The hate towards cyclist is growing

[outlash]

The hate towards the Daily Mail is growing

FTFY

 

[Crankarm]

Yes, go some where else instead. There are plenty of other nice and friendly places. The NF isn't particularly challenging cycling anyway. Maybe when no cyclists go there they will get back to poisoning their pets and killing each other in earnest like in Midsummer Murders.

 

[DRHysted]

With the new forest thing the easiest answer is don't go cycling there. Don't stay in any hotels or b+b's, don't spend money in any of their cafés, restaurants, pubs, garages or bike shops. Let the nimbys win. I bet a lot of them own, run, or work in local businesses and long term it will affect them, not you the cyclist. There are plenty of great places in this country to cycle so f*** 'em I say.

Don't leave me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[jdtate101]

I've just done the Paris-Roubaix Challenge and the contrast could not be more stark. There was huge disruption to the local population, with marshalls stopping traffic, road closures and 3500 cyclists out, but ALL the locals were 100% positive about it. Many stood by the road cheering and waving, some had drinks tables out free of charge and I didn't see one irate motorist the whole day. We in this country need to get over our "my home is my castle" mentality where we treat any outsiders in our local area as a threat to be attacked. Until this NIMBYism is squashed I for one will not visit the New Forest and they will not get any of my tourist money. I can think of plenty of other places to cycle round the UK which are far nicer and much friendlier.

 

[snorri]

Hatred of cyclists? Will someone spare a thought for the drivers?
After a week of reading posts on CycleChat and seeing car drivers condemned and crucified in language not heard in polite circles I felt like a leper this morning as I left my bike behind and drove my elderly invalid neighbour to the shops for his one and only outing of the week.

 

[numbnuts]

The world is full of hate be it race, colour, religion, political views, sexual orientation, what sport you do, what team you support, being fat, being a short arse, on benefit, being disabled, being old, being a teenager, on face book, twitter, what clothes you wear, and just being different from main stream (whatever that is)

 

[glenn forger]

Hatred of cyclists? Will someone spare a thought for the drivers?
After a week of reading posts on CycleChat and seeing car drivers condemned and crucified in language not heard in polite circles I felt like a leper this morning as I left my bike behind and drove my elderly invalid neighbour to the shops for his one and only outing of the week.

What drivers? Dangerous ones, I think you mean.

 

[SS Retro]

and a canoeist.
So I'm used to getting some bad press.
.

Also an open canoeist for over ten years, flat water, journey, moving water.
There was always this same argument mainly propergated by canoeists that there was some great war with fishermen and landowners who's land a river flows through.
The argument pretty much the same as the motorist cyclists debate all stired up on internet forums and in local press and in my ten years afloat never had any flack, abuse, bad press, I just got on with it pretty much the same as I do on the bike.

 

[djmc]

Today I watched the finish of the Tour de Finistère. Quite considerable disruption of traffic; roads closed etc. Was there any problem - no. Did anyone mind - of course not. The centre of town (Quimper in Finistère) is quite often closed for sporting events (cycling randonée plus childrens cycling event, canoeing, triathlon, roller skating - these are just a few), . No one minds. We often get people demonstrating outside the prefecture. Very few people object. The general feeling is that if people feel sufficiently about an issue then they have every right to make their objections known. The attitude is very different from that in England where people seem to think that if they have to wait a few minutes the world will end.

 

[snorri]

The attitude is very different from that in England where people seem to think that if they have to wait a few minutes the world will end.

I agree, but why we have fallen out of line with the rest of Europe could be a new thread topic.

 

[fribbleblib]

With the new forest thing the easiest answer is don't go cycling there. Don't stay in any hotels or b+b's, don't spend money in any of their cafés, restaurants, pubs, garages or bike shops. Let the nimbys win. I bet a lot of them own, run, or work in local businesses and long term it will affect them, not you the cyclist. There are plenty of great places in this country to cycle so f*** 'em I say.

Please don't let the NIMBY's win. They are of a very, very small minority.
My fathers job relies on Forest visitors. My friends job in a pub relies on Forest visitors, and my wifes friend in a shop relies on Forest visitors.
I cycled 42 miles within the Forest yesterday, and had a pint in a lovely Forest pub. Its a nice place to visit.

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

I agree, but why we have fallen out of line with the rest of Europe could be a new thread topic.

I've spend ages trying to pin this one down, I think, in a hunch kind of way, that it's related to JS Mill's philosophy of rule-based rather than act-based utilitarianism. He's had a big effect on British thinking, far less in Europe. I think he's responsible for that anger Brits feel about queue jumping as well.

 

[ianrauk]

I am going to restore the balance by making a nice cup of tea.

Milk, no sugar please

 

[ianrauk]

Not instant coffee?

HA!