Cycling in the time of Corona

Don't worry, I now know what I'm doing this evening

Personally I'm torn between cleaning the oven or defrosting the freezer.

I don't think you're the only one.

Tesco has been out of stock of oven cleaner for ages.

Stepping away from pure turbo trainer technique, I have tried to capture a different aesthetic here.

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Err, what was the 20 pages of shit about 1hr and "not far from home" about?

re: https://twitter.com/Julian_Norman1/status/1243471353900138496

The 'no more than one hour' and 'not far from home' stuff was 'guidance' - i.e. advice. Not the law. In this country we still - just about - have the rule of law rather than government by decree. So whatever government ministers say during their 15 minutes of fame on the evening news isn't necessarily the law.

As for the last 20 pages, well, that was opinions. And some magnificently large white stallions. I gather the view is pretty spectacular from such an elevated viewpoint.

neigh

Reg 6(2)(d) - to provide care or assistance to a vulnerable person. This includes dropping off shopping or providing personal care. If your friend is pregnant, you can do her shopping and drop it at the door. Just don't stay for a cup of tea and a biscuit! 13/24

Thought this was interesting, I dropped off shopping at both my vulnerable dad and mum’s places... at my mum’s, who is also mentally vulnerable (70, living alone etc) we stayed and chatted a while. We didn’t go inside, we sat in the garden keeping a safe >2m apart and kept her company for a bit. Seems we should drop and go in future which will be hard for her.

My dad on the other hand locked his gate to keep us out and hung a plastic bag on the latch for us to deposit shopping!

Well the Wales is once a day.

I gather the view is pretty spectacular from such an elevated viewpoint

Ha ha, wait until recreational cycling has actually been restricted because of a small number of people deciding thst guidance isnt enough for them...then you'll see me on my high horse.

It has happened in other countries and will happen here too.

See also what is probably about to happen because people have started slacking off on the guidelines about unnecessary travel. Road traffic up nearly 20% this week and still rising. Police doing what they can but obviously limited so are feeding their concerns back to the government.

Recreational cycling will be banned because families driving to beauty spots to make a picnic as part as their daily exercise and causing concern to the very wealthy and very old locals, not because general public is alarmed about anyone recording 4 hour rides on Strava.

Its always the NHS clapping tories

"Haha just wait until some authoritarian in charge decides cyclists have too much fun despite not harming anybody"

Still not the cyclists' fault, still entirely on the head of whoever decides to actually implement that.

I agree. Cyclists are easily identifiable therefore drivers and cyclists will be the scapegoats. The tiny minority of people not doing what they should be doing will ruin it for those who were.

Still not the cyclists' fault, still entirely on the head of whoever decides to actually implement that.

Of course. You cant expect everybody to think through the consequences of their actions. The rules should have been clearer to avoid this situation.

The rules should be what they want a majority of people to do. Guidelines will never force anyone, because well, they're not the rules.

I don't doubt some people are actually wasting time on thinking about cyclists on recreational rides - why would the government suddenly be cycle-friendly. I wouldn't be surprised if recreational cycling gets banned. But it would be wrong. And it wouldn't be the fault of cyclists who went out on rides before.

That being said, I do hope they think more about why there's still more driving in London than there should be - considering driving usually indicates people are going somewhere specific, rather than having fun on their own and then looping back home.

Matt Hancock doubling down on the get out and do some exercise line on question time last night to together with confirming getting into car to drive a short distance to walk the dog also fine.

This idea that there are billions of cyclist taking the piss is just bazaar, cyclists make up 2% of road users and outside of London and figure will be even less than that. If more draconian measures do come in it'll have nothing to do with the 1% of 1% of cyclists who are riding for more than a hour, not that an time limit has been put on it.

The gcn channel had an interview with an ethical researcher. One of the points was:
Riding out to somewhere you're not a community member of sends the social message you don't care about bringing stuff to their area.

Cyclists are easily identifiable...

To other cyclists perhaps. I think the uninitiated just see ‘people on bikes’.

I’d reckon the increase that I’ve seen in ‘people on bikes’ since everyone is off work is likely doing as much if not more towards making cycling a target activity than anyone that’s going for rides longer than an hour.

It is a tiny proportion. But it's highly visible and its a massive wind up to the red tops, clarkson, and all the other paid for their opinion types.

I'm seeing people who would normally be out in the lanes doing South London hills.
I think this seems sensible

This idea that there are billions of cyclist taking the piss is just bazaar, cyclists make up 2% of road users and outside of London and figure will be even less than that. If more draconian measures do come in it'll have nothing to do with the 1% of 1% of cyclists who are riding for more than a hour, not that an time limit has been put on it

Totally agree that it makes no sense but the numbers dont portray the perception that the police currently have.

If you are a policeman and talk to a dozen cyclists a day and you start to notice that a quarter of those people are a long way from home, then thats the impression that you get.

I think the uninitiated just see ‘people on bikes

I disagree because the police officer I spoke to yesterday said that they tend to only stop and talk to lycra clad roadies because they seem to be the type of cyclist who is a long way from home more often.

20 deg C on Sunday so if it's gonna happen it's gonna happen after this weekend.

Anyone got a nice route from London to Edinburgh that's not based on the LEL route?

Unless your jersey says "I'm from London, peasants!" on it and you stopped repeatedly to mock thatched roofing, I find it very hard to see how they would know.