Field DQ'd at Turtle Pond



M

Mark Hagen

Guest
The Masters 45+ field was DQ'd in yesterday's Turtle Pond
Circuit Race, with 1.5 laps remaining. The official in
the follow car saw a rider toss a water bottle back onto
the lawn adjacent to the parking area and immediately
halted and DQ'd the field. A breakaway group of 3 was
allowed to finish.

At the start line, the officials had given plenty of warning
of the types of behaviors that would not be tolerated, so we
have no one to blame but ourselves. The guilty individual
identified himself and immediately apologized to the field
and to the officials. (Members of the field promptly threw
the miscreant into a large pricker bush.)

Folks, let this be a lesson to everyone. The promoters, the
officials, and the towns will not tolerate our rude,
inconsiderate, and selfish behavior. The result is that
entire fields will get DQ'd: no ifs, ands, or buts, no
refunds, nothing - just a DQ and go home.

New England has a long, rich history of great cycling
events. Unfortunately, many of these "classics" are no
longer around; many due to problems created by the cyclists
themselves. If we don't change the way we approach races and
the way we conduct ourselves before, during, and after
races, we'll have nothing but industrial park crits.

Spread the news: Bad behavior will not be tolerated. Adjust
your attitude and actions accordingly or find another
activity. How much more clear does this need to be?
 
"Mark Hagen" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>> Spread the news: Bad behavior will not be tolerated.
>> Adjust your
> attitude and actions accordingly or find another activity.
> How much more clear does this need to be?

And by publicizing the penal code, we should be able to
reduce the crime rate. Good luck!
 
That's the stupidest thing I've heard in a long time. I've tossed a few bottles off in my time, especially if there's a hill. You say it was "adjacent to the parking area" which indicates to me an intent to come back for the bottle after the race.
Stopping the field because of that is idiotic. Why not just recruit volunteers after the race to walk around the circuit and clean up all the stuff, especially if it's a short circuit?
 
"pedalchick" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> That's the stupidest thing I've heard in a long time. I've
> tossed a few bottles off in my time, especially if there's
> a hill. You say it was "adjacent to the parking area"
> which indicates to me an intent to come back for the
> bottle after the race. Stopping the field because of that
> is idiotic. Why not just recruit volunteers after the race
> to walk around the circuit and clean up all the stuff,
> especially if it's a short circuit?

Can we have an analysis of the effect on energy expenditure
from throwing a bottle off ones bicycle at the beginning of
a 1 km climb at 8% gradient? I'd like the calculation for a
20oz bottle full of Cytomax and for an empty bottle. The
equasion should also factor in the energy expended in
throwing the bottle full and empty.

It seems that this is one more effect of the masses seeing
bicycle racing on television. I don't think I saw a bottle
thrown anywhere but in the start/finish area prior to around
1985 when racing coverage started to become more frequent on
tv. Monkey see, monkey do.
 
In article <[email protected]>, pedalchick
<[email protected]> wrote:

> That's the stupidest thing I've heard in a long time. I've
> tossed a few bottles off in my time, especially if there's
> a hill. You say it was "adjacent to the parking area"
> which indicates to me an intent to come back for the
> bottle after the race. Stopping the field because of that
> is idiotic. Why not just recruit volunteers after the race
> to walk around the circuit and clean up all the stuff,
> especially if it's a short circuit?

USCF rule 3B9 "... Riders may not discard materials that are
not biodegradable; they may pass or throw such material to
support personnel in places far from any bystanders
[relegation or disqualification for littering or
unauthorized feeding]

I know of road races where thrown off water bottles are a
real issue to the local residents so if it is an issue that
might cause a promoter to lose a race course I can see the
penality being enforced.
 
pedalchick <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
> That's the stupidest thing I've heard in a long time. I've
> tossed a few bottles off in my time, especially if there's
> a hill. You say it was "adjacent to the parking area"
> which indicates to me an intent to come back for the
> bottle after the race. Stopping the field because of that
> is idiotic. Why not just recruit volunteers after the race
> to walk around the circuit and clean up all the stuff,
> especially if it's a short circuit?

Maybe bike race organizers should invest in few of these.

http://home.tiscali.be/rsabbe/blikvanger.jpg

I'm sure something from the fishing department of a sporting
goods store would fit the bill.
 
On Mon, 17 May 2004 17:35:02 GMT, "B. Lafferty" <[email protected]>
wrote:

>Can we have an analysis of the effect on energy expenditure
>from throwing a bottle off ones bicycle at the beginning of
>a 1 km climb at 8% gradient? I'd like the calculation for a
>20oz bottle full of Cytomax and for an empty bottle. The
>equasion should also factor in the energy expended in
>throwing the bottle full and empty.
>

I've been tossing bottles in races because I can't stand
having them in my back pocket. Sometimes it's essential to
carry a bottle that way -- like when I need three bottles.
But after I'm done with one bottle I toss it. This is
espcially true in longer road races, where I start with some
clothes that I take off and want to put in my back pocket.

Usually -- say ten times a year -- I toss it in a place
where I can pick it up later. Once or twice a year I toss a
bottle with no intention of picking it up again. This is
usually in a feed zone where I hope someone else will take
it or toss it.

JT
 
snipped:
"Mark Hagen" <[email protected]> wrote:
> The guilty individual identified himself and immediately
> apologized to the field and to the officials. (Members of
> the field promptly threw the miscreant into a large
> pricker bush.)

mark - is this part true? e-RICHIE [email protected]
 

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