Do You Pick Up Small 'Trash' During Your Rides?
08-04-09, 01:15 PM
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: SE, Michigan
Posts: 518
Bikes: k2 Zed 3.0
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 2 Times
in
1 Post
Do You Pick Up Small 'Trash' During Your Rides?
I often ride at parks, and at other some what scenic areas. One thing that bugs me is trash. Specifically, cans and bottles (and the occasional wrapper). Lately, I've just been picking them up; putting them into my back pocket, or extra holder, and tossing them away when I run near a dumpster / trash can. I typically run into 2 or 3 of cans during a 30 mile ride, so it's not an unmanageable thing to do...
08-04-09, 01:17 PM
#2
**** that
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: CALI
Posts: 15,402
Mentioned: 151 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1099 Post(s)
Liked 104 Times
in
30 Posts
I've thought about it, but there's just too much of it to collect. I'd never get anywhere if I stopped to pick up all the beer cans & pee bottles on the side of the road.
So instead I just shake my head and curse whoever threw it there. Much less effective but more convenient!
Good for you for picking it up though.
So instead I just shake my head and curse whoever threw it there. Much less effective but more convenient!
Good for you for picking it up though.
08-04-09, 01:41 PM
#5
Je suis ici !
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Bloomington, Indiana
Posts: 482
Bikes: 2006 Scott Speedster S20, 2005 Trek 7200FX, 1988 White Cannondale Criterium Single Speed Conversion, 1986(?) Peugeot...I don't know what model it is, but it's a road bike
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
I've thought about it, but there's just too much of it to collect. I'd never get anywhere if I stopped to pick up all the beer cans & pee bottles on the side of the road.
So instead I just shake my head and curse whoever threw it there. Much less effective but more convenient!
Good for you for picking it up though.
So instead I just shake my head and curse whoever threw it there. Much less effective but more convenient!
Good for you for picking it up though.
*Edit* I will stop for turtles though and help them across the road so they're not run over...probably by the same people that think it's fun to run them over for some reason.
08-04-09, 01:46 PM
#7
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Tampa
Posts: 1,088
Bikes: ?
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
I counted almost 40 discarded tires and 2 console televisions on the sides of the road during my last ride.
08-04-09, 01:52 PM
#8
In the dark
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: VA
Posts: 1,890
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
08-04-09, 01:56 PM
#9
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Kansas
Posts: 1,875
Bikes: Cervelo RS, Specialized Stumpy, Schwinn 974
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Yep! Same here. We also seem to have an infestation of discarded Polar Pop cups in addition to the cans and other crap people toss from their cars. :/
*Edit* I will stop for turtles though and help them across the road so they're not run over...probably by the same people that think it's fun to run them over for some reason.
*Edit* I will stop for turtles though and help them across the road so they're not run over...probably by the same people that think it's fun to run them over for some reason.
08-04-09, 01:56 PM
#10
Banned.
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Carlsbad, CA
Posts: 6,434
Bikes: '09 Felt F55, '84 Masi Cran Criterium, (2)'86 Schwinn Pelotons, '86 Look Equippe Hinault, '09 Globe Live 3 (dogtaxi), '94 Greg Lemond, '99 GT Pulse Kinesis
Mentioned: 19 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 389 Post(s)
Liked 270 Times
in
153 Posts
Not while bicycling, but I pick up plenty of trash and way too much dog-poo when I'm out walking my dog around. My dog's little tootsie rolls seem a waste of plastic, so I just got into the habit of picking up all the other turds and trash on the way to the can.
Sadly my hometown is very dog-unfriendly, thanks to people who don't bother to take care of their doody.
Sadly my hometown is very dog-unfriendly, thanks to people who don't bother to take care of their doody.
08-04-09, 02:09 PM
#13
molasses in winter slow
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: NJ
Posts: 349
Bikes: '06 Serotta Nove, '04 Mondonico Futura Leggero, '08 Haro Mary SS
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Keep doing that and you'll probably wind up with some union thug chasing you down and telling you that you're threatening some street sweeper's job!
08-04-09, 02:14 PM
#14
Banned.
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Upland Ca
Posts: 19,895
Bikes: Lemond Chambery/Cannondale R-900/Trek 8000 MTB/Burley Duet tandem
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 4 Times
in
3 Posts
I saw a trashy chick with big hooters on the side of the road. But I didn't have the 20 bucks to pick her up!
08-04-09, 02:55 PM
#16
8speed DinoSORAs
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Oxford, UK or Mountain View, Ca
Posts: 2,749
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Once in a while I'll do this. If I spot an inner tube at the side of the road, I'll take it home and patch it
Once I found some discarded electricity poles beside the road and spent 15 minutes rescuing a nice porcelain insulator and, unfortunately, it's weighty cast iron bracket... Rode home with that perched across the tops... bit precarious. I went back with tools the next day so I could have a matching pair. Odd, but there you go...
Once I found some discarded electricity poles beside the road and spent 15 minutes rescuing a nice porcelain insulator and, unfortunately, it's weighty cast iron bracket... Rode home with that perched across the tops... bit precarious. I went back with tools the next day so I could have a matching pair. Odd, but there you go...
__________________
Get a bicycle. You will certainly not regret it, if you live.
Get a bicycle. You will certainly not regret it, if you live.
08-04-09, 03:00 PM
#17
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Berkeley, CA
Posts: 307
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
I stop for water bottles. Usually as I'm headed up long climbs, I guess they rattle out and people don't go back for them.
08-04-09, 03:12 PM
#18
Administrator
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Delaware shore
Posts: 13,558
Bikes: Cervelo C5, Guru Photon, Waterford, Specialized CX
Mentioned: 16 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1106 Post(s)
Liked 2,180 Times
in
1,470 Posts
My team/club did an "adopt a highway" campaign where we picked up trash along a mile stretch of a road we train on. What's funny is we found out how far drivers took to finish a beer they brought at a nearby convenience store. At one 1/4 stretch it started with a few cans, then the density increased to a peak, and dwindled off. We probably could have done a bell shaped distribution chart.
08-04-09, 03:21 PM
#19
Senior Member
I ride into a painted median to cross over to the 1 mile of MUP on my 50 mile ride. Recently, the median was litered with hundreds of drywall screws - most likely a 1 pound box. I got one flat before I saw the screws, but stopped before I got a second. The next day I picked up every screw I could find and had another cyclist stop to help. I had a whole back pocket full of screws.
08-04-09, 04:26 PM
#21
Spinning @ 33 RPM
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: NE Ohio
Posts: 747
Bikes: '89 Fuji Saratoga, '97 Schwinn Mesa SS, '07 Felt F1X, '10 Transition TransAM, '11 Soma Analog SS
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 2 Times
in
2 Posts
I tried to clean up my route once, but I had an entire backpack full in something like 20'. 
I'm planning on building a trailer to raise my carrying capacity. I hate seeing trash.
At one stop sign along my route, somebody leaves a bag from McDonalds every day. Just pulls up to the stop sign, sets the bag down nicely on the road and leaves. I would LOVE to catch him one of these days.
I'm planning on building a trailer to raise my carrying capacity. I hate seeing trash.At one stop sign along my route, somebody leaves a bag from McDonalds every day. Just pulls up to the stop sign, sets the bag down nicely on the road and leaves. I would LOVE to catch him one of these days.
Last edited by Glynis27; 08-04-09 at 04:29 PM.
08-04-09, 05:19 PM
#22
well hello there
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Point Loma, CA
Posts: 15,430
Bikes: Bill Holland (Road-Ti), Fuji Roubaix Pro (back-up), Bike Friday (folder), Co-Motion (tandem) & Trek 750 (hybrid)
Mentioned: 6 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 503 Post(s)
Liked 336 Times
in
206 Posts
No but if I see someone throw thrash on the ground I usually yell "excuse me you dropped something".
__________________
.
.
Two wheels good. Four wheels bad.
.
.
Two wheels good. Four wheels bad.
08-04-09, 05:43 PM
#23
8speed DinoSORAs
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Oxford, UK or Mountain View, Ca
Posts: 2,749
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Indeed. I always want to pop those smouldering cigarette ends back though the open car windows from which they came. That would be fun to watch...
__________________
Get a bicycle. You will certainly not regret it, if you live.
Get a bicycle. You will certainly not regret it, if you live.
08-04-09, 06:47 PM
#24
Senior Member
Years ago I was a pilot for a fly-in fishing company. When I picked people up, I checked the camp and water around the dock and made the customers pick up their own trash before I would fly them out. I got mixed reviews from the customers on that but somebody had to take responsibility for it!
08-04-09, 10:54 PM
#25
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Hampton Roads, VA
Posts: 233
Bikes: 04 Fuji Navada, 05 Specialized Allez, 09 Scattante CFR Team Red Platinum
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
*Edit* I will stop for turtles though and help them across the road so they're not run over...probably by the same people that think it's fun to run them over for some reason.[/QUOTE]
Thats funny. Once on a ride I got flagged down by two old ladys wanting ME to help a turtle across the road. They said they would do it their selfs but they thought it was a snapper. That sucker was huge but no snapper.
Thats funny. Once on a ride I got flagged down by two old ladys wanting ME to help a turtle across the road. They said they would do it their selfs but they thought it was a snapper. That sucker was huge but no snapper.