tips:

ok.

1. first and most important tip is don't go too fast. not at first at least. you want to learn how to be comfortable on the board first, then you can go fast.

2. learn to stop. there's several ways:
a) using your push foot as a brake along the ground; can be effective but tends to wear out your shoes really fast.
b) stamping your push foot on the ground: reduces your speed loads, but takes a little practice before you can do it without falling off each time. i suggest you master a) before you try this.
c) slides. these are really only applicable when you've got loads of room, but you basically get down low on the board, grab the outside rim of the board and lean really hard into a corner and stick you free hand (the one not holding the rim) on the ground and put most of your weight on it. the back wheels should slide out and that'll really kill your speed. don't do this in town or where there's loads of people because you don't want to scare them. they hate skaters enough as it is.

3. keep your bearins clean. or if you can't be bothered to do that, clean them really thoroughly once in a while. i did mine yesterday and it makes so much of a differnce: less noise, more speed. everyone likes that.

4. if you do want to do go fast (who doesn't?) then get down as low as you can on your board. obviously this is verging on street luging, which is something else altogether, but by reducing your size your wind resistance is much less and so you go faster. it makes a lot of difference, trust me! that's how i went into the back of the car and dented it.

5. oh yeah, avoid things. they hurt.

6. take your board everywhere, that's the only way you're going to get better.

7. don't skate when it's wet: it ruins your bearings and you have absolutely no grip whatsoever. it's no fun basically.