Thoughtless cyclists

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 Guy Hurst 27 Mar 2020

I enjoy road cycling myself and often go for a ride along the quiet lanes around the village where I live. In fact, I've been out locally more than usual on my bike in the last couple of weeks, with more distant walking and road/mtb objectives off limits. I had thought this sort of recreation was fairly unlikely to join the list of "banned" activities, but the scenes outside the village shop on a couple of occasions have made me less optimistic.

It's not that i object to other cyclists passing through the village, but why do some of them think it's a good idea to nip into the shop, which is pretty busy these days, just to pick up some drinks and snacks? I know some cyclists don't like to be seen with pannier racks on their machines, or wearing backpacks, but surely this is the time to change the habits of a lifetime and actually carry enough food and drink to last the whole ride?

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 kevin stephens 27 Mar 2020
In reply to Guy Hurst:

Unfortunately there's still a lot of this about.  The woman who runs the garage/shop next to Outside in Hathersage was on R4 today, still lots of cyclists riding in groups and going into the shop in groups.

However there are a lot of us cycling alone and enjoying the freedom we are allowed.  Shorter rides but riding harder.  I'll stock up on energy bars next time I go shopping for longer rides

 wilkie14c 27 Mar 2020
In reply to Guy Hurst:

I feel this is taking the piss. As a roadie myself, i can take enough food and drink for 70 hilly miles or 100 flat with 2  x 1.5L bottles and pockets. Perhaps a small top tube bag for extras. No excuse for this, what if they are carrying and give it to the shop owner leaving the small vital supply line closed, what if the shop owner is carrying and gives it to one of these cyclists and the spread continues?

I get it that cyclists want to push these restrictions as 30 mins is just getting warmed up but seriously, having to stop for supplies? 

We are heading for total lockdown because we can’t be trusted to follow the rules. 

Post edited at 17:06
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 Bacon Butty 27 Mar 2020
In reply to Guy Hurst:

F*ck 'em!

Get the shop owners to put signs up 'Locals First', only x people allowed in at once, keep 2m distance etc. etc. You get the idea.  Where I live, everyone is playing the game.

If people want to behave like knobs, treat them as knobs.

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 Mr Moac 27 Mar 2020
In reply to Guy Hurst:

That's just typical arrogant elitist club riders. I carry enough food and drink for my ride. At this time I don't go far from home. I just lap a 20 mile loop, a bit repetitive but gets the mileage in without risking myself or others. Some people are so short sighted and selfish. 

As for the shop Bann them the cyclists, locals only.

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 Prof. Outdoors 27 Mar 2020
In reply to Guy Hurst:

Keen cyclist here.

Due to femoral nerve damage two years ago I haven't been able to walk up mountains at the moment. Also restricted the crags I can access.

No I am not going to defend that kind of behaviour from those cylists. Totally unacceptable. If I get my exercise on a bike I go alone, stick to old tracks, lanes, old paths and rarely meet anyone.

Sadly, that kind of selfishness will move us further towards total lockdown. I have already bought a turbo trainer for what may come.

Exercise yes, but don't be an idiot.

Post edited at 17:34
 thepodge 27 Mar 2020
In reply to Guy Hurst:

It's not a thoughtless cyclists, it's a thoughtless person. Their mode of transport makes no difference. 

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 Fruit 27 Mar 2020
In reply to thepodge:

Very true

 wintertree 27 Mar 2020
In reply to thepodge:

> It's not a thoughtless cyclists, it's a thoughtless person. Their mode of transport makes no difference. 

It lets them take their potentially contagion spreading behaviour to many more places than a walker.  So it’s behaviour that will drive more tight geographical restrictions... 

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In reply to Mr Moac:

> That's just typical arrogant elitist club riders.

Not typical at all. Every club I know has suspended all club activities and all club runs. Don't post rubbish.

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 climberchristy 27 Mar 2020
In reply to thepodge:

I agree they are indeed thoughtless people but they are also cyclists and nothing wrong with saying that. We define people by their sport or activity quite naturally. E.g if you saw a bunch of people climbing rocks together at the moment you would call them 'selfish climbers' wouldn't you? Or a bunch of people out walking along the top of Stanage would be 'selfish walkers'? 

 ianstevens 27 Mar 2020
In reply to wilkie14c:

> I get it that cyclists want to push these restrictions as 30 mins is just getting warmed up but seriously, having to stop for supplies? 

There is no mention of a 30 min limit anywhere. It’s not been announced in any official guidance, nor in the law. That said, I agree entirely it’s easy to carry food and drink for a 4-5 hour ride no problem.

 kevin stephens 27 Mar 2020
In reply to yesbutnobutyesbut:

> Not typical at all. Every club I know has suspended all club activities and all club runs. Don't post rubbish.

Clearly the clubs you don’t know are doing club runs even if unofficial, as witnessed by the Hathersage convenience shop and Derbyshire police. This is just symptomatic of the activity of a minority of climbers a few days ago

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In reply to kevin stephens:

Rubbish. It may be groups but it won't be clubs and won't be organised in any way by clubs.

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 toad 27 Mar 2020
In reply to Guy Hurst:

I ride a crappy old mountain bike, so I don’t particularly care about road bikes per se, but there was a Derbyshire police pr feed cropped up in my fb stuff that went on about  “ Lycra clad” cyclists. 

What they are wearing is neither arse nor breakfast time, but I did think it was an unfortunate institutional message. Maybe once this is over, we can revisit the plod’s attitude to cycling because it seemed a bit of a bum note

 Yanis Nayu 27 Mar 2020
In reply to Guy Hurst:

There’s loads of people out cycling who don’t normally cycle. They probably aren’t used to it, what to take with them etc and may well have bonked. 

 Yanis Nayu 27 Mar 2020
In reply to Mr Moac:

> That's just typical arrogant elitist club riders. I carry enough food and drink for my ride. At this time I don't go far from home. I just lap a 20 mile loop, a bit repetitive but gets the mileage in without risking myself or others. Some people are so short sighted and selfish. 

> As for the shop Bann them the cyclists, locals only.

That’s just nonsense. 

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 thepodge 27 Mar 2020
In reply to climberchristy:

No I'd still call them idiots, I don't like the sub categorisation of people based on a small slice of their time especially when giving them negative coverage. They are probably selfish in many situations. 

 MG 27 Mar 2020
In reply to thepodge:

BBC

"Cyclists in the UK have been warned not to continue riding in groups this weekend - or face having the right to get on their bikes taken away from them.

Pictures showed people across parts of the UK, including many cyclists, visiting parks and open spaces in large numbers last weekend.

"People on bikes were not the only culprits in last weekend's mass dash to the outdoors but, despite strong guidance from ourselves and others, too many chose to ignore the prime minister's instructions on social distancing, continuing to ride in groups and meet in cafes for a mid-ride chat," says British Cycling chief executive Julie Harrington.

"This isn't just irresponsible, it is putting people's lives at risk.

"A repeat of that this weekend risks further Government measures to take away the privilege of riding a bike for all of us and now more than ever, it is not one we can afford to lose.""

 Dark-Cloud 27 Mar 2020
In reply to wilkie14c:

I went out last night for a 40 minute ride, only time I had been out all day but I saw a group of about 8 kids on bikes, 2 pairs (both blokes) then another group of 5 on road bikes, I may have muttered something unsavoury under my breath and out loud once, I just don’t understand people’s  attitude, it’s beyond my comprehension what people are thinking. They are just going to end up taking us further down the lockdown route.

 GrahamD 27 Mar 2020
In reply to Dark-Cloud:

I am going to be seriously pissed off when a bunch of selfish wankers stop me getting out on my bike.

 Dark-Cloud 27 Mar 2020
In reply to GrahamD:

Me too but I think it’s coming, it’s obvious people are just not getting it, or they are but they just don’t give a crap.

 Run_Ross_Run 27 Mar 2020
In reply to Guy Hurst:

Yep, totally agree. I'm an avid cyclist and will be getting my fix (thanks Boris) tomorrow but have made a conscious decision to take enough supplies to not have to stop at all. So will take bigger water bottles and stuff a few more energy bars in the pockets (may even tape a few to the cross bar. 

 Run_Ross_Run 27 Mar 2020
In reply to Dark-Cloud:

Were the non family riders social distancing? 

 JimR 27 Mar 2020
In reply to Run_Ross_Run:

I ride most of the time solo, I can do 100 miles without stopping (except for a pee) with two bottles , a banana, bars and gels. The selfish morons group or pair riding will spoil it for us all. I’ve actually bought a turbo in anticipation 

 GrahamD 28 Mar 2020
In reply to JimR:

Us and the young families I'm seeing out. Great to see the small people peddling away

 Pinch'a'salt 28 Mar 2020
In reply to GrahamD:

That's exactly what happened here in France (not just thanks to cyclists but ski tourers, climbers, people playing football etc) - too many people taking the p!ss so we are all now restricted to a <1km radius from home for < 1 hour once a day - the Haute Savoie have also put in place a limit of not more than 100m vertical above the place of residence...

Post edited at 07:44
 ClimberEd 28 Mar 2020
In reply to Guy Hurst:

Time to apply the 'fair and reasonable' legal test. 

Could you stand up in court and say with a straight face that a four hour bike ride at this time is fair and reasonable 

No.

Could you stand up in court and say with a straight face that riding for an hour with your mates (even spaced apart) was fair and reasonable.

No

Could you stand up in court and say with a straight face that riding on your own for under an hour near your house was fair and reasonable.

Yes.

Time to be fair and reasonable, not 'they haven't explicitly said I can't do that so I will' - otherwise we will have very precise draconian lock down measures very soon.

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 Doug 28 Mar 2020
In reply to Pinch'a'salt:

Do you have a link for that 100 m vertical? Not heard of any thing similar here in the Hautes-Alpes & my usual walk has something like a 200m climb (while being under an hour & never more than a km from home)

Maybe it didn't make the UK news but there was a family 'caught' skiing at Les Saisies by a PGHM helicopter ? claimed they hadn't heard the news recently https://www.ledauphine.com/sante/2020/03/26/les-saisies-en-savoie-en-plein-...

 tcashmore 28 Mar 2020
In reply to Run_Ross_Run:

> Yep, totally agree. I'm an avid cyclist and will be getting my fix (thanks Boris) tomorrow but have made a conscious decision to take enough supplies to not have to stop at all. So will take bigger water bottles and stuff a few more energy bars in the pockets (may even tape a few to the cross bar. 

 

sorry to say this, but with current situation any bike ride that is long enough to require food imo is the wrong thing to do. Everyone in the country needs to work together and minimise the chance of spreading the disease.  The longer you are out, the more chance there is including accident, interaction.  The other point being that if it is acceptable for one person more people will do it.  We need to sacrifice our personal needs. I won’t attempt to recommend how you can modify your exercise but I’m sure there are ways of shorter, intense more local  

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 Dark-Cloud 28 Mar 2020
In reply to Run_Ross_Run:

Nope, none of them were families

 JimR 28 Mar 2020
In reply to ClimberEd:

Actually my long rides on rural roads will produce less chance of interaction than buzzing around the town near my house. Like wise most cycling accidents happen on group rides,urban areas or near pubs.

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 kevin stephens 28 Mar 2020
In reply to ClimberEd: I agree. 2 hours seems a “fair and reasonable” upper limit for a bike ride. Those wishing to ride longer can change to more intense intervals over a shorter period. I’m enjoying my 1.5 hour hill sessions with the knowledge that they will help me on longer rides when restrictions are eventually lifted. 
It’s looking a bit less pleasant this weekend so I may revert to the turbo and Trainer Road. Maybe even the fingerboard too.

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 nufkin 28 Mar 2020
In reply to Guy Hurst:

Could be thoughtlessness, but maybe they're thinking 'I ought to try to support a small business in difficult times'? 

OP Guy Hurst 28 Mar 2020
In reply to nufkin:

The village shop is busier than it has been in the 25 or so years I've been living here. Even in normal times it does pretty well.

And, to answer an earlier question, I don't think they were occasional or novice cyclists who'd suddenly found themselves in urgent need of carbs. The bikes I saw were probably worth as much as many of the cars parked in the area, and their clothing was all serious roadie stuff — not the Decathlon/sale rail gear I wear.

Just to emphasise, it wasn't the fact they were in "my" village and probably well away from their own homes which caught my attention. It just seemed to me that what they were doing involved completely unnecessary contact with other people.

 ClimberEd 28 Mar 2020
In reply to JimR:

> Actually my long rides on rural roads will produce less chance of interaction than buzzing around the town near my house. Like wise most cycling accidents happen on group rides,urban areas or near pubs.

stop being a tw*t.

It isn't about chance of interaction, it's about pulling together as a society and doing your bit - which means taking a proportionate amount of exercise to everyone else.

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 summo 28 Mar 2020
In reply to nufkin:

> Could be thoughtlessness, but maybe they're thinking 'I ought to try to support a small business in difficult times'? 

Local business for local people. If everyone only shops in their nearest shop, the spread is contained. 

Ireland's new measures say you must be within 2km of home, which is good way of preventing everyone interpreting measures to suit their needs. 

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 nufkin 28 Mar 2020
In reply to Guy Hurst:

>  The village shop is busier than it has been in the 25 or so years I've been living here. Even in normal times it does pretty well.

Just so, as you said originally. But in an effort to be generous of spirit, instead of my normal readiness to assume everyone else is an arse, I could propose that they maybe didn't realise that and were trying to help.
Probably they were really just trying to carry on as normal, which is perfectly understandable, even if considered unwise.

>  It just seemed to me that what they were doing involved completely unnecessary contact with other people.

The balance of probability is that they'll be fine, and people in the shop will be fine. But as ClimberEd says, 'it's about pulling together as a society and doing your bit', even if it isn't always objectively 'correct'

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 kevin stephens 28 Mar 2020

I’m bemused by the dislikes on this and similar threads. Are they because posters are taking the piss with their exercise regime or advocating what they see as excessive restrictions?

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 thepodge 28 Mar 2020
In reply to Guy Hurst:

Is it perhaps because everyone everywhere seems to be starting a thread about how they are doing their bit and everyone else is a massive dick.

It's getting more tiresome than being stuck indoors. 

 Run_Ross_Run 28 Mar 2020
In reply to Dark-Cloud:

Were they social distancing though? 

 Run_Ross_Run 28 Mar 2020
In reply to tcashmore:

So is it better from a cv perspective for me to do 1 long ride only (say 70 km) over the weekend than ride on 2 successive days (say 35km each)? 

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 LJKing 28 Mar 2020
In reply to Run_Ross_Run:

Just for information. Not sure anyone has mentioned it already. Bad news if you live in London. Cycling has been banned in Richmond Park. The police woman my wife spoke to said it was because of large groups of cyclists not practising social distancing. She also said many were rude and abusive when asked to so. I am a keen cyclist who goes out by myself, with my son or one friend and we do big rides all over the place, including the Pyrenees etc, carrying all our food and water. What is the matter with people! 

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 Run_Ross_Run 28 Mar 2020
In reply to LJKing:

That's disgusting behaviour. It'll be the built up areas that spoil it for everyone else I fear. 

Everyone I saw out today were exercising social distancing. I made a conscious effort to raise a hand as I passed others but didn't want to speak. 

On a positive note tho, at least 3 police vans passed me during my ride and there was no issues at all, the police just drove past. I should have imagined that if there would have been 'groups' out then they would have said something. 

 DancingOnRock 28 Mar 2020
In reply to Run_Ross_Run:

The police are just showing presence. 
 

Once a few stories of fines get round people will realise they can get fined and realise there’s a likelihood due to the increased police presence. 
 

They don’t want to be talking to people and they don’t want to be fining people. They want to stay on the good side. 

 tcashmore 28 Mar 2020
In reply to Run_Ross_Run:

> So is it better from a cv perspective for me to do 1 long ride only (say 70 km) over the weekend than ride on 2 successive days (say 35km each)? 

you’ll do what ever you please I’m sure. I have no idea if whatever is better or not, as I said I can’t say to you. Perhaps you could get a cheap indoor trainer in the garden or the house to supplement? However,   On behalf of all the people at high risk, including front line nhs staff I implore you to think of the wider collective   If we all make a small change and limit our exposure outside, it collectively reduces the risk and slows the virus.  Everyone can say it’s not me, my extra 70k won’t hurt, my extra run, extra journey to the shops and so on.  I guess you need to really ask yourself I am doing my bit or am I just thinking about my own needs?

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 Ian W 28 Mar 2020
In reply to kevin stephens:

> I’m bemused by the dislikes on this and similar threads. Are they because posters are taking the piss with their exercise regime or advocating what they see as excessive restrictions?


Perhaps i can help a little.

I too am bemused by the dislikes on Climber Ed's "reasonableness" test post; however, given that you have so magnanimously cut down your periodic ride to 90 mins in the face of "stay at home / stay local" restrictions , but are happy to state that a little rain and wind will have you on the turbo trainer when you could have stayed indoors and used said trainer for the past fortnight, you can just imagine what my current opinion of you is given I will not be able to see my first grandchild except though a window for  couple of weeks because I'm following government advice and staying in unless absolutely necessary. And if its pissing me off, imagine what my wife thinks. and indeed my sons partner, who is being induced on tuesday, not through any medical need on her part, but because they want her in and out of hospital as quickly as possible to free up staff for the expected onslaught in early april.

Just think about someone other than yourself for slightly longer than a millisecond.

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 Ian W 28 Mar 2020
In reply to Run_Ross_Run:

> So is it better from a cv perspective for me to do 1 long ride only (say 70 km) over the weekend than ride on 2 successive days (say 35km each)? 


From a cv perspective, its better to do no rides of any km. But you knew that. See my response to kevin stephens for further detils.

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 Tobes 28 Mar 2020
In reply to Guy Hurst:

Would it not be easy to track down the groups/collective individuals through Strava? find the route, date and time and there you have it.

Or I guess you'd have to be connected to one of the riders/have ridden that route to access the data? i'm sure if it gets to police involvement that information would be provided by the site owners?

just a thought. 

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 Run_Ross_Run 28 Mar 2020
In reply to Ian W:

> From a cv perspective, its better to do no rides of any km.

So why haven't the gov said that yet then? 

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 girlymonkey 28 Mar 2020
In reply to Ian W:

> From a cv perspective, its better to do no rides of any km. But you knew that. See my response to kevin stephens for further detils.

Why would it be? If you can ride where you can always give space to pass safely (I have stopped using certain local cycle paths for this reason) then your cycling has no impact on the coronavirus outbreak. The impact it does have is that it improves your body's immune system, which has to help when there is a global pandemic going around. So I think we all need to be riding or running or something of that ilk if we are used to doing so, but doing so with sensible route selection and not going to shops in other small communities. Being stronger and fitter will improve our chances with this.

What we should be avoiding as much as humanly possible is shopping!! That has to be the biggest place this infection in spreading. Try to shop for as many days as you can in a visit and try to stick to that. This is a skill I am learning, I still don't really know what and how much of stuff we use in a week!

 Ian W 28 Mar 2020
In reply to Run_Ross_Run:

> So why haven't the gov said that yet then? 


They have; the best way to prevent / minimise the spread of cv is self isolate. The next best way is social distancing. They have also said that exercise is good, but keep it to  minimum, and close to home. Ive no idea whether 1 x 70 or 2 x 35 is better for either you or cv, but it should be pretty bloody obvious that purely from a cv point of view not leaving your house is best.

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 Ian W 28 Mar 2020
In reply to girlymonkey:

> What we should be avoiding as much as humanly possible is shopping!! That has to be the biggest place this infection in spreading. Try to shop for as many days as you can in a visit and try to stick to that. This is a skill I am learning, I still don't really know what and how much of stuff we use in a week!

I'm a bloke. I've been practicing avoiding shopping for years.....

Post edited at 16:30
 kevin stephens 28 Mar 2020
In reply to Ian W:

Thanks for replying Ian, and interesting to note your post is getting similar amounts of likes and dislikes.  Different people obviously have different views of what is excess and what is restraint, and I'm genuinely interested in the debate and indeed which of these categories my exercise falls in.  My 45 minutes there and 45 minutes back does seem to be restrained compared to other cyclists.  I appreciate I am very fortunate in my location that I can cycle on empty roads with very few houses from my house, I'm keeping well away from the more popular cycling lanes and roads in my area.  My daily exercise has alternated between this and my turn for the dog's daily walk, approx. 45 minutes in open and empty woodland next to my home.  I'm also fortunate in working from home being the norm.  We are both in our 60s have been in total isolation for 2 weeks, even getting niece and nephew to do our food shopping and drop off outside our door, and will continue in isolation for the foreseeable future.

I am also sad not to be able to see my son or grandchildren with family birthdays coming up soon

Post edited at 16:34
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 girlymonkey 28 Mar 2020
In reply to Ian W:

Well it's not my idea of fun, but I do like to eat! 

 Richard Horn 28 Mar 2020
In reply to girlymonkey:

Yes supermarkets, public transport, work places, construction sites - these are the "big ticket" items where the virus will be spreading. The level of transmission in outdoor pursuits will be lost in the noise it is so small, so it bemuses me why their is so much debate about it.

Unfortunately the place you are almost most certainly likely to catch CV is in a hospital (if you didnt already have it when you went in)...

 Lord_ash2000 28 Mar 2020
In reply to Mr Moac:

> I just lap a 20 mile loop, a bit repetitive but gets the mileage in without risking myself or others. 

Curious, why do you think lapping a 20 mile loop is any safer than just doing a 40,60,80 mile normal ride? When in motion on the bike you're at near zero risk of spreading or catching the virus so the only real risk is crashing and hurting yourself, thus putting burdens on the NHS, etc. Surly that's just a risk per mile issue rather than distance from your house isn't it? 

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 PaulW 28 Mar 2020
In reply to Guy Hurst:

Seems to me that "a reasonable amount of exercise" is about what the individual usually does.  Runners or dog walkers would look at the time a cyclist spends riding and think it excessive.

A less fit person will be unable to comprehend why anyone needs more than a 10 minute walk round the block.

Then everyone comes on a forum, and says that what they do is the right answer and everyone else is a selfish idiot.

The same argument is about if it is OK to drive to exercise. People who live in uncrowded areas say no. Others think it is fine to drive a short distance to be able to exercise with good social distancing.

The right answer is the Government guidelines. The explanations of these are gradually being clarified. Follow them.

 Ian W 28 Mar 2020
In reply to kevin stephens:

> Thanks for replying Ian, and interesting to note your post is getting similar amounts of likes and dislikes.  Different people obviously have different views of what is excess and what is restraint, and I'm genuinely interested in the debate and indeed which of these categories my exercise falls in.  My 45 minutes there and 45 minutes back does seem to be restrained compared to other cyclists.  I appreciate I am very fortunate in my location that I can cycle on empty roads with very few houses from my house, I'm keeping well away from the more popular cycling lanes and roads in my area.  My daily exercise has alternated between this and my turn for the dog's daily walk, approx. 45 minutes in open and empty woodland next to my home.  I'm also fortunate in working from home being the norm.  We are both in our 60s have been in total isolation for 2 weeks, even getting niece and nephew to do our food shopping and drop off outside our door, and will continue in isolation for the foreseeable future.

> I am also sad not to be able to see my son or grandchildren with family birthdays coming up soon


And you've got 1 each like / dislike for that one! It is a difficult topic.

Maybe i'm turning into grumpy old man as i'm working from home (and its effing stressful as my focus at the moment is keeping the business afloat). If i had a pushbike i'd go for a ride.......but maybe i should buy a turbo trainer instead. I'm just waiting for that bloody peloton advert to start up again......

 nufkin 28 Mar 2020
In reply to Ian W:

>  Maybe i'm turning into grumpy old man as i'm working from home (and its effing stressful as my focus at the moment is keeping the business afloat). If i had a pushbike i'd go for a ride

This is a point that is overlooked by the guidelines, or at least under-appreciated. Things never seem as bad when outside in the sun as they do when arguing with arsewits on the internet (and after a while it's hard not to view everyone else as an arsewit, even as one joins them). That seems a bit trivial and selfish when NHS workers are pleading with people to stay away from each other, and there isn't really a good argument against that, but it is also important to stay positive and upbeat, and there isn't much that maintains that better than being out on a joyous day

 kevin stephens 28 Mar 2020
In reply to Ian W:

I think you've hit a nail on the head there Ian.  There's an awful lot of stress out there at the moment and it's making itself felt across the range of social media, even with people I know well. I work for a small business and we are facing very challenging times ahead, with potentially much greater impact on the younger members of the team than on me personally.  I can hardly imagine the stress of those in a similar situation but with high fixed outgoings and stuck in urban apartment having to see the smug posts from those with access to the great outdoors, and apparently abusing it.

Having said that we all need to look after our physical and mental well being with the unfair distribution of resources and freedoms available to us which must be exercised with utmost responsibility, both in terms of preventing infection and not pissing off those with less freedom.

Turbo training is more mind numbing than finger boarding and hence not an ease to stress unless its to help achieve a post lock down goal such as cycling up Mount Ventoux or climbing 8a.

I hope you can make time to get out in social isolated fresh air, solitary cycling or walking for an hour, or maybe two

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-52076856?fbclid=IwAR04JSiTtFZ0Al31LHiZev1VUZL...

Post edited at 18:56
 Luke90 28 Mar 2020
In reply to Richard Horn:

> Yes supermarkets, public transport, work places, construction sites - these are the "big ticket" items where the virus will be spreading. The level of transmission in outdoor pursuits will be lost in the noise it is so small, so it bemuses me why their is so much debate about it.

This is UKC. A vague interest in outdoor pursuits is the closest thing to common ground we have. Or rather, finding new and innovative ways to disagree about outdoor pursuits is the common ground.

 Ian W 28 Mar 2020
In reply to kevin stephens:

Had a decent walk with the Mutt tonight, and unless its wet tomorrow i'm going into the office tomorrow a.m. to pick up some paperwork, probably via the middleton / langdon beck / st johns chapel route. Hauling the blackbird round the twisties should distract the mind, and at least give the shoulders and thighs a work out..........yes i'll be treble sure not to become a casualty via being too keen.....

And breathe............

 Pinch'a'salt 29 Mar 2020
In reply to Doug:

Communiqué de presse from the Hte Savoie Préfet here: https://twitter.com/Prefet74/status/1242876808032378880/photo/1

Post edited at 10:52
 AlanLittle 29 Mar 2020
In reply to girlymonkey:

> Try to shop for as many days as you can in a visit and try to stick to that. This is a skill I am learning, I still don't really know what and how much of stuff we use in a week!

My parents did a single big weekly shop. Consequently it's a skill I've always felt vaguely guilty about not having developed myself. 

 mattsccm 29 Mar 2020
In reply to AlanLittle:

Round here its the walkers who are pushing their luck. FC cars parks closed but the laybys are full. More so than usual. Selfish I think.

 girlymonkey 29 Mar 2020
In reply to AlanLittle:

It was never really a thing in our house at all. Definitely a more expensive way of doing it as you can't exploit the reduced sections.

Turns out, this week's shop had to be topped up a couple of times (we had friends who were good at helping us out like this.). Will see if we can do better next time!

 Mr Moac 29 Mar 2020
In reply to Lord_ash2000:

> Curious, why do you think lapping a 20 mile loop is any safer than just doing a 40,60,80 mile normal ride? When in motion on the bike you're at near zero risk of spreading or catching the virus so the only real risk is crashing and hurting yourself, thus putting burdens on the NHS, etc. Surly that's just a risk per mile issue rather than distance from your house isn't it? 

Yes your lordship you are correct. You could say it is a risk per mile issue.  In the 50+ years I've been cycling I have never had to go to A+ E. I've had close calls with motorists,  dogs, pedestrians,  vans, buses and many other obstacles.  What I find annoying is people driving to an area to get their cycling fix, not taking their own food and drink with them and crowding into small shops. I was cycling from my front door. My last ride was last Thursday lve put the bike away for now so I hopefuly wont be taking up a hospital bed in the near future. Keep safe keep your distance. 

 Dave Cundy 29 Mar 2020
In reply to kevin stephens:

Takes me back to October last year.  I cycled from Marseille to Sisteron (chez Andy D) via the Gorges de la Nesques and Mont Ventoux.  What a fantastic two days it was!  I was hoping to do something similar this summer but it'll have to wait.

The hardest part was the two hours after lunch on day two, having just done Ventoux and with another 50 miles to do.  The legs just weren't playing ball.

 Doug 29 Mar 2020
In reply to Pinch'a'salt:

thanks, although I wonder how we are supposed to know about such local rules - I look at  Le Monde & Le Dauphiné  websites most days & my wife listens to France Inter quite a lot & we had never heard of this, although its true that we live in another département.

But it seems that if we had the same restriction here, technically  I could start my daily walk by descending 200 m then climbing back up rather than, as today, climbing around 200m & then descending

 Lord_ash2000 29 Mar 2020
In reply to Mr Moac:

No issue with people cycling, I've been on several rides since lockdown.

I agree it would be best to plan to avoid the need for refuels and stops at shops etc. I think it's perfectly possible to go on a solo ride for a 100miles or so and take everything you need with you. I've done it before and could if I really wanted to now, but I'm not a super fit cyclist. For a keen rider who's used to knocking out centuries at a good pace, I see no reason they would need to stop, they can take a small top tube bag if needed.  

Things might change in a couple of months time though if the weather heats up and water starts to become an issue. I've certainly had to stop to refill water bottles before in warm weather while on rides way under 100 miles. 

2
 GrahamD 29 Mar 2020
In reply to Dave Cundy:

> Takes me back to October last year.  I cycled from Marseille to Sisteron (chez Andy D) via the Gorges de la Nesques and Mont Ventoux.  What a fantastic two days it was!  I was hoping to do something similar this summer but it'll have to wait.

I've just cancelled my 60th birthday indulgence of staying by the gorges de la mosque and aiming for Ventoux with some friends on birthday

 Yanis Nayu 29 Mar 2020
In reply to Lord_ash2000:

I do summer centuries with 2 x 800ml bidons on the bike and a 500ml normal bottle in a jersey pocket which I decant into a bidon. There’s no need to stop for food/drink if you’re reasonable fit and adapted to burning fat. 

4
 manumartin 29 Mar 2020
In reply to Pinch'a'salt:

I live in Haute Savoie, have to descend 350 mts and 6km to get to the nearest supermarket 2/3 times per week. I have a rack and panniers on my bike, I use for bikepacking etc,  carry a rucksack as well and have passed the police several times and been stopped once. I have not had any problems and when stopped I just explained where I was going, showed the form and my passport etc. I purposely do not not wear cycling kit of any kind.............

 Lord_ash2000 29 Mar 2020
In reply to Yanis Nayu:

> I do summer centuries with 2 x 800ml bidons on the bike and a 500ml normal bottle in a jersey pocket which I decant into a bidon. There’s no need to stop for food/drink if you’re reasonable fit and adapted to burning fat. 

Pretty impressive, but be careful not to risk dehydration if things turn out a little tougher/hotter than you planned for. Far better to accepted you misjudged and go to a shop then end up in a mess in the middle of nowhere and having to get help. 

 JimR 29 Mar 2020
In reply to Lord_ash2000:

I got called a tw*t for pointing out that accidents are more likely on group rides and in urban areas. I ride about 10000 miles a year mainly on quiet rural roads and can state confidently that the highest risk area is   The mile or so in town at start and end of ride. Riding solo I have absolutely no contact with others and always carry enough fuel and liquid and never stop. However if the tw*tcaller had read an earlier post he’d also have read I’d stated that I’d bought a turbo in case rules were tightened because of the selfish morons likely to spoil it for everyone by continuing to group ride or ride in congested areas 

 Yanis Nayu 29 Mar 2020
In reply to Lord_ash2000:

Yeah that’s fair enough - I won’t be doing any centuries while this is still going on though! 

 Pinch'a'salt 30 Mar 2020
In reply to Doug:

It looks like the Twitter or Facebook feeds for the prefet of each department seem to be the way to go - in Savoie we have had some extra enlightenment on cycling - but it all seems very piecemeal and constantly in a state of flux...

 Doug 30 Mar 2020
In reply to Pinch'a'salt:

Saw two gendarmes in our village on Saturday for the first time in many months, but they just drove slowly past the 4 or 5 people waiting for the shop (well spaced) without stopping. Walked/jogged for about an hour yesterday & only saw 4 people, and they were all 50m plus away from me. Never more than a km from home but possibly 200 m higher at one point but all on forest tracks & easy paths.

 Guy 30 Mar 2020
In reply to Doug:

Hadn't heard the news yet didn't want to approach the police in case they got contaminated.  If they hadn't heard the news how did they know they were at risk of being contaminated.  Lots of BS in their defence!


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