subnoob

Whenever I finish a gel pack or other snack I place it back in my jersey, same with punctured tubes. Others give me funny looks when I ask them to not leave their c02 and tubes on side of the road.
Case in point, I show up for the Thursday night ride and while warming up in the parking lot, I pick up a rusty clothes hanger which twist up on the rear hub non drive side. Major scratches on hub and seat stay Then my computer decided to quit on me.

jayp410

"Hate" is a strong word, but yeah it ticks me off too if it's done intentionally. Sometimes stuff falls out of pockets unintentionally though.

Also I was wondering what happens to all of the trash that gets thrown in the TdF.... do they have a special crew to clean that up afterwards? It seems like such a bad example for pros to be setting...so many recreational cyclists idolize those guys. It's a stark contrast to the countryside of France, which seems amazingly pristine compared to most of the U.S..

Northwestrider

Littering IMO is a matter of education, period. If someone I know throws something away carelessly I don't try to educate directly, rather I'll casually pick up the item and place it in my bag or in a trash container. After a very short time, those involved usually end up disposing of their unwanted items correctly. jayp410 mentioned France, I'm currently in Germany for 3 days, it also has the appearance of being spotless. Are Europeans more caring of the environment than we are? I doubt it. I just think they are taught more clearly than we are of the consequences of tossing their trash along the roadside. To the OP, thanks for the post, IMO it educates..

rustybrown

Littering creates jobs.

Though, I still pack my own trash.

AlexZ

Pristine?!!!! What the hell are you talking about? When was the last time you were anywhere in Europe? And particularly in France?! Pristine indeed my butt! The place is one big cigarette butt and wrappers pit! Realy gives me the royal red-ass when people criticize our country with idiotic ignorant comparisons! You think you'll like it better there?! Then get the hell going! It's a free country! Nobody is holding you back! Get out!!

jayp410

Education, culture, values, and/or economy... they are hard to separate, but it's some combination of those factors. There are certain regions of the U.S. that are much better about clean roads than others. Not to pick on any state, but I've spent a lot of time in rural Maine (because I love it there) and enough time in parts of rural WV (because it's close). Both states have beautiful natural features, and both states have their share of poverty and rusty old cars, but when it comes to trash on the roadside the difference is night and day. I would call Maine pristine as well.

jayp410

All I've seen of France is what they show on the Tour de France...but from that part of France, I'll repeat my statement about it being pristine. The route of the TdF is incredibly beautiful. There are very few piles of trash, old junky cars, billboards, very little trash along the roadside, etc.. And don't tell me to get the hell out of the U.S. bub.

John00

I stopped the other day to pick up a tube someone had left on the side of a road I ride a lot. Noticed that they had dropped a very nice multi tool too. Had a good laugh at that, and now have a very nice new multi tool. Tube was a good one too, maybe some day I'll patch it and use it too.

kevin_stevens

If anyone is in the SoCal area, they know of Palomar mountain, a Mecca for sportbike riders, drivers, and cyclists alike.

Once a year for the last three years, I've participated in a sportbike cleanup hike up Palomar (I don't know why we haven't figured out that we could hike *down* the mountain instead), as a PR activity with the locals and to police ourselves.

The bigger chunks tend to be sportbike fairings - but by far the most volume of crap is powerbar and gel wrappers, and sport drink bottles flung by the side of the road. It's truly disgusting.

KeS

makeitso5005

FYI: TDF designates "trash" areas for the riders where they can dump out all the stuff the riders don't want where they have clean up crews that will come by and clean up all the gel packs, food wrappers, etc. The bottles usually can be dumped anywhere as people will take them as souvenirs. I've HEARD race water bottles are corn based plastic so they will biodegrade out in the elements but no idea how true that statement is.

But I agree, I HATE seeing random used gel packs, powerbar wrappers, drink powder wrappers, and other supplement wrappers littered around areas where you know it's cyclists that are just dropping them on the road. Bring a trash baggie (old sandwich bag or something) if you want to make sure it stays off your jersey, stuff the wrapper under your saddle, do whatever just don't just chuck it on the road. But in reality, unless it's forced amounts of community service for trash pickup on the roadside for everyone littering is just a way of life for a good chunk of people. There's no Terry Tate around to enforce it all the time.

AlexZ

You shouldn't take everything you see on the screen as fact. And you certainly shouldn't extend the impression to the whole country....I've been there, many times.
As to telling you to get out....Actually , since you are concerned about how it looks, I would prefer you stay! Just try to be judicious in your criticism of our country. You have no idea of how clean and beautiful it really is until you have been to other places yourself......

Ps. It isn't poverty that causes the trash and graffiti.....It's lack of culture and a non existent immigration policy.

Northwestrider

So immigrants are tossing CO2 cartridges, old inner tubes and gel and power bar wrappers, as well as energy drink containers onto the roadside. I had no idea until now!

javal

1) TdF is no valid excuse for ANY behaviour! I tend to think litterbugs saw too many of them. 2) France isnt the entire Europe. Go to nearby Germany and the littering is far more controlled. Come to Scandinavia and its even better. 3) Bikers, like anyone else, should deal with their own trash.

subnoob

.............

Northwestrider

subnoob: I don't think it is correct to quote me unless you leave the original quote alone ( don't alter it ) please.

subnoob

Fixed

Machka 

This thread is going well!!

1. Yes, at the TDF the "littering" by the riders is both controlled and cleaned up.

2. I've been to France twice, and both times noticed how clean and tidy the towns and countryside are. It's a beautiful country.

3. Don't litter. It's illegal and disgusting.

Northwestrider

subnoob: Thanks very much for the fix.
BTW, I like Machka, have found France to be a very beautiful country. I have no doubt there are pockets that are less so, but all in all there is less littering in all of Europe than there is on average in the USA. And yes, I've been to a large number of European counties. I'm currently in a somewhat cloudy Frankfurt at the moment. As I have said earlier, I believe it is more of an education issue, and that is what IMO this thead accomplishes, it reminds us to pick up after ourselves. Littering is hard for me to understand, it fowls our nest, makes our next ride less scenic, less pleasurable.

Marauder9

I am with you all on this one.

I was brought up (just like my kids) under the impression litter should always be put in a bin when finished with and if there is none available then to keep it until there is.

In the UK I find a lot of people of very ignorant and don't care where they throw there litter and quite often it is right next to a bin too

It doesnt help our reputation when cyclists litter the countryside with all their gel wappers etc.

subnoob

Once you log off Im going to unfix the fixed.

roadwarrior

Lighten up Francis. But I will agree with the part that I highlighted.

BTW...to the people that are worried about TdF trash, the fans pick it up. Over there it's what passes for a souvenir (a French word for "one man's trash is another man's treasure"). I know a guy that had to buy another suitcase for all the water bottles and musettes he picked up visiting the TdF. That, and the barricade advertising banners. Trust me, I've seen people mark spots where a top rider takes "a natural break" like footprints of an astronaut on a carrier deck. It's hilarious.

ruindd

lulz.

America: land of the bigoted. Thanks for ruining it for the rest of us.

jdon

I hate seeing litter.

But not enough to get out with any of the service groups and clean it up.

TDRILL

Wow, overreact much? The US is great and all but get a grip man

thump55

You're not supposed to eat the wrapper?

That would explain a lot.