After I got him down I complained to the rink guards and to management. They just shrugged it off.
I firmly believe that if rinks are going to rent the A frames they should have a rule that a kid with an A frame should be accompanied by an adult. If a kid is on the ice with an A frame but without an adult, they should be put off. I think a kid on an A frame goes really fast, and if they get injured it's worse than if they just fell down. But the rink makes money off it so what y' gonna do?
It's scary sometimes how casual people are about kids at rinks. I found a little girl wandering around and crying--she was about 5. I had the devil of a time getting the rink guard's attention and finally the father showed up. What do you do? Yell at them to use better sense?:x Complain? Nothing works, some people are just stupid. A coach at my rink told me that one mother dropped her DD (under 10) off at the rink for Friday public then didn't show up at closing to pick her up. The rink called the cops.
It's scary sometimes how casual people are about kids at rinks. I found a little girl wandering around and crying--she was about 5. I had the devil of a time getting the rink guard's attention and finally the father showed up. What do you do? Yell at them to use better sense?:x Complain? Nothing works, some people are just stupid.
Too true! Even when my girls were teens, I was there while they were skating. What if they got hurt? My parents did leave me at the rink when I was a kid (12 and up), but it was roller and not crazy. There were always parents they knew there too, plus 50 years ago, it was a lot safer in general.
mdvask8r
12-22-2008, 08:33 PM
On the other side of our building is an indoor pool. One busy Saturday the lifeguards found a tiny 3yr old alone in the kiddie pool. Management searched the entire facility for a parent. Finally, 20 minutes later, mom returned to pick up the kid -- she had gone down the street to gas up the car!!! I never did hear how that one turned out -- wonder if management reported the mom?
Black Sheep
12-28-2008, 04:08 PM
For the first time in years. I generally avoid them altogether because the unruly crowds make them a waste of time and money for me.
Anyway, the four cones the guards put in the middle around the center hockey circle made for the tiniest little jump-and-spin area I've ever seen. Also, the north end of the rink was "cut off" by a row of upright mats, making an area for tots/LTS, I suppose. It was hard to tell because there were hockey skaters cutting through it! In addition, kids were playing with cones, people were cutting through the teeny tiny jump-and-spin circle, AND....One adult on hockey skates was zooming through the crowd carrying his little kid who was wearing brown rental skates!
Of course, the guards did NOTHING. They were too busy playing with each other to notice. :roll:
AgnesNitt
12-28-2008, 05:38 PM
AND....One adult on hockey skates was zooming through the crowd carrying his little kid who was wearing brown rental skates!
Of course, the guards did NOTHING. They were too busy playing with each other to notice. :roll:
Yep, seen it. Our rink guards are pretty professional, but they do zip on this issue. I did see an elderly coach tear into a guy carrying a baby--very impressive with a russian accent--threatened to kick him off.
Friday I saw something new. People started forming into groups in the jump and spin area to take pictures. One little freestyle girl kept spinning in front of them, whether to get them to move or because she wanted the attention I don't know. It made me laugh.
I've seen the adults carrying tots a lot, and the pix in the center too. Today was beyond insane. It was so crowded and the circle so small that I had to ask figure skaters that I know to leave the circle (which is my right, but I hate to do it). The only saving grace was that the one really good skate guard was on duty during some of the worst times, and she policed the circle for me. Of course, she told some of my little students to get out a few times, before she was clear on which ones they were. I had a group of 4, so it wasn't obvious. Can't wait till this week is over!
RoaringSkates
12-29-2008, 11:23 AM
Seriously, today and yesterday were the absolute worst where I work for people skating through our coned off center, hanging out in it, and just being generally rude when asked politely to leave. So, I wonder what people actually do think those cones are there for!
At a lot of rinks, people think the coned off center is for beginners, to let them practice out of the flow of traffic. They also think it's for little kids, again, so they can be out of the flow of traffic.
At a public session, they don't know what the coned off area is actually for, and in most cases, how would they? Most rinks don't have signs up or anything like that telling people what it's for, or to stay out of it.
In crowded public sessions, in my opinion, more advanced skaters should not be doing moves such as camel spins, even in center ice. It's too dangerous. It's our responsibility to watch out for less experienced skaters, not theirs to watch out for us, if they even know to do so.
RoaringSkates
12-29-2008, 11:29 AM
On the other side of our building is an indoor pool. One busy Saturday the lifeguards found a tiny 3yr old alone in the kiddie pool. Management searched the entire facility for a parent. Finally, 20 minutes later, mom returned to pick up the kid -- she had gone down the street to gas up the car!!! I never did hear how that one turned out -- wonder if management reported the mom?
:frus:
Two weeks ago, a poor two year old was wandering around the rink's cafeteria, crying and calling for her mommy. A lady grabbed her, and eventually the mommy showed up.
Last week, a two year old was wandering...
Anyway, when someone grabbed the kid this time, we all just pointed at the offending woman.
WTF?
sk8tmum
12-29-2008, 02:12 PM
:frus:
Two weeks ago, a poor two year old was wandering around the rink's cafeteria, crying and calling for her mommy. A lady grabbed her, and eventually the mommy showed up.
Last week, a two year old was wandering...
Anyway, when someone grabbed the kid this time, we all just pointed at the offending woman.
WTF?
Here, they call the cops who charge the parents with child abandonment. Then they call Children's Aid who then begin to oversee the family and will intervene if necessary, including monitoring and investigation. It hits the newspapers, with names and dates. Thus, it rarely happens ...
We never leave our kids in the arena alone. The one time in 7 years that my husband stepped out of the arena for a quick coffee run, about 10 minutes in total ... (and my kids are 12 and 14, and are working with private coaches on club ice) - he was gone 5 minutes when my son ended up landing a 2LZ on his head instead of his feet. You just can't win ...
sk8tmum
12-29-2008, 02:14 PM
Oh yeah ... forgot to mention, that cones apparently make really good goal posts for kids who like to shoot pucks on the ice, or, play "hockey sliding for dollars". Bonus points if you can get anyone else who happens to be in the way to get their silly selves out of the way of the speeding puck or body.:twisted:
vBulletin® v3.8.4, Copyright ©2000-2010, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.