Roller Blades of Death have Petrol Motor, No Brakes

Customs officers in Britain have seized 150 pairs of motorized roller blades, amid safety fears. The skates, known as Gasoline Skating Shoes, are fitted with a 25cc motor and have a top speed of 20 mph. Classed as a motorized vehicle, users would need a driving license, insurance and L-plates, were they legal. Check the video with its incongruous Prozac Muzak and discover their deadly secret below.

From China, these Foot Trolleys of Death are controlled via a handheld throttle and can burn up to max speed in just a few seconds. Instead of a brakes, there is a shut-off button (probably bright red with “SHIIIIIIIIT” inscribed on it in a nice Gothic script) which acts like an emergency stop – meaning that when the skates come to a brisk halt, you probably won’t.

A ten-pound engine encased in a seven-inch box on the heel of the right boot sits above a plastic fuel tank – that will make for some interesting ankle burns in a worst-case scenario – which holds one liter of two-stroke petrol.

With its exhaust vent and starter cable, safety officers have likened the Fireball Suicide Shoes to a lawnmower. I can think of two uses for it: birthday presents for Paris, Lindsay and Avril Lavigne, and as a modding experiment – cutting the grass (and burning stubble if you live on a farm) will be so much more fun. [Daily Mail]