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Riders banned from New Forest sportives for urinating in public

UK Cycling Events takes action against 18 riders it says broke its rules

The company behind the Wiggle New Forest Spring Sportive and other events in the national park says it is banning 18 riders from its events for breaking rules such as urinating by the roadside rather than in the portable toilets it provides.

The decision by UK Cycling Events was revealed at a recent meeting of the New Forest Association of Local Councils, reports the Daily Echo.

During the past couple of years, mass participation cycling events in the New Forest have attracted vocal opposition from some locals.

Earlier this month the Wiggle New Forest Spring Sportive was the target of sabotage attempts, as it had been in 2013, with 15 riders suffering punctures as a result of tacks being spread on the road. At some events, signs put up by organisers, often to do with safety issues, have been removed.

The riders banned for urinating in public were caught outside the Forest Park Hotel in Brockenhurst, with Martin Barden from UK Cycling Events saying: “The hotel had eight portaloos and our marshals told all riders stopping at the hotel to ensure they used the toilets provided.

“Anyone who decided not to was instantly banned from the event as this is not something we condone.”

He did not reveal why other riders had been banned, although he did tell participants prior to the event a fortnight ago that any cyclists blocking the road by riding more than two abreast, or seen dropping litter, would be barred from entry to future sportives organised by the company.

According to district councillor Maureen Holding, the Wiggle New Forest Spring Sportive led to “pandemonium” in Brockenhurst.

She told the Daily Echo: “The road was blocked by people who had abandoned their cycles in the middle of the road. And some of them were urinating in full view of families – even though there were toilets only a few feet away.

“I hope the ban sends out a clear message that we expect people to behave,” she added.
Criticism of cyclists relieving themselves in public on such events isn’t limited to those who urinate.

In December, it was alleged at a meeting of the New Forest National Park Authority that some riders had defecated on village greens while taking part in sportive rides.

Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.

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71 comments

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Yennings replied to Stumps | 9 years ago
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Grammatical masterclass...

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Yennings | 9 years ago
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Can't comment with any authority without having seen the location in question. Nothing wrong with the occasional discreet pee by the side of the road but loads of people doing it in plain sight does kind of take the piss, if you'll forgive the pun. Be subtle, people! There are always a few wankers on any sportive, mind you.

Meanwhile I'm worried about the amount of generalised anti-cycling sentiment in the New Forest these days. That's one place off the cycle touring wish list but hey, not like cyclists bring any money into an area or anything, is it?

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ch | 9 years ago
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Quote from Chrissie Wellington famous champion triathlete:

"Apologies also go out to those riding behind me. It could not have been pleasant to bear the brunt of my 6 pees (But having already suffered a painful thorny backside experience i wasnt about to stop and relieve myself behind a cactus)."

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workhard | 9 years ago
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Their event, their rules. Don't like 'em? Piss off.

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chadders | 9 years ago
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So the NF anti cycle movement aren't going to big up any slight infringement that takes place?? The organisers don't want to antagonise the locals so must take action!!
Bet the riders involved wished they had shat on the village green now as I feel it would have carried the same punishment!

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oldstrath replied to Simon E | 9 years ago
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Simon E wrote:
racyrich wrote:

Hmm, pee in public - all hell breaks out. Breastfeed a baby in full public view in a swimming baths - get told to stop, then sue and get a payoff. Mad world.

Sorry, not comparable in MHO.

I recommend you don't go near any fields for a while, you may see four-legged mammals feeding their young the same way. And they won't stop when you ask either.

There's something else you'll see them doing, and I hadn't noticed the farmer banning any of them...

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CXR94Di2 | 9 years ago
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If the sportive cyclists were blatantly taking a piss in the open near a hotel, then yes they should be chastised, banned whatever. This is not acceptable behaviour, just like people wilfully dropping litter when there are bins nearby.

However if this is because the facilities were poor in number and hygiene and riders couldn't wait any longer, then it's draconian to ban riders from wiggle events.

I am a regular purchaser from wiggle and if it's the latter then my money would be spent elsewhere in protest to their over reaction to a quite normal bodily function if done discreetly.

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cavasta replied to cove123 | 9 years ago
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cove123 wrote:

will they ban TDF riders in Yorkshire/Essex?

No, we're a bit more tolerant in Yorkshire.

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Jimmy Ray Will | 9 years ago
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I think its safe to assume that there will not have been adequate facilities provided. By adequate, you have to look at a man's willingness to wait for a toilet, compared with the simplicity of cocking a leg up against the nearest bush/tree etc.

Actually, I am fairly sure there are H&S recommendations for toilets provided compared to participant numbers, I would love to know how many attended the sportive, and how reasonable the toilet provision was.

I think its also safe to assume that public urination means different things to different people. To me, it means getting my todger out and blatantly piddling in full view of someone that is likely to take offence... namely women and PC gentlemen.

To others, it means urinating in any environment not designated as a toilet no matter how discreet.

I'm fairly comfortable that anyone doing the former is likely to get called up on it...

Anyway, this is all a mute point. Personally speaking I think the NIMBY's have won this battle. As mentioned, the organisers are publicly demonstrating that they are taking a 'hard line' on riders that anyone outside the event may take offence to. no matter how right they may be in doing this (I am no fan of littering, lane hogging or whatever), the reality is this/these events now are all about fighting a battle with teh local public...

Why bother with that? There are loads of great sportives out there, what make the New Forest so special that you have to spend your time making sure you can not be perceived as riding 3 a breast, making sure nothing accidentally falls from your pockets, and aware of where the next public convenience is?

Move on to the next one I say.

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arrieredupeleton | 9 years ago
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Herd mentality, safety in numbers, desperate attempt to do anything that looks 'pro' and the anonymity afforded by helmet and dark glasses. Some people are just dicks whatever. I think the organisers did the right thing in the case and I don't envy them having to deal with the NIMBY nutjobs.

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jollygoodvelo | 9 years ago
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One assumes that the gentlemen in question didn't pay to travel and participate in the event with the express intention of outraging public decency.

That said, I wouldn't want to see a 'me' pissing in my front garden either and don't tell me there wasn't a convenient bush or tree to hide behind.

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andyp | 9 years ago
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'we're a bit more tolerant in Yorkshire'

Blimey. Not a sentence you would hear too often. This New Forest place must be horrific. I'm imagining Auschwitz, recreated in Dorset?
 3

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birzzles | 9 years ago
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i think if you seen a cyclist or walker taking a shit in public by the side of a track, as i have done you should run them over if you have a car or simply kick them to death.

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allez neg replied to andyp | 9 years ago
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andyp wrote:

'we're a bit more tolerant in Yorkshire'

Blimey. Not a sentence you would hear too often. This New Forest place must be horrific. I'm imagining Auschwitz, recreated in Dorset?
 3

Yay! I win Godwins Law bingo!

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andyp | 9 years ago
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vanmildert won that, waaaaaay back up there...^  3

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oozaveared | 9 years ago
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Well the organisers had to really.

Peeing in public can mean lots of things. I have peed in the bushes on this very same sportive a few years back. I bet lots of others did as well. Go right in the bushes where no one can see you and I don't think anyone has a complaint. They see you go in the bushes, they probably guess what you are up to but don't see anything untoward or unless they are really looking. Even my kids know this.

Do it with abandon making no attempt at discretion and that's a different matter.

The fact is that you can only be seen peeing in public if you don't make any attempt at being discreet. In which case you are a lazy unsociable git that deserves being banned from future events.

Basic social and citizenship skills plus normal decency and civilisation. If you can actually ride a bike and hold down a job so you can afford a bike and an entry fee, then this should not be beyond you.

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LondonDynaslow | 9 years ago
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There was quite enough "attitude" in the Chilterns this weekend. I wouldn't ride a bike in the New Forest if you paid me. I only even go to Surrey either (1) in a group or (2) when the locals are still in bed. I don't fancy spending a month in hospital when one of their punishment passes goes wrong.

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Simmo72 | 9 years ago
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If they were relieveing themselves in a public place and there were portable toilets available then fair doos, wiggle has to take some action.

I was out the other week and got caught short. I was in the middle of the countryside but nipped behind some bushes into a field, not a soul in sight. I emptied the tank, admiring the wonderful yellow rape seed fields of hampshire but I turned to see an elderly lady standing about 30 feet from me, just watching. At this point I couldn't stop, all I could muster was 'lovely day, but a bit breezy'.

No idea where she crept up from, reckon she had been hidden in those bushes for days.

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allez neg replied to andyp | 9 years ago
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andyp wrote:

vanmildert won that, waaaaaay back up there...^  3

Did he? All I could see from him was a reference to runners and golfers. Not ALL golfers are Nazis, surely.  16

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northstar replied to martin | 9 years ago
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martin wrote:

Paula Radcliffe didn't get banned from the London Marathon and she pee'd on the BBC. This is crazy, did people really abandon their bikes in the middle of the road to go the toilet, if they did maybe someone should check the food in that hotel.

Indeed, what about the all the riders of the men's olympic road race who all went for a pee along the side of the public highway in full view of the public (most who just laughed at it) and toilet's available nearby?

Can we expect to them all be banned from competing in their events in the uk in the future....

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Pazaa | 9 years ago
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I actually rode this on the Saturday and know where they are talking about. Yes, there were a few people disappearing into the bushes, however the amenities provded by Wiggle were shocking. There must have been over 1000 riders passing through that stop and probably no more than 4 loos. I emailed them afterwards and complained and suggested they invest in the open urinals that I see on many running events, quick and convenient for the guys, leaving the portaloos for the ladies. Yes, they had to be seen to do something to appease the NIMBYs, however I would draw your attention to the fact that this same group of NIMBYs scattered tacks across the road on the Saturday. I escaped it but many didn't. So what'll it be? A debate on peeing in the bushes or crass stupidity that could lead injury or at worst, death?

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KnightRyder | 9 years ago
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I've often peed in the middle of a ride, not a problem as long as you can find a quite spot behind a tree and you're not exposing yourself to anyone.
How many times do you see young kids by the side of a stopped cars with their parents letting them have a pee.
I would suspect that the people making the complaints are the same saboteurs that are throwing tacs all over the road.

Get life and move on I say.  102

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andyp replied to allez neg | 9 years ago
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allez neg wrote:
andyp wrote:

vanmildert won that, waaaaaay back up there...^  3

Did he? All I could see from him was a reference to runners and golfers. Not ALL golfers are Nazis, surely.  16

Godwin's law was updated some time ago to include mentions of Th*tcher and golf.

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allez neg replied to andyp | 9 years ago
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andyp wrote:
allez neg wrote:
andyp wrote:

vanmildert won that, waaaaaay back up there...^  3

Did he? All I could see from him was a reference to runners and golfers. Not ALL golfers are Nazis, surely.  16

Godwin's law was updated some time ago to include mentions of Th*tcher and golf.

Oh - I'd never mention that poisonous auld queynte on here.

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farrell | 9 years ago
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Are Wiggle going to have "Wanted" style posters at their next events to make sure these people don't turn up at future events?

Sod it, there is enough money being thrown at some seriously old rope in cycling nowadays who fancies going in to a new business with me?

"Aero-tasche - For the chopper that needs to sportive in disguise..."

Arf.

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chrisp1973 | 9 years ago
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I'm not surprised by this. On the Sunday at the feed stop one bloke was asked to refrain from pissing across the road from the hotel by a member of staff, his reply "where are the fucking toilets then!?"

If ever the NIMBY's needed fuel for the anti-cycling fire that twat was it.

Bottom line if we don't police ourselves we'll have it done for us.

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Hensteeth | 9 years ago
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No pissing please we're British!
Been to a jazz festival in Denmark where they have porta loos in the streets. These consist of an X shape contrivance for men with 4 pissers in them. Just turn your back to the world and piss away. No one gave a toss over there. After all we all do it. And everyone has something to do it with.

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gareth2510 replied to andyp | 9 years ago
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andyp wrote:

'we're a bit more tolerant in Yorkshire'

Blimey. Not a sentence you would hear too often. This New Forest place must be horrific. I'm imagining Auschwitz, recreated in Dorset?
 3

Its in Hampshire

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andyp | 9 years ago
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and Wiltshire, if we're being pedantic.

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psv10 | 9 years ago
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As Allez Neg notes, with 5000 entries they have no prospect of being able to police bans. It is just good local PR, at no cost or consequence even if anyone really was banned as they claim. Those who behave worst will probably be the first to work this out.

There were certainly no marshals at the feed stop on the Saturday to speak to the steady stream of riders heading for the trees the other side of the lane from the hotel.

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