"Selfish cyclists" blamed for litter that caused Richmond Park deer deaths

A2thaJ wrote:

For me, sportives should be about cruising around, enjoying the ride, having a flapjack at a feedstation. Its not about pretending i'm in a race when i'm not, and mimicing professional cyclists at a quarter of the pace.

Cool - for you. But other people have their own motivations, which are no less valid than yours. If someone wants to ride as fast as they can (or even just a bit faster than their mates), and if they think getting sugar in via gels helps them do this, good on them.

Awavey wrote:

Leviathan wrote:

A2thaJ wrote:

I don't understand why people were using Gels at that stage of ride london ( and i dont actually understand why people would use a gel when its not an actual race, where you get points etc).

Because they are hungry/need energy perhaps. Richmond Park is 20 miles into the event. Everyone else isn't as imperious as yourself.* What difference does it make that it isn't a race (which it is because it is a timed cycling event, you mean it is not a criterium.

Because if they are that hungry and need energy after just 20miles,I'm not sure how they expect to get to the finish,and gels don't provide instant energy boosts they don't work like that, it can take 15+ mins to digest a gel properly,and for the glycogen to be absorbed as muscle fuel,it might perk the brain up via the sugar hit, but the legs still won't be working properly.

Maybe they're having one before they're hungry.  Isn't that exactly when they're supposed to be used? Let people decided how they want to ride their sportives themselves.  How you think it should be riden isn't necessarily how everyone else thinks it should.

A2thaJ wrote:

Plus, to drop litter at that point of the route is bizare... if you must drop litter (which you musn't), do it on the hammersmith flyover or some over dual carriage way. Try to restrain from littering in the wildlife park bit. Or just put it in your pocket and then in a bin.

Agreed.

Leviathan wrote:

Bikebot is right; whilst we shouldn't be dropping litter, there are plenty of accidentally dropped and squashed gels on the route (along with bananas, bottles and the odd pump.) The nature of the event prevents people turning around and fishing out their dropped items. The route is used by the Classic event, what is stopping the marshalls from collecting dropped items after the sportive? The course is a very, very confined part of the park. Absolutely no need to blame the event for killing something that will eat anything. Majestic rats.

*eff off dickhead.

Classy sign-off, that must have taken a while to think up.

So the fact that wildlife doesn't know why a gel wrapper isn't edible means it's OK for them to choke on it? I guess the same applies to the 90% of all seabird species, 22% of large marine mammals, all sea turtle species, and an increasing number of fish that have been found to have plastic in or around their bodies.

Yes it would be a good idea for volunteer marshals to collect the litter after standing around for hours. Why don't you put your name forward? It's the lazy option to always expect it to be done yet never help out, as so many people do.  Though it would be better if people weren't so fucking selfish and pocketed their gel wrappers etc instead of tossing it over their shoulder and expecting someone else (or the deer) to tidy up after them.

Simon E wrote:

Classy sign-off, that must have taken a while to think up.

So the fact that wildlife doesn't know why a gel wrapper isn't edible means it's OK for them to choke on it? I guess the same applies to the 90% of all seabird species, 22% of large marine mammals, all sea turtle species, and an increasing number of fish that have been found to have plastic in or around their bodies.

Yes it would be a good idea for volunteer marshals to collect the litter after standing around for hours. Why don't you put your name forward? It's the lazy option to always expect it to be done yet never help out, as so many people do.  Though it would be better if people weren't so fucking selfish and pocketed their gel wrappers etc instead of tossing it over their shoulder and expecting someone else (or the deer) to tidy up after them.

Simon, you are just the sort of imperious cock I am telling to eff off. You are actually agreeing with me that the litter could be collected; yet concocted some fantasy that I think it okay for it to be eaten by wildlife. It will be eaten, thats the point. 

If you stopped wasting your time reading between the lines and coming up with snarky responses you might be of some use for something. I have never seen you contibute a single new topic or thread to this forum, you just like to sit at the back of the bus sniping. Boring.

Leviathan wrote:

A2thaJ wrote:

I don't understand why people were using Gels at that stage of ride london ( and i dont actually understand why people would use a gel when its not an actual race, where you get points etc).

What difference does it make that it isn't a race (which it is because it is a timed cycling event, you mean it is not a criterium.) 

 

Quite a big difference actually, as if it is a race ONE police officer can call the event off.

It is classed as a sportive to avoid the problems with Plod.  

Who deserves the asterisk in your original post now?

.

freespirit1 wrote:

something

I recall you saying you were leaving the site forever. Lonely, were you?

Leviathan wrote:

A2thaJ wrote:

I don't understand why people were using Gels at that stage of ride london ( and i dont actually understand why people would use a gel when its not an actual race, where you get points etc).

Because they are hungry/need energy perhaps. Richmond Park is 20 miles into the event. Everyone else isn't as imperious as yourself.* What difference does it make that it isn't a race (which it is because it is a timed cycling event, you mean it is not a criterium.) Also the sugary glop companies that sell these aspirational items tell you to eat three an hour and give them away free to encourage sales. They want as many people eating as many gels as possible.

Bikebot is right; whilst we shouldn't be dropping litter, there are plenty of accidentally dropped and squashed gels on the route (along with bananas, bottles and the odd pump.) The nature of the event prevents people turning around and fishing out their dropped items. The route is used by the Classic event, what is stopping the marshalls from collecting dropped items after the sportive? The course is a very, very confined part of the park. Absolutely no need to blame the event for killing something that will eat anything. Majestic rats.

*eff off dickhead.

 

If you must use gels- bung them into a water bottle and dilute - less mess and much easier on the go.

And yes absolutely no excuse for littering. i'd string them up.