Cycling in the time of Corona

The regulations haven't changed. The guidance has. The regulations are legally binding. The guidance is not.

Changed my route to Epping Forest this morning, to avoid the increased numbers of public walking along the river lea. I can safely say that I won’t be cycling through Chigwell again, too many sports cars.. high revving before overtaking on the hills. It wasn’t long after I came across a head on collision down Abridge Road.. police at the scene, no ambulance, pretty grim in fact the young police officer looked visibly sick and he asked everyone to reverse and just go home. I suspect this is common around these ends sadly. I need to find a better route out to the Essex lanes, perhaps avoid Epping Forest for a while. a lot of cyclists both road and MTB out today and the last three Saturday mornings

Epping used to be my go-to until I got creamed by a BMW driver on my way there coming from Harlow. Never been back, surprisingly enough! River Lea can be nice with the usual caveats of dog walkers etc.

In other news, my flat's resident moth population seem to have developed a very exclusive taste for Rapha items only, meaning my Covid-mask/merino neck warmer is more sieve-like than desired. At least it now matches my base layers, which started as merino and are getting closer to an irregularly patterned mesh vest-think Rab C Nesbitt as a cyclist. Ho-hum.

Thanks @gu_h-àrd_gruber_an_cult
ideally looking for a back road route to Epping Forest between River Lea and A104.
Is there a way via copper mill lane or Walthamstow trading estate.

Where are you trying to get from/to? It's easy to get out to Essex by avoiding Lea Bridge Road and Epping New Road

A helmetless Bobby on a bike in Victoria Park.

Good to see this. Is this a change in the Met Policy or something to do with C19.

Good to see though

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But cycling is banned in Victoria Park :O

I think they have changed, haven't they?

https://mobile.twitter.com/Raphael_Hogarth/status/1252911923919761408

(Probably not wrt this specific point though)

Loads of cyclists out this morning. Many in pairs.

Birdcage Walk is one huge peloton today. Hard to put in a sprint finish to the marathon.

Yes, they have been amended to correct some of the more obvious drafting errors. The part of the regulations covering exercise hasn't though, other than the regulation now covering 'leaving and being outside of' the home rather than just leaving it.

Just got back from work.

I reckon there was at least three times more cyclists around today than I have ever seen on the mean streets of Londons famous London.

Not sure if that's good or bad.

The air in London right now is amazing, there's half a chance that keeping it car free could gain some real traction. (He said in a state of self delusion).

Getting a lot of passive aggressive shade thrown in my direction by the in-laws for cycling and running “too far” (I’m riding max 40km) . I could crash and place extra strain on the NHS etc....
There’s some stuff being said to the wife via WhatsApp.
Meanwhile brother in law is sharing his DIY design projects on Instagram. To which I am replying with images from my rides. I think they got in the wife’s head a bit and she started the NHS angle on me a little. I just looked at the ROSPA stats on DIY hospital visits vs Cycling. Holy Shitting Hell, DIY is lethal! I’m never putting up a shelf again, I’m off to be safe on the bike.

But heartwarmingly so many families with little riders out today.

Lots of people out today. Sadly two big groups of mountain bikers down in West Sussex. Of course they could be siblings living together, but 6 and 4? Perhaps there is a mountain bike commune nearby and they really do live together.
I pretty much saw 2 cars in the lanes on my ride. One pulled out on me and the other decided to go round the outside of me as I was turning left to go left as well which I thought was nice. I did sewer quite a lot and I got a what do you mean kind of wave back.

Had some bearded nonce pass me by about half a foot and moan at me for not wearing a helmet when I went for a sedate spin of the legs just there.

I was however covering my mouth, unlike him so dunno what moralising is appropriate... Think there's just a general negative visibility to cycling that car drivers embrace and gets internalised by some cyclists too. For instance, the dickhead out cycling some rusty banger downhill no handed with his mate and drifting all over the road making it impossible to pass definitely triggered me!

Fuck 'em. 🤷‍♂️

A significant number of people have definitely given up on social distancing and leaving it to the rest of us to do by the looks of things anyway...

Loads more folk that definitely aren't family groups out walking/chatting, more cars and not much by way of distancing going on on pavements. Carry on like that and there's just going to be a another spike in deaths in a couple of weeks.

I've ridden outside twice since this all kicked off. Both times I've been involved in accidents - once hit by a car, the other a fairly highspeed off leaving me with less skin and a severely sprained wrist

I think I might never ride anywhere other than a turbo in my kitchen, even when this is over

https://twitter.com/JohnBaker1975/status/1253999015198425089

First time I've heard mention of Antonio Gramsci in maybe 35 years. Might see if I can dig out my old copy of The Prison Notebooks.

And the most salient point of that thread. You only have to look at some of the more pious contributions to this thread.

The most disappointing but predictable thing since the lockdown is the number of cyclists and cycling advocates who have also internalised the dominant discourse and are now urging people to stay off their bikes. Those people are on the wrong side of history. /End

@Gregory I live in East Ham, heading to Epping Forest, typically I return via A102 then Wandsted which is bearable. Previously rode to Olympic Park, then River Lea. Only lived here for a few months, ideally I want to avoid dog walkers and racing cars.

Avoiding the river at the moment is an excellent call. Depending on time of day I'd probably go adjacent to/across Wanstead flats, Whipps Cross then Wood Street, onto Fulbourne Rd (B160) up into Chingford. You could go via Snaresbrook/South Woodford but the cars tend to be less careful.

If you have something that can be ridden off road you can pick up the trails from Hollow Ponds (Whipps Cross) for a traffic-free route all the way up.

thanks Gregory, three weeks ago Epping Forest Constabulary prevented car drivers from entering. this past weekend cars were racing about at dangerously high speed.. why did the police lift the car ban? knowing that the not so young boy racers would return. I’d this some lockdown fever / anger frustration that the Police have to manage?