Gel/energy bar wrappers

[scubadude]

Did a sportive on Sunday, lost count of the wrappers (and banana skins) in the gutter/hedge, pretty dissapointed in my fellow cyclists given we where in the New Forest, filled as it is with bunnies and ponies and other fluffy but foolish things likely to ingest the indigestible.... is it really so hard to put them back into the pocket from whence they came?

I understand the odd one will be accidentially dropped and much like the water bottles lying beyond each cattle grid a few will be shaken loose.

Made me think perhaps they are worth decanting into biodegradable packaging, sugar paper, paper bag or something, dunno, any ideas?

FWIW I stuffed my wrappers down my top then dumped them in a bin as I rode past in a village, maybe lost one second off my time but I was slow anyway :-)

[Kermit power]

Couldn't agree more!

The only thing I will chuck away into a hedgerow is apple cores. I live in hope that in years to come this will provide me with random sources of apples when riding familiar routes in years to come, but so far I remain disappointingly deprived of free fruit.

[P-Jay]

I'm saddend to say that certain Mountain Bikers are just as bad.

Gel wrappers seem especially popular with these selfish creitings.

I can't stand people who litter, I've never actually witnessed anyone doing it, but if I ever do they'll certainly have the errors of their ways explained to them in glorious technicolor!

[The Stiglet]

Agree with everything said above. On a more positive note, the Etape du Haywards Heath the other week was memorable for a complete lack of litter. I'm doing the Sandown one this Sunday so we'll see how bad that will be but it's not difficult to put the wrapper in your jersey, you're gonna have to wash it anyway.

[okgo]

Terrible.

Nobody does this in real races so why do they do it in these kind of rides? Too many people thinking they're Cav no doubt.

[MadDad]

Shame but it is the very small minority that get the well behaved majority the poor reputation, the sentiment extends well beyond littering . . . . .

[AndrewM]

I have to say I didn't see that much rubbish on Sunday, but there shouldn't be an excuse for any at all - especially as the relationship between cyclists and New Forest residents is, at best, shaky.

Those cross winds were a nightmare - added 20 mins to my time from last year and the first time I've ridden with aero rims!

Edited by AndrewM on Tuesday 17th April 22:45

[scubadude]

AndrewM said:

I have to say I didn't see that much rubbish on Sunday, but there shouldn't be an excuse for any at all - especially as the relationship between cyclists and New Forest residents is, at best, shaky.

Those cross winds were a nightmare - added 20 mins to my time from last year and the first time I've ridden with aero rims!

Edited by AndrewM on Tuesday 17th April 22:45

Maybe I was much further behind you Andrew more time for litter to build up! :-)

The wind was slightly less of an issue as I ride a recumbent, on the windiest sections I was catching DF riders like they wheren't trying but then they'd all get togetherand zoom off in packs later on anyway so didn't feel too bad for them struggling in the wind.

FWIW, I think Pro riders are partly to blame for this, on big races they seem to discard bottles, wrappers and even clothes wherever they like, I guess some its its collected by team cars but not sure it's a great example.

Bl**dy good event otherwise.

[scubadude]

swerni said:

Was it yellow with a carbon seat and thick seat cover in it?

Hopefully it still is :-)

Yup, sounds like me, the "thick" seat pad is actually rather firm and more to allow air to cool my back than as a cushion.

[rhinochopig]

Funnily enough you don't seen to get it much in N Yorks.

I can't figure out whether it's that we're too tight to pay for fancy drinks and energy bars, or just less likely to st in our backyards - those of us with outside toilets excluded of course.

[scubadude]

swerni said:

Small world

I was parked behind you in the grey E220 Estate

Blimey! :-)

(I need to get a PH smiley on the car...)

[AndrewM]

scubadude said:

Blimey! :-)

(I need to get a PH smiley on the car...)

Or maybe we do need PH jerseys!

I'm not sure I was that far ahead - maybe less observant....

[scubadude]

AndrewM said:

Or maybe we do need PH jerseys!

I'm not sure I was that far ahead - maybe less observant....

Maybe I saw them because I'm closer to the ground :-)

Not sure a PistonHeads jersey at a cycling event will get you the kind of attention you want either, some cyclists can be bl**dy militant ;-)

[anonymous-user]

Some people do it because they see pros doing it on TV, what they don't realise is that most major races will have a litter picking team following behind to pick up any rubbish and any bottles that the fans don't take home as souvenirs.

[Kermit power]

Inkyfingers said:

Some people do it because they see pros doing it on TV, what they don't realise is that most major races will have a litter picking team following behind to pick up any rubbish and any bottles that the fans don't take home as souvenirs.

The Sky bottles (on the Tour of Britain at least) even all had a sticker on them with a competition code to encourage spectators to pick them up and take them home.

I have six!

I picked up four, and then won two more as competition prizes!