Gas-Powered Roller Skates Skid in Britain

British officials seized 50 pairs of motorized roller skates that can hit 20 mph in just 20 seconds. The Brits say the Chinese "gasoline skating shoes," which are controlled by a hand-held throttle, reach dangerous clips and expose young speedsters to falls and sudden stops that pitch them forward.

Officials are also concerned that the plastic gas tank in the right skate poses a fire risk. "These things are absolutely frightening and would have been every parent's nightmare," said one official. The confiscated skates probably would have been sold on the street or the internet. (More Britain stories.)