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  • TUESDAY MARCH 14 2006 1:27 PM

Heelys Hurt

Submitted by Beth_Gottfried

Edited by Beth_Gottfried

The official Heely brand advertises the slogan “Freedom is a wheel in your sole,” but for a 12-year-old from East Bridgewater, MA, who paid the ultimate price for said "freedom," the shoes are being linked to a fatal accident. Ryan Carmichael was wearing his Heelys while crossing the street to pick up the mail prior to school this morning when he was hit by an oncoming driver, a 44-year-old woman who has been identified as Susan Smith. Police are currently investigating whether Carmichael's footwear is a potential culprit in his death. According to The Boston Globe, due to safety concerns, the shoes have been banned in many schools across the country. In fact, a little over a week ago CBS News ran a segment on the shoes warning people (parents in particular) of their potential safety hazards. When questioned by CBS, Heelys exec Charlie Beery released the following precaution:

A yellow warning label is glued to the bottoms of new Heelys but, Brzezinski notes, the company claims it can't be sued for injuries resulting from the use of Heelys if that sticker is removed.

Beery adds that the company promotes safe behavior with "Team Heelys," a group of young experts who hold "heeling" seminars for kids at stores and parks nationwide.

The company also has videos on its Web site of "heelers" in action.

"Our intention," Beery says, "is to provide them with information about how to safely heel."

But some of the video shows heelers "crashing and burning," tripping, falling, jumping off railings, flying into pools, with no protective padding, and no helmets.

"That is part of the risk," Beery says. That bit of video is supposed to show kids what not to do, he continued.

Brzezinski showed the video to a group of youngsters, and several didn't seem to get the message, instead saying they wanted to do what they saw the heelers doing on the video.

 

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Comments
SirLoins

sirloins

San Pedro, CA
October 2005

MAR 14, 2006 01:39 PM

I'm not seeing the connection. Was he heeling across the street and if he was, would the outcome have been any different if he were actually walking?

Edit: Strike that litigious comment. I thought I read something about a lawsuit.

[Edited on Mar 14, 2006 10:40PM]

Calypso

Calypso

SUICIDEGIRL

California, USA

MAR 14, 2006 01:45 PM

Yeah, I'm not seeing the issue here.

I'm also wondering why it always comes down to blaming the manufacturers and not the parents.

Cigarette

Cigarette

Cleveland, OH
April 2004

MAR 14, 2006 02:05 PM

What the hell is heeling?

Calypso

Calypso

SUICIDEGIRL

California, USA

MAR 14, 2006 02:15 PM

Heelys are those damned sneakers with the wheel in the heel of the shoe...all the brats are wearing them.

Cigarette

Cigarette

Cleveland, OH
April 2004

MAR 14, 2006 02:21 PM

Calypso said:
Heelys are those damned sneakers with the wheel in the heel of the shoe...all the brats are wearing them.


surreal

Is this like a New York/LA thing that us midwesterners think is ridiculous?

Calypso

Calypso

SUICIDEGIRL

California, USA

MAR 14, 2006 02:23 PM

Clov said:

Calypso said:
Heelys are those damned sneakers with the wheel in the heel of the shoe...all the brats are wearing them.


surreal

Is this like a New York/LA thing that us midwesterners think is ridiculous?



More than likely.

Buster_Bluth

Buster_Bluth

Los Angeles, CA
January 2004

MAR 14, 2006 02:24 PM

Way to take one small (and possibly insignificant) detail and make it the story. With spin like that why are wasting your time here BETH_GOTTFRIED; go pursue the career in politics that you are destined for.

[Edited on Mar 14, 2006 2:24PM]

[Edited on Mar 14, 2006 3:25PM]

Calypso

Calypso

SUICIDEGIRL

California, USA

MAR 14, 2006 02:40 PM

Buster_Bluth said:
Way to take one small (and possibly insignificant) detail and make it the story. With spin like that you are wasting you time here BETH_GOTTFRIED; go pursue the career in politics that you are destined for.

[Edited on Mar 14, 2006 2:24PM]



Um...No.

A news story is a news story.

cmdrfire

cmdrfire

United Kingdom
December 2005

MAR 14, 2006 02:56 PM

How is this news? Kid crosses road, gets hit by car, very sad. Brand of shoes, wheels or wheel-less, is irrelavant. If he'd been wearing rollerskates would the rollerskate manufacturer get sued? Or if he'd had on a pair of Nikes, say, is it Nikes' fault?

Edited because I can't spell.

[Edited on Mar 14, 2006 10:58PM]

Mezzabotta

mezzabotta

Winnipeg, MB
April 2003

MAR 14, 2006 03:04 PM

Buster_Bluth said:
Way to take one small (and possibly insignificant) detail and make it the story.



Let the record show that the Boston Globe put the fucked-up not-shoe in the headline first.

Buster_Bluth said:
With spin like that you are wasting you [sic] time here BETH_GOTTFRIED; go pursue the career in politics that you are destined for.



And, Jesus, where's the vitriol coming from? I mean, are you now going to send the same sentiments to John R. Ellement (ellement@globe.com) of the Globe, or do you just like being abrasive when using a fictional identity?

Buster_Bluth

Buster_Bluth

Los Angeles, CA
January 2004

MAR 14, 2006 03:23 PM

Mezzabotta said:

Buster_Bluth said:
Way to take one small (and possibly insignificant) detail and make it the story.



Let the record show that the Boston Globe put the fucked-up not-shoe in the headline first.

Buster_Bluth said:
With spin like that you are wasting you [sic] time here BETH_GOTTFRIED; go pursue the career in politics that you are destined for.



And, Jesus, where's the vitriol coming from? I mean, are you now going to send the same sentiments to John R. Ellement (ellement@globe.com) of the Globe, or do you just like being abrasive when using a fictional identity?



Um...I don't subscribe to the Boston Globe so I don't really have an interest in what they print but since I do subscribe to SG I have gotten used to reading a better quality of article. There is no evidence in the article that his shoe/skates had anything to do with it; bad journalism by one person doesn't excuse it in another as far as I'm concerned. And as far as the fictional ID goes Mr. Mezzabotta; my name's Harold what's yours? kiss

[Edited on Mar 14, 2006 3:24PM]

ninjatoes

ninjatoes

Newport, KY
August 2005

MAR 14, 2006 03:44 PM

Buster_Bluth said:

Mezzabotta said:

Buster_Bluth said:
Way to take one small (and possibly insignificant) detail and make it the story.



Let the record show that the Boston Globe put the fucked-up not-shoe in the headline first.

Buster_Bluth said:
With spin like that you are wasting you [sic] time here BETH_GOTTFRIED; go pursue the career in politics that you are destined for.



And, Jesus, where's the vitriol coming from? I mean, are you now going to send the same sentiments to John R. Ellement (ellement@globe.com) of the Globe, or do you just like being abrasive when using a fictional identity?



Um...I don't subscribe to the Boston Globe so I don't really have an interest in what they print but since I do subscribe to SG I have gotten used to reading a better quality of article. There is no evidence in the article that his shoe/skates had anything to do with it; bad journalism by one person doesn't excuse it in another as far as I'm concerned. And as far as the fictional ID goes Mr. Mezzabotta; my name's Harold what's yours? kiss

[Edited on Mar 14, 2006 3:24PM]



play nice.

ninjatoes

ninjatoes

Newport, KY
August 2005

MAR 14, 2006 03:51 PM

Calypso said:
Yeah, I'm not seeing the issue here.

I'm also wondering why it always comes down to blaming the manufacturers and not the parents.



I agree. You always see these parents on the news... "I never thought it would happen it me..."

Whether it be a toddler drowning in an unintended pool, or the parent who leaves their infant in a car in August, or this...

Calypso

Calypso

SUICIDEGIRL

California, USA

MAR 14, 2006 03:52 PM

Buster_Bluth said:

Mezzabotta said:

Buster_Bluth said:
Way to take one small (and possibly insignificant) detail and make it the story.



Let the record show that the Boston Globe put the fucked-up not-shoe in the headline first.

Buster_Bluth said:
With spin like that you are wasting you [sic] time here BETH_GOTTFRIED; go pursue the career in politics that you are destined for.



And, Jesus, where's the vitriol coming from? I mean, are you now going to send the same sentiments to John R. Ellement (ellement@globe.com) of the Globe, or do you just like being abrasive when using a fictional identity?



Um...I don't subscribe to the Boston Globe so I don't really have an interest in what they print but since I do subscribe to SG I have gotten used to reading a better quality of article. There is no evidence in the article that his shoe/skates had anything to do with it; bad journalism by one person doesn't excuse it in another as far as I'm concerned. And as far as the fictional ID goes Mr. Mezzabotta; my name's Harold what's yours? kiss

[Edited on Mar 14, 2006 3:24PM]



Once again, she is simply posting a news story. She did not express any opinion on the matter.

And of course there is no evidence that the shoes had anything to do with the accident. If you had thoroughly read the article, you would have noticed that the investigation was ongoing.

Telltale

Telltale

USA
May 2004

MAR 14, 2006 03:57 PM

But some of the video shows heelers "crashing and burning," tripping, falling, jumping off railings, flying into pools, with no protective padding, and no helmets.



The only thing I see crashing and burning is this company's stock.

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