The British Downhill Series (BDS) have announced that goggle tear-offs are banned from their events, with immediate effect. They’ll be putting it in the BDS event rulebook for 2016.
Riders will still be allowed to wear just one to protect their lenses, but they’ll make them cut the strip off the side. The reason they cite is environmental issues: While the BDS do pick litter up from beside courses, on windy and exposed ones tear-offs can fly away for long distances. As a result, they just can’t guarantee being able to pick up 100% of the litter, and the best solution is to eliminate it at the source.
Time to sort out the gel pack littering issue in all biking events too.
waits for bds to be sued for riders being prevented from being allowed to see where they are going.
You’re still allowed the ‘bathroom blinds’ ones on a pull string – as long as you throw the cassette away responsibly.
Gel wrappers. If its a BC event the rider can be fined for littering. Commissaires beer fund, so we’re keen! 😉
Great move.
As others have said, lets get onto all forms of littering at all bike events – amateur and pro. You drop gel wrapper = DNS.
I also think this should stretch to things like Tour of Britain and Tour de France – don’t lob bottles, hand them in, empty them etc, but no lobbing.
And in triathlon, isn’t it an instant ban for dropping litter on the bike leg?
Yes – but very race dependant.
Some races like Ironman have bins on the bike route for you to aim at chucking your wrappers + bottles in. Works well.