Cycling in the time of Corona

Or maybe don't go just yet and stick to guidance? Couple of long day rides instead?

Staying overnight clearly isn't allowed, riding in a group of up to six now is (I'd totally missed this bit tbh).

How about, be glad you can now ride in a group of up to six, and don't twist the rules/knowingly break the guidelines? Do you really want Dominic Cummings to be your role model @platypus ?

Personally I won't be rushing to ride in a group any time soon because I think the government is ahead of the science and when you have a bunch of riders moving at speed 2m obviously isn't enough...

I was feeling a bit insomniacic and was just testing that I could sleep.

Kinda annoying as we have our yearly week long bikepacking tour thing planned for end of June, all self sufficient but usually whack a few campsites in for showers and that, could probably wildcamp it all if necessary, and might prefer it if campsites have just opened about then and are full of people. I think we're gonna put it off until end of summer or next year because what the government say is allowed and what is actually sensible are very different anyway.

I don't see how you can have an enjoyable group ride while still effectively social distancing since it means you can't really ride and chat but maybe that is just me

Agreed. It's not really group riding in the conventional sense is it? And while 6 could perhaps ride along with 2m + distance on open roads, it's pretty impractical when stopping at lights etc, being passed by another group, etc. I think it works with 2 people, maybe 3.

while 6 could perhaps ride along with 2m + distance on open roads, it's pretty impractical at junctions, when stopping, etc

Better ban all city cycling too then.

https://twitter.com/londonma123/status/1266114266081394692?s=19

Well I was thinking more of fast group rides on lanes. However I have cycled in town at weekends, and I think a lot of the sillier behaviour is from larger groups trying to stay together, e.g. while trying to overtake another group on narrow cycle routes with incoming riders.

Thanks everyone for the replies. This was a sincere question and I appreciate the explanations.

Why is the only fucking hill in RP locked-off?

Instead of nice wide roads the whole way around you need to use the narrow paths through the center to make a circuit.

Accentuates the worst pro-cycling cosplayer behaviours as well. Watching them close pass pedestrians and think it is ok to blast downhill on the paths two abreast.

SMH territory.

-edited(2x)

7/10

pro cycling cosplayers

10/10 for this bit of wordsmithery though

Wish I knew you were out this way this morning. Would have said hi.
I'm still routing around it, even though this means I have to ride through Sheen on the way back and deal with the traffic mess.

It was a big "if", I definitely feel the guidance is reasonable and there to be followed. Person I was commenting on seemed determined to fiddle the definition of where they were living and my point was more that manipulating the guidance to be what you want it to be is effectively not following the guidance.

It is worth riding through on the way to work.

I am just sad I rode all the way over, was looking forward to the hill and instead got narrow paths with dickheads.

This was my second attempt too.

:(

I saw from Insta the first one. Impressive riding tho!
Will consider it on my morning pre-work jaunt tomorrow.

If you read the details of the decision to ban cycling in RP (here), you can get a sense of the low quality of decision making that goes on.

Trying to follow the spirit of the guidelines I'd be comfortable doing this with one other person (I did, in fact, last weekend with a lovely spin around the chilterns, swim in the Thames and bivvy up near the ridgeway) but I think the optics of a group riding/shopping/camping together would be the problem for me...

I was being (mostly) facetious. In this case the staying overnight (wild camping) is not legal regardless of the Covid-19 rules

Every time I'm around there or anywhere else with segregated lanes I get irrationally annoyed that everyone is just ramming themselves into the cycle lane. Just go on the road. All the bunching leads to about 10 people being able to make the lights, so then the queue is huge, people don't want to wait anymore and push the lights through an amber and red phase to then be in a dangerous place as the other directions go to green creating a vicious cycle of amber gambling.

I bought a longer stem, tape and the bike shop gave me flared salsa bars. Something new. I’m super stretched out, Jesus. It’s fun tho. 4-5 am isolated ride.

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What are people's thoughts on the new emergency cycle infrastructure?

I've just seen the new lanes on Uxbridge Road/ The Vale:

https://twitter.com/juliangbell/status/1266754758221746177

If I hadn't seen the tweet I wouldn't have even thought they had anything to do with cycling.

Column A: Now the choice is get stuck behind slower riders or cop more shit from drivers.
Column B: Sweet, more people will feel able to cycle which means fewer people in cars.

I'll try and get out there this afternoon to see it irl.

Usually in the B camp - for general getting around town it's a compromise willing to make if it means fewer people in cars. The dozen or so plastic bollards put in by Ealing council are worse than useless though.