A number of years ago OCTRA found it necessary to add some teeth to their Sportsmanship/ Behavior rule in order to protect our dedicated volunteers and officials from verbal abuse. Event Managers were finding it difficult to get volunteers for some key positions because competitors were being rude and using inappropriate language when dealing with them. Our volunteers come out when they are treated with polite respect. Without volunteers we can’t have Events. Many times it has been suggested that every competitor should volunteer at least once the day of a ride.
Why have I brought this to your attention? Because what I saw and heard at our first ride of the season disturbed me. While there were a couple of standout incidents, there was a general increase in the use of inappropriate language and nasty comments that bordered on abusive.
Continue reading “Competitive intensity VS Rude behavior”
