The Heelys issue is a red herring highlighted by greedy parents by a government struggling to control the compensation culture that it itself created. The real questions to be asked should be things like: What will be the policy concerning kids in charge of Heelys under the influence of alcohol or drugs or in possesion of a firearm? or, How wil the police deal with 'Heely-by shootings'? The one child that grazes his knee down Basingstoke High street is the least of our concerns.

Christopher Fomes, Taunton, United Kingdom

It's really quite irritating to be walking in a supermarket, to see a young girl holding her fathers hand and then suddenly, she swoops along like an ice dancer to the trolley. It catches my wonder everytime. It's as if these kids are just like cyber children. Furthermore, this fad has arrived furtively in the night, I have never glimpsed any advertising for it. I understand that the latter outburst has nothing to do with the article's point, however, the mentioning of heeleys rather hit a nerve.

Robyn , St.Albans,

It's another 'fad', to which the bemused parents of delirious and greedy children are pandering to the bemoaning of their overspoilt and vain, self-obsessed, lazy and unintelligible oiks.

It's quite surprising that something has been allowed to overwhelm Britain like this, as we are all well aware, that for the past 7-8 years, COMPENSATION CULTURE has just exploded beyond common sense! Thanks EU, and thanks for nothing pathetic, greedy parents.

Once 1 child has them, they all want a pair. Until messages via TV, Billboards, etc are shown depicting the dangers and the result of injury, JUST LIKE they should do with SMOKING, then kids will not learn. Graphic depiction to highlight the stupidity of the human brain should broadcast across all mediums to prove how narrow and short-term the majority think.

DG, Colchester,

Both of my sons (aged 8 & 10) have heeley's and have enjoyed using them safely. They also enjoy roller skating, skateboarding, skiing and ice skating - you simply cannot wrap them up in cotton wool as how are they ever going to learn about dangers in life? Unfortunately accidents happen, but they are few and far between and we need to put this into perspective.

helen sheppard, maidstone, uk

What a sad and miserbale existance the bureaucrats would have us lead! I like a bit of risk and so do my children. The idea that pastimes and pursuits that involve risk should be made safe is to render them uninteresting to us and ultimately pointless. How do you learn to rollerblade. ice skate or ski properly and withr espect for what you are doing if falling over holds no danger? How do you learn anything about anything if getting it wrong has no consequences? If some people do not want to take risks, then fine, but don't impose your own values and beliefs on ther est of us.

Tim, London,

Well I often agree with Mick Hume but not this time. I'm a parent, and I was pretty horrified to see a family of three kids on Heelys in a shopping centre the other weekend. It's not acceptable to use them in where pedestrians are - it's a risk for other people, particularly toddlers and the elderly. Kids just don't use these things safely. The parents, of course, weren't taking a blind bit of notice.

If you don't mind your kids getting injured using these things that's fine. But keep them away from other people, OK?

The parents, of course, didn't take a blind bit of notice...

Seasider, Seahaven,

I would go further and contend that too much safety is a dangerous thing. Here in China, the children of the middle-class are molly-coddled to the point that many can't swim or look after themselves at all. Last year, I saw two of my students leave to study in Finland; neither can cook, use a washing machine or repair clothes. Mama did all of this. They are now overweight (pizza) and miserable.
Common sense, here, is practically unheard of, as kids wait for everything to be done for them. When I set a task for my (university!) students, I have to explain everything, down to the last full-stop. Very sad.
I had a wonderful - albeit quite poor - childhood, and I have the scars and fractures to prove it.

Nick McGine, Wuhan, China