Forestry Commission pulls down anti-cycling posters ahead of New Forest sportive this weekend

The fact that she's being given air time on TV by (presumably?) the local news channel is just adding fuel to the fire, it's almost justifying her position.

Problem is that the media love a good argument, it generates debate and viewing figures and letters to the local rag so they'll keep giving her a platform to air her views. Self fulfilling then.

I've seen her on TV before, I remember thinking that she could do with a bike ride herself. I pity the poor horse that has to carry her!

Mmmm looking at the picture again, looks like a set up for a local news crew or something. ..... horses on the loose on a blind bend with high hedgerows.....safety first ann!

BBC regional news. Here you go - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-hampshire-26994241

Well given that Mrs Sevier will be monitoring this weekend I'll be keeping an eye out for her. As an ex Special Constable of 20 years I'm sure she believes she can dole out "roadside justice and advice" based on her inaccurate facts and personal bigotry.

I'll be glad to bump into her (not literally of course, think of the damage to my bicycle!) and have a chat, provided she can keep up of course, I doubt she can travel at 15Mph on or in anything other than a car!

It was reported in the local news (17th. Jan') that the inquest into the death of the late David Horton was told he'd been thrown from his horse when it was spooked by a cyclist; this apparently took place on a forest trail rather than a lane or road. The cyclist in question "...was riding along one of the Forest tracks made by ponies" and not one of the apparently designated gravel paths.There is nothing to suggest that an organised on-road event was anything to do with this tragic incident. Mrs. Sevier is deliberately conflating the Wiggle event with this gentleman's death, she should be ashamed. It's worthwhile noting that Mr. Horton's widow, Jane, urged cyclists to stick to official paths and give horses a wide berth; sensible advice for us all.

She's... um.. huge.

You'll know if she's round the corner because there will be a temporary solar eclipse.

I can't help thinking this is a topic that could be made better or worse depending on how polite and calm everyone manages to be.
I don't think comments about someone's appearance are relevant or helpful, personally.

Agree with the above, although with an observation:

I find the Internet abuse handed out to women who dare to have an opinion utterly repulsive (I'm thinking Mary Beard, Caroline Criado Perez, Laura Bates etc) but in this instance, she's objecting to what is essentially an athletic escapade, with the associated feeling of achievement and the post - exercise buzz that we all get, something she may well have never experienced and thus something she is less able to comprehend and empathise with.

She's also a bigot. I'm tolerant of everything except intolerance.

The link to the BBC regional news that bikebot posted above is very good. Well balanced piece of journalism, I'm actually impressed by it.

The fact that even the local councillor was denouncing the 'illegal fly posting of inflammatory messages' and was generally supportive of the event says everything you need to know.

And I think UK Cycling Events have, through their actions of listening to concerns, modifying the route, restricting the numbers etc shown themselves to be the better party in all of this, it makes it clearer that her and her cronies are picking "facts" from thin air to suit their own NIMBY agenda.

Just got back from the Spring Sportive, we had a great day!

No hassle, only saw one of the posters and all the locals were friendly.

Sadly there was a bit of twatty riding but not too much and a bit of needless car horn action but overall a brilliant mornings ride.

Well done Wiggle, count me in for next year!

These arguments are worth having. The cyclist are the in the right and they should call people up on it when, they are being miss treated.

The joke poster countering that one does a fantastic job. Its funny and truthful. So this misguided poster, is giving cyclist and opportunity to speak to a new constituency. Progress will only be made, while people are talking.

I hate to say it, but the NIMBYs do raise a couple of good points. Any other event or race on the scale of a Sportive requires licensing and in most cases road closures. Imagine if it was decided that the London Marathon was 'not a race' despite the use of timing chips and published results and it was simply run without any road closures or advance warning. It would probably be legal but would result in utter chaos.

I'm not a fan of sportives and I blame British Cycling for their popularity. Whatever anyone says sportives ARE races and they have grown in popularity due to the lack of entry-level road racing available. It's true that some sportive riders aren't interested in finishing times etc. just as some marathon runners take part simply for the challenge of completing the course but such riders would really be better catered for in non-timed charity rides. If you are interested in acheiving a good time i.e. riding competitivly then you should be at a race.

I disagree with the above comment. I don't want to race, I want to enjoy my cycling with my friends and other like minded people. I agree there are some that treat it like a race but, having seen little of it on the sportive in question on Sunday, they're a minority.

You may not be a fan of sportives and prefer racing, if the sportives are banned what do you think will be the next target of choice for the NIMBY!?

The truth of the matter is that this actually has little to do with cycling, it's about an attitude and culture developing in the New Forest among some residents who feel it's their personal space and not to be shared with the likes of you, me and Joe public.

Holy thread resurrection Batman.

Just to let you know that Ms Sevier has lost her safe seat on NFDC in an election which has also seen the New Forest's first ever Green and Labour councillors elected.

Change be a'comin...

Taking her horses out for a morning stroll, hope she has got her poo bags with her

And here, Ladies & Gentlemen, is your protagonist of the hour - Mrs Ann Sevier in all her glory!

Difficulty in countering this much bigotry is I can't comprehend her thoughts.
I'm a motorist too, I live in an area with small lanes and a few sportives and a couple of pro races each year, not ever has one made me angry.

If she expunges any more hot air we will lose even more of the ozone layer...

THE REPLY FROM " Her in the forest"

Hi Christian -- may I say!!!! - that my nephew in out in Afgan at the moment on his third tour and I was a Special Constable for 20 years (google me). Now i am too old to serve my community in that role - the community voted me into be their local District Councilor and look after them and make sure their voice is hear - as in this instance.
This is a much more complicated problem -- and below i have answered other questions that have been raised - so I have cut and pasted my reply.

-------------------------

oh dear - I think cycling is great - the New Forest is great for family cycling - the New Forest National Park has recieved money to promote family cycling - this is what it is about.
BUT

just recently there was a horse rider killed when thrown after being spooked by speeding cyclists - many and i mean many people have been thrown including children.
AND we have had cyclists killed and seriously injured
also the livestock killed and maimed.

In my view any organization who encourages cyclists to speed by recording their times - down narrow single track roads - is in view reprehensible and seems to 'smack' of avarice at £30+ a cyclist

We have 10+ million visitors to the New Forest all seem to want to come at the same time!!! - so everyone must behave responsibly - in this unique place. Sending out thousands of cyclists - causes problems and we are encouraging people to do the right thing and complain via the right channels.
In the last two weeks we have had cyclists trying to do the route as fast as possible prior to this weekend and they will be back afterwards to do the same again.

we have worked hard here on looking after the Forest (known locally as the Forest First) - the speed limit has been reduced fro 60mph down to 30mph in the lanes. The NPA has worked hard on codes of conduct for all users of the Forest.

My information is it will go down the route of licensing as other events are - this will ensure it will be proportionate to all parties.

I will always speak up to get the best for the Forest.

I have put up two posters and answered questions in the last few months - telling everyone to write to the MP or complain to offical bodies.

I will be out monitoring this weekend for bad behaviour by anybody!!!. We had serious problems last year with defecation and urination on the sides of the road with families and visitors driving past - swearing at drivers and banging on cars - lets just hope it is properly managed this year. I get so many complaints.

ANN

I've just read, in detail, the code of conduct - she has beached it more than once with her poster efforts.

I encourage everyone to take the time to download, full in a complaint form and send it in. Let's not be the silent disgruntled and do something about this vile woman!

If the person responsible for these posters is the one identified on this thread, it's worth pointing out that Councillors are subject to a 'Code of Conduct'.

This, along with a complaint form, can be found here:
http://www.newforest.gov.uk/index.cfm?articleid=1649

Tell you what Mrs, report any illegal riding or whatever, not to the Parish Council, but to the police if its so serious.

The horse thing has echoes of a Etape Caledonia, it's true, squads of bikes do freak some horses out, I'm not in any of the pictures, but was there and seen it.

http://www.thecourier.co.uk/news/local/perth-kinross/absolutely-terrifyi...

Though we have all seen horses enjoying running alongside and within groups of cyclists on the a Continent.

Was her email from an 'official' account?

If so, and was therefore sent in 'work' time, then could she provide evidence of the accidents? Local media reports? Coroner's findings?

Also, she asserts that over 10 million people visit per year - is this a verifiable figure (?) and furthermore that equates to over 27000 people per day assuming a regular flow of visitors throughout the year. Quite a few cars and coaches there, methinks, but evidently these cause no problems. Interesting to know how many of the 27000 per day travel by car, and the average occupancy, but that's gotta be ooh, 5000 non-local cars entering the area daily at a rough guess?

I get how a cycling event may cause some transient inconvenience to drivers who encounter it on the 1/365th of the year that it takes place , but in the grander scheme of things it sounds pretty manageable.

Maybe she ought to get the Hell Angels to provide security there , Altamont style.

Fine. She wins.

I'll leave the bicycle in the garage, take a couple of paces to my right, and use my motorbike instead.

Whip the baffles out and sports bikes sound glorious at 14000 rpm, and I want to share the joy.

As far as I can make out, she's talking bollocks.
Firstly can't find any news story from the New Forest or elsewhere of a recent fatality caused by being thrown from a horse after it was startled by a cyclist. I can find one about a teenage girl killed after her horse was spooked by a tractor. That's it. If anyone can find the independent news article referencing the incident she refers to, I'd love to be proved wrong.

Secondly, if the accident rate was anything even close to what she suggests, the British Horse Society would be up in arms about it.

And they're not so IMHO, she's using woolly anecdotal unproven stories to back her campaign of bigotry.

I really enjoyed my weekend in the New Forest (August last year), we cycled large parts of the Sportive route and it was beautiful. Stunning weather, mostly quiet roads, nice pubs and cafes. Shame that the area is so spoilt by vocal NIMBYs.

It wont be long before UKIP start on cyclists.