Cycling in the time of Corona

Just saw the police stinger a motorbike at Elmer’s End. Maybe it’s one of the twunts that’s been going 100mph plus, but assume you must be pretty wanted if you get the helicopter plus 5 cop cars treatment

Patience fully tested, white van clunt super dangerous close passing a family with young kids. Not proud of what I called him when 30 metres later I pulled up beside him at the traffic lights but probably deserves given his frank opinion of me by return.

I've rediscovered the joy of riding the country lanes South of Manchester over the last couple of weeks, fairweather only obvs.

Finding that if I get out before 7am there is very little traffic and I'm back before family is properly up. I'll miss all this when lockdown ends and routines drift back to the old.

South west london is absolutely heaving with cyclist today. Government announcing funding for infrastructure. Bike shops all had queues outside.

Government announcing funding for infrastructure.

£2bn apparently

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-52592421

Meanwhile...

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Oh. More smoke & mirrors.

https://www.lfgss.com/comments/15266995/

Takes it to NL/Danish level of c.£30 per head of population which is a first.

Deeply suspicious that the actual figure will be much lower but you never know...

Edit. Just seen your reply. Yeah.

In London... the borough such as Camden and Kensington, will put up high resistance, let's see what happens.

I wonder if the main benefit of the Covid situation re: cycling rather than the funding is that it will cut through a lot of planning objections and let councils make unilateral decisions because of public health priority and pressure on the roads system if they don't sort it out pronto.

Edinburgh has been making moves to fast track major pavement widening and cycle initiatives that would otherwise have been on the cards but either very slow (say, 5 years to get through council funding to design to planning to start construction) or undeliverable due to consultation with businesses and residents kicking up a fuss due to loss of parking.

Time is of the essence. If you dither and dather, The older locals who have time on there hands will organise and mobilise, to maintain what they believe is a leafy tranquil village. When in reality it's a zone 2/3 thoroughfare, that's awful to cycle in.

Ha, I spoke too soon -Tory councillors leading the pushback today...
https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/news/politics/council/covid-19-used-convenient-smokescreen-push-through-edinburgh-active-travel-plans-councillors-claim-2848237

Some legitimate criticism in there too to be fair, as Edinburgh council is a shit show and their existing recent active travel paths absolutely dire...

but still, I'd rather see something than nothing, for improving pedestrian access as much as cycling.

Could barely turn the pedals on the turbo today so fucked it off and took the Tarmac out for a spin now it has shiny new(ish) drivetrain. Fuck that thing's fast, even with the training wheels on it. With no extra shit and no swingy aerobars hanging off it, it's well nippy. Might just fuck the training off and take back all the KOMs my missus has stolen around here.

the country lanes South of Manchester

Ooh whereabouts?

So far loops in the line between Partington, Ashley, and Hazel Grove.

Might all be over after today's update from the bozo but I hope a regular weekend ride might be within my mojo once I'm back at work. I now realise looking back how much I used to just head to the Peak by default when riding regularly as I enjoy those hills, but would hit the lanes again now.

So far loops in the line between Partington, Ashley, and Hazel Grove.

it's so much nicer around there than up directly by me. you have to go out past bury, and frankly i just cannot be arsed so i end up doing a little loop around by birch services.

Yeah, I feel your pain for lack of lanes in that part of town... there're a few over towards Heywood & Middleton iirc, are they an option?

yeah definitely (my loop goes from prestwich up towards heywood and round near a big logistics park), but in the summer i try and stick to short loops where i can get some TT training in, so minimal turns, traffic lights, and the ability to be out and back within the hour restrict my options. having said that, i moved from my old place to prestwich in january, so maybe i need to have a fresh look at routes.

.

have a fresh look at routes.

Always good fun exploring, enjoy!

What does everyone think of the new government guidance on exercise then?

We're officially allowed to go for a ride with someone else now as long as we stay 2m+ apart, just not in a group.

They've had this all along in Belgium and I think it's sensible. But is 2m enough on a moving bike, behind another cyclist? In France post-lockdown it's 10m.

2m will be fine if the rear rider doesn't breathe.

I've been folding a neck buff over and wearing it as a makeshift mask if riding when there's a lot of folk about.

Gets minging and wet from breathing hard tbh, and is uncomfortably warm at times but protects others from droplets which is the main objective...

Depends how fast you're going, the faster the increased respiration (and snot), so more distance required.

Sedate riding shouldn't be any different from walking

Also I understand that aerosol spread is much less in the open air compared to any indoor environment where 2m is crucial

TBH just guessing based on my viewing of Dr John Campbell (Who strongly encouraged cycling in yesterdays video on YouTube)

I still doubt very much that any infection rate resulting from cycling would be any more than vanishingly minuscule. Sure, the odd unfortunate incident could happen in which someone infected cleared their nose on someone riding behind without looking first if the coast is clear, but that is just negligible.

From all I've read, indoors spread is indeed a couple of magnitudes more hazardous than anything outdoors.