The roads are quieter, but the remaining traffic seems to be old people/dog walkers who don’t seems to be aware of what they’re doing/where they’re going. Teenage chavs who should be at home, but are racing around with their mates/girlfriends in the car and van drivers/builders. The latter two groups are definitely driving like there are no rules. I rode to work on Friday and the number of fast, close overtakes I got was disproportionate to the amount of traffic on the roads, especially given they could now easily move further out.
Also seen a fair bit of fly tipping, also in Newcastle. The spot just past the turn off to Blagdon Cheese Farm, and then later on the same road in the lay-by just before the bridge over the burn, there was a lot.
Just back from 20 miles or so up to Tranwell, so many cyclists - I preferred it when it was niche sport, but hey.
Four pairs riding two abreast, they could have just caught up I suppose, no way of knowing if they’d set off together. Interestingly, two of the two abreast stayed on my side of the road as I came towards them, keeping a distance from each other but not me (narrow country road, no markings).
Everyone was polite, but way too many cyclists on the roads for me to feel like I’m escaping... Meldrew, I know.
Another request for specific location so I can avoid it please OP. I've not been further than a few K from my house since lockdown, but in restricting myself to this, I'm coming close to far more people than if I just went out for a couple of hours on the road, which others seem to be doing.
Have just returned to work after 3weeks isolation & wfh.
Nice quiet 6.5mile bike commute - no close passes. Wish it was like this all the time.
Couldn't care less about how far solo roadies are spinning round the countryside on their jack jones.
The dogshit and fly tipping boils my piss.
Be interested in where specifically. Been riding out of Gosforth, north and west, Hexham, Stamfordham stuff). Not had any grief and everyone is being more polite.
Not great if roads are being sabotaged.
Jonba - Just going into Dinnington on the bend past the end of the runway is where they scattered the tacks.
Dog poo bag stringing across the track to send the message genius :oD
Was commenting to my missus on a walk today I think it was better in the days before turd bags when dog turd wasn't picked up at all.
I must be lucky where I am or maybe it's just the times that I'm riding. There were LOADS of cyclists out in the lanes around Tatton Park (the park itself is closed) but all lone riders, maybe one or two obvious couples.
But outside of the towns - Knutsford, Alderley Edge and Macclesfield - there was virtually nothing on the roads.
Saw a Cheshire Police car out and about, he didn't give any of the riders a second glance.
Much more visible police presence round here, I'm assuming some sort of regular sweep pattern, kind of like old fashioned neighbourhood patrolling.
But zero interest in all us solo cyclists, as we aren't doing anything wrong.
Definitely less traffic in and around towns. M1 was quiet when I rode over it, vast majority was HGVs
Dinnington, probably built up rage from buying a house near an airport, they probably complain about the noise of that. 2 weekends back I saw a few groups out but last weekend I went from Bedlington west for ~15 miles or so and only saw individual roadies and a higher percentage than normal said hello, this despite me riding an MTB on the road 🙂
Dog shit everywhere on paths though as mentioned. Did these poor dogs never get walked before all this or did they run around pub gardens where their owners spent all weekend and evenings?
I still have to go in to work. On the upside the commute is far better. Everyone is in so much less of a rush and seem to treat me like a human for a change. There's one exception, and I normally try to avoid stereotyping, but a strange trend has developed where 100% of my close passes since lockdown have been from nearly new BMWs taking issue at me moving out to keep distance from pedestrians!
Despite the roads definitely being quieter I've noticed a definite increase in asshattery from drivers.
All my local routes involve at least a short section of road and despite there being almost no traffic cars still manage to close pass me for no reason, or like the clown yesterday in an XC90 try to squeeze past me at a traffic island despite there being 400m of empty road on the other side of it.
The local curtain twitcher facebook page also had a post from a woman who had been verbally abused while waiting at the traffic lights on her bike. Some arsehole was screaming at her in the street that she shouldn't have been out.
So yeah, plenty of arseholes about.
Agree with crazy-legs, Alderley, Mottram, Poynton, etc. pretty quiet and nice riding. As we set out yesterday a police helicopter flew over making me wonder if a local curtain twitcher had grassed us up. But no, it didn't follow us all the way round.
Riding out of western fringes of Gateshead into the Hills around Kibblesworth, Beamish and towards Sunniside there is an increase in flytipping but more than anything else every hedge and verge seems to be covered in tins of Fosters cans for miles. Just depressing.
On the main roads round here speeding seems to be something that has increased, now the roads are empty it seems you can do what you like.
I do enjoy hitting the roads and not having to look over your shoulder every 30 seconds to find somebody sucking your wheel in a car but when they do pass it seems it must be at 70.
This fascinates me. Just who is drinking all the crap lager and throwing the cans on the verges? I see plenty of empty cans when out riding. I've never seen a person drinking though.
Based on that ^^, one thing I have noticed is how much cleaner the verges are. Most fast food places and coffee chains are now closed and there's far less driving in general and this has resulted in significantly less litter strewn around the verges.
Not seen any flytipping yet near me but I've seen pictures posted online from elsewhere. 😥
Pains me to say it but some parts of Gateshead are like land fill now.
What I couldnt understand with the fosters everywhere was they were almost metre markers on my ride, it was as if somebody had hundreds of empties and was chucking them out of a car window as they were driving along. You wouldnt head up these places for some anti social drinking on foot, its totally rural.
Thanks, there's some discussion going on the NDCA facebook page right now about Stamfordham and Matfen residents complaining.
Most of my rides go through Dinnington either out or back as there aren't many other roads. Will keep an eye out.
Poo bags everywhere round here
It's grim
When you mentioned Newcastle and a village, Dinnington was my first thought. Most of my road rides go through as well, and past the airport is the worst bit. 🙁
On the subject of interesting coronavirus related things on rides:
On a gravelly spin across Machen Mountain yesterday I saw a couple of police cars at first on the roads up there. Guessed they must be patrolling it as it's a semi popular spot. Then I saw they'd got the chopper out and were circling my rough location. Not overly worried at this point cos I'd seen a few other riders, maybe they are looking for MXers. Carried on for a bit and I saw a large motorhome and a car parked up in a bit of old workings, with people sat outsideclearly socialising. Then I met a cop Land Rover coming the other way towards the motorhome. He just gave me a wave but I think the motorhomers were gonna be in trouble.
Strange times when your barbecue get two cop cars, chopper and off road response! But good work from South Wales Police. I was wondering if I'd have my collar felt but no.
took the gravel bike out yesterday and noticed quite a lot of dirt bikes and quads out on the byways, most unlicensed. i think one of the quads broke down which left them completely stranded when the local police turned up in their 4x4. i think if i was a copper i would have an even more tainted view of humanity having to deal with these types of nobs every day.
Went out around Derwent Resevoir today and saw lots of police. All seemed cheerful enough. Probably enjoying the relatively easy job of cruising nice empty roads in the sunshine.
Out towards Brenkley/Seaton Burn my wife was taking the horse for a walk (vet's orders, he's injured). There's loads of fly tipping. Van pulled up in a lay by acting suspicious. Obviously waiting for her to leave. SO she took some photos and he got in a drove off. 101'd it.
The best thing about bags of dog eggs is that apparently, if you hang them off your rear windscreen wiper before you drive home, they magically vanish mid route and you don't have to put them in your own bin.
People astound me.
Litter building up badly at one of my local loop destinations, that'll be tomorrow's job. Filled my panniers at the shop on the way home, including a copy of the Times:
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While we're at it...
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