New Foresters don't like cyclists

[John Shingler]

So surely this can be worked around if people actually talked to each other?

of course it can but then there's the killing of animals, urinating and litter

 

[Philip Whiteman]

Is it worth just standing back a little. It has been an interesting story thus far. Much of the narrative has been the Foresters being anti-cyclist but perhaps it really is Foresters being anti-Wiggle.

In which case, has Wiggle been a contributory factor to this problem? Were they acting without due consideration to the local community and environment? Could have Wiggle done more? Is it Wiggle that fated cyclists reputation? These are open questions that may be contentious but they are worth asking.

I enjoy cycling around the Forest, and really hope that a resolution can be found. Perhaps the ban on Wiggle from New Forest Lands may have lanced the boil.

 

[Mattonsea]

Is it worth just standing back a little. It has been an interesting story thus far. Much of the narrative has been the Foresters being anti-cyclist but perhaps it really is Foresters being anti-Wiggle.

In which case, has Wiggle been a contributory factor to this problem? Were they acting without due consideration to the local community and environment? Could have Wiggle done more? Is it Wiggle that fated cyclists reputation? These are open questions that may be contentious but they are worth asking.

Totally agree!

 

[Scoop940]

They banned MTB riding before MTBs became popular because they might damage the forest. .

This one really winds me up, you can only ride bikes on the designated tracks but can ride your 1/2 tonne horse wherever you like. A ridden horse does way more damage, you only have to look at the tracks when out walking. Most people don't give a monkey's where you ride your mountain bike as long as you give them space, even most horse riders are fine as long as you warn them of approach. ( Only clashes I've had from them was on the official cycle routes when they were 3 abreast! ) We did get spoken to one night by a National Trust Warden, he lost all credibility later that night when I looked him up on Facebook and his cover photo was him charging across open heathland on a horse...
A woman shouted at me a couple of weeks back, slightly ironic, you are also supposed to keep dogs under control in the forest and she had lost hers!

The Wiggle events are big, and maybe they could compromise by only holding one a year but with up to 4k riders over the weekend at over £30 each it's big business! I did the postponed ride earlier this year, New Park was a bad place to start from as you had to ride the busy road from Brock to Lyndhurst, I also worked out it was daft to pay to ride the same roads I ride every weekend! On the whole though I didn't see much in the way of bad riding.

For anyone that wants to ride a Forest Sportive the Rattler is better VFM doesn't seem to attract the same attention either!

 

[Turning Worm]

If you are looking for an alternative to the Wiggle events, you cannot go wrong with the April and September audaxes starting from Lymington in April and September. The September 'Off Shore' audax took riders over to Wight in the morning and the Forest in the afternoon - without any aggro in the Forest. It was a well organised event, cost significantly less than Wiggle and a better model of event.

http://www.cyclingnewforest.org/september-ctc--audax-events.html

 

[Philip Whiteman]

The New Forest National Park ructions are set to conclude next week following a report produced for the Authority, assuming that the members accept the recommendations. To recap, Wiggle events have caused considerable conflict with local residents. Unfortunately, this has tarnished events more generally. The proposal appear to be fair and will hopefully remove the sting from the argument. Let us hope that sportive organisers such as Wiggle take note, and stop other cycling events being tarred with the same brush.
http://www.newforestnpa.gov.uk/meetings/meeting/292/new_forest_national_park_authority
http://www.newforestnpa.gov.uk/meetings/meeting/292/new_forest_national_park_authority

 

[numbnuts]

NOT again...... people really don't like us.....now the police
http://www.dailyecho.co.uk/news/108...ched_into_mass_cycling_events/?action=success

 

[Hill Wimp]

If you are looking for an alternative to the Wiggle events, you cannot go wrong with the April and September audaxes starting from Lymington in April and September. The September 'Off Shore' audax took riders over to Wight in the morning and the Forest in the afternoon - without any aggro in the Forest. It was a well organised event, cost significantly less than Wiggle and a better model of event.

http://www.cyclingnewforest.org/september-ctc--audax-events.html

I have to say this is my favoured option . I have never done an audax and i am looking forward to the Spring 2014 event being my first. I don't live in the NF but i love visiting in order to cycle there.

 

[Christopher]

Or you could just go for a bike ride in the New Forest. Far as I can make out the New Foresters don't like the Wiggle Sportive rather than cyclins per se and I think they have a point. I think it needs reform but not a ban.

 

[numbnuts]

Maybe a "Critical Mass" is needed just to show a sign of force that we are not going away

 

[Goonerobes]

Or you could just go for a bike ride in the New Forest. Far as I can make out the New Foresters don't like the Wiggle Sportive rather than cyclins per se and I think they have a point. I think it needs reform but not a ban.

From a personal point of view I cycle in the New Forest 2 or 3 times a week & actually quite enjoy these events as a bit of a change.
I may however do as @Hill Wimp suggests & enter one of the audux next year instead of the sportives.

 

[jdtate101]

It's worth noting that these 'Wiggle' events are actually run by UK Cycling Events. Wiggle is just the title sponsor, not the organiser. Having said that I've done quite a few of the UKCE events over the last 3 yrs and the standard of riding has deteriorated quite markedly over the last summer. I'm not going to cover all the bad practices I've seen, but suffice to say I'm not going to ride them again, but stick to smaller events or just go exploring with mates. I can partly sympathise with the residents of the NF, as some of the riders are just so rude and do not know how to ride in groups or behave with respect to other road users.
I don't know what the solution is but it's clear something has to be done, and we (as a sport) would do better to shape that outcome ourselves rather than have draconian restrictions forced upon us.

 

[choplee]

Anyone riding the UKCE wiggle april new forest sportive weekender...????

this will be my 2nd their and it's a great ride in beautiful surroundings... i did feel they needed a few more road marshals

 

[DRHysted]

Anyone riding the UKCE wiggle april new forest sportive weekender...????

this will be my 2nd their and it's a great ride in beautiful surroundings... i did feel they needed a few more road marshals

waiting to see the start point and route.

 

[John Shingler]

Anyone riding the UKCE wiggle april new forest sportive weekender...????

yes me ...and October