BroDeal said:
They are not pure charity. If they were then the organizers would simply ask for X number of dollars, you would send it to them, and that would be it. They are asking people to raise money and in exchange providing a fun ride. It is not too much to ask that they provide a decent service for their end of the bargain.
This goes beyond charity rides to regular centuries, more of which I am finding have allied themselves with some sort of disease or social problem and jacked their fees because of that. Which brings up one of my original points: Is it a good thing that the charity "industry" has discovered cycling is an easy way to make money?
they can't just stick their hands out anymore because that got tired real quick (that didn't come out right, but i'm sure you get the jist). they all do events of some sort now.
it would suggest that the way they're done in the US isn't working as it's obviously bred this sort of cynicism. which means that people need to be chosey about the particular fundraising group that they support - this goes without saying really. there are websites and organisations that will show the which fundraising groups work best and are the most effective.
cycling isn't the only sport/activity that is being used as fundraising events as there are plenty of running ones too - try and get into a big marathon without going via some fundraiser of some sort!
Look out for a book called "The Life You Save" by Peter Singer. It makes interesting reading on these sorts of organisations and also shows just how far behind the rest of the world the US really is.
I did the London to Brighton ride on the weekend which was for the British Heart Foundation - ordinary event and one i'll probably not do again. London to Cambridge (Breakthrough Breast Cancer) is a different story as I enjoyed that one far more. I don't mind being choosey - both events had reasonably low entry fees, and the amount of sponsorship/donation was not a set target, meaning that they'll just take what you give. A lot better freedom than having to raise the £1500 I had to for last year's London marathon (which I enjoyed too).
pick n choose what you do, but don't whinge if you don't like your choice...