Seems like the forest NIMBYs have been at it again.

[Rohloff_Brompton_Rider]

Just how often are these events and surely they must be good for the local economy. Mary Portas would love to have the footfall some of you are suggesting for her 'help the local town centres' thing she does that isn't having much success.

 

[DRHysted]

Whenever the motor museum at Beaulieu has a special event for a particular type of vehicle the participants go out for a slow convoy drive-about - imagine a Chelsea Cruise 'clogging up' the New Forest roads. I don't recall any locals writing to the papers or throwing tacks on the road for them.

My good weather (and light) route to work goes past the motor museum, through Beaulieu, and then up and across Hilltop. Whenever there is a big event on I add 5 to 10 minutes to my time to allow for it. It would take me longer but the car park marshals (so far) stop the traffic and wave me through.
I've suggested they move the sportives this side, as we appear much more friendly (Beaulieu also has hard standing car parks).

 

[DRHysted]

Just how often are these events and surely they must be good for the local economy. Mary Portas would love to have the footfall some of you are suggesting for her 'help the local town centres' thing she does that isn't having much success.

Nearly all the B&Bs were full, and I have heard of people in pubs and resturants waiting to be searved due to increased custom.

 

[Fab Foodie]

Just how often are these events and surely they must be good for the local economy. Mary Portas would love to have the footfall some of you are suggesting for her 'help the local town centres' thing she does that isn't having much success.

This is one reason our Spring Rides Festival gets good support from the council etc. It pulls in a lot of people on an otherwise quiet Sunday in April.

 

[Siegfried]

if you lived in a community of cyclists, would you like it if 300 middle-aged men on powerful motorbikes roared down your country lanes every few weekends?

That's exactly what happens where I live. Lots of local cyclists, lots of visiting motorbikes
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-york-north-yorkshire-23714505
and yet still it is cyclists that some people moan about. Not big sportives or races, just cyclists
http://www.darlingtonandstocktontimes.co.uk/comment/letters/10718866.Cyclists_too/
Although they are the kind of people who complain about cocks crowing and muck spreading as well so can't be taken to seriously

 

[Saluki]

@Hill Wimp , @London Female & I are all riding in the Cycletta on Sunday. The New Forest Cycletta, that is. Do you think we should take extra patches with us and be ready for a bit of abuse?

 

[slowmotion]

@Hill Wimp , @London Female & I are all riding in the Cycletta on Sunday. The New Forest Cycletta, that is. Do you think we should take extra patches with us and be ready for a bit of abuse?

Marathon+ tyres and some body armour at the very least.

 

[Saluki]

Marathon+ tyres and some body armour at the very least.

Right oh!

 

[slowmotion]

Or lycra and Pro Race 3s and ride round no hands doing the two handed beckoning "we'll have the xxxxing lot of you" gesture.

I must practice that. The problem is that any two-handed gesture usually sees me on the tarmac five seconds later. It's a big step up from two fingers.

 

[DRHysted]

@Hill Wimp , @London Female & I are all riding in the Cycletta on Sunday. The New Forest Cycletta, that is. Do you think we should take extra patches with us and be ready for a bit of abuse?

You should be fine. If it wasn't for the press (and the fact I live here) I wouldn't have known there was a problem. I did the entire course without needing to get either of my spare tubes out. I'm running Grand Prix 24s.

 

[Philip Whiteman]

The three New Forest audaxes which took place at the beginning of September suffered no problems as far as I'm aware. Although a couple of hundred riders participated in the event, it was very low key probably due to the lack of waymark arrows. Sportives are 'out there' and very visible and more likely to attract these insidious saboteurs whilst you have to be in the loop to know when and where an audax is taking place. With regard to September audaxes, I certainly did not witness any reckless cycling activity sufficient to provide The Verderers with ammunition.

 

[crazyjoe101]

The London Marathon has a refuse team at the back of the run which appears to be comprised of counsil wrokers, volunteers and private companies. After all the runners have left the start it follows them and collects the vast majority of the rubbish and barriers (on a whopping great convoy of lorries).
I was volunteering with cadets at mile 8 this year and basically what happens is when there are so few runners that the streets are nearly clear, you sweep up all the bottles etc. Into bags and then they collect it all. Chaos ensues shortly after as cars, vans and HGVs try to get through one lane streets in a long convoy avoiding rogue children and volunteers all over the street.
Of course the larger distance and smaller numbers of partipants in cycling events make this method way less suitable.