“Our Own Worst Enemies”
From the 4-11-18 BRAC Newsletter
I hate to have to write pieces like this, but it seems at least once a year it becomes necessary. We are a small sport fighting for a place in a society that gives us road space very begrudgingly. We are also fighting to get and retain members. Anything that jeopardizes either of those two is a big problem. A couple of weeks ago, at the Louisville Criterium, a rider decided she couldn’t wait (or be bothered) to use the portalet and relieved herself in the parking lot in sight of at least one very wrong person, a police officer. She received a citation for her actions, but that isn’t really going to end the problem. This is the type of thing that costs race directors and all of us the courses we love to ride on. That officer will tell his friends. The police will tell the city, etc, etc. The next time Lance wants to take out a permit in Louisville, it just might not be a slam dunk. Many areas are jacking up the prices for using roads. If we have a bad reputation, then they just raise the prices higher and higher, almost hoping we won’t take them up on it.
Of course, it would be nice if every race had a portalet exactly where you are standing when you feel the need. But that isn’t going to happen. Every race has their own set up. I’ve been in races that had NO facilities at all, and we all had to go find a store with a sympathetic manager. You as the racer are responsible for figuring it out and planning ahead. The fact that the RD did not place a portalet where you wanted it when you wanted it does not mean you can go around peeing in the parking lot in plain sight. Riders and Teams — It is up to all of you (to us) to stop behavior like this. Peer pressure works. It isn’t funny when someone does it. They are risking your future course rights. Make sure they know that we all think it is unacceptable.
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