Rather than trying to get them banned from the roads they’re going after the local companies and organisations that provide the facilities;

http://road.cc/content/news/96832-horse-riders-ask-new-forest-show-stop-renting-car-parking-sportives

I can see this being far more successful, tbh, particularly in the case of the New Forest parking.

Maybe it’ll just move the start of this type of event to just outside the ‘disputed’ areas, though?

Isn’t the anti-sportive brigade run out of here?

Next they will have placards with “Do a Proper Race Fatty”

Unfortunately there is a group of very vocal, prominent and self-important people who have always been very anti-cycling in the Forest. They are the ones who banned cycling completely in the late 80’s, and only opened up the current permitted gravel tracks after strong lobbying from local cycling groups.

They also claim a local journalist in their set, hence why so much distorted and bigoted coverage in the Southampton & Bournemouth Echo’s and Lymington Times.

The same group of people are members of the Commoners Defence Association, Verderers, New Forest Association and New Forest Equestrian Association, so it sound like a lot of groups are anti-cycling when in fact its the same small group of people.

These are the ones who ripped down signs, spread tacks on the road and recently spread mud on a road to disrupt sportives.

The latest fuss is because the ancient and historic ‘drift’ or roundup of ponies ‘had’ to be cancelled – despite the Verderers having over a years notice of the Wiggle sportive, and only fixing their dates and locations for the numerous drifts quite recently. Hmm, nothing suspicious there then.

Wiggle offered to change dates or accommodate the drift, but of course that would have spoiled their plan to whip up more daily-mail-esque fervour through the local press.

Cocks.

ps I live just off the route and have never been affected, and have not heard of anyone who has been affected by events other than having to negotiate a few cyclists. The site in question is where they hold the New Forest Show which causes mayhem and congestion for a week every year, much more so than any sportive.

Cocks.

I think this bit sums it up nicely. 😆

The whole thing is a storm in a teacup. Life is too short and the protesters and the press need to get a life.

What we need is a mass protest ride akin to the Kinder Scout trespass.

Nothing illegal, just lots of cyclists, cycling within the law, who just happen to all choose to ride in the Forest on the same day.

It seems that there is almost enough information available to just go and meet with them personally and try to negotiate a better relationship..

I would suggest the employment of mediaeval negotiation methods perhaps?

Once of the most vociferous protestors runs a ‘visit the new forest’ web site which includes details on where to ride and lists some sportive events.

She uses one surname when complaining to the press and another on the site to try and appear to be two different people.

Her address was pretty much published on here when the last big row erupted about riding there.

Hmm, nothing suspicious there then.

My first thought while reading the article.

This year the New Forest seems more crowded than ever. Hour long queues at the icecream vans at Whitsun for example. For road riding I’ve tended to head more for the lanes of the Test Valley which I’ve found to be largely deserted.

It is starting to seem to me from the size and frequency of the New Forest events (at least four this year and two on consecutive weekends recently) that the organisers are not considering their impact and leaving those of us that regularly ride in the area to deal with the legacy of hostility and reduced tolerance.

I think the real residents of Surrey have a perfect right to complain, next thing you know they’ll be knee-deep in dog muck, thieving kids and crusty jugglers.

the organisers are not considering their impact and leaving those of us that regularly ride in the area to deal with the legacy of hostility and reduced tolerance.

I’d wager that this/these groups hate you regulars just as much as the sportive organisers. It might be the current stick to beat you with but you’ve got a lot more in common with the sportivers than the horsists so I’d be careful who you side with.

It is starting to seem to me from the size and frequency of the New Forest events (at least four this year and two on consecutive weekends recently) that the organisers are not considering their impact and leaving those of us that regularly ride in the area to deal with the legacy of hostility and reduced tolerance.

I think the ‘impact’ is in fact negligible and only an issue because the protesting groups want it to be, and their friends in the local press manage to come up with totally spurious front page headlines like the recent classic ‘Calls to ban the Wiggle’ taken from the discussion to stop them parking at New Park Farm 🙄

Mostly Balanced, you’re showing NIMBY tendencies in your post 😆

40mpg, were you one of the group from our local club that turned up at Lymington for the Isle of Wight club ride only to be told that there was no space on the ferries for the next three hours due to the numbers of sportif riders?

It is starting to seem to me from the size and frequency of the New Forest events (at least four this year and two on consecutive weekends recently) that the organisers are not considering their perceived impact and leaving those of us that regularly ride in the area to deal with the legacy of hostility and reduced tolerance.

Perhaps the above is more accurate?

Hour long queues at the icecream vans at Whitsun for example.

People are messed up.. Do they really do that? : )

I’ve lived right on the edge of the NF all my life and I hate the anti-cycling thing around here. Totally drives me nuts.

I would suggest the employment of mediaeval negotiation methods perhaps?

Something along these lines?

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uA1CBHebCeo&feature=youtube_gdata_player[/video]

For road riding I’ve tended to head more for the lanes of the Test Valley which I’ve found to be largely deserted.

Get orf moi land 🙂

They certainly aren’t deserted at the top, although it’s stretching the limits of Test Valley to include my neck of the woods. More sort of Bourne Rivulet. Which doesn’t quite have the same ring.

McMoonter – yes yes.. that sort of thing I suppose.. 😀

I think I had something a little bit more traditional in mind though

Would any solution make them happy, other than banning cycling in the NF that is?

they should organise proffesional cattle rustling in the new forest ,as you know if a cow damages a car the farmer just waves you by like nothing happened imagine stampeding cows running amok int village

oooh arr

Can’t imagine why you’d want to ride there, totally over-rated. Go to the Isle of Wight, much hillier and more scenic.

The answer seems simple.

Find out who these people are. No doubt they are connected to businesses.

Start a campaign to boycott any business they are connected to.