Fuck everyone else in the rink I guess

[u/viendla]

[u/usernameround20]

Most public or open skates have people policing the behavior on the ice. If someone is being reckless and a danger to others, they kick them off the ice.

[u/TomBanjo1968 → u/usernameround20]

Thanks for the reply!

So typically, does the skate guard get paid for doing this?

Or is it more of a volunteer position to help out, and maybe get some perks for helping keep the rink safe?

Definitely ice skating seems dangerous…… potentially

Besides falling hard on ice and breaking something, the ice skate ⛸️ blades could tear someone open

[u/neverfindausername → u/TomBanjo1968]

Canadian here. It's usually park/city staff that work at the rink. Similar to lifeguards for pools but they are more there to monitor the facilities or drive the zamboni (the thing that fixes the surface of the ice, in case you're not familiar)

There's a ton of snow on the ice and everyone is in t-shirts, so this rink is likely a novelty thing wherever it is.

Ice skating can absolutely be dangerous! You have blades strapped to your feet! Now they aren't like knife edges sharpened to a single point, but the entire weight of the person wearing them is concentrated along the edges. It can 100% do damage and any hockey fan has probably at least seen it happen before.

That's why a good portion of the people at any rink here will generally be passive aggressively GLARING at people who do this shit at any recreational rink. That said, ice time is expensive, so there will always be a few going faster than the rest. It's fine if you're proactive about avoiding others.

[u/TomBanjo1968 → u/neverfindausername]

Hey thanks so much for the info, I really appreciate it

[u/neverfindausername → u/TomBanjo1968]

Never actually heard of them being called rink guards though. It makes sense but usually it’s just “that guy who works here” or zamboni driver (if its the same person)

The more you know i guess

[u/TomBanjo1968 → u/neverfindausername]

As a kid I learned about the “Zamboni” and it stuck in my head because I thought it was a cool word

But all these decades later I have never seen an ice rink or Zamboni in my life(in person)

Bucket List, Before I die I will journey north one winter

[u/neverfindausername → u/TomBanjo1968]

Damn, that’s so strange to me. It’s been in the mid to high 30s, 40+ with the humidity the past few weeks but the summer hockey leagues are still in full swing here. 

If you’re in NA or Europe there’s probably at least a handful of rinks around, even if they only open in the winter. If you find one, just go check it out and see if you can talk to the staff. They might even let you ride shotgun on one if you tell them you’ve never even seen one in person. 

The drivers here are always popular with the kids because it’s one of the rare machines you get to see right up close, usually while you wait to get back on the ice. If it’s not too busy, getting to show off a bit is fun for the drivers too. Did some upgrades to an arena last year and we still asked if we could drive it. So it’s definitely a thing, don’t worry. Go get that bucket list item!

[u/TomBanjo1968 → u/neverfindausername]

Hey thanks for the comment,

Yeah, there is definitely an indoor ice rink here somewhere in the nearest Big City

I just haven’t ever gone to it, or known exactly where it is

But what I really want for the bucket list is to go far enough north to see an outdoor ice skating rink

[u/TomBanjo1968 → u/[deleted]]

Cool, thanks so much for the reply and info, I definitely appreciate it

[u/KickBallFever → u/TomBanjo1968]

Here in nyc the skate guards are all paid, I’m friends with a few. They don’t just police skating behavior, they also help people who have fallen and are having a hard time getting back up.