I was scratching my head on this logic as well. With respect to IM races (e.g., Kona), I imagine the bib stealing would be a bit more difficult to do since there are assigned spots to park your bike and transition bag locations.

Sure. But someone could do the swim with everyone, run to their bike parked at the back of the King Kam. Put on a fake number, ride the bike course, return their bike to the same spot, do the run course, run through the finish chute, get a medal, grab some food, get a massage, etc. would that be OK? Is it not OK but not a big deal?

I'm honestly asking. IMO, it's not OK and it probably wouldn't have any affect on me, but I would think it was wrong.

You are not allowed in transition without a tagged wristband. And they inspect the wristband. And transition is the center to all events.

I agree, it is wrong across the board. I was commenting on the previous poster about the 100 people parking their bikes on the pier, and how difficult it would be. However, I see what you are saying - it is possible for someone to pull this off if they try hard enough.

let me guess...you're the cool, edgy, hip ST veteran?

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"I would definitely smell her seat after a century ride"

They still have them: http://www.tcsnycmarathon.org/...014-guaranteed-entry (Time Qualifiers)

An easy 2:45:00 marathon or 1:19:00 half will get you there ;)

Foursquare CEO's wife bandits Boston: http://valleywag.gawker.com/...ction_types=og.likes

I'm not exactly sure why a Boston Bandit upsets me more than say a Nike Women's Marathon Bandit. Or a WDW Marathon Bandit. Perhaps it is because I know I will never run Boston based on time. And I know that a lot of folks that do BQ still can't get in. So do they see these bandits and say "Screw that, I'll just show up next year because I did BQ and I'll just run it anyway?

***IF*** the person doesn't take resources from other official runners, I don't see it being an issue personally. But…in terms of logistics for the RD's and liability issues I can see why it is very much frowned upon. Is it right? No. (especially to go so far as to print out a fake bib) Is it the end of the world? No. If it was WDW or Nike or NY or London I'd laugh and move on. But as it was Boston…THE Marathon of all marathons…well, that pisses me off and I bask in their public humiliation.

And the CEO's wife - well that's just fucking entitlement bullshit. Unreal.

(General comment)


People who bandit are taking advantage of work that the registered racers PAID for. Bandits get to run down the middle of a closed street, they get to be taken care of if they get hurt, they get all the really fun part of being in a race without paying for any of it. It isn't the water, t-shirt and medal that costs so much, it is everything around it that the RD and municipality have to do to make the event safe and fun.

Bandits are intentionally stealing services then using the childish, lame excuse of "it's public property, I can do whatever I want." They want to run the race, be a part of all the fune, don't want to pay for it, then get uppity when someone challenges them on it. If you want to run the race, PAY FOR IT.

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Jen

"In order to keep a true perspective on one's importance, everyone should have a dog that worships him and a cat that will ignore him." - Dereke Bruce

No, that's me.

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Jen

"In order to keep a true perspective on one's importance, everyone should have a dog that worships him and a cat that will ignore him." - Dereke Bruce

Someone could easily get to the swim start without going through transition and it would be tough to check wristbands when coming out of the water.

Hasn't Cowman bandited Kona a few times (without using a fake number and not crossing the finish line)?

I'm sorry......

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"I would definitely smell her seat after a century ride"

Nowadays, I think it would actually be pretty tough to get to the swim start without being caught, and I pretty much guarantee they'd stop anyone in transition who wasn't wearing a wristband after the swim.

As far as Boston goes, the potential injury to someone that had her bib copied would be that she could be stopped at any point and denied entry to or pulled from the race if somebody happened to notice that there were four different people wearing her number. That didn't happen, but it could, and can you imagine having to prove that you were actually the person who was supposed to have the number in the chaos of the corrals on race morning? And it may not be that big a deal, because relatively few people do it, but you have to draw the line somewhere. This girl had four additional people using her number. What does it do to crowding on the course if more and more people start doing this? The problem is that people think that they are more important than the rules, or so entitled to do what they want that the rules don't apply to them.

So, the bandits suck. But, IMHO, they suck just a little bit less than the people who "BQ" by having somebody else run as them in another marathon. Those people really, really suck.

^THIS^

This is exactly why I don't understand why people are defending these folks or this lady -> http://abcnews.go.com/...it/story?id=23473846.

I thought you had to be fast and actually qualify for Boston. Why not just bandit it, if you can't qualify. What you all are saying is that slowpokes should bandit the marathon and basically give a big F-U to the fast people (or people who worked to qualify) and the charity runners. This seems wrong to me. I'm not sure if it's theft, but it rubs me as wrong.

I mean, if it's okay to bandit, why bother with bibs?

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My triathlon training blog

It's definitely wrong, doesn't matter whether it's Boston, a local 5K, or Kona - the other people paid to do it (or qualified AND paid), and you didn't. It's theft, period. My point was, it doesn't prevent anyone from doing it legitimately, because it doesn't take up a real slot (as the original person alluded to).

I completely understand banditing. Let me try again.

At the boston start line there is only enough room for a certain number of people. If a bandit is standing there he is taking up space and preventing the race from allowing a legitimately qualified person from registering and running the race. Boston race directors look at the starting line see it is full and realize 'we cant let any more people in next year". They might like to let 10000 more people in but it would be logistically impossible. All those bandits in the race are being taken into account when the boston directors decide how many people can run.

At the kona pier there is only enough room for a certain number of people. If a bandit parks his bike there he is taking up space and preventing the race from allowing a legitimately qualified person from registering and running the race. Kona race directors look at the pier see it is full and realize 'we cant let any more people in next year". They might like to let 100 more people in but it would be logistically impossible.


See, same situation. Yes, spots are assigned at kona and not boston but the concept is the same. A bandit is taking the spot of someone who would like to be doing the race.

Article here discussing that Boston's field size is limited by the amount of people Hopkinton will allow to squeeze into its streets.

So you print fake tickets to a sold-out concert or how about an NFL game, and manage to get in. You stand in the back and don't take a seat so you didn't displace the one who actually purchased the seats. Under your theory .. NBD. You didn't take resources from those that bought the tickets. In fact, you bought overpriced beer and hot dogs so you actually helped them.

Hmmmm. Do you think the NFL would agree with you? How about a major entertainer? Is there a difference?

I wouldn't say there is a surprising amount of support. I'd say there are good number of people that don't thinik it's that big of a deal. There's a difference. And the fact that RD's may take it seriously doesn't mean I should.

At first glance, I thought that read "the Naked Women's Half Marathon."

Whoa there! I didn't say it was right. I'm not defending them in the least. I'm saying that I'm not sure why I find it offensive for Boston, but kinda funny for other big marathons. It's still not right to me. But it's not a huge deal to me personally. If I was running along side a bandit during a marathon I'd think less of the person. But I wouldn't call the cops.

If I was sitting next to someone that snuck into an NFL game - well, I wouldn't be cuz I hate football…hell, I'd probably give the guy my ticket if I had one! Sold-out concert? Again, I'd think less of the person, but wouldn't call the cops. If they were ruining my enjoyment of the event, I'd be pissed and may make a stink. But I'd be that way towards someone that paid so it's no different.

Again, what they did isn't right. It is wrong. We all agree on that, right? It's the difference between "What a dumbass!" and "I'm gonna find those jerks and out them to the world and hound them and publicly lynch them and ahahahahahahhhhh!!!!!"

Kind of like when ST'ers put a bandit/pacer from IM through the ringer. Or someone that has fins in the swim. Is it wrong? Yes. Does it deserve a public flogging? ???

It's not on the order of shoplifting. It's on the order of crashing a wedding reception.

Huh? Everyone that qualified got a spot. So how do bandits steal from them? Bandits aren't taking any spots from anyone. That doesn't make it right, but don't mischaracterize the supposed harm that they cause.

It is on the order of shoplifting. If someone lifts an iPad from Walmart (rough equivalent of an entry fee), you wouldn't see a bunch of posts defending that person.

Most states have varying criminal classifications and penalties for shoplifting. Usually, the class of misdemeanor or felony is dependent on, amont other things, the amount of the stolen item. Example, class C misdemeanor punishable by small fine for stealing a pack of gum, whereas class A misdemeanor of felony, punishable by fine and jail time for iPad. The law is able to recognize and take into account these variations. Slowtwitchers, apparently are not.

So the bandit to a $.50 plastic finishers medal as well as roughly the equivalent value from aid stations. To simple say this is the same as shoplifting, especially using an iPad as an example, completely ignores the proportionality of the alleged crime.

I would rather take an ice pick to my eyes than try to bandit a twinkle toe powder puff race with 5,000 screaming cougars.......

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"I would definitely smell her seat after a century ride"

does it matter if you steal (say shoplifting) something worth $10 or $175 (Boston Marathon entry fee)? Both will typically be prosecuted.

Both may be prosecuted, but they will likely be prosecuted differently, with different punishments.