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[Closed] Lock down, can i ride my bike in the countryside?

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Or conversely it'll keep spread localised.

Bobs infected drives a 15mile drive short journey from town a to local trail b

Jim drives a similar distance from town c to local trail b

Jim touches the gate that Bob just touched and forgets not to wipe his nose with the back of his glove.

Boom virus has spread 40 miles all becaus you are above riding from the door.


 
Posted : 26/03/2020 7:49 pm
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Or conversely it’ll keep spread localised

If that had of happened it would have never gone further than China.


 
Posted : 26/03/2020 7:52 pm
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The purpose of the restrictions is to minimise spread. That’s more likely to happen if folk are all constrained in one small area.

Think about that again.


 
Posted : 26/03/2020 7:54 pm
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I guess I'm just miffed because people who think they are above the Virus have got themselves infected then brought themselves into my local area.

Pricks

(Charlie)


 
Posted : 26/03/2020 7:54 pm
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I think Hannah's got it nailed. The key point is - if you are lucky enough to live 10mins walk from Peaslake, or Edale or wherever, you'll only encounter local residents.
I went to sainsburys today, and went running from my front door into the nearest woods yesterday. Yes there were people, but people who live within about a 2 mile radius of me, maximum.
Its a progression - you can sleep in the same bed as your partner, you can cohabit with your family, you can shop with your neighbourhood. Unless we spontaneously develop the ability to voluntarily hibernate for 12 weeks, these are kind of going to have to happen.

Its when people start to cross boundaries, that there is a potential to spread it. There may only be one other person who selfishly drove 10 miles to that beauty spot, but if they drove from 10 miles the other way, you've encountered someone who lives 20 miles from you.

And to say it again, its exercise, not a jolly. A half hour run, or an hours bike ride is the same exercise regardless of where you do it or the scenery. That may mean its a fairly boring ride, it might mean you do the same running route every day, but please put up with it so we don't lose our privileges - I think Edukator said even outdoor running is now banned in France?


 
Posted : 26/03/2020 7:56 pm
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Edukator said even outdoor running is now banned in France?

My dad was stopped twice in a rural town in France on the way to the shop by police road blocks checking they had the paperwork filled.

They are certainly taking it serious.


 
Posted : 26/03/2020 7:58 pm
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**** knows where the police were hiding round here before this all kicked off as I’ve seen more activity from them in the last week than the last ten years.

They seem to be revelling in their new found authority.


 
Posted : 26/03/2020 7:59 pm
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I kind of doubt that anyone on here is driving to trails, riding like a dick or otherwise taking the piss, but I feel like I'm being repeatedly punched for daring to suggest that I can head out of my own front door and ride my cross bike on quiet, moslty traffic-free, back lanes for an hour or two in a measured, careful, not crashing sort of way.

I get that people are exasperated by idiots driving to ride, going out in groups, wearing Lycra, having picnics in the park etc, but I kind of doubt that any of those people are on here. Ripping into folk who are mostly being rational and trying to work out what's acceptable and reasonable in terms of getting out on their bikes seems a bit unfair.

No-one on this thread has advocated group riding, riding like a loon, driving out into the Peak, Dales wherever to ride - I think someone asked it it as okay to drive a couple of miles - let alone having picnics with their family or friends.

As far as I can tell from your post @STWhannah a lot of the people you're hacked off with are part of your local community, maybe you should be looking for ways of communicating with them locally rather than venting at folk who are mostly trying hard to be reasonable, not least because most of us are just as terrified as you of being locked up for the next however many weeks?


 
Posted : 26/03/2020 8:03 pm
 DT78
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We are still heading out for about an hour a day with our young boys3 and 5. For 2 days we went to the local park next to our house, it was rammed virtually impossible to keep 2m away. So we cycled further, for longer, to the local sports centre where there was far far fewer people and we were able to stay away from others.

I think it is about being sensible, which clearly some struggle with, don’t put yourself or others at risk. In my opinion if that means a bit more travelling to ensure you are away from others that’s sensible

I also think they are going to lock us down properly in two weeks anyway. Regardless of whether I go for a 2hr solo ride or not.


 
Posted : 26/03/2020 8:03 pm
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It's been raised locally here in Hampshire. Advice from the police was that it was OK to drive a short distance to the edge of town to the park / countryside. We're on the edge of Aldershot Army Ranges and surrounded by countryside the whole point is not to take the wee-wee. The notion that we shouldn't drive but remain couped-up together in the centre of town where being in greater proximity means we're a greater risk of transfer is just bonkers.


 
Posted : 26/03/2020 8:09 pm
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I also think they are going to lock us down properly in two weeks anyway. Regardless of whether I go for a 2hr solo ride or not.

Be lucky if we get past this weekend I think. Decent weather, hoards of idiots who have been cooped up in the house all week...

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-52053527

**** knows where the police were hiding round here before this all kicked off as I’ve seen more activity from them in the last week than the last ten years.

Same when the Whaley Bridge dam threatened to burst - they called police in from all across the North. Officers on every single junction for a radius of 3 or 4 miles from Whaley.


 
Posted : 26/03/2020 8:11 pm
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The notion that we shouldn’t drive but remain couped-up together in the centre of town where being in greater proximity means we’re a greater risk of transfer is just bonkers.

It's not all about you. Centuries of disease control says that quarantine works in terms of protecting a population.


 
Posted : 26/03/2020 8:15 pm
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Genuine question for the I don't see anyone for hours, much easier to distance etc folk.

How many times over the years have you been out and about, not seen a soul but some how every car park you passed had cars in it?

The social distance thing is a bit of a red herring. It's very important to keep your distance as its disruption to the major mechanism of infection but this doesn't only transmit through direct contact between you and another. Yes shedding enough to leave a viable amount behind isn't happening every time someone touches anything but nor is it impossible.

Keeping to your own area is much more important than a lot are giving credit for. The physical distance between population is much more effective than 2m between you and the guy from the town over at stopping it spreading wideky


 
Posted : 26/03/2020 8:25 pm
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The distance thing is a bit of a red herring. It’s very important to keep your distance as its disruption to the major mechanism of infection but this doesn’t only transmit through direct contact between you and another. Yes shedding enough to leave a viable amount behind isn’t happening every time someone touches anything but nor is it impossible.

Yes, that's why - if you're thoughtful - you have a strategy to deal with touching things like gate latches, which is the most obvious point of 'have to touchness'. On the bike I use my right (gloved) hand and keep it away from my face. If I have to wipe my nose I use the left hand. On foot I carry hand sanitiser and, if I have to use my hand to open something, I use the sanitiser.

Once I get home, the gloves go straight in the wash, hands get washed, bike gets thoroughly cleaned - particularly the bars - and relax. Think about your own door handles, keys etc, anything else you might touch with potentially contaminated hands, clean them.

It's part of social distancing / self-preservation / virus admin and a pain in the backside, but not particularly difficult once you've got your head around it. On a road ride you'll probably not touch anything at all, which is why I'm currently mostly riding lanes rather than trails.

If the government were capable of communicating clearly, it would be telling us this. Maybe STW should publish a coronavirus riding code to fill in the gaps.


 
Posted : 26/03/2020 8:32 pm
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hoards of idiots who have been cooped up in the house all week…

I think you mean 'hordes' unless you're being oddly poetic 😉


 
Posted : 26/03/2020 8:38 pm
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Yes, that’s why – if you’re thoughtful – you have a strategy to deal with [s] touching things like gate latches, which is the most obvious point of ‘have to touchness’. On the bike I use my right (gloved) hand and keep it away from my face. If I have to wipe my nose I use the left hand. On foot I carry hand sanitiser and, if I have to use my hand to open something, I use the sanitiser.[/s] it, staying local and only coming into contact with local people and things

It's a lot easier, a lot more practical and much less likely to be forgotten or screwed up.

For instance, I'm currently running instead of cycling. I hate running but, in half an hours run I can get more actual (elevated heart rate) exercise than a 50 mile ride on the road, I don't touch anything more than the ride, I don't pass any more people but, the ones I do pass all live within a k or so of my house. It's not for fun, it's about not becoming a fat lazy sod over the next few months and staying vaguely sane.


 
Posted : 26/03/2020 8:40 pm
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Did a local 28 mile road ride today, but will be bringing that back down to no more than 20 I think. Got passed by a few Police vehicles, but I reckon my fat, suffering face made them realise I was a local biffer and not a race tuned athlete on a 200k training ride

Road rides have been easier to avoid people than off road - we are blessed with a great network of Sustrans, routes, towpaths (many non navigable so no boats per the recent warnings) and bridleways round here, and they have been really busy when I've been on them since the lockdown, and often not really enough room to pass at 2m.


 
Posted : 26/03/2020 8:50 pm
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To put it simply, there's no end of what ifs, eg what about the dog that brushes against the tree you coughed at, gets stroked by its owner who then ends up in hospital.

None of us understands the thing completely and, unlike the usual what abboutery of which we're all so fond on here, this actually matters

Where you were right you've got an extra Lb or two and a lower FTP for no reason. On the other side where you got it wrong you've got dead people, quite a lot of them.


 
Posted : 26/03/2020 8:50 pm
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If Derbyshire Police were so concerned about these lycra clad cyclists on the Snake, did they pull them over and have a chat? Because if it was a cycling club group as opposed to a family or cohabiting people, they were clearly acting outside the guidelines.


 
Posted : 26/03/2020 8:56 pm
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The tweet didn't really specify, it just went on about "lycra-clad" - almost like it was designed ot elicit a response.

Shouldn't be too hard to track down on Strava...


 
Posted : 26/03/2020 8:58 pm
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I kind of doubt that anyone on here is driving to trails, riding like a dick or otherwise taking the piss, but I feel like I’m being repeatedly punched for daring to suggest that I can head out of my own front door and ride my cross bike on quiet, moslty traffic-free, back lanes for an hour or two in a measured, careful, not crashing sort of way.

I get that people are exasperated by idiots driving to ride, going out in groups, wearing Lycra, having picnics in the park etc, but I kind of doubt that any of those people are on here. Ripping into folk who are mostly being rational and trying to work out what’s acceptable and reasonable in terms of getting out on their bikes seems a bit unfair.

I agree with this, there seems to be a lot of vigilantism out there (on facebook primarily not here) which is understnadable, well meaning but misguided. Most people are behaving it seems to me. The ones who aren't behaving are not the guys doing their excersie but the folk sitting outside in groups in public places drinking. Thats where the anger should be directed not towards a lone cyclist/runner.

n.b for the record I've been on 1 20 minute road ride this week getting about 4km from my house, otherwise jsut walked around the blok a couple of times every day.


 
Posted : 26/03/2020 9:00 pm
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I’ve also compromised the last 18 months of my research because while in the letter of the law I could ahve worked to get some imprtant results, it didnt feel right to do so.

I'd have thought [s] more [/s] now was the perfect time to be researching the interspecies transmission of zoological corona viruses?

You could even do it from home


 
Posted : 26/03/2020 9:07 pm
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do they not do the beer you drink in multipacks? got a box and a half of bud and a box of stella downstairs

Disappointed. Thought the STW beard tugging real ale fraternity would've been all over this one.


 
Posted : 26/03/2020 9:13 pm
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dangeourbrain
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I’d have thought more was the perfect time to be researching the interspecies transmission of zoological corona viruses?

I'm going to spend some time checking if it can be sexually transmitted between humans and dogs. If anyone wants me, I'll be in my lab


 
Posted : 26/03/2020 9:17 pm
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Badum tish


 
Posted : 26/03/2020 9:19 pm
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do they not do the beer you drink in multipacks? got a box and a half of bud and a box of stella downstairs

Disappointed. Thought the STW beard tugging real ale fraternity would’ve been all over this one.

so did i, was why i posted it


 
Posted : 26/03/2020 9:35 pm
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I kind of doubt that anyone on here is driving to trails, riding like a dick or otherwise taking the piss...

I know of one person who is registered on here (rarely posts) who has been outed by friends as having ridden round Llandegla trails yesterday, he wasn't the only one judging by OPA's facebook plea for people to not ride there. There's also a core that are hitting the DH trails on the FOD every night, again Pedalabikeaway are pleading with people not to do it. Even BPW have had riders up there.

I'm 100% with Hannah, we need to be extremely careful to prevent all cycling/outdoor exercise being banned. I'm so glad my new turbo trainer arrived on Monday as it may be the only way I can cycle non-commute if they up the restrictions thanks to a small minority completely taking the piss.


 
Posted : 26/03/2020 9:40 pm
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100% agree. Nobody should be riding trails right now. Keep it low key if possible, even after dark locally.


 
Posted : 26/03/2020 9:56 pm
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I dont think crashing is the issue here. I would think right now the a and e departments are about to have a mass influx of diy injures.

Also i know the local fire service had 20 seperate bonfire calls in one day where the fire got out of control.

Having all these people staying at home with no way to destress or outlet is going to cause alot of other issues.

But the spread of the virus is seen as the biggest risk right now.

Be intresting to see the bigger picture when its all over and we look back.


 
Posted : 26/03/2020 10:02 pm
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A quick check on trailforks ridelogs for popular trails round here (BKB @ Surrey Hills, Bedgebury) shows they're still getting used.


 
Posted : 26/03/2020 10:05 pm
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Here, I’m seeing people travel to the honey pots for walks or rides they probably wouldn’t usually take. I’m seeing local mountain bikers meeting up in groups.

Ok but those things are explicitly banned. General riding is not.

I went for a 2hr ride today, I was about 15 miles from my house at one point. Saw lots of roadies and general cyclists, all solo; saw loads of pedestrians also following the rules re family groups by the look of it. No cops. I certainly didn't spread any virus as I didn't touch anything or come within 2m of anyone. I take the point about it looking bad, however I think that the lockdown will get tightened up a la Francais purely based on the case stats, and they aren't going down yet. So it may happen, regardless of whether or not we cycle. Cos it's not just cyclsits.


 
Posted : 26/03/2020 10:36 pm
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Besides deliberating my health this past week, I've also thought about is it right for me to head out to the cat4 climbs around Warnford...

I decided to do it late this afternoon, which meant I only had time for one climb, if I wanted to be home before dark.

At the furthest point, I was ~12 miles away from home. I've had 3 punctures up there over the past three years of heading into the South Downs and no other mechanicals. I usually put my biggest efforts by far while climbing, I don't "banzai" down descents, if fact I often make silly noises to alert nutty pheasants and alike I'm in the vacinity while descending! I noticeably de-stress up there, I get rather anxious about riding near home due to normal traffic levels around school run times and rush hours.

The balance of "risk" while having Live Tracking show family where I am in real-time makes me happy to justify heading out of suburbia.


 
Posted : 26/03/2020 10:57 pm
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bbc breakfast news have been showing the derbyshire drone footage with the commentary "there is still confusion as the whether it's against the rules" (or words to that effect).


 
Posted : 27/03/2020 9:04 am
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The rules are non-essential travel is forbidden. It's clear and simple.

But the sun is shining so out they go.

I go for a walk with the kids from my door. I will also ride my bike from my door for my one item of government mandated exercise. What is the difference.

And the assertion that you can 'drive a couple of miles to get away from people' is self justifying cobblers.


 
Posted : 27/03/2020 9:09 am
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I go for a walk with the kids from my door. Or I will also ride my bike from my door for my one item


 
Posted : 27/03/2020 9:14 am
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Derbyshire police can't know how far those people idendiied on the drone footage have travelled.

The dog walkers identified may live in the peak, near to Curbar, yet it was branded as 'non essential'. Other identified people, 'non essential - going to see the sunset in the peak'. Again, the identified people may live locally.

So can locals go for a walk in the peak. According to derbyshire police, no


 
Posted : 27/03/2020 9:16 am
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the anti-cyclist brigade are using my local facebook pages to rant about irresponsible cyclists holding up their essential journeys.

I'll be doing my hour from the door later. I can get to the top of dartmoor and back in that time. I might even wear lycra...


 
Posted : 27/03/2020 9:20 am
 rsl1
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If you ride please keep it away from working farms. There is a footpath through my dads farm which is far busier than normal despite being in the middle of nowhere. I imagine the walkers haven't considered they are leaving their germs on every gate they open thus exposing my dad when he would otherwise be well isolated. He's too old school to be washing his hands after every gate which is a worry for me.


 
Posted : 27/03/2020 9:28 am
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its ok . its pishing down today . thatll see the carparks empty again.


 
Posted : 27/03/2020 9:28 am
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its ok . its pishing down today . thatll see the carparks empty again.

I was thinking exactly that TR, a nice bit of dreich weather will keep folks inside anyway, and it looks like we're in for a bit of a cold spell too.


 
Posted : 27/03/2020 9:35 am
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not down south it's not, it's glorious if a little chilly.


 
Posted : 27/03/2020 9:40 am
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I'm hoping the fact that it's sunny but cold will mean a lot won't think of going for a stroll in the country and say inside...


 
Posted : 27/03/2020 9:46 am
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Derbyshire police can’t know how far those people idendiied on the drone footage have travelled.

So can locals go for a walk in the peak. According to derbyshire police, no

They're taking the fact that there are cars in the car park that is a decent distance away from any houses and that where these people are is a long way from a main road and other houses. In that situation it's safe to assume that the majority of the people out and filmed will have driven a non-essential journey to get to where they are. Exactly the same as the people who were spotted up Pen Y Fan yesterday: cars in the car park and people a mile or more from any road let alone houses = No, you shouldn't be out there. It's all academic really as the weather is still good leading into the weekend so we'll see pictures of crowds at beauty spots again. Maybe not to the same extent but even one or two instances could force a full lockdown.

I'm taking the advice of exercise from my front door to mean the area a square mile round me for walking and up to 5 for cycling. That's more than enough area to get a good hour of exercise in every day if needed.


 
Posted : 27/03/2020 9:58 am
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It's a glorious day here. I can see the parks being busy. Although I won't actually see them as I'll be in the house.


 
Posted : 27/03/2020 9:59 am
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I go for a walk with the kids from my door. Or I will also ride my bike from my door for my one item

Indeed. Somedays Wifey can take kids, so I can ride my bike.

Not both. Rulez, innit?


 
Posted : 27/03/2020 10:15 am
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