The enviromental side of cycling....
Discussion
As I followed a couple of fully Lycra'd up wannabe Lance Armstrongs down a country lane earlier this evening, waiting for a safe opportunity to overtake, the rear one decided to discard his drinks container into the hedgerow.
Nice I thought, so moments later as I overtook said idiot I was fortunate enough that he caught my glance and lip-read me calling him a scruffy b
d.
To add to my glee of getting my message across, I looked in my rear view mirror to find him almost lose control and fall off his bike whilst he furiously made dhead signs at me.
Any type of littering winds me up, but just cos they discard their bottles during the Tour de France doesn't mean that you have to be a complete retard and copy them whilst out with your mates struggling to ride up a gentle incline.
Nice I thought, so moments later as I overtook said idiot I was fortunate enough that he caught my glance and lip-read me calling him a scruffy b
d.To add to my glee of getting my message across, I looked in my rear view mirror to find him almost lose control and fall off his bike whilst he furiously made d
head signs at me.Any type of littering winds me up, but just cos they discard their bottles during the Tour de France doesn't mean that you have to be a complete retard and copy them whilst out with your mates struggling to ride up a gentle incline.
Edited by Emeye on Friday 20th August 01:37
As I followed a couple of fully Lycra'd up wannabe Lance Armstrongs down a country lane earlier this evening, waiting for a safe opportunity to overtake, the rear one decided to discard his drinks container into the hedgerow.
Nice I thought, so moments later as I overtook said idiot I was fortunate enough that he caught my glance and lip-read me calling him a scruffy bd.
To add to my glee of getting my message across, I looked in my rear view mirror to find him almost lose control and fall off his bike whilst he furiously made dhead signs at me.
Any type of littering winds me up, but just cos they discard their bottles during the Tour de France doesn't mean that you have to be a complete retard and copy them whilst out with your mates struggling to ride up a gentle incline.
Nice I thought, so moments later as I overtook said idiot I was fortunate enough that he caught my glance and lip-read me calling him a scruffy b
d.To add to my glee of getting my message across, I looked in my rear view mirror to find him almost lose control and fall off his bike whilst he furiously made d
head signs at me.Any type of littering winds me up, but just cos they discard their bottles during the Tour de France doesn't mean that you have to be a complete retard and copy them whilst out with your mates struggling to ride up a gentle incline.
Edited by Emeye on Friday 20th August 01:37
I rarely come back from walking the dog without a bit of rubbish.
Some I think is definitely not cyclists (fag packets, pizza boxes, wrappers for magic trees, beer cans) But a lot almost certainly is. Gel sachets, sports drinks bottles, redbull cans. some probably is - sweet packets / chocolate. Some of it could be either.
I live on quite a quiet road, but there is something everyday. More at the weekends when there are more cyclists out.
Amazing that people can combine a hobby that involves getting out in the countryside with helping to ruin it.
Some I think is definitely not cyclists (fag packets, pizza boxes, wrappers for magic trees, beer cans) But a lot almost certainly is. Gel sachets, sports drinks bottles, redbull cans. some probably is - sweet packets / chocolate. Some of it could be either.
I live on quite a quiet road, but there is something everyday. More at the weekends when there are more cyclists out.
Amazing that people can combine a hobby that involves getting out in the countryside with helping to ruin it.
This got mentioned a good few times during the Eurosport coverage of the TdeF, with David Harman ranting about sportive riders dumping gel wrappers during rides. On the tour spectators pick up the bottles and musettes, and they have a wagon that follows the peloton picking up all the trash so it's not that much of a problem. I wonder if the cyclists that do this are also the sort of motorists who dump their fast food wrappers or the contents of the ashtray out of the window when driving?
I helped out the local trails group recently fettling a bit of the Timberland Trail in Bristol- Pristine singletrack through a lovely wood. Went back yesterday and found lunch for two literally strewn across the trail- Tesco sandwiches, drink, crisps- The lot.
Moral of the story is that some people are utter oafs, regardless of the setting you put them in. I'm wildly disappointed with the littering in the wood as it's only really bikers who go there. Probably the grumpy Emo on the DH rig I passed twice on my ride who couldn't be arsed to acknowledge me getting out of his way. Twice.
OP- You should have aimed a choice bit of litter from your car at his head. Karmic retribution, if you will.
Moral of the story is that some people are utter oafs, regardless of the setting you put them in. I'm wildly disappointed with the littering in the wood as it's only really bikers who go there. Probably the grumpy Emo on the DH rig I passed twice on my ride who couldn't be arsed to acknowledge me getting out of his way. Twice.
OP- You should have aimed a choice bit of litter from your car at his head. Karmic retribution, if you will.
A guy came past me on the way to work, at the time the Tour was on. We're on a cycle path, main road one side, pavement then wall, the other side.
I think, "good luck to you mate", and let him go, thinking nothing about it.
He's now 100m or so in front, takes a drink from his bottle, and flings it away, clattering against the wall.
I was so ENRAGED by this, I went after the guy, caught him, passed him and raged into him about the bottle. I was really close to booting him off his bike. He just mumbled an appology.
My lungs were collapsing.
Monkey see, monkey do.
I think, "good luck to you mate", and let him go, thinking nothing about it.
He's now 100m or so in front, takes a drink from his bottle, and flings it away, clattering against the wall.
I was so ENRAGED by this, I went after the guy, caught him, passed him and raged into him about the bottle. I was really close to booting him off his bike. He just mumbled an appology.
My lungs were collapsing.
Monkey see, monkey do.
Until this thread, I thought it was only something Matthew Parris made up. I've never seen a cyclist throw a bottle. You must be a serious weight weenie to think of that.
I came back from my recent 200 with 7 cereal bar wrappers in my rack bag. I suspect if I used gels, I might be slightly more reticent about carrying them, but given their texture is suggestive of certain pleasures I prefer not to indulge in, it's not a problem for me. Still, well done those who don't mind sticky used wrappers stuffed in their back pocket.
I came back from my recent 200 with 7 cereal bar wrappers in my rack bag. I suspect if I used gels, I might be slightly more reticent about carrying them, but given their texture is suggestive of certain pleasures I prefer not to indulge in, it's not a problem for me. Still, well done those who don't mind sticky used wrappers stuffed in their back pocket.
I've only ever seen someone jetison a bottle in a race (to one of their helpers), why on earth would you throw a bottle away during a ride? I've (very rarely) seen discarded gel sachets but never caught anyone doing it. Obviously very bad behaviour whether it's cyclists, runners or triathletes.
I really don't like gel to be honest (horrid sickly sticky stuff) & only take a sachet as an emergancy 'get me home' measure or to make up a fresh energy drink on longer rides. It would be much better if gels were sold in capped toothpaste type tubes - much less messy to use & keep in your pocket.
I really don't like gel to be honest (horrid sickly sticky stuff) & only take a sachet as an emergancy 'get me home' measure or to make up a fresh energy drink on longer rides. It would be much better if gels were sold in capped toothpaste type tubes - much less messy to use & keep in your pocket.
I normally carry bananas as my snack on a ride, and will happily lob it in the bottom of a hedge to bio-degrade. If someone can point me to some evidence that they don't, I'll happily change my habits. (Same goes for apple cores.)
However, I never have and never will drop / dump wrappers or bottles. I don't any of my friends would either, so it must be a case of a few ruining it for everyone else.
Related to dumping bottles on the TdF, they chuck the paper cups after a drink in the marathons too, but it doesn't mean every runner dumps their bottles in the same way.
However, I never have and never will drop / dump wrappers or bottles. I don't any of my friends would either, so it must be a case of a few ruining it for everyone else.
Related to dumping bottles on the TdF, they chuck the paper cups after a drink in the marathons too, but it doesn't mean every runner dumps their bottles in the same way.
madbadger said:
I rarely come back from walking the dog without a bit of rubbish.
Snap.And last Saturday I returned home with a discarded drinks bottle (why do so many Chavs drink Lucozade?) wedgeed into my hydration pack.
(Worse than the litter though are the 'other' emissions. I thought that swapping motorsport for mountain biking was the environmental alternative, but I recon I pass more greenhouse gasses per mile on the mtb than by car.)
sjg said:
I don't like it either - never seen anyone dumping bottles though. I'll keep hold of anything bar banana skins, which will biodegrade in under a month.
Maybe you should start keeping hold of them too as they take about 2 years to degrade!http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2009/sep/24/...
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