Why oh Why do RD allow non racers in transition?

Nothing in the Competitive Rules addressing it, one of those things that the USAT in its infinite wisdom has left up to the individual RDs.

To the OP, nothing you can do about it except complain to the RD and vote with your feet next year by not doing this one if the problem isn't addressed. I think it's bad enough having non-participants in transition before and after a race, but WTF is a race director thinking by having them there during  the race?

Not sure what race you did or where you're racing, but EVERY race I've done in the past 3 years in CA, from large to small local ones, had strict rules about no non-racers in transition, and it was fully enforced. Even in a small local race with <500 athletes total, you were not allowed to enter/leave transition without a race bib, and they double checked you if you were taking any sort of hardware with you.

Even with the slowest competitors coming in, transitions have remained firmly closed to nonracers at these races. I just assumed everyone did it this way, as it makes sense.

The one problem I do see (which I'm not sure how to fix) is that the fastest racers often finish an hour or more ahead of the slowest ones, and are often found gathering their gear in transition to leave, when the race is still going on and folks are still racing through transition. I've been guilty of this myself, and while I take extra care not to even get close to a possible racer's way, I don't think it's a good policy to have folks in transition who are not actively racing, until everyone's done. But logistically, this would be tough.

Most of the races I do they close transition at a certain time prior to the start.  All athletes, and everyone else must be out.  Then once the race starts, you are only allowed into transition if you are an athlete, until the race is over. 

That doesn't stop people from being in the way though.  Usually they try to put the different distances on different racks, but I've still managed to be coming in to rack my bike only to have some person packing up in my way.  If I pack up before everyone else is done, I try to be very mindful of people still racing.  Wish more people would realize that just because they're finished, doesn't mean everyone else is.  Especially when you have a race with sprint, oly, and half distances all running simultaneously.

Sounds terrible...never heard of that before. I did have a guy show up ten minutes before the race started and rack his bike in the first row like he owned the place. For the rest of us who got there at 5am, we were pretty pissed. A conspiracy to puncture his tires was in effect. I think Karma got him and he had a DNF. What a dope.

I hope something improves for your racing transitions. That weak sauce. I ride a glorifide pile of... and I sure wouldnt want someone stealing my helmet...or shoes, watch, car keys, etc

Ugh, how frustrating.

Some race in my area the Sprint and Oly will have a big gap in start times, so spectators think because their athlete's race hasn't started yet, they are free to loiter in transition, completely clueless that another race is going on. Definitely an RD and volunteer communication issue.

Last month spectating, I noticed a woman in transition with a baby stroller (with baby in it) and a toddler holding her hand. The first (really fast) guys were just getting out of the water and everyone was screaming at her to get out of transition while the (high school kid) volunteers just looked at them. Grrrr.

I'm sure we can list annoying things about other racers all day long.  Like racking bike by the horns, or laying out a beach towel big enough to lay out in.  It's kinda like golf.  Those that know the etiquette and those that don't (or don't care). 

Dealing with other annoying racers is better than dealing with non-racers.  Bringing a stroller in T area is idiotic.  They could have gotten hurt bad.  Reminds me of a dad who was teaching his little boy how to ski.  The boy was tethered to his dad and they were both snowplowing down the hill.  They decided to enter the fenced off terrain park.  Nevermind the three blackdiamonds. Well, they rode right in front of the landing zone to a huge jump and the little boy was plastered.  Went home in ambulance.  Sad, but the dad is to blame. 

I have limited experience in this with only two events under my belt. But I must say yesterday's T area security was a far cry from the first event I did. When I did NJ Devilman in May, transition was heavily watched throughout the event from early morning to well after the event was over. You had to register and get an arm band and you WERE NOT allowed into transition without an arm band. Furthermore, anyone leaving with a bike and transition equipment had to show their arm band and the number must remain on the bike. Absolutely NOBODY without a wristband (indicating they were a competitor) was allowed into transition and nobody was allowed to go waltzing out with stuff if they weren't a competitor either. Furthermore, the in/outs were kept clear of spectators as well. 

While yesterday's event was overall run just fine, I was mildly surprised at a couple things with transition. Early in the day an eye was kept on the T area. Most spectators stayed out but nobody specifically said "Athletes only". But the transition area was 300 or so yards from the finish and you could not see it from the finish area. Obviously the finish was where most everyone including most race officials/staff hung out. After enjoying post-race food and seeing results DW and I decided to go get my stuff and head to the car. While there was a race person near the transition area alerting people to those still running the longer event, nobody said anything when DW wandered into transition with me to pick stuff up. (All transitions were done at this point, only some folks still out running). And nobody said anything when I or anyone else wandered up the street with my bike & equipment. It would have been a simple thing to put on some tri clothing, pick out a nice new bike from the many in transition and wander off to your car. 

Most tris I've done have no spectators in transition rule. Most repeatedly announce it before race starts. Difference is how they enforce it which often depends on who the volunteers are. Triathletes volunteering at entrance/exits of transition make sure only athletes and verify bike number matches race number when folks take their bike and gear out. HS kids or folks not familiar with tris don't always enforce the rules.

I've found sprints with lots of newbies are the worst for having non racers in transition as supporters want photos and racer doesn't know the rules well enough to tell them to stay out. Veteran triathletes like myself will tell spectators they aren't allowed in transition but they don't always listen or care. Another issue is how society and certain folks think rules don't apply to them so do what they want...ie coming into transition instead of following the rules.

My first Oly I was very BOP and transition was full of athletes, including my rack neighbor who got in my way as I was going out on the run. That isn't typical that athletes get in other athletes way.

I was actually pleasantly surprised at the xterra last weekend when I went up to get gatorade/water after the race. Two kids were at the coolers acting like it was their personal Seven-Eleven...I stumbled up in my stinky muddy glory and said I needed cooler access and their mother kindly pulled them away and explained that I had just raced and that I had first dibs on the coolers. Granted, I don't think the kids should've been drinking from the race coolers in the first place, but you can only control so much.

As much as I totally agree that spectators should not be allowed in transition after the race has begun (or even before/after for security reasons), I wonder if this is not an area of the race that is the first to be neglected if the RD faces a shortage of volunteers. People tend to complain most about having more water on the run course, people at turns on the bike course, and timing - in short the stuff that is most visible during the race and has the most impact on a racer's performance.  Having worked on races before, I know that the volunteer situation can sometimes be unreliable - they don't show up on time or at all, they don't stand with their post, and they can be so hard to get in the first place, so you allocate your volunteers to the most critical areas first. Granted, an experienced, organized RD will foresee this well into the future and make the appropriate connections to secure volunteers well ahead of time, but as we all know this doesn't always happen.

So much seems to boil town to common courtesy for - amazing how many people lack a sense of how their behavior might impact others. Kids need their parents to explain how and why to behave at races and to stay out of the way of competitors - they can't be expected to know otherwise. Some adults, well, need to get a clue.

I was thinking about this post at the race I did this morning. So, I paid a little more attention than I might usually.

There were no spectators allowed into the transition area and they were pretty diligent about it. At these races you have to get your body marking before you can get into transition so only with a chip or a number can you go in.It's a pain at the start to juggle your bike and gear while getting marked but it just takes a second.

Then after the race instead of the race management team at the in/out it was actually a security guard checking as people went in and out that you were a participant and that your number matched your bike. I only noticed this because I had put my race shirt on and taken my number off and my body markings were covered so he asked as I was heading out.

I know that at at least one race I've done my kids came in with me to get my bike and I have to say that while I didn't think about it then looking back that was not the best thing. I agree with all the others that it's a better idea that it should just be participants.

Lisa, I saw this very thing happen at a race a number of years ago, sadly the 1st guy into transition didn't see the toddler sprint out between the racks and took him out. The guy felt so bad and the accident shouldn't have happened. I mentioned the incident to the race director (I'm sure I wasn't the only one) and transition security has improved at this event.

This is the way it should be.  Racers only in transition at all times.......before, during, after.  No exceptions!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

interesting how many races I do will not let people back into transition until everyone is on the run.  They talk about this for bike checking reason so they can make sure every bike is in transition.  After reading this I think its more a polite way to say "So you will not get in another racers way". 

I think its a good thing the more I look at it.