Ashamed to be a cyclist

[KayC]

Hi All

 

I am really ashamed to be a cyclist after Saturday's Lost City race. The number of energy bar/gel wrappers spotted on the road was amazing. It was a windy day on Saturday and there must therefor have been a lot more that was blown off the road into the veld.

 

Please fellow cyclists put your wrappers back in your pockets and throw them away at the finish. Sticky fingers and a sticky shirt can easily be washed off but plastic wrappers in the veld last for years.

 

We also need to speak out when we see others littering, in that way the misguided amongst us may mend their ways.

 

Regards

 

KayC

[Velouria]

Yeah - it is rather disgusting... and mountain bikers do the same aswell....

[ewep]

MTB'ers taught me to take everything with you, into a race and back out of it!

[Nettie R]

Try and tell some of those cyclists politely not to litter and they get a fit!

If they don't want to carry it to the finish, take it at least to the next water point where someone will clean up.

Their homes probably look the same.

[Robert Lofthouse]

gotta agree with you there ewep, my general experience is that MTBers don't stuff up the area like you find at road events.

 

I even overheard a comment by the guys from Tony Impey's while they were manning a water table at the Walkerville classic a few years back, the comment was about how amazed they were at the almost total lack of mess left behind by the guys and gals as they rode away from the table - anything that wasn't taken with the rider was deposited in the boxes provided for rubbish. His comment even included the quote "Not like roadies" - he's a roadie himself.

 

That being said (I did say my general experience), it is still a problem, all you have to do is listen for the outcry after major events like Sabie to realise that it's a problem at MTB events too.

 

And yes, at times like this, I cringe when I see the total disregard for the environment dispalyed by my fellow cyclists (on and off road)

 

[KlapperKnop]

Maybe some of the cyclist needs to learn basic manners first! Some cyclist are way too arrogant ... soon we will have cycle rage at events.

[Sir Fed]

I have made this comment before and its not only at races. I see plenty of wrappers (bars and gels) along the side of the road on my daily training. When you consider that they probably stopped to buy the bar at the local gas station, you wonder how difficult it would have been to throw the wrapper away too.

 

I remember finishing Ironman and putting my hand in my pocket only to come up with a sticky gooey mess rather than what I was expecting but it was a small price to pay for playing a small part in keeping the road clean.

[AndreZA]

Can you dispose of banana skins while riding? It is biodegradable and will be gone in about a week or 2?

[MichH]

To everyone, I think the only way to start making a difference is within each of us! Start off by making sure we don't do it, and then make it a habit to point out to others not to do it (what are they going to do? Yell at you?!). This is the only way to make any kind of dent in this problem.

 

Mampara, not sure what other people feel, but I'll usually throw a banana peel. Not hard and fast rule, sometimes I'll hang onto it.

[Nettie R]

(what are they going to do? Yell at you?!).

 

Yeah, they yell, make remarks (especially when the buddies are around).

 

Make sure you are faster than them...

[pastapouch]

Can you dispose of banana skins while riding? It is biodegradable and will be gone in about a week or 2?

 

YAAAAAA, of course, and if there is a rider I don't like in the group, I usually throw them with the banana skins

[MichH]

Ah Fester, don't forget the line "Sticks and stones may break my bones..." Now if he put a water bottle through your spokes...

[SARA]

I just googled the biodegradableness of banana skins and found a huge discussion on whether or not it was OK to throw a banana skin. http://ask.metafilter.com/mefi/17280 geez there's a lot to say about banana peels.....

[steve]

I once pointed out to a cyclist that he'd dropped something and was told to f... off. Nothing else, that was all he uttered.

 

This was during a mtb race in Graskop after riders had been asked during the pre-race briefing not to litter !!

[KayC]

I once pointed out to a cyclist that he'd dropped something and was told to f... off. Nothing else' date=' that was all he uttered.

[/quote']

 

Steve,

 

I suppose that is the risk one runs when you speak out. I would however like to believe that next time, that cyclist will think twice before dropping another wrapper.

 

The thing is, if the cyclists that care about our environment keep quiet, things are never going to change. So let's speak out and try and make a difference.

 

Regards

 

KayC

[Rolla]

Like your search Sara, and the resulting biodegradableness of a banana peel discussions...

I do toss mine while riding, but don't like the action of doing it. Always feel I need to justify that its bio-degradable to EVERYONE who saw me do it!

And I promise to shout at the next person I see chucking wrappers and the bad stuff, even tho I'm a confrontation-avoider