Could someone explain why getting fresh air and sunlight is worse for us than sitting inside out of the sunlight and recirculating the enclosed air through our lungs.

Could someone explain why getting fresh air and sunlight is worse for us than sitting inside out of the sunlight and recirculating the enclosed air through our lungs.

Er, cos you’re not spreading the disease to another 3-4 people and contributing to the burden on an over-stretched health service?

The problem with all the “I’m a responsible person, I’ll keep my distance” people out there is that lots of people aren’t, and giving them a loophole is blowing a huge hole in the chances of social distancing playing its part.

So perhaps it’s a moment to hold back on the individualism and remember you’re also part of society? That it’s not just obese smokers, there are chemo patients and diabetics and a whole host of other people who don’t particularly deserve to die?

there are chemo patients and diabetics and a whole host of other people who don’t particularly deserve to die?

Yep, who need to be isolated, and provided for, and supported by a functioning economy.

So perhaps it’s a moment to hold back on the individualism and remember you’re also part of society

So much this – I’ll ride till I’m told not to, for the greater good.

There is only one commandment that matters – Don’t be a Dick

…spreading the disease to another 3-4 people and contributing to the burden on an over-stretched health service?

How are you going to do that via solo exercise?

…giving them a loophole…

What’s the loophole, exactly?

So perhaps it’s a moment to hold back on the individualism and remember you’re also part of society?

There’s no individualism in this. Everyone should be doing a bit of safe, socially distanced exercise if their circumstances allow it, because it will benefit society as a whole by helping people put up with a long period of enforced isolation.

I’m not hearing any experts or authorities suggesting the UK population shouldn’t be going outside for a bit of responsible excercise. It just seems to be people on a cycling forum…

I’m not hearing any experts or authorities suggesting the UK population shouldn’t be going outside for a bit of responsible excercise. It just seems to be people on a cycling forum…

No, you aren’t hearing that. None of us are saying that.

The original question, and the point we keep trying to make, is that IF the experts impose a lockdown like in Spain and ban recreational cycling, do we obey it?

How are you going to do that via solo exercise?

You can guarantee who’ll you’ll meet if you stay indoors, how are you going to guarantee that you won’t bump into someone else while out?

Yep, who need to be isolated, and provided for, and supported by a functioning economy.

Bit of a strawman – even here in Spain people are still allowed to go to work, if WFH isn’t an option. But we’re not talking about that, we’re talking about heading out on your own for a bit of recreational cycling. Don’t get me wrong, I’d love to be able to get out for a run and a bit more fresh air, but I’m going to trust the experts working with the government, and if they think recreational sports heighten the risk and increase the burden on the health service I’ll take their word for it, much as I’d like to go for a quick spin.

As to whether you’ll obey it in the UK or not – who knows. Perhaps the experts Boris et al consult will say it’s not necessary, and perhaps they’ll be right. I can see people arguing over this for a very long time to come!

Went for a ride after work, while I still can. Left a comfort margin, small drop into a bowl I must have done a hundred times I gave a miss. Just didn’t feel right, I had a helicopter, doctor, 3 paramedics and a couple of others out there scraping me up a couple of years back after a jump went wrong.

I’m not sure stopping people getting a bit of outside exercise is a good thing overall but if the Government bring it in I’ll obey it, and I hate this Government.

Just looked on BPW website, they are still open, bit of spiel about how it’s important to have good times with mates in the middle of all the bad news. Minibus loads of riders breathing all over each other and strain on the NHS from the continual crashes seems pretty irresponsible IMO

how are you going to guarantee that you won’t bump into someone else while out?

So you’re not contacting anyone at all?

(You can just stay a good distance apart, that’s what people are doing)

This pandemic has really given STW members a chance to be self-righteous in a whole new way.

You could quite easily apply the logic on this thread to everyday life outside of the current situation, and never do anything vaguely dangerous, like riding a bike, or driving a car, because it might burden the NHS.

I really wish people would STFU. If you want to be sanctimonious and judgemental about what other people do, perhaps you should join one of the more puritanical religious groups.

That is all,

JP

So you’re not contacting anyone at all?

(You can just stay a good distance apart, that’s what people are doing)

I’m in Spain, that’s not what we’re doing. Ask me again in 15 days time and who knows, but for the moment I’m following orders and staying inside.

I really wish people would STFU. If you want to be sanctimonious and judgemental about what other people do, perhaps you should join one of the more puritanical religious groups.

I’m also against people smoking next to me, and drunk driving. Does that also piss you off?

You could but this isn’t the same as everyday life. Dunno if that was aimed at me but I’m still riding and will continue to do so until I’m told I can’t, some would say even that is irresponsible and they may have a point. It’s the entitled attitude of so many members of the great British public that gets on my tits. I know a number of frontline NHS staff (and a few in Germany) and they range from very worried to shitting themselves at what’s coming.

JP, shush yourself u silly sausage.

Another problem I see (might have already been mentioned), if these potential lockdowns end up dragging on a bit most people will start looking for excuses, so if you’re seen out and about, that person then mentions it to others which then helps validate them being out and about for their jollies.
Collective responsibility.

What’s clear is that different countries are on different parts of the pandemic curve and making decisions on that basis.

WHO woman on Newsnight just recognised that UK has had relatively few cases to date.

If you have symptoms or someone in your house has, stay at home. Follow the recommendation from the public health scientists

If you are fit and well, go for your ride or run outside, no snogging or fist bumping.

Finally, wash your hands properly

@davosaurusrex – they’re getting shot down on Facebook for it. Cwmdown have shut up shop for a few weeks as the owner, Darrell, is severely worried about him passing it on to his wife. He was extremely edgy when I was there on Sunday and rightly so. Pedalabikeaway are also only running the outdoor hut of their café with all the tables separated further than normal. Coed y Brenin is shut completely but the trails are open, possibly the bike shop. Everyone else is taking sensible precautions whereas BPW are just carrying on as normal but with a few hand sanitisers for show it seems. I’ll be avoiding the main centres anyway but to still pack strangers into sweaty buses is not sensible. They could at least restrict the numbers and halve the capacity of each bus so that everyone can sit separated, I’d expect that as a bare minimum. Add in that the place usually has a few big crashes needing ambulances every day and it really is seemingly putting profit before society.

I’m booked on at BPW in May but doubt it’ll happen TBH, same goes for PMBA at Gisburn and Boltby Bash. Until then I’ll still be riding, but taking it steadier and avoiding the sketchy shiz.

Some common sense guidance:

https://www.cyclinguk.org/article/coronavirus-qa-it-safe-cycle

As has been said previously on this thread, it’s not really about the possibility of passing on COVID19, it’s about the additional strain you may put on the health service if you crash.

In reality already daily risk should be reduced as all non essential travel should have already stopped. Going to ride at a trail centre is non essential.

I agree that exercise is good for health reasons, but I’d be riding from my door on quiet easy roads, not heading off to BPW.

The NGS is already feeling the pressure, don’t add to it

Take up running, you can do it from your door

it’s about the additional strain you may put on the health service if you crash.

this is utter nonsense given how safe cycling is and how much it improves health.

Are you suggesting no one should drive a car? Levels of risk are similar without cars having the health benefits

FunkDunc
Take up running, you can do it from your door

Amazingly you can do that with cycling too.

There are vast stretches of the country where you can go for a ride and never see another person.

Cycling isn’t just putting your bike in a car, going to a trail centres and doing risky stuff.

I guess depends on where you live too. How you Infil and exfil the trail. No stops etc. If you head straight to the trail (with ref for mtb use) I do not see an issue.

I have some DH trails outback, To get there I cross a back road that runs along the hill slope. Also leads to a nice long fitness loop that is 700M at the top. Basically a drove road. Just going to keep riding solo.

Take up running, you can do it from your door

Interesting, that, shedding light on attitudes to exercise and what cycling is perceived to be by many.

With online deliveries being disrupted, I need another way to get the weekly shop – so I’ve bought a set of panniers. The minimalist bikepacking brigade will throw up their hands in horror, but it’ll be a nice ride on a heavily laden bike for me until people get a grip.

Amazingly you can do that with cycling too

I was referring to comments above about going to trail centres. Yes of course ride from your door, just id prefer to run rather than ride an Enduro bike on the road (given not everyone has countryside on their doorstep)

As long as you practice proper risk management on your rides I dont see an issue, general the areas where you will interact with people is the start and end of the ride, just use caution.
I live in HK, one of the first places affected and the trail are mobbed with people, however when you get to an space where there is greater interaction people (hikers, rider etc) are all going out of our way to mask up and keep separated.
Been out for 30KM spin today, mask on leaving my apartment complex, mask off and ride, then the same on my return. Its actually not bad now as I can get a few post ride beers in an empty bar, wear my mask when ordering and off it goes when Im alone an supping ale. Staff are of course taking precautions on collecting the jars.
I suspect the economic affects of this panic are going to far outweigh the physical, people should just use their common sense on cleanliness/hygiene and and how they interact and it will be fine…oh.

I’d love to go for a ride, but playing safe on both “spreading” and “risk/impact” counts.

I see it as controlling one more variable among many others I can’t.

There’s plenty of MTB specific bodyweight/kettlebell/etc free resources online from the likes of Fit4 Racing, Strength Factory, Point1 Athletic that you can do in the garden, which is what I’ve been doing every morning before the wife and kids are up. Fresh air, relevant exercise. Job done.

I’ll share some links in a bit 👍

FunkyDunc
I was referring to comments above about going to trail centres.

Sorry, I should have worded my comment better – it looks like I was having a shot at you. Not intended.

big_n_daft – I completely agree with everything you’ve written.

There seems to be 2 types of disagreements going on here.
1) That we shouldn’t ride because were going to need hospital care if we crash.

2) Riding is spreading the CV.

Just ride sensibly. I am lucky enough to be in a semi rural location with varying degrees of trail types, from flat canal to the full gnarly ‘holding on by the seat of your handmade in Yorkshire pants’.
I’ve chosen to ride the canal type.

As for spreading CV, I’m more likely to catch/spread by going to the shops this afternoon.

For me personally the health benefits of solo cycling, in the deep dark countryside away from everyone is not selfish.

For me personally the health benefits of solo cycling, in the deep dark countryside away from everyone is not selfish

My hero

Are you suggesting no one should drive a car? Levels of risk are similar without cars having the health benefits

Far higher on the basis of my commute today. Quieter roads has lead to some frankly appalling driving, just cos there are fewer cars, doesn’t mean the speed limit or rules about diving across 3 lanes to make the exit no longer apply!

I’d like to see obese people, smokers, heavy drinkers and the unfit do something about the colossal and often avoidable load they place on the health service.

Way too many folk on here not grasping that people are posting from different parts of the world with different advice and restrictions in place, and/or not understanding the details of that advice.

I really wish people would STFU

🤔

I have been riding where I live for 20 years. In that time I have never got closer than 3 metres to anyone. Most times I don’t even see anyone other than people in cars.

First commute under the new regime today.

The cyclepath was still pretty busy, and two things occurred to me:

1) I never blow snot rockets if anyone is close behind, but now it feels like doing it all at is a bit of a dick move, not sure how long that potentially booby-trapped cloud of droplets might hang around!

2) Drafting seems a little silly, deliberately placing yourself in someone else’s slipstream is just asking to pick up an aspired droplet or two (briefly drafted an e-biker up a hill at a 2-3 metres distance).

Partly out of paranoia, and partly because I can, I might try a different route using a less busy cyclepath, especially while our work’s VPN struggles under the strain and working from home isn’t quite viable yet…

I’d like to see obese people, smokers, heavy drinkers and the unfit do something about the colossal and often avoidable load they place on the health service.

While I’m at it, I’d also like to see people being a bit kinder on here instead of jumping down each other’s throats, calling them ‘selfish pricks’ and taking black and white positions on something that, in the UK at least, is still a hypothetical situation.

How about, if you think someone’s missed a crucial point – eg: the possible increased load on the health service, you just explain it politely? The macro situation is that the load that corona virus imposed on the NHS is going to claim lots of victims who don’t have the virus by depleting health care resources.

Equally, the other side of crashing a bike, is that you really don’t want to end up in a hospital environment where there’s a much higher chance of being infected by the virus because that’s where the highest concentration of victims is going to be. That’s as much about your own personal well-being as it is about the greater good, but not sure it’s even been mentioned here yet.

Stuff like that is relevant and worth considering, but easily gets lost in the crossfire.

I’m going to go back to being grumpy and cantankerous mow.

I’d also like to see people being a bit kinder on here instead of jumping down each other’s throats, calling them ‘selfish pricks’ and taking black and white positions on something that, in the UK at least, is still a hypothetical situation.

Well said

Given that current NHS/Government policy is to not test the healthcare professionals at the frontline, maybe hospital isn’t the safest place to be, but out on the bike is.

Last week, a woman of 79 was admitted to his care for an elective, non-urgent procedure. She was then diagnosed with Covid-19, which, he says, “she almost certainly acquired on our wards”. She was put on a ventilator but died on Monday night.

“I’m sure she will go down as an elderly patient with underlying conditions, but she should have lived to 90,” he said. “Approximately 50 nurses dealt with her and many doctors. None has been tested. All are still at work.”

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/mar/17/there-is-a-policy-of-surrender-doctor-on-uks-covid-19-failures

While I’m at it, I’d also like to see people being a bit kinder on here instead of jumping down each other’s throats, calling them ‘selfish pricks’ and taking black and white positions on something that, in the UK at least, is still a hypothetical situation.

Well said BWD… this forum in particular of all the ones i visit is arguably the most nasty towards eachother.. Rude and impolite often…

I don’t get how people can’t comprehend it’s possible to disagree with someone without being downright rude to do so.

Amazingly you can do that with cycling too.

There are vast stretches of the country where you can go for a ride and never see another person

I went for a 20k ride around Rothiemurchus late afternoon yesterday and met only one other person, very very unusual. Granted the weather was a bit grim but even so I’d normally expect to meet at least half a dozen other folk out and about.

Here in Austria everything is on lockdown apart from essential supplies. Cycling and going for a walk in nature alone is allowed. I was out this morning on my bike.