The hate towards cyclist is growing

[oldroadman]

I lived near the New Forest for a while. Couldn't move in the spring/summer for the shed loads of caravans, motorhomes, cars, horse boxes, massive queues around the forest towns never built to take traffic volumes. Animal fatalities all caused by collision with motor vehicles (4x4 locals being a favourite). All that said, there may be a problem, because it's not just the big sportives that are a problem. Every charity and organisation wanting to raise funds locally "organises" rides around the area, almost every weekend. The backlash from the vocal minority falls on the well publicised and organised "official" and professionally run events. No-one ever complained about the local ride run by some obscure charity or other, which usually featured "family" rides, a.k.a. sending inexperienced people wobbling all over the lanes....odd how the locals are never bothered about the 100-200 riders in these ambling about with all the road sense of a New Forest pony!!

 

[snorri]

Check this news article out

No thank you. It's the Daily Mail.

 

[snorri]

Can you imagine the same thing happening in France?

I'd rather just not imagine France, thank you.

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

Anecdote: we did a gig in the New Forest on a cold night a few years ago. As we were leaving, the hosts were very solicitous about the dangers of ice on the roads. One said ''I've hit two deer in the last year on such-and-such a road.'' Her colleague added: ''That's why they made it 50mph.'' ''Oh, is it 50mph?'' came the reply.

 

[DRHysted]

I lived near the New Forest for a while. Couldn't move in the spring/summer for the shed loads of caravans, motorhomes, cars, horse boxes, massive queues around the forest towns never built to take traffic volumes. Animal fatalities all caused by collision with motor vehicles (4x4 locals being a favourite). All that said, there may be a problem, because it's not just the big sportives that are a problem. Every charity and organisation wanting to raise funds locally "organises" rides around the area, almost every weekend. The backlash from the vocal minority falls on the well publicised and organised "official" and professionally run events. No-one ever complained about the local ride run by some obscure charity or other, which usually featured "family" rides, a.k.a. sending inexperienced people wobbling all over the lanes....odd how the locals are never bothered about the 100-200 riders in these ambling about with all the road sense of a New Forest pony!!

It has just come to light that the biggest anti (voice and body) lives in the same village as the UKCE organiser. Coincidence?

 

[John Shingler]

I rode it ...didn't see any hate, only love.

 

[Brandane]

I rode it ...didn't see any hate, only love.

That doesn't sell newspapers though!

 

[ianrauk]

That hate against cyclists is not growing at all.

 

[cbs]

Rode it last year (in the rain and cold) and apparently the people I was riding with say that there were protesters out, but I didn't see them - must have blinked! There were also stories of tacks in the road, but again, I never saw any, and anyway, there were enough natural objects in the roads giving out free punctures...

On a related note, went on a club run on Saturday - a "newbie" ride at a slow pace, and for some reason we got a lot of abuse that day. Sometimes I can understand people getting upset if they are held up on a twisty road for some time, but at one point we were turning right off a main-ish road and some of the group had turned already, whilst the rest of us waited as there were cars coming towards us. No problem you would think, we were not holding them up in any way, but the first car flashed us (older driver), perhaps to make us aware of his presence, but the young man driving the next car gave us the "V" sign with both hands as he went by. He was very animated, and it surprised me really as it was obviously him just making his thoughts on cyclists in general clear, rather than reacting to an actual inconvenience...

 

[50000tears]

I rode this on Sunday and didn't have any issues. Everyone I saw was really well behaved and given how spaced out the riders were over the full course no large groups were formed which could cause a backup of traffic. Local news before the event focused on the very few narrow sections of road that the event covered but again 95%+ of the ride was on wide roads with good visibility where passing was easy.

Can only assume that yet again the blinkered few who think they have a divine right to the whole forest were kicking up a fuss about nothing.

 

[John Shingler]

That doesn't sell newspapers though!

I'm not interested in newspapers ...only love

 

[ufkacbln]

Interestingly the local instigator of cycle hatred rag, the Daily Echo ran a poll that ahs less than a third or responedrs against these rides, and over 60% thinking they are beneficial


However these are too close to facts for the Daily Wail to report!

 

[Jenkins]

Next year replace the Wiggle Sportive with a Halfords Sportive where 2000 cars are driven on the same route and see how many complaints there are!

 

[Berties]

There is haters every where,they hate caravans ,tents, walkers,old cars ,motor bikes,school holidays,kids,music festivals ,jet skis,canoes ,boats,meeting of more than 4 people ,holiday makers ,you name it people hate them ,we notice the cycle haters beating their drums and it's our interest ,is it getting worse? Or is it being documented by local rags with squat all else to write about,and then the daily papers have a winge.... I ride the Forrest and surrounding area and if you give locals respect it is reciprocated

 

[Smurfy]

How many entrants are required to run these events and make them viable?

I thought I'd heard that there were two courses available, and over 2000 places available. To me that sounds like an awful lot of riders for an organised ride taking place on roads that are not closed for the event.