To roller skate in a crematorium

[whitershadeofpale]

I’ve been learning to skate at a roller derby fundamentals programme and I’m loving it- however I’m not very good and need lots of practice.

I’m not good enough to skate on uneven ground and feel very self conscious about being a woman in her mid thirties struggling to stay upright!

All of the parks nearby are very busy and hilly and uneven so not suitable for skating. I was moaning about it to DP who suggested the local crematorium, it has lovely gardens and a really smooth wide car park that would be perfect for skating on.

My instant reaction was that it would be disrespectful and wrong but when he asked me why I couldn’t articulate it. I’ve been jogging there before and see joggers every time I’m there (you cut through it to get to local playing fields and a play park) plus dog walkers, cyclists and just people going for a walk.

Obviously I’d never dream of practising at any time when a service might be on, but would it be so terrible in the evening or early morning? Logically I think DP is right and it’s just exercise the same as running but somehow it seems too exuberant and joyous to be appropriate, what do you think, wibu to skate at a quite time?

*quiet time!

Life goes on among the dead......I think it's nice.

I admit that I've never run through a cemetery and I would feel funny doing it, but I think it probably my is ok. Through a crematorium at least.

No I wouldnt. A visiting grieving relative might be infuriated and could end up in an awkward situation.

I can’t see it’s problem. The dead won’t mind and as long as you’re not rolling through a cortège, who would object?

I’d say a definite no.
I think it’s great that you are roller skating but I’m not entirely sure that a crematorium is an appropriate place

My instant reaction was that it would be disrespectful and wrong but when he asked me why I couldn’t articulate it.

Because it's not a playground?

Honestly, find somewhere else fit for purpose. Skating is not what these places were made for.

Not sure why, but roller skating seems a step beyond jogging. However, if you see people jogging there then there’s no real reason not to. Or using the car park at a quiet time might be a good compromise. I think it perhaps depends on your local culture- where I live, nobody would go to a graveyard to do anything other than tend to a grave/ pay their respects. I was working in Aberdeen many years ago and my eyes almost popped out my head when a colleague suggested we go eat lunch in the graveyard in the city centre!! Loads of people did it, but I just couldn’t!

I would say no. It's not the dead people that will be upset is it? It's the bereaved that may be visiting.

Could you drive a bit further afield and find a less hilly park?

I used to eat lunch in the graveyard in Skipton when I worked there.

But I think I'd find somewhere else to practice a hobby.

No it's disrespectful.

No, please don't. Jogging through a crematorium or graveyard along a footpath to get from A to B is one thing, rollerskating round and round is disrespectful.

Totally disrespectful. I'm sure there are more appropriate places than a crematorium!

Totally disrespectful. I would be quite horrified to see an adult roller skating in a crematorium. It is a resting place , a place to express your grief and memories of a lost one.

Use a supermarket car pack after closing?

🙄 *park

A graveyard would be fine in my opinion - at least the ones near me as they're well used by joggers, families and walkers etc. A crematorium is different though, you are pretty likely to roller skate into a recently bereaved family - crematoriums (again, judging by the ones near me) have a number of services a day and even when they are not holding services the memorials from recent services are outside for a few months and are visited pretty regularly.

I agree with a pp re. grieving relatives. They might be having a quiet five minutes with their loved one and you go merrily skating by, very inappropriate.

I could never do it, so disrespectful.

I'm not sure. Our crematorium is off the beaten track but people go there to jog, exercise their dogs etc. I can't see a lot of distinction between the activities ie why would it be acceptable to let your dog run around but not roller skate.

If I saw you having a right fun time practicing your roller skating in the crematorium where my grandfather was being cremated - I would tell you off - it’s where people go to pay their respects you know? Someone has died, their ashes interred in a place. People are often there to be quiet in prayer. And you think this is a sensible place to roller skate? Do you have any sense, at all?

Jesus Christ. How can an adult actually think this is ok. A crematorium for gods sake.

100% disrespectful, that goes for jogging too. How do you think someone seeing you doing that near their recently deceased husband/wife/parent/child etc would feel? I can't even believe you're asking the question.

I think it's fine to skate through somewhere that people regularly walk/jog/cycle through.

Nope. Disrespectful.

Wouldn't the noise from rollerskating be intrusive in such a quiet contemplative place?