After the awards on Monday morning, I was down near the swim start. They had piled all the special needs bags against the wall down there. I noticed that a person who was very prominent in the race was searching through all of the bags. He was not looking for his bag, he was pawing through and taking things from the other bags. He had some CO2, tubes, bars, etc, etc.
Now, I realize that most people never pick their bags up, but I thought this was a little class-less. What’s more, I don’t remember ever hearing an announcement saying where the bags were, so many people probably didn’t know that they could be picked up.
So, is this an okay thing to do, or a little sketchy?
It’s clearly stated the the Special Needs bags will not be returned.
I understand they they do go through the bags and take out food that will spoil and anything that is worth while keeping.
The stuff that is worthwhile keeping is then handed out to charities or possibly for extra bike equipment, to the bike shop(s) that do support for the race so that they can put that gear towards support for another local race.
People put all manner of thinsg in the special needs bags. I poked through the bags at IMFL last year just for fun this is what I saw:
all kinds of spare tires( tubies and clinchers) and CO2 cartridges and pumps. (Not sure how these are going to help unless you flat very near special needs pick up.)
Several bike helmets. (Where they expecting to crash?)
all kinds of socks and many pairs of running shoes
Tons of water bottles some with mysterious liquids in them but many with Gatorade in them( there’s not enough out on the course?)
All manner of sandwiches, ham, chicken, Peanut Butter & Jam. Not sure if the mustard was Grey Poupon or not on the meat sandwiches!!
Women’s sanitary products
A huge number of zip-locked plastic bags with many pills in them and mysterious white powdery substances( good thing there was no drug testing at ImFL last year!!)
Extra cloths of all kinds, long sleeve shirts, hats, tuques etc . .
If they were going to toss them in the dumpster then I would rather have someone use the Co2, tubes, tires, etc than have it go in the landfill for the next odd number of years.
If people were going to come by and pick up there bags then that is lame.
In reply to: all kinds of spare tires( tubies and clinchers) and CO2 cartridges and pumps. (Not sure how these are going to help unless you flat very near special needs pick up.) → I guess replenishing anything they used on the course in case of another flat?
In reply to: Tons of water bottles some with mysterious liquids in them but many with Gatorade in them( there’s not enough out on the course?) -->Evidently this was a problem for some at IMMoo
Now that I know some of you guys look through the bags for kicks I’m gonna put some really weird shit in mine. I can see it now. “What the heck was he going to do with a family pack of KFC chicken, a football helmet full of peanut butter, a 12 inch rubber dildo, and naked pictures of Bea Arthur?”
Now that I know some of you guys look through the bags for kicks I’m gonna put some really weird shit in mine. I can see it now. “What the heck was he going to do with a family pack of KFC chicken, a football helmet full of peanut butter, a 12 inch rubber dildo, and naked pictures of Bea Arthur?”
LOL! You owe me a new keyboard, and my nose is still burning from the coffee expelled from it after reading this!
I think is rediculous that they can’t leave the bags somewhere for a period of time so you can retrieve them. If they do this and someone else is going through them then thats stealing, although the subsequent chase and beatdown between to IM athletes post race would be pretty lame;-). After the deadline for picking up the bags I see no roblem with the promoter going through them and taking the goods, what’s he going to do throw away a perfectly new tire?
That is a very interesting list. I too would not want to have anything go to waste and the fact that it is clearly stated that the bags will not be returned means folks don’t expect to get them back is pretty clear that athletes should not put items in there other than food/drink items or durable goods they would willingly give away.
I would suggest however that language could follow the “not to be returned” wording with what will actually happen to them to avoid any sense of impropriety. If pros get first crack at them then it should be stated as so. Or at least say where the bags will be staged prior to disposing of them.
Also, a suitable place for sorting the contents should be available instead of making the process look less than on the up and up by having the bags piled behind some building. It could be a cool volunteer job too; “Special needs contents scrounger”. Could be fun, educational, and profitable.