San Diego......And you think what I said is funny?! I ride the Santa Ana MUP every other day, the cities it crosses are all different and so are the conditions of the walls bridges and even the pavement. You sure can tell when you enter and exit Santa Ana!!! Disgusting.....

Face it you old buzzard, you're a classic!

When was the last time you visited, 1980? Smoking has been banned in restaurants in France for probably 5 years now. Of course people can still smoke outdoors at the sidewalk cafes but even that is becoming less common. Those that allow it usually provide ashtrays so I've never seen anyone put out a cigarette in their food. I was just there on vacation less than two weeks ago, BTW.

As for Germany, I've never seen anyone pissing on the side of the Autobahn. In fact, I've never seen anyone stopped on the side of the Autobahn unless their car was broken down or the police had them pulled over. There's a rest stop or a truck stop every few kilometers so there's little reason to stop on the side of the road to piss. It's also really unsafe and generally frowned upon in Germany to stop on the side of the highway unless there is some kind of emergency because cars are blowing past at high speeds. Oh yeah, I live about 15km from the German border so I'm there quite often.

I wonder if your tirade might have more to do with this than actual issue here. I'm guessing you don't like the guy very much, or maybe you are angry that he is keeping your grandkids so far away?

At any rate, you somehow managed to turn the OP's discussion of general dislike for throwing trash on the side of the road into a political discussion. Isn't there a Tea Party forum you'd rather be posting on instead?

funny, i was just telling my friend as we were traveling from Tulsa to Columbus Ga that we used to just piss on the side of the autobahn (i had to piss but didnt want to get off an exit) I miss those days

Actually, Katso, I was last there in 2005 and the people sitting right next to me on both sides in the restaurant at the top of the Eiffel tower (at over$300 for two) were smoking and no, they were not using ash trays , they were using their dessert left overs!
As to the guy.......You are right, I don't care for him at all. He is the true unflattering caricature of the typical Frenchman.
As to Germany.......Same time 2005, and saw it with my own eyes. Say what you will but we were laughing like crazy at the guy standing next to his car pissing away and watching the traffic! And no, I have nothing against Germans, I was born in Vienna.
As to political?! Must be your inability to read; Politics has nothing to do with hating litter, graffiti and destroyed public facilities! What kind of an animal carves gang graffiti into toilet seats?

They have crews that pick-up trash following each stage of the TdF. It is part of an agreement signed by the Tour sponsors and the different departments in France where the Tour goes through.

I have friends who live in France and you are right about how clean and pristine the French countryside is. Paris is a different story, however.

I do HATE (and yes HATE is a strong word) all the garbage and litter ou ton the road. It is disgusting! I have lived in Southern California for over 40 years and it seems like every year the problem of litter only gets worse.

True dat...plus I must add that the parts of Canada that I have seen are vry nice and clean.

I don't know if there is a direct correlation between a non-existent immigration policy and increased litter. I can tell you, however, that over 40 years ago Los Angeles (and especially teh San Fernando Valley) used to be nice and clean - not so clean now.

Austin.... Yep Austin... That place was really clean. I dont get out much but that really stood out.

C'est tres drole...tres drole!

Now we know where the bile comes from.

Nah...No bile, just disappointment.......

I'm guessing you're saying this like a mantra some of my old schoolmates used to treat it as, but I hate that phrase. Many places don't have a single soul assigned to clean that area, and the same people who say that phrase are often the first ones to scoff at new taxes to pay for said jobs. My students litter in my classroom without a second thought all the time and then look at me funny when I make them pick it up. I didn't go to college for 6 years to clean up after a bunch of kids, and my janitor's job is to vacuum and empty the trash cans, not put all their discarded paper, gum, and sun flower seeds into the trash can before emptying it.

Yesterday after my last post, I took a tram to BikeMax on the edge of Frankfurt while being sensitive to this topic.
There was absolutely no trash anywhere to be found outside of bins. Yes graffiti did exist, however no where at the levels you find in New York.

In any case I believe the OP was not referring to nationalities when he started this thread, but to those individuals that litter. We are not able to control others much at all, only ourselves. I choose not to, knowingly litter.

+1000 .....on this we agree.

It's society and culture that is relevant. Nationality is a political distinction only significant where it correlates to the relevant societal or cultural norms.

FWIW -

I toured down the PCH 3 years ago. On one of the random backroads of N. Ca I all the sudden started seeing a few gel wrappers and water bottles. These few turned into more, until they eventually tapered off. Easily hundreds of gel wrappers, different brands (some of which I have never heard of), and probably a dozen or two water bottles. Later in the tour I realized that road was raced a month or two before in the ToC.

Now, Im not sure if the ToC has 'clean up crews' like TdF.... but if they do, they did a piss poor job.

As for the racist hate posts... keep em coming! But claiming a country is a crap-hole because someone is pissing on the side of the freeway.... well, you havent lived much. Ive seen plenty of Americans doing the same in stairwells, elevators.... but likewise for my time in Thailand (roadsides) and secondhand stories in India (where the use the gutters).

And if you have not taken a leak while riding on the side of the road, you probably arent very similar to the rest of the folk on BF.

Not to get too tied up into the rants.... but isnt putting cigarette butts into leftover food (where it will be disposed of), better than flicking butts out their windows (not to name the place Ive seen this happen)?

Because of this thread I've been guilted into stuffing my empty gel shot wrappers in my jersey (thou shalt not litter), but I did pee twice along side the road today and I don't plan on stopping that part of my civil disobedience.

I throw banana peels out on the grass. I figure it's biodegradable and good for the environment.

sometimes when you ride you wonder if you should just go home and not ride that day. I had an experience like that mtn biking once. I kept going after wrecking and forgetting stuff, and the last part of the ride was totally better and different than the first mile.

Ummmm ... NO!

Roads are reasonably clean here. I do follow the same practise of stuffing things back in my pockets, though. Then again, I always ride solo, and I just empty my rubbish in a bin when I see one. I remember worrying a lot about a can of coke I kept in my pocket after drinking it and stomping it flat. A sticky jersey doesn't appeal much to me.

Bike riding and kayaking... sometimes there isnt a bathroom around. Im sure ive pissed off some people with the yellow bilge but what am I supposed to do?