The police are stopping and charging joggers and cyclists. You are allowed out to walk dogs.
Seems a bit odd. Unless dog owners can transmit the virus.
I ride to work and back every day, I ride 3-4 times a week straight after work for an hour or so or before work when its a nice fresh morning. I dont go daft its normally a 10-14 mile spin canal local fire roads. Any why , simply my mental health, I have and always will be an outdoors person, if I have to stay inside for long periods of time I become depressed and very tetchy to say the least. And there is no way in hell im staying grounded,call me selfish or as one poster said "prick" but my mental health is also my concern and if thats me going out at 3am for an hour so be it.
The police are stopping and charging joggers and cyclists. You are allowed out to walk dogs.
Seems a bit odd. Unless dog owners can transmit the virus.
It does, doesn't it, particularly as I tend to have closer contact with a wider range of people when walking the dog than when out on a bike or running. Assuming you mean cannot.
Seems a bit odd. Unless dog owners can transmit the virus.
The World Health Organisation said it was fine. Apparently WHO let the dogs out. Is that my coat... I'll take the dog with me.
After what I saw at my local supermarket over the weekend do you really think Joe Public is going to give a flying F@~k about the welfare of anybody other than themselves. The local Scrotes are going to have a great time screaming round the empty streets on their scooters. I like to think most on here are reasonably well balanced responsible folks but we are in the minority.
Also in Spain / Madrid...
Seems a bit odd. Unless dog owners can transmit the virus.
The instructions are to maintain at least 2m distance from other dog walkers, and to limit the time of the walk. (i.e. don't take the piss / go for a run with a dog)
I did take the rubbish out this morning, but that's allowed and is just crossing the road.
The local Scrotes are going to have a great time screaming round the empty streets on their scooters.
Until they get pulled over by the police and hit with a great big fine. If there's noone else around it's pretty bloody obvious when they try to ignore the restrictions...
why not just wait until if/when it happens before speculating?
I don't believe we are heading to that level of restriction.
Grant Shapps when talking about the proposed over 70 "lock down" said that people would still be able to/ encouraged to walk the dog etc. The restrictions are about contact, not a blanket ban on leaving the house. So places like pubs, cafes, shops etc to be avoided, waking the dog etc fine
My plan is to keep contact with 70+ parents to the garden and one toilet by the back door, easy to disinfect on the way out. Stops them going stir crazy and not seeing the grandkids. Keeps the house as a safe zone.
This thread is unbelievable.
Selfish folk more worried about not being able to ride a bike for a month or so than trying to pull together and reduce the strain on our emergency services. We are facing the biggest crisis since the war and you selfish pricks are going to .........
A bit of hysteria always helps. 🙄
The guidance here in Italy is that individual sports outside are ok. The rules are to limit social mixing, and a solo bike ride would be ok. I went out on Saturday and saw three others, and a handful of walkers.
What happens in the UK is anyone's guess. It would be so much better if the UK had a plan and communicated it out so that everyone knew what to expect and could then properly prepare for it.
A bit of hysteria always helps.
That's not hysteria, that's reality. Do you watch the news? have you seen what's going on in other countries?
Name one other time in recent history when so many countries were closing borders, telling citizens to remain in their homes people queueing hours for food, make shift hospitals with patients on camp beds etc.
That’s not hysteria, that’s reality. Do you watch the news? have you seen what’s going on in other countries?
Name one other time in recent history when so many countries were closing borders, telling citizens to remain in their homes people queueing hours for food, make shift hospitals with patients on camp beds etc.
A lot of people are very worried, it's normal in extraordinary circumstances.
The UK government and the relevant agencies appear to be taking a pragmatic view and staging restrictions. Don't go on social media as there is a lot of rubbish coming from unqualified people and / or those who have no access to the data. In reality those in the loop are in the agencies making the decisions.
UK is doing things differently but it's not necessarily wrong or right, it's a strategy led by experts. The restrictions on the continent are based on the circumstances in each country, led by their experts who have access to their data.
Do I expect a national full stay in your house shut down? No.
Do I expect to be working out how to stop my parents from carrying on regardless. Yes
Am I worried. Yes, but I don't believe a world Wide shutdown is going to happen therefore it's about managing circumstances.
That’s not hysteria, that’s reality. Do you watch the news? have you seen what’s going on in other countries?
Name one other time in recent history when so many countries were closing borders, telling citizens to remain in their homes people queueing hours for food, make shift hospitals with patients on camp beds etc.
The above are consequences of the hysteria, not the virus.
Where does it end and do we accept that the consequences of such measures may outweigh any benefit they bring to the overall population?
The above are consequences of the hysteria, not the virus.
Where does it end and do we accept that the consequences of such measures may outweigh any benefit they bring to the overall population?
This.
The virus is a bad thing, a lot of people have and will have died from it. But for the rest of us, life goes on, and we can't simply hide away.
I'll probably try to take my rollers out of storage back home just in case there's a lockdown, and for some summer garden drinking fun with mates (hopefully, depending on the CV progress).
I'll do what I can to minimise my chance of passing the virus around. I won't avoid taking precautions just because of stubbornness or selfishness, or to make some sort of point. But I won't be panicking, stockpiling or over-reacting.
Pretty much stick to safe and known routes. Please.
BBC News - Scottish mountain rescue teams in coronavirus plea
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-51908466
The virus is a bad thing, a lot of people have and will have died from it. But for the rest of us, life goes on, and we can’t simply hide away.
Except that the load on the health service will be such that others - RTA and heart attack victims are obvious examples - will also die. The problem goes beyond just treating direct victims of the virus, the NHS is going to be massively stretched particularly when it comes to emergency treatment.
Hypothetically choosing to ride your bike doesn't though, as trailwagger so charmingly puts it, make you a 'prick'. It makes you someone who's asking questions about the viability of doing something that's important to you and, in many cases, important to mental health.
Discussions like this help people understand the bigger picture and maybe make decisions if and when a lockdown happens. Calling them 'pricks' just gets people's backs up and makes them less likely to think things through.
Don’t forget health is not just about the physical, we need to keep everyone mentally healthy too.
Oh god this constant talk of 'mental health' - not riding a bike for 2-4 weeks is not going to kill you. You might be grumpy but you aren't going to top yourself.
Whilst I would love to be off work and riding my bike, if we DO have to go into a lockdown which also includes riding/running, then so be it.
We are in extraordinary times, and we have a social duty to do as we are instructed to do for the greater good IMO, and out of respect for the doctors and nurses and other front line staff who will be working in awful conditions and putting their own health at risk, for the greater good.
I have done an amazon order for some cheap home gym equipment so I should be able to do some decent work outs at home. Thought about buying a turbo but didn't want to spend the cash on a smart one right now.
As always, nicer for the rich - families with nice big gardens will be in a better situation than 6 people crammed into a 2 bed 8th floor flat in London...
Amazon order ! Did you not think of the poor Amazon driver who is risking a trip to A&E trying to deliver your gym equipment 🙂
Expecting full lock down in France tonight.
I should get a pass to get to work. Looks like my new commute will include Enduro trails......
In intending to do my bit to support local companies and goto bike park wales next week unless the government imposes travel restrictions
After what I saw at my local supermarket over the weekend do you really think Joe Public is going to give a flying F@~k about the welfare of anybody other than themselves. The local Scrotes are going to have a great time screaming round the empty streets on their scooters. I like to think most on here are reasonably well balanced responsible folks but we are in the minority.
This massively; people are going bloody nuts. Stuff like pasta, baked beans, tinned tomatoes, passata, etc was none existent in my local Sainsbury’s.
I intend to be as sensible as possible but will ride as much as I can without getting in a shit load of trouble. I’ll take things a bit more easy. If that makes me a prick, then so be it. I do t think mincing about the woods on my own for a few hours is the worst thing I can be doing.
Carefull, you could get stuck there endlessly going round and round unable to come home. Who knows what you will pick up stuck in those sweaty uplift vans. But on the plus side, you will end up as a DH champ with two months of practice.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-51908466/a >
In a statement, Scottish Mountain Rescue said: "Being in the outdoors has many benefits and we are usually very happy to encourage individuals to get outdoors and enjoy the beauty of Scotland.
"However, during this ongoing situation we ask you not to take any unnecessary risk when enjoying the outdoors.
"Perhaps go on adventures you are familiar and safe with and while doing so, keep social distancing in mind."
^^^^ Entirely sensible.
If I go out on the bike it will be trail centre reds rather than trying to smash myself up on black grade off-piste stuff I found on Trailforks.
Getting outdoors is a good and healthy thing, so long as an actual lockdown isn't in place I'll be doing it, but keeping myself safe too.
Amazon order ! Did you not think of the poor Amazon driver who is risking a trip to A&E trying to deliver your gym equipment
We aren't in lock down yet, nor are we even being asked to undertake social distancing really.
@kittyr ... I'm going to call you out on this ..
Oh god this constant talk of ‘mental health’ – not riding a bike for 2-4 weeks is not going to kill you. You might be grumpy but you aren’t going to top yourself.
Unless you have experienced someone who struggles with mental health, or known someone closely who does, I'd suggest maybe toning down your disdain a little bit.
Ever heard of people taking their own lives? Do you think that's because they're a bit grumpy, or a bit down? Or might it actually be connected to a clinical condition in which the complex chemical and neurological functioning of the brain alters the way some people experience life and the challenges that they face?
For some, physical exercise is an absolute lifeline by which they manage those challenges.
It's tough enough living with a mental illness, without other people perpetuating ignorance, judgemental approaches and a "pull your socks up" kind of approach.
I'm sure plenty of people citing mental health on here will be little more than grouchy if they're off the bike, but you have to wonder at what point measures become so economically impactful that UK deaths from Covid-19 are outstripped by suicides directly related to job loss, bankruptcy and so on. I'm lucky enough to be an employee in a sector that won't be hard-hit and I'll be able to work from home, and a good number of people posting on here in the daytime are probably in a similar boat, but there are hard times just over the horizon for a lot of people.
Oh god this constant talk of ‘mental health’ – not riding a bike for 2-4 weeks is not going to kill you. You might be grumpy but you aren’t going to top yourself.
Big red flag here. Sadly it's not quite that straightforward, and in fact I'd already been thinking that lockdown conditions will be a hugely challenging time for people grappling with their metanl health. If you're talking about people whose lifeline is seeing others, catching up in the pub or chatting at work; or people who manage week to week by getting out for a really head-clearing bike ride or hike, these are going to be incredibly difficult times.
It's very tough to know where the line should be; and it's fair to say we should all be pulling in the same direction, but as noted above, there will be a few additional suicides this year as a direct result of social distancing and not being allowed out for their preferred sport
Do some folk here end up in A&E on most rides or something? Or spend their ride transmitting disease?
Laughable
Johnson specifically said it was ok to get out and exercise if you don't come into contact with others, suggested it was important in fact. I reckon solo biking comes under that category.
Does anyone know how I can change the time stamp on my Strava uploads so I can continue to work from home 🙂
Does anyone know how I can change the time stamp on my Strava uploads so I can continue to work from home
https://gotoes.org/strava/Add_Timestamps_To_GPX.php
Or
https://www.fitfiletools.com/#/top
"2-4 weeks"
I'd remove that hyphen for a more realistic timescale.
Just don’t fall off and need a hospital trip. I don’t think you would get much sympathy when explaining how you were trying a big jump and it all went wrong!
I've looked back at my Strava for the last couple of years where I've been in Spain about this time for a week of early season mileage, usually getting around 750 miles in.
Bloody glad I'm not out there now just lying on a balcony and being unable to go anywhere!
I was just about to pull the trigger on a new frame from a small company but am now wondering whether it's a good idea. Not sure I will be allowed to ride - I am in the pariah age group and may be seized by the geriatric squad. On the other hand building it up will give me something to do if I can't get out!
Can I ride in the countryside?
Just so long as you take a good supply of IPA and wipe down every gate latch you open, or stile that you cross. Would hate to think there may be a farmer out there unable to look after their stock because someone had brought in the virus with them from the towns and left it somewhere that the land user might inadvertently come into contact with it....
Not saying it will happen. Just that it might.
Anyway, I start lambing in 2 weeks time and that is effectively 6 weeks of forced self isolation
Thanks Welshfarmer, another point I hadn't considered. Thanks for all the views guys. Shit times and I hope I can continue getting out on the bike cos it makes me feel better. I have agreed with the governments advice so far and plan to continue following them. They have tried to take peoples state of mind into account in their planning and everyone knows getting out does you good so long may it continue.
I genuinely can't see how cycling solo or with those you already have contact, in the countryside/country roads will undermine any efforts to contain the virus. The same goes for walking and running.
Wear gloves, don't go near anyone else and don't stop at a cafe or pub (god I feel for those in the hospitality industry).
I see less people in 50 miles of offroad cycling than in 50 seconds in a shop and I'm further away by a some 10ft.
As for the land user - I'd suggest they are far more likely to catch the virus going to a petrol station than touching a style I may have crossed.
Just so long as you take a good supply of IPA and wipe down every gate latch you open, or stile that you cross.
I've got three cans of it left in the fridge but I'm not wasting it pouring it all over rural fencing, thank you very much 🙂
Why do the Spanish consider going for a run with your dog to be "taking the piss"?
My post was meant a little tongue in cheek...
But it is worth pointing out that there is almost always something we haven't thought of in the world of unintended consequences. All I can say is all anyone can say really, and that is to just be sensible, and try not to be too selfish.
Bloody glad I’m not out there now just lying on a balcony and being unable to go anywhere!
Advice if you're self-isolating on a balcony is to use a bucket. HTH
@ kittyr:
Oh god this constant talk of ‘mental health’ – not riding a bike for 2-4 weeks is not going to kill you. You might be grumpy but you aren’t going to top yourself.
You couldn't be more wrong if you tried. For some people not getting that vital bit of exercise and escapism from normal life can literally be the difference between living or 'topping' themselves. I'll give you one example: Me. If I don't get some sort of decent exercise every other day, whether that's bikes or a gym session, I get very anxious and the dark thoughts start to come to the forefront of my mind. If I don't get out in green spaces at least once every few days the same thing happens. Riding my mountain bikes ticks both boxes. It's also one of the reasons I cycle commute as much as I can. If I don't get out after a week I'm in a very bad place. There are lots and lots of other people in similar and worse situations than me, some of them are on here. The OP has posted a valid question and it should be discussed on here, a biking forum that has a wealth of knowledge from people in healthcare, farming, outdoor pursuits and other valuable sources. The key to more people coming out of this in one piece is finding ways we can all live as normally as is practicable whilst being safe for others and leisure activities are a big part of that. I will take precautions when I'm out on my bike, exactly the same as if I was going to the supermarket etc, by wearing gloves, using tissues and avoiding directly touching gates like welshfarmer suggests. I will choose my routes accordingly to reduce any risks of me crashing or being in crowds as much as I practically can but at the end of the day I need to keep my mental health in check.
I don't want to discuss this as it will derail the thread but may I suggest you really think next time before you post up about something that can be very important to some people.
