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Forestry commission ranger shouted over to me today while I was riding in the woods that all forests are closed to mtbers and I could only ride on fire roads.
Just for clarity, this forest is 2 miles from my door and I’d ridden there.
I stopped and asked what they were doing
Amateur. Buy a walkie-talkie of your own and switch bands until you've found the one they're on, and then listen in.
Cycled through a village not too far from where I live, bit more touristy, and closet to the seaside.
Anyway, on the way into the village I spotted an old man with a walky-talky, then in the middle of the village another couple of older folk with a clipboard, and then on the way out of the village another bloke with a walky-talky.
Sounds like that documentary, Hot Fuzz. Was Timothy Dalton anywhere around?
Forestry commission ranger shouted over to me today while I was riding in the woods that all forests are closed to mtbers and I could only ride on fire roads.
Just for clarity, this forest is 2 miles from my door and I’d ridden there.
Forestry England? They have asked people to stay away. The ranger may know more about that, did you ask? Did you take on his advice to stick to fire roads? Did he say why?
Anyway, on the way into the village I spotted an old man with a walky-talky, then in the middle of the village another couple of older folk with a clipboard, and then on the way out of the village another bloke with a walky-talky.
I stopped and asked what they were doing, and was told ‘just keeping an eye on things’!
Silly sods should be inside. So it's ok for them to meet up and be 'Citizens On Patrol'? Do you think that they sourced their own walkie talkies in advance and dished them out before this started?
Of course they bloody didn't. A couple of days ago, long after the advice that the over 70s should self isolate for three months Bob popped round to Roy's and handed him the second walkie talkie. He then popped round to Sue and Barbara and handed them a clipboard each. None of them quarantined any of it because Bob is one of us, so couldn't possibly be carrying a dirty foreign disease.
I may have made some assumptions in that narrative, but I got carried away...😉
1.5 hours on the bike today. Covered 50k (slightly less than my standard Tuesday commute) and saw 1 runner, 3 cyclists and 9 cars. That included a spell on the A46 at 17:30. Almost deserted.
Forestry England? They have asked people to stay away. The ranger may know more about that, did you ask? Did you take on his advice to stick to fire roads? Did he say why?
they have also said if you can walk/bike into the forest that is ok.
Grizedale was very quite today, as it was 6 miles to get there i decided to leave the MTB at home so apart from a climb and couple of flat sections was on the fire roads, saw a couple walking dogs in grizedale and 4 cyclists on the roads on the way there/home.
In the FofD Forestry England are still working which is far more dangerous than my pootling around the woods. If a government agency isn’t telling its own workers to stop then they have little chance of persuading the public to limit risk to zero.
Local FE woods are officially closed but a fair few locals still wandering/trundling about (mostly observing distancing 'rules'). Asked the local FE office about locals using the sites and they said if you can access them without a car then carry on. Nothing about which paths/trails you can or can't use...
FofD Forestry England are still working
Sure they're not contractors?
Probably, but they’re still under the control of FE, and therefore the government.
Either way, I cannot think of a less essential job than forestry in this time of minimising risk.
I'm still at work. Also non-essential. There are bits of work that can't be done at home, and these are the bits that (should) lead to revenue, and therefore keeping the business going, not just for me, but for other colleagues too. Do I like it? No, not really, but assuming I survive, it'd be nice to have a job on the other side of this.
Unfortunately it's a trade off the whole country is having to make.
Forestry machinery costs a lot of money. It stands idle and it costs even more. If their working area is closed to the public and they can work at distance from each other, the theory goes that it's ok.
POLICE STATE...RESIST.
They've opened up the car park at Holyrood Park in Edinburgh and removed the charges - actively encouraging people to drive there to exercise!@!@!?!!!!!!!!!!
Police chiefs have told officers that people should not be punished for driving a reasonable distance to exercise, and that blanket checks were disproportionate, in a bid to quell a row about heavy-handed enforcement of the coronavirus lockdown.
It says officers can use the road traffic act to stop vehicles for any reason, and this could lead to offences under the coronavirus act being detected.
But then adds: “Use your judgment and common sense; for example, people will want to exercise locally and may need to travel to do so, we don’t want the public sanctioned for travelling a reasonable distance to exercise. Road checks on every vehicle is equally disproportionate.
“We should reserve enforcement only for individuals who have not responded to engage, explain, and encourage, where public health is at risk,”
Good to see a more considered and proportionate position by the chief plods.
Let’s hope that quickly makes its way to the front line.
Silly sods should be inside. So it’s ok for them to meet up and be ‘Citizens On Patrol’? Do you think that they sourced their own walkie talkies in advance and dished them out before this started?
We've definitely moved from Shaun of the Dead to Hot Fuzz.
I hope they are cleaning them properly after use.
Good to see a more considered and proportionate position by the chief plods.
Let’s hope that quickly makes its way to the front line.
cue pages of semantic argument about what constitutes a 'reasonable' distance.
Either way, I cannot think of a less essential job than forestry in this time of minimising risk.
The toilet paper isle at Tesco's begs to differ. I also like oxygen it's good stuff.
Forestry England are still working which is far more dangerous than my pootling around the woods.
I recall having a conversation with one of their rangers and he mentioned that some 60% of accidents on FC land are cycling related. So statistically...
sr0093193
I recall having a conversation with one of their rangers and he mentioned that some 60% of accidents on FC land are cycling related. So statistically…
Mountain bikers occasionally take a risk, trained forestry workers tend not to.
Good to see the Peak District National Park Authority emphasising that there is no justification for unauthorised closure of rights of way and that the tracks and paths in question should be available to local communities for exercise and commuting use.
Also, police forces have been issued with new guidelines on the enforcement of the lockdown, which clarify some of the stuff around driving to exercise and stopping of cars, road blocks etc:
How many of these one persons does it take before it gets to be too many?
I’d love to be told that driving even 15 miles to ride is OK, but I can’t see how it is. How can you expect to be the only person to do it?
As long as it is less than the amount of people they would see at the local park, or on local pavements, then there is surely a net benefit?
Solo activities are exactly in the spirit of the law. Driving on your own in a car anywhere, is still adhering to social distancing.
What is the argument to the contrary other than 'there might be other people around'? Which I can absolutely guarantee if I go for a walk locally.
I don't see the logic.
The updated guidance is interesting and good to see that we can travel a bit to get to spot to ride, however I'd worry that it'd lead to a repeat of the scenes we saw of overcrowded honeypots which could then lead to a tighter restriction on what we can do.
The updated guidance is interesting and good to see that we can travel a bit to get to spot to ride, however I’d worry that it’d lead to a repeat of the scenes we saw of overcrowded honeypots which could then lead to a tighter restriction on what we can do.
It's just become a no-win situation.
People are just going to be driving to wherever they like under the guise of exercise, parking all over the roads (because many places have closed car parks) and causing havoc.
Shame, I was enjoying the quieter roads on the bike.
People are just going to be driving to wherever they like under the guise of exercise, parking all over the roads (because many places have closed car parks) and causing havoc.
I doubt it. Derbyshire Police will be calling in drone strikes on anything moving into the Peak District National Park and using Stingers to discourage 'lycra-wearing leisure cyclists' like you 🙂
Having common-land and a few quiet roads on doorstep I thought could get out and walk the dog without bumping into folks. Same with cycling from the doorstep. So went out yesterday and it was like how I imagine Victorian-times to be in any small town. ie everyone and their dog were walking around. Have never seen it so busy at this time of year. I pretty much know at least by sight all of the people who walk here within a one mile radius (away from the town-centre) mostly on account of Brits generally drive everywhere, so walking is unusual and fellow-pedestrians few and far between. Not so now!
Went out for an hour, hardly any cars (one young buck in his hatchback doing 50 in our 30 road, plumes of black smoke from the exhaust as he revved past me) - but LOADS of newly-discovered walking humans, all looking a bit lost. Have never seen any of these faces before in 15 years!
I made about a dozen avoidant u-turns and wide-berths until got fed up and headed home, making sure to avoid alleyways. It was like dodging zombies. Quite a few of them wanted to stop and talk. Seems like one week of ‘lockdown’ is enough to convince some that they are latter-day Robinson Crusoes who have had no human contact for decades. So they shout across the 6 foot void. Shouting pleasantries. How to get away from the new roving nutters who have just discovered life away from their cars? I can stick to the turbo-trainer but my dog cannot. Have to resort to taking him for night-walks but he’s half-blind and doesn’t enjoy them so much often just refuses to budge. Gah. Nutters. Seems like banning ‘ unneccessary driving’ has made people Go weird and want to walk when they never did before the virus.
Normally I’d welcome that change in culture, but Mrs Rider (like many others) is at great risk in this. On the way back from the pet store to buy food we took the dog out (in the car) to a little country lane miles from anywhere. Parked near a lane we knew that has a no ‘motorised vehicles’ sign. It *was* a pristine little spot, untouched and no litter even. Have only ever seen badgers there. Now I find that there are other people walking there. Also new litter, including discarded tissues and surgical gloves ffs. Arghhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!! Can’t wait for the car-ban to be lifted and/or for this virus to **** off. Either would do right now as, there are too many people wandering around in proximity.
Shame, I was enjoying the quieter roads on the bike.
It's been glorious. So good that I'm not missing all the bone dry trails I'd usually have to drive to.
Thanks Jambo! Common sense prevails.
So they shout across the 6 foot void. Shouting pleasantries.
You're right though. My estate is full of shambling folk who would never have dreamed of leaving the house until someone told them they couldn't.
So now we are into a state where we are stopping the spread of the virus.... By not stopping the spread of the virus.
Good work all.
would never have dreamed of leaving the house until someone told them they couldn’t.
This is but one reason why humans are weird. Reverse-psychology. But if that’s why they are out of the house walking, then they were also told not make ‘unnecessary journeys’ in their cars, so then why aren’t they all out driving around the block like there is no tomorrow?
This is but one reason why humans are weird. Reverse-psychology. But if that’s why they are out of the house walking, then they were also told not make ‘unnecessary journeys’ in their cars, so then why aren’t they all out driving around the block like there is no tomorrow?
Confirmation bias?
Also everyone who previously went to the gym, sailing, climbing, yoga, bowling, the pub, shopping, pottery class, swinging, track days, or even just MTBing in their spare time has now been told they can only walk/run/cycle locally and not drive. They're just observing the rules.
The only car's I see out on rides are boy racers in hatchbacks and people in battered estate cars taking their dogs somewhere 'nice and quiet' to walk, judging by the clusters of cars around the same few gateways these 'nice and quiet' places are probably busier than the villages they left.
Yep. Riding locally on the trails is busier than ever. Normally, I can do a two hour ride barely encountering anyone, and these are semi-urban trails north of Leeds. Now, I'm forever slowing, stopping, stepping into th brambles to preserve social distancing.
Did a longer, gravel ride the other day. The road sections are wonderfully quiet. The more distant 'beauty spots', where the car parks have been closed, almost deserted. Bliss.
Can see all sides of this but just popping out to 'that quiet place' is either OK for everyone or OK for no one?!
Guess just because people don't normally go to these places doesn't mean they are not aware of them....
Interesting to see the government advice is still communicating the "once a day" and "not necessary to travel to exercise" lines.
I've been adjusting my normal 1-1.5hr routes to avoid canal and park paths. These are just way too busy to eb able to maintain 2m distancing. Even the path closest to my house at 8pm the other night had 4 people on it. One of whichw was walking at a fairly open bit, spotted me on the narrow bit of path and just carried on walking toward me. I ended up nearly in the hedge to give her enough room.
The roads and lanes however just has a few cyclists on them, or people walking.
The carpack at the canal near my house is full though.
:-/
Dicks will be dicks. The ones who can't figure this out for themselves are the same ones who aren't giving you any space in the supermarket. It's not very difficult. If there's a ton of cars at your chosen spot you just move on.
I just posted this up on Facebook to all my cycling mates and have shared elsewhere. I was very much in the camp of "well we're inside the rules, i need some fresh air, and we'll go steady and not do anything stupid":
Ok, so last Thursday night I went out with my two lads for a gentle bike ride in Delamere Forest. We're a family group, so within the social distancing rules at the time, and we said we'd take it very steady so as not to put ourselves at risk.
Down a path in the deepest forest, chatting as we went, I was flicked over the bars. Not a problem, would normally have laughed, dusted myself off and carried on. Not on Thursday i'm afraid.
I pitched sideways and fell into a ditch, headfirst, falling about 6 feet onto my head. The pain in my back was unbelievable - so much so I can't really describe it.
It took 2.5 hours for the emergency services to reach me - and required three ambulances including the local HART (Hazardous Area Response Team) team to get me out.
X rays, CT scans and MRI revealed 4 broken vertebrae. I am very very lucky to have full movement of my arms and legs - clearly my back is in a bad way so mobility will be a problem for a while....but I will get there.
I was in the Countess of Chester for 5 days - the staff and support was absolutely unbelievable - I cannot thank all of them enough for what they have done for me. I'm back home now, in serious pain, but thankful to be here and in one piece.
But if there's a lesson in this for everyone, it's that you must follow the advice - please don't take the guidance lightly - I managed to place a huge, and totally un-necessary load on the NHS at the worst possible time - we can all go and enjoy ourselves later when this is all over but for now, please stay indoors as much as you can, and keep your exercise to things that are unlikely to lead you to A&E or worse......I was purposefully being careful, but look at what happened to me
The photo was taken by one of the wonderful physios just a few moments after I stood up for the first time on Sunday afternoon, that's why I'm smiling......
....I am definitely NOT smiling because I am enjoying myself
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Well, I fell off myself last night on the TPT. Slow speed around some freshly laid gravel laid to bypass a swampy bit. Dark but had lights. However, it appears there was a kind of groove or lip in the gravel and when I turned my wheel a little right for balance purposes, the wheel was caught and didn't turn. Cue me falling on my side into a load of mud. Thing is now my rotator cuff is aching on the shoulder where I had surgery years ago. It's very hard not to instinctively put your arm out as you fall over. Having had a lot of problems there I could easily have blown it out. Thankfully it appears a fairly minor strain this time.
I recall having a conversation with one of their rangers and he mentioned that some 60% of accidents on FC land are cycling related. So statistically…
Statistically, most accidents occur in the home.
Good to finally hear some sense from police chiefs, hopefully this will shut the bootlickers up for the time being.
Lovely ride out today, short and sweet, the people I encountered were all polite and distances maintained as best as possible (sometimes difficult on a v shaped bridleway). Only one old boy in the high risk group took umbrage about me riding across the field, I was about 5 metres from him giving him a wide berth and he waved his stick at me for some reason so I smiled at him which only seemed to wind him up even more.
But if there’s a lesson in this for everyone, it’s that you must follow the advice – please don’t take the guidance lightly – I managed to place a huge, and totally un-necessary load on the NHS at the worst possible time – we can all go and enjoy ourselves later when this is all over but for now, please stay indoors as much as you can, and keep your exercise to things that are unlikely to lead you to A&E or worse……I was purposefully being careful, but look at what happened to me
Glad to hear you're OK, heal up quickly.
One thing I'd say though is that accidents like that quite routinely happen when you're " being careful". You don't have the usual speed to balance and carry you through stuff, you're not 100% committing to a move, you're not used to doing it that slowly etc etc.
Anyway, I'd guess that admissions to A&E are well down at the moment. No sport - so none of the usual school sports day or pub 5-a-side injuries. Vastly reduced driving so fewer crashes, pedestrian injuries etc. No nights out, clubbing, drinking so none of the usual alcohol related fights and drunken falls. And far less general outdoors activity. Mountain Rescue, across the UK, had 4 callouts last weekend, they'd normally be up in double figures.
This threads ripe for a feature in the mag by @stwhannah now we have our first injury and waste of the NHS's time (glad to see your ok @velocipede).
Hope this comes across as well intended and not grumpy.
Current guidance for treatment of injuries if they are NOT life threatening is no surgical treatment even if non surgical treatment is likely to lead to a worse outcome.
So if you do fall off the NHS is likely to say here's a plaster let's hope for the best, and if the result isn't great it will have to do.
I work for the NHS, I am doing nothing but very, very easy rides as if I go in injured I will be told tough luck unless I need life or limb saving surgery. It really isn't worth it.
And Velocipede glad you're OK and keep dishing out the (very sensible!) advice...