To gatecrash a sportive or not?

timmyotool

TimothyW wrote:

timmyotool wrote:

Would you head down to where a club run meet on a Saturday morning and follow them for the day? You're perfectly entitled to do so, but it doesn't stop you from being a knob if you do.

This analogy doesn't work, as most clubs are happy to welcome prospective new members (or even riders from elsewhere in the country who want to get out for a social ride while visiting).

If the clubs aren't happy with that, then they probably deserve to be wound up, frankly.

If the OP wishes to ride the sportive then there's nothing wrong with that, but usage of any facilities beyond publicly open roads is an absolute no no (goes without saying that closed road sportive gatecrashing is the lowest of the low) and he should do so with some awareness of congestion caused by large groups of cyclists on sportives - if cyclist traffic is causing disruption then really he ought take another route for the day.

Personally I think the OP would be better served by seeking out a friendly local cycling club and supporting that instead.

Sure, but in this analogy the club have already told you unfortunately you can't join them as their group is full that day (probably for sensible capacity reasons) but then you still go and do it anyway.

EDIT - but yes otherwise completely agree with what you are saying.

Anonymous

Imposter wrote:

Carbonator wrote:

Key word there is SADO

As in 'Sado-Masochist'?

Touché

First.Aspect

So, are we all clear yet on the distinction between what we have the right to do and what is right to do? Or is the forum still being populated by simpletons?

imposter2.0

First Aspect wrote:

So, are we all clear yet on the distinction between what we have the right to do and what is right to do? Or is the forum still being populated by simpletons?

You've taken all this really badly, haven't you? GWS...

sloppyschleckonds

First Aspect wrote:

So, are we all clear yet on the distinction between what we have the right to do and what is right to do? Or is the forum still being populated by simpletons?

Have you or have you not ever ridden in the Alps?

Garry H

First Aspect wrote:

So, are we all clear yet on the distinction between what we have the right to do and what is right to do? Or is the forum still being populated by simpletons?

Jeez dude. People are free to drive their cars whilst they are going on. Hell does it matter if there are a few extra bikes in attendance. Are sportive participants really that anal?

Ben6899

Wow. Some people take their sportives very seriously.

They're a load of bollocks anyway. £40 to ride with 100s of choppers? No thanks.

First.Aspect

Funny what people read into things. I've only ever ridden one sportive and the roads were closed. I haven't done any more because I didn't like dodging all the choppers. At least we agree on that much.

fat daddy

SloppySchleckonds wrote:

Have you or have you not ever ridden in the Alps?

and when you did ride the alps, did you just happen to turn up at the exact same time as the TdF and ride along with them in the pack ?

styxd

I would liken it to walking off the street into a pub beer garden, with a four pack of Fosters in a carrier bag, and joining a couple/family/group table.

Not something normal, functioning members of a society do, but we all know cyclists can be a bit different.

StillGoing

Veronese68 wrote:

philthy3 wrote:

They're not just paying to ride on open roads though are they. There's the support with first aid, marshalls, a broom wagon, signage, feed stations, timing etc. The profits to whatever charity is being supported are negligible and I myself, don't do commercial sportives.

If someone were to turn up and use the facilities without having paid it would be out of order, but if not I don't see a problem as they are public roads. If it's a charity event sticking some money in the pot is only polite.

It wasn't a point about riding a route and not using the facilities, but what participants are actually paying for. They don't just pay to ride on public roads.

First.Aspect

http://www.thedailymash.co.uk/news/soci ... 4093091186

Garry H

styxd wrote:

I would liken it to walking off the street into a pub beer garden, with a four pack of Fosters in a carrier bag, and joining a couple/family/group table.

Not something normal, functioning members of a society do, but we all know cyclists can be a bit different.

Not really. It's more akin to a pub landlord selling beer in a public park, then me turning up with a four pack and drinking it.

First.Aspect

Garry H wrote:

styxd wrote:

I would liken it to walking off the street into a pub beer garden, with a four pack of Fosters in a carrier bag, and joining a couple/family/group table.

Not something normal, functioning members of a society do, but we all know cyclists can be a bit different.

Not really. It's more akin to a pub landlord selling beer in a public park, then me turning up with a four pack and drinking it.

Tellingly, the joining a couple/family/group part of this doesn't seem to bother you.

Garry H

Is that what the op's planning to do? If he has the brass neck to do that, then good on him. If not, then i'm sure he's perfectly capable of riding it by himself, without bothering others. I'm also sure that any offended party will tell him to feck off if they feel peeved at his temerity in gatecrashing their "party" anyway.

surrey_commuter

Garry H wrote:

Is that what the op's planning to do? If he has the brass neck to do that, then good on him. If not, then i'm sure he's perfectly capable of riding it by himself, without bothering others. I'm also sure that any offended party will tell him to feck off if they feel peeved at his temerity in gatecrashing their "party" anyway.

He is "worried about it coming up in conversation" so it sounds like he intends bothering others. It just does not seem terribly British.

londoncommuter

Some other things to ponder:

1) If OP takes a comfort break in someones hedge or drops a gel wrapper, it's the sportive that will be moaned at in the local paper. Fair or not?

2) If he causes a crash (with other cyclists or anyone else), will the sportives insurance company be pleased the organisers didn't have any process for weeding out unofficial entrants and therefore having more riders than covered?

3) If OP does have some left over bananas, the organisers will have to make one less banana cake to get rid of them all, saving electric/gas and calories they may well not need.

All very tricky.

Man Of Lard

Conversely, I've had a sportive crash my ride... Should they be paying me for the loss of utility? 8)

NeXXus

Many years ago, a local sportive organiser posted their route on facebook so I got a roll of masking tape(pre-garmin ownership) and made myself a rough turn list/distance marker to stick on the toptube.

The route was great (but is better with a small number of riders) and I still ride it occasionally all these years later. I entered the sportive itself and haven't been back, through no fault of the club the weather and rider etiquette were equally crap. I wouldn't be turning up at or near an event with a view to leeching a free ride,even without using feedstops, there are plenty of other roads to ride on

DavidJB

Getting angry about people riding public roads without paying for the privilege... 1st world problems.

veronese68

philthy3 wrote:

Veronese68 wrote:

philthy3 wrote:

They're not just paying to ride on open roads though are they. There's the support with first aid, marshalls, a broom wagon, signage, feed stations, timing etc. The profits to whatever charity is being supported are negligible and I myself, don't do commercial sportives.

If someone were to turn up and use the facilities without having paid it would be out of order, but if not I don't see a problem as they are public roads. If it's a charity event sticking some money in the pot is only polite.

It wasn't a point about riding a route and not using the facilities, but what participants are actually paying for. They don't just pay to ride on public roads.

Exactly, people are paying for everything else, the roads are free for anyone to use.

navrig2

Couldn't be bothered reading the ping pong argument!

If it's sold out then you can't buy a place.
BUT
You can ride it at the same time, it's not illegal.
AND
You can correct your moral compass by donating the equivalent of the "entry" fee to the main charity (or a charity of yuor choice).
OR
Just ride, don't donate BUT don't advertise it on a public forum for everyone to have a pop.

There are caps put on these events to keep the local council and local police happy, plus they have to have a number to aim for when confirming arrangements on food and venue (changing etc)

ben@31

In my opinion both sides are morally wrong.

Ive seen it where where events on public roads were sold out, except charity muggers will sell you a place for a £500 profit. In the end, with the cost of getting there and overnight accommodation, it would of been cheaper to go to Mallorca than take part.

Its now seems sportives and running events are just a money making business rather than a fun day organised by fellow amateur runners and cyclists.

The best bit of advice was just do the same route on your own, the following week or two. Everyones happy then.

P.S. I wish all the "Sophie" and "John" 's out there would stop sending me emails ...almost daily... saying just 8 weeks to go to ? event.

sloppyschleckonds

Only advise I can give is make yourself a fake number otherwise the photographer wont be able to sell you your pictures

Matthewfalle

Or make a fake face so that people think you're someone who has paid their entry fee.

DeVlaeminck

Bit late to the party but my take is it's a bit naughty - morally wrong if you will - but not so wrong that I actually give a s hit if anyone does it.

Would I do it myself - maybe if it was an event I really wanted to do for some reason and it was sold out so I didn't have the option to pay - I wouldn't just free ride to save myself the entry fee though. If I was an organiser if the event had sold out I wouldn't actually care if a few dozen people rode without paying - I don't see that I'd lose anything from that.

charlie_potatoes

First Aspect wrote:

So, are we all clear yet on the distinction between what we have the right to do and what is right to do? Or is the forum still being populated by simpletons?

Nah! A few pages to go yet.

de_sisti

So, @Earth, are you going to ride the event?

fat daddy

De Sisti wrote:

So, @Earth, are you going to ride the event?

didnt we already figure out that its not "riding the event", its riding on open roads that you are free to ride on when ever you like, just purposely at the time of a scheduled paid for event on the same roads, with the intent of being in the group of people that are paying for the event.

but its not riding the event its just a purposeful coincidence :?

davesnothere

As an aside, I went out for a quick solo spin on Sunday morning. For about 5 or 6 miles I was riding in the opposite direction to a minor local sportive that was going on.

Beautiful sunny morning, perfect riding weather so I cheerily said morning to them all as we passed.

What a bunch of miserable bastards, 3/4 of them didn't acknowledge me at all.