# Anti Cycling campaigners at the New Forest



## XRHYSX (26 Mar 2013)

This was posted on my news feed on Facebook 
Dear Cyclists, a small number of anti Cycling campaigners, are trying to get our future cycling events in the New Forest stopped. They refer to cyclist as ‘Lycra Clad Lemmings’ and believe they have no place in the New Forest. If you believe, like we do, that the New Forest is a ‘National Park’ which should be enjoyed by all. Please email:
David.stone@newforestnpa.gov.uk and Julian.johnson@newforestnpa.gov.uk, with your views and ask they be circulated to the NPA members. 
If you could send a quick polite email to the addresses above we think it would really help, ensure you and your families can enjoy riding safe well organised events in the forest for the years to come.
Kind Regards UKCE


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## sidevalve (27 Mar 2013)

You are 100 % correct and I support you but I'm afraid the problem is more with the few idiot cyclists who "sour the pot" by treating roads and national park paths etc as their own private race tracks, and sorry, yes are more of these arrogant fools than we like to admit. I admit I can't see a cure but TBH I can't see the "oh let us off we're only cyclists" slogan working for much longer. Again, I hope I'm wrong but legislation is closing in on everyone, and we will be included.


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## DRHysted (27 Mar 2013)

It's the large events that they are trying to ban (I am in contact with my local counciller DHarrison.org.uk who is a member of the NPA).
Unfortunately the large events stop cars from going about their business and a local town which holds alot of the events (Brockenhurst) has an anit-cyclist counciller, also a lovely comment from a person who keeps speaking out against Wiggle events on Facebook (Fiona Harding) is that the cyclists hurtle along so people (the elderly especially) would have no time to get out of the way.


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## sidevalve (27 Mar 2013)

As I said it's the idiots that are spoiling the game. It will only take one accident and the shutter will be down, end of story, the finish. It doesn't matter how many well organised events or polite letters sent only the bad will be noticed [if you want proof just try riding a m/cycle]. As for "getting out of the way" well sorry but no one should have to, just a polite "excuse me please" and be prepared to wait. After all impatience and arrogance in a cyclist is just as annoying to a pedestrian as it is to a cyclist faced by a car. The future is in cyclists own hands.


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## DRHysted (27 Mar 2013)

Ex-motorcyclist here, so I know where you are coming from (ex-4x4 owner as well, so really becoming a hated cyclist makes sense).
The facts are that most of the New Forest has a blanket speed limit of 40mph due to the real problem of livestock roaming freely, this means that the local riders don't hurtle anywhere, because ponies, cows, deer, badgers tend to hurt (only yesterday I had a pony who was grazing alongside the road do an elk test on me). The offroad cycle paths (which are shared) are wide enough for cycles and pedestrians to pass without incident (if the mothers with buggies group would walk less than 4 abreast, or haven abid leave some path for others).

This is a few high placed people who have got a bee in their bonnet. Problem is there is form here, when mountain bikes first became popular (late 80's) the Forestry Commission (the New Forest has only just got National Park status, which was apposed by most locals) blanket banned all cyclist from the forest, eventually they let us back in, but only on graveled tracks.


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## sidevalve (28 Mar 2013)

DRHysted I am not doubting anything you say, in fact I think you are 100% correct BUT the fact still remains that there are stupid cyclists who will ruin everything. Yes the buggy brigade and or the elderly may clog up the paths but mummy and baby and granny will always get lots of sympathy and the big bad cyclist will not. This may be totally unfair but it is true. The behavior of 99% of cyclists is [like the behavior of 99% m/cyclists] irrelevant. Even hitting a maniac badger will cause an outcry [never mind that the rider ended up in casualty]. The campaigners are looking for ammo and I'm afraid there are those [and, as I said, more than most like to admit] who will give it to them. I freely admit I can't think of a solution but it's just that I think the "we're only harmless cyclists"and the old "it wasn't my fault" card is starting to wear a bit thin.


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## PpPete (28 Mar 2013)

As someone who rides in the NF not infrequently - and been on the receiving end of some poor driving, poor pedestrian behaviour, and witnessed some very arrogant behaviour from cyclists, I'd only say that I'm also not in favour of the big Wiggle type events.
During the events themselves, having that many riders out at one time and in one area must render the roads / tracks pretty much unusable (or at least very inconvenient) for anyone else, however well behaved the cyclists... and as noted above not all of them are considerate. Before and after the events the proliferation of their horrid orange signage (every 10 metres or so even along a straight road with no possible turns) is just ....well...


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## MattHB (14 Apr 2013)

I also ride the NF on an almost weekly basis, and the biggest trouble is the behaviour of motorists, particularly 4x4 drivers.

the wiggle event in the NF is usually very well run and very rarely have there been any incidents. The local businesses thrive on the cyclists presence, particularly Burley tea rooms who take considerable amounts of money all year round and who have actually had to extend premises just to cope!

I sit here typing this when I should be riding around the NF on the sunday sportive. Theyve cancelled due to 'bad weather'. The closer truth is probably that they messed up the parking arrangements having stupidly booked the new forest show ground (also known as the new forest mud bath) for parking. Noone will know why they left the college this year, but I suppose it was probably due to the extreme numbers and that the college wouldnt have time to clear up before the first day of the summer term tomorrow.

So whats happened is that the press have gotton hold of 2 or 3 locals who didnt agree, and pushed it into everyones heads.

simple thing is... if you dont want tourists, dont live in a national park.


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## MattHB (14 Apr 2013)

PpPete said:


> As someone who rides in the NF not infrequently - and been on the receiving end of some poor driving, poor pedestrian behaviour, and witnessed some very arrogant behaviour from cyclists, I'd only say that I'm also not in favour of the big Wiggle type events.
> During the events themselves, having that many riders out at one time and in one area must render the roads / tracks pretty much unusable (or at least very inconvenient) for anyone else, however well behaved the cyclists... and as noted above not all of them are considerate. Before and after the events the proliferation of their horrid orange signage (every 10 metres or so even along a straight road with no possible turns) is just ....well...


 
Pete.. from your post it appears that youve never actually ridden the event? I did the event last year with 1999 riders and hardly saw a sole on the roads with me except the start and the end. Riders are released in batches so that they dont clog the roads, this works extremely well.

As for the orange signs, theyre always taken down at the end of the event.. except for the ones that the protesters throw in the hedge.


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## XRHYSX (14 Apr 2013)

MattHB said:


> I also ride the NF on an almost weekly basis, and the biggest trouble is the behaviour of motorists, particularly 4x4 drivers.
> 
> the wiggle event in the NF is usually very well run and very rarely have there been any incidents. The local businesses thrive on the cyclists presence, particularly Burley tea rooms who take considerable amounts of money all year round and who have actually had to extend premises just to cope!
> 
> ...


*This *
*This*
*This  *


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## ufkacbln (14 Apr 2013)

MY SiL lives in New Milton and according to the locals,

Wiggle is planning over 5,000 riders each day!

They will all be cycling round in a big bunch preventing traffic movement for several miles as the bunch passes

It is dishonestly promoted as it is really a massive cycle race, and the so called "Sportive" element is merely a pack of lies to get round the Policing and Insurance regulations!


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## Peteaud (14 Apr 2013)

I would have thought in this time of austerity, tourism in any form would be welcomed. So if the New forest wants only car drivers then the thousands of cyclists should head elsewhere, taking the £1000's with them.


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## MattHB (14 Apr 2013)

Cunobelin said:


> MY SiL lives in New Milton and according to the locals,
> 
> Wiggle is planning over 5,000 riders each day!
> 
> ...



Have I misread your post? 

I don't know what the numbers were yesterday, but there's no way 5000 each day. And no one rides in a massive bunch. Last year the most I saw riding together (other than the start) were about 5. If you go to the forest on any Saturday and Sunday there are similar numbers spread out over the forest.

So it's not a race.. It's a sportive. Batches of about 20 are released a few minutes apart at the start which is awesomely well controlled.


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## ufkacbln (14 Apr 2013)

MattHB said:


> Have I misread your post?
> 
> I don't know what the numbers were yesterday, but there's no way 5000 each day. And no one rides in a massive bunch. Last year the most I saw riding together (other than the start) were about 5. If you go to the forest on any Saturday and Sunday there are similar numbers spread out over the forest.
> 
> So it's not a race.. It's a sportive. Batches of about 20 are released a few minutes apart at the start which is awesomely well controlled.


 
No you haven't misread.

This is what the locals are being led to believe by the local campaigners to have it stopped.


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## PpPete (14 Apr 2013)

MattHB said:


> Pete.. from your post it appears that youve never actually ridden the event? I did the event last year with 1999 riders and hardly saw a sole on the roads with me except the start and the end. Riders are released in batches so that they dont clog the roads, this works extremely well.


Thats good to know, thank you.



MattHB said:


> As for the orange signs, theyre always taken down at the end of the event.. except for the ones that the protesters throw in the hedge.


The signage goes up at least a couple of days before..... and why do you need SO MANY signs on a straight road with no junctions?


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## Dave Davenport (14 Apr 2013)

I ride in the forest a lot and our club runs time trials, road races and reliability rides there (25TT today). There's definitely a large anti-cyclist element amongst the locals, in fact there's a large anti-anyone who's not a local element (you need to be towing a horse trailer whilst talking on the phone to really fit in).
I was marshalling the heath road race (commissaire's cars, motorbikes etc.) last year and had a local councillor stop his car (coming from opposite the race direction) and go apeshit at me 'cos they weren't riding in single file, and a women in a 4X4 pull out of her drive into the 50 yard gap between break and bunch whilst chatting on her phone, similar stuff happens all the time.
Quite a few hundred riders still turned out and rode the route today.


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## jonny jeez (14 Apr 2013)

Interesting.

So what's it like taking a Saturday road ride with a few mates in the forest. Am I likely to enjoy it or hate it.

I want to be able to ride about, two abreast chatting and such, stop at pubs, engage in banter and generally enjoy the forest from fordingbridge down to Beaulieu and back (via Brockenhurst probably).

Should I take a bullet proof jacket, flak-hat, cattleprod perhaps?

times have changed, I used to MTB a lot in the forest as a 25 year old and never sensed any poor feelings...mind you I wouldn't do as I was alone in a forest for most of the time.


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## DRHysted (15 Apr 2013)

Riding in the Forest is fine, the vast majority of people don't have any problem with it. Just looking out my bedroom window on a sunny Sunday morning you'd think a sportive was on!
This anti-cycling thing is a small group of narrow minded nimbys, with my local MP on the bandwagon (I wonder how much his helicopter stresses the ponies). 
The protestors Saturday were a joke 15 people (whose appearance smacked of the local travellers) and one placard. The NPA don't feel the need to restrict because as they say 0 pony deaths by cycle and 65 by car last year. The drift (roundup) causes more stress. 
Get on your bike and enjoy.


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## RussellZero (15 Apr 2013)

PpPete said:


> The signage goes up at least a couple of days before..... and why do you need SO MANY signs on a straight road with no junctions?



Does it matter? They normally put the wiggle NF signs up on Friday, but they don't do any harm. Wiggle seem particularly diligent in their organisation and tidying up afterwards - I live about 200 yds away from one of the feed stations, it was kept clean, there were plenty of marshals around, I even managed to drive out while the sportive was on, and yes it did slow me down, but only as much as it would have done coming across an elderly driver in the forest.

I took part last October in the 100 mile event and loved it. As said above, some individuals always act without thinking of the consequences and give the rest a bad reputation, I just hope the non cyclists are intelligent enough to realise these people exist in every part of society, its just how it is. 

Having said that, I think the main issue the campaigners have is that these events are becoming more and more frequent. I don't know how true that is, but as cycling gets more popular I guess it makes sense that more people will want to participate in sportives...


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## RussellZero (15 Apr 2013)

jonny jeez said:


> Interesting.
> 
> So what's it like taking a Saturday road ride with a few mates in the forest. Am I likely to enjoy it or hate it.
> 
> I want to be able to ride about, two abreast chatting and such, stop at pubs, engage in banter and generally enjoy the forest from fordingbridge down to Beaulieu and back (via Brockenhurst probably).



I do this a fair bit, living near Fordingbridge, heading out to Lyndhurst, Brockenhurst, Lymington, Beaulieu etc ... Can't beat it, I absolutely love living and riding here. Touch wood, never had any exposure to anti cycling feeling or action other than that mentioned above in the local press.


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## jonny jeez (15 Apr 2013)

RussellZero said:


> I do this a fair bit, living near Fordingbridge, heading out to Lyndhurst, Brockenhurst, Lymington, Beaulieu etc ... Can't beat it, I absolutely love living and riding here. Touch wood, never had any exposure to anti cycling feeling or action other than that mentioned above in the local press.


 
I've ridden that route on the motorbike a few times and love it. I particularly love the views as you join the common outside Fordingbridge (east of sandy balls). The forest looks epic from here and just seems to go on and on, then 2 mins later I'm in deep forest with trees forming canopies and the light creating its own cinematic shutter effect.

Love it, one of my favourite places in Britain, way up there with Cumbria and the Scottish Highlands.

you are very lucky.


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## jdtate101 (15 Apr 2013)

Just the usual NIMBY nonsense really. If it wasn't us they'd be getting their nickers in a twist about some other cause. Some people really do have too much time on their hands and need a cause (any cause) to fill their time and give their lives meaning. Sadly sometime we (the cycling community) don't always behave as we should but I've done dozens of sportives and 99% of the riders behave as you'd expect.

Chances of getting us banned from the NF....zero. The evidence just doesn't support their case.


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## numbnuts (15 Apr 2013)

How low will people go 
http://www.dailyecho.co.uk/news/10354939.Vandals_target_top_cycling_event_in_New_Forest/


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