Ashamed to be a cyclist

[pererace70]

Unfortunately the problem's not just confined to cyclists, ever driven down a road after a running race (or a walking race - is that even a sport!? - like I rode past in sea-point yesterday)...?

 

The amount of litter makes it emarassing to be a human, not just a cyclist.

 

I hate litter it sucks

[Gift]

I must agree with p70. This problem has got nothing to do with cyclists. It's who you are and what you do.

 

I've been around and I've seen many things. Cyclists are not always at fault. Though some of them (and I must admit I think the majority) don't think what they do. Three things in my life will always be with me.

 

1)      I was totally amazed by some Alan van Heerden during his heyday when I was in the fortunate position during a tour to follow a bunch where he was the "stoker". The Idol dropped back, took his hanky out of his jerseys back pouch (x3!), blew his nose and put it back. He worked his way back to the front and eventually won the stage. That impressed me immensely. That being in the middle of a bunch that was blewing "snot" all over you!

 

2)      I once joined a group of people in Namibia (in the Rundu region to be exact) when one of the heli pilots put his "stompie" out in the loose sand. The then miss Namibia, Carolyn du Preez, didn't say anything. She bent down picked it up and held it in her hand for the duration of our "flip" over the Angolan border. And only then did she "flip" it into a dustbin.

 

3)      Being in the fortunate position of spending time on the Blue Train, the morning coming into the Western Cape was awesome. For two reasons. To watch the sun shaking the sheckels of winter to burn red on the morning horison and the litter that was lying on both sides of the track. That was horrendous. Even the Germans involved in this trip were amazed by the amount of rubble lying around.

 

But in conclusion, the part that impressed me the most was that guy outside of Wellington standing there and "harpooning" the empty plastic cannisters and putting it into his bag.

 

A losing battle.

 

Cyclists can set an example, but so can the rest of the country. Bikies are not the only one's to blame. 

 

[dirtrider]

It will be a losing battle if you give up !! There are a few ways of dealing with the idiots (I am being nice) that throw their tubes/wrappers and other stuff around (banana peels excluded) . If you don't wanna talk to the person try and get his race number and give it to event organizers .

If you decide to talk to the offender and he chooses to use words like "@@## you " etc you can either give him a snot klap if he looks smaller than you , or get your buddies together at the finish line and then donner him dik .  

[DRIVETRAIN]

 

 

I don't bother telling any other cyclist he is littering because most cyclists are either arrogant, rude or down right stupid and since my buddy does it so can I mentality.....

 

"DT"

[slowpoke]

i comment to ppl that i see littering.... even the little snot-neusies in shopping centre parking areas. i once told a child to pick up the sweet wrapper he'd just chucked on the ground and thro it in the bin (2 cars away!) and whenthe mother chirped i suggested she either give her kid up for adoption to someone who would teach it manners and good behaviour or to clean up after her brat. the wrapper made it to the bin "pronto"

 

amateur is my witness that riding around in northern farm i pick up litter when i spot it and i am known to carry an extra plastic bag or two when hiking to do likewise.

 

we can all do our bit by setting an example and regardless of how ppl react we can point out when they are being litterbugs (oh, and in response to the "f you" comment, having had that once or twice, i simply retort "not on your life - i only associate with decent ppl, not trash")

[dirtrider]

Must be a very brave (but highly likely a stupid) person to talk to you in that manner  . Ek dink jou klapper kan dalk brand !

[slowpoke]

*lol* d-r. i just get so p-d off when parents do nothing to control their kids. as to f-you comments - those tend to only come from obviously brain-dead ppl (why else would they be littering?)

[Thug]

I've organised a number of running road-races and regarding plastic sachet littering, they only feasable method of ensuring that it doesn't occur is either to ensure that the people at the watering table know it's their responsibility to tidy up once all the runners have passed through or employ casuals to tidy up afterwards.

 

On one race, we were fortunate that council employees were on the scene to ensure that the beachfront was kept spic & span, so after the prize giving off we went to go tidy up & lo and behold, the council employees had already swept the roads clean. Our appreciation was shown via a couple of race t-shirts.

 

 

[amateur]

Hi Y'all

 

I also saw some of the local kids at one of the water point at the Lost City, doing some clean up duties with black bags. I specifically noticed this and thought it was really cool, why not get the kids to help out and reward them with some sweets or something for doing good work rather than have them stand on the side of the road and ask for sweets and put cyclists in danger. Or even as you say Thug, do some extra T-shirts for this purpose.

 

[pererace70]

 

You could even work on people's conscience by putting a message on the shirts, like: "We're cleaning up, what are you doing?" or "Wanna help? Do your bit too, don't litter".

 

...Something corny and/or blatent

 

pererace702006-08-31 03:58:33

[Man with no name]

In a country where the checkers bag has become the national flower, its evident that we don't have a centralised disposal culture. The mere fact that this thread exists means that this is not only a rural phenomenon. With regards to cyclists - most of us won't chuck an energy bar wrapper in our own gardens? Why then do it on someone else's land? Respect?

[slowpoke]

well put nameless one

[garykid]

this topic really gets me fired up......I hate it when people litter, and I think it is simply that people consider that in light of the fact that there is so much litter around, what difference will their wrapper make!!! Complaincency is rife, and it is worse with the road cycling in general. Rides like 94.7 and Argus where you have thousands of volunteers cleaning up after us has spoilt us, then when people partake in smaller races, they take it for granted that someone else will clean it up.

 

MTBers are generally a little (and I re-itterate A LITTLE) more considerate as they have in their minds that they are "in the bush", enviromentally friendly to the great outdoors etc.

 

I do not care if some neanderthall tells me to F*&k off, I speak my mind. At the very least he will remember the "jerk" who told him not to litter, and hopefully will reconsider next time, even if it is for no other reason than to avoid some "jerk" telling him off again.

 

I am of Irish decent and a few choice words are not beyond my vocabulary, if polite requests are met with verbal abuse, there is always retaliation!!! I am old enough and ugly enough to carry my own. I am also slow enough that if anybody wants to wait for me to get shirty they are more than welcome to.

 

Speak your mind against littering.....the more who do, the less it will occur, just don't let somebody catch you doing it around the next corner

[HomerSimpson]

i

we can all do our bit by setting an example and regardless of how ppl react we can point out when they are being litterbugs (oh' date=' and in response to the "f you" comment, having had that once or twice, i simply retort "not on your life - i only associate with decent ppl, not trash")

[/quote']

Yes!  There is no better way of getting things done than setting the right example....I find that the best way of dealing with people that litter (particularly in public) is to politely approach them and to tell them: "Excuse me sir/madam, but I think you dropped something", and as I am a little concerned about having the bejesus slapped out of me I tend to stand back a little after this announcement....

[Gift]

On the same topic. I almost got bliksemed once seeing this guys park in one of those wheelchair bays at a shopping centre. He hopped out and and on his way to the entrance I merely mentioned to my buddies I didn't see a wheelchair or the sticker obviously loud enough for him to hear. He turned around agressively and was about to say something, but lucky for him he could count. It was a beaut watching him turn around and go back to his car. I still don't know whether he came back to continue his shopping!

[Rolla]

Complaincency is rife' date=' and it is worse with the road cycling in general. Rides like 94.7 and Argus where you have thousands of volunteers cleaning up after us has spoilt us, then when people partake in smaller races, they take it for granted that someone else will clean it up.

 

[/quote']

 

I agree completely GaryKid. So well put.
I intend being a lot more pro-active with this issue from now on