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I', more conscious of giving people room and trying to not have to runny a nose (not an easy thin g when it';s cold sometimes.) I was thinking of going into central London sometime this week so will keep go the cable street/tower bridge super highway and go on the roads via Whitechapel. Looks lovely and empty, rather looking forward to it...
jeff80
I wouldn't consider riding it through it at the weekend because there's too many cyclists, and that was before the great plague, so no chance I'd be going anywhere near it while most of the workforce is off.
I've actually been quite surprised how quickly we adapt to a new normal. I've already changed or at least been much more conscious about my riding. Since the lock-down last Monday I've been doing my bit and only popping out for a 20 mile leg stretch every other day, some changes are:
-now completely avoiding all parks, normally an integral part of my riding in the city, often visiting multiple parks, not anymore.
-I'm completely avoiding the cycle superhighways, I cycled along the Embankment today in the road, which I haven't done for ages, and there was much less car traffic in the road than there was bikes in the cycle lane.
-other cyclists are now viewed as zombies to be avoided. I've always viewed pedestrians as zombies so no change there.
-If I'm coming up behind another cyclist I make sure I overtake super wide, and am much more conscious about being certain I can complete a wide and safe pass before attempting it, or I'm simply turning off before I get to them to find a quieter road. Turning off before the overtake is a new one right :)
-I'm very conscious that any coughing, sniffing or even a runny nose and eyes, can be greeted with alarm by pedestrians, cyclists and drivers. I often get running eyes and nose from the wind anyway, and used to get really bad hay fever so this is kind of normal for me. I was filtering this week up a queue of stationary cars at the traffic lights, and had a car driver spot me in the mirror and speedily do up their car window. It made me laugh as they thought they were protecting the cars precious occupants from the leper cyclist, but I was just as relieved to suddenly not to have to give a wide berth to the multi-occupant germ sharing box oozing its contents into the road.
-Similarly in order to not induce panic and revulsion when riding and seeing other cyclists I'm consciously doing less fly catching mouth breathing/drooling, and no snot rockets, which is thankfully much easier as air quality is much better and bogies are less.
-I'm definitely doing more track stands at traffic lights and consciously avoiding touching any railings, leaning against things and pressing 'push to cross' buttons at crossings.
-I'm thinking much more about riding in places that other cyclists would think to avoid. While many are in the parks and doing lengths of the cycling super highways, central London is still mostly blissfully quiet. Piccadilly Circus today, a dry spring Saturday afternoon at 2pm....
Anyone else noted any other changes to their riding?