UKH

Everyone: The NHS is under huge pressure

Motorcylists: Let's all go and drive like tw*ts over the Snake breaking ever rule of the road. 

Three ambulances so far. Very strong case for a ban on motorcycles until coronavirus is done. 

In reply to MG:

The “it’s my only release, it’s for my mental health” card will get exploited and abused as “justification” for hooning around 

In reply to MG:

They are all out and about, kicking off in our local town now, bikers are all congregated outside their regular cafe, only one open in town and serving takeaways -except the bikers are all sat together eating them outside.

The locals are p****d off with the cafe for continuing to serve, plenty of abuse about bikers on the town FB page and rumour that police were called there to shift them on.

In our village not seen so much traffic and people about, locals are all getting more irate -and this is only the start!

In reply to Blue Straggler:

Would that be the same justification some people on here are using to continue climbing? Bikers don't go out with the intent to crash just like climbers don't intend to fall. Unfortunately whilst most people will do the right thing there are dick heads in all sections of society.

For the record my bike has not turned a wheel since the start of February. 

In reply to Dax H:

I guess there's biking and then there's biking. Just like there are safe routes well within your grade, and there are necky routes at your limit.  If someone feels the need to go out now, they could at least make sensible choices.

In reply to MG:

I live in Central Birmingham. All I could hear when I went to bed was what sounded like a formula one circuit. Seems the motorcyclists and jacked up car brigade are exploiting the empty ring road and are using it as a race track. Really sad.

In reply to Jamie Wakeham:

Which nobody has, they are *all* lunatics. 

I just looked up 'confirmation bias' in the dictionary, turns out it means exactly what I thought it meant.

In reply to deepsoup:

Ha ha, good joke.

In reply to MG:

Agreed. They've been hammering up and down the A82 between Callander and Crianlarich all day today. Motorcyclists seem to think that all the guidance on staying at home simply doesn't apply to them.

In reply to Dax H:

Most probably yes. I don't mean to tar all of any one group with the same brush, leading me to ...

> Bikers don't go out with the intent to crash just like climbers don't intend to fall.

Going out with the intent to push things to the limit because the weather is nice and there is less traffic, instead of just having a nice group pootle, could be compared to trying your onsight limit instead of having a more safe day with several grades in hand, though. 

I went out on a pushbike this afternoon but didn't try to go fast, and took everything very carefully. 

In reply to MG:

Hmmmm.  Interesting.  I went climbing at Moy yesterday.  Short drive, cruisy day on a well bolted crag, all quite low-risk, in my estimation.  As I was getting back into the car a biker absolutely screamed past, doing around 90, I'd guess, and overtaking a few cars on the way.

My first reaction was "what an idiot - hasn't he seem the news lately?"  Then I realised that maybe he was looking at me thinking "bloody rock climbers taking unnecessary risks at a time like this."

Didn't go climbing today.

In reply to MG:

"Everyone: The NHS is under huge pressure"

A few bikes on the snake compared to hundreds climbing and walking in the peak today.

Who's putting the emergency services under more pressure??

In reply to folky:

It was hundreds of bikes just on the Snake and as I  said least three ambulances.  So, motorcyclists.

That said, I think avoiding any risky activities currently, including climbing, is the respible thing to do. 

In reply to folky:

I think the sooner we stop pointing the finger at specific distinct  groups whether they be cyclists, climbers, Tesco shoppers, joggers, bikers, Chinese etc etc, and realise we are ALL in it together the better. 

In reply to AdrianC:

I'm making sensible decisions, based on a careful assessment of all the benefits and risks. It's all the other people out there who are idiots.

That's what everyone thinks. We're all guilty to a greater or lesser extent.

In reply to GerM:

Not really. If we do follow the scjentific/government advice we don't need to make uninformed "risk assessments". 

In reply to MG:

Dunno, you can't tar all motorcyclists that way but certainly there's a fair minority who deserve it.

Back in the pre helmet legislation days they were widely referred to in the NHS as "organ donors".

Now based on today's experience I think we can top this with "quadbike tw*ts in balaclavas".

In reply to MG:

They were all probably heading to Devil’s Bridge...

https://twitter.com/southlakespol/status/1241731036620427267?s=21

Utterly shameful. 

In reply to MG:

Snowdonia had its busiest 2 days on record. 

Lake District clogged.

Very strong case for banning all cars until coronavirus is done.

Mind you, its the next logical step as it seems that virtually every social / hobby group has completely ignored the stay at home unless absolutely necessary message. Its as if we are determined to beat Italy to the top of the virus death charts.

In reply to plyometrics:

Well, that's next level stupid. Maybe they don't believe they have 5 days (incubation period) to live anyway?

In reply to Ian W:

I am slightly less critical of people going for a walk - the risk is low and the government is encouraging exercise (although I suspect a walk round the block was whay was in their minds) 

In reply to plyometrics:

For a beautiful day like today at the start of "the biking season" those photos looked rather quiet for Devils Bridge. Still a bunch of pricks though. 

In reply to Ian W:

I'm guessing you don't live in a rural area? 10 miles from the nearest shop, 70 or 80 years old. What do they do? Walk?

In reply to MG:

And 3 more virus cases, caught while having broken legs fixed in the hospital.  Oh well, Darwin.

In reply to Le Sapeur:

If they are that old they should be self isolating not going to the shops. I think banning all travel is extreme but if we are going to try suppression may be needed. 

In reply to MG:

Self isolation for a fit and healthy 70 year old is all ok until they run out of food. In remote areas there can be miles between houses and very little contact. Let them starve for the good of the greater population? 

It's not the 99% of people travelling that's the problem. Dealing with the 1% of tw*ts would be better.

In reply to Ian W:

It's one of those things where life would work okay (or better) if everybody had some sense,  we're being told that exercise is helpful too, for the immune system, and I've been a bit post viral until today, had a sniffle and a cough which produced phlegm, and I went for a cycle and gave people their 2 metres of space, and came back feeling better for it and healthier, and haven't endangered anybody if it is covid19 I have potentially had, though an NHS person I know said she thought I had a cold. If people start being banned from going out for cycles because of the people not following the advice I'll be very cheesed off.

In reply to Le Sapeur:

One trip for all? A neighbour? If we going to do this, we need to do it properly. Visiting a supermarket is pretty likely to transfer things. 

In reply to Le Sapeur:

Deliveries?

I live in a semi rural area close to lots and lots of very rural.

The point is though, that it isnt down to one group. Its a general moronic attitude that can only be addressed by blanket bans.

In reply to Ian W:

I should have thought water cannon was the correct response to a lot of what we’re seeing.

jcm

In reply to johncoxmysteriously:

After Johnsons last attempt at owning some I doubt he will be trying again anytime soon.

In reply to Dax H:

As I recall, you were thinking about riding your bike to a trade show in Spain earlier this year to avoid public transport  

In reply to MG:

Working at small pumping station on the edge of an estate this morning, about 10 youths on motorbikes bombing it through the estate, down a narrow footpath between the houses and onto the fields for the day. Wearing helmets, first sunny day of the year, so I can see the appeal but probably risks not worth taking IMO. However, driving back through Rotherham that evening, 4 lads on bikes, no helmets, doing wheelies at 40mph swerving all over an A road. And later that night 3 lads all on one bike, balaclavas, no helmets bombing it 50+ on a 30mph residential road. Utterly depressing - Makes me think that hiding away for 12 weeks without seeing anyone would be a good thing.

In reply to mark20:

That is depressing indeed 

In reply to LastBoyScout:

I was, not a trade show though, factory training on how to maintain and commission a specific bit of equipment. I decided the travel risk wasn't worth it about 2 weeks before Spain went on lock down. 

In reply to JayK:

Same in South Manchester. Reduced traffic on residential streets round me and the boy racers are now out in force. 

In reply to MG:

Ffs, I'm out and about working today (on the water supply so quite essential) and I have just been passed by the third group of bikes today. Mostly cracking on with a decent bit of speed to. 

In reply to Dax H:

The boy racers were out in force yesterday on the A1(m) between Stevenage and Welwyn, doing crazy speeds, treating it as a race track. I did hear the police sirens going several times, though, so perhaps some of them got caught.

There were also cyclists tearing down footpaths where they are not permitted, whizzing past walkers. 

I am saddened by the state of Britain.

In reply to Dax H:

"Quite essential" is very modest of you.

Harking back to the "What's the worst job in the world" thread it made me think straight away of the countless times I've seen blokes waist deep in a trench mending a burst water main when there's snow and ice all around and it's still coming down. 

Your work is very much appreciated.

In reply to Tom Valentine:

Well said Tom 

In reply to Dax H:

I think as big an issue as the dangerous driving at the moment is motorcycles fondness of the cafe / pub stop, from the pictures I have seen of some of the local popular stops, even though the cafes and pubs are closed, bikers are still packing together in those places, with absolutely no social distancing, which is incredibly selfish and ignorant. Obviously, in the hotspot areas we see large numbers of bikers acting stupidly, the sensible bikers aren't out on their bikes or are only using it for essential travel.

I went for a walk this lunchtime, carefully socially distancing. Crossing the local golf course, I was surprised at how busy it was, how many people were golfing in groups with no social distancing and how many of them seemed over 70. I was also surprised when I checked that there was no advice on CV on the golf clubs website. It seems from my experience that golfers are ignorant, selfish arseholes as well.

I'm sure there are plenty other examples. What is clear, a lot of people are ignoring the Government advice.

In reply to mark20:

Unfortunately, I think those 3 groups would all be out and about no matter what. Covid 19 isnt going to encourage / discourage that type of mindless toerag any more than anything else will.

In reply to Tom Valentine:

Thanks for that, unfortunately the sentiment is not shared by the water authority, we have been advised this afternoon that all routine maintenance is canceled until further notice but we can still attend emergency breakdowns. 

What they seem to be missing is there is less chance of spreading infection during well planned and controlled maintenance tasks than there is during a breakdown when the entire site is shut down and your toeing to get things running again at 2am.

Ahh well looks like once I catch up on my admin there will be more xbox time for me. (that will last about 2 days before I get very board a d start looking for online course's) 

In reply to Dax H:

And without routine maintenance, you can expect more breakdown emergencies! Spectacularly ill thought out 

In reply to The New NickB:

Wasn't Pestilence one of the Four Bikers of the Apocalypse? 

In reply to Blue Straggler:

There will be a lot more breakdowns yes but it might not be too bad, well maintained equipment can typically run for x period of time before it breaks. Compressors and blowers range from 2000 to 4000 running hours between services, 8760 hours to a year and most of the critical equipment has a backup so even if it's running 24/7 on a duty / standby system each one will only do 4380 hours per year. Typically we see 3 months of quiet before things start breaking with style when the maintenance plan changes. 

What may mess things up is most compressors and blowers come out of Europe who are rapidly going in to lock down, from a PM point of view we can keep things running for a long time with minimal parts needed but in my game when things fail they tend to do it with style and need replacing but if we can't get replacements..... 

Interesting times ahead. 

In reply to MG:

Tesco Brooklands carpark last night:

https://twitter.com/bucktarbrush4/status/1241832434750181377

In reply to Dax H:

Thanks for the numbers. 

In reply to MG:

You really seem to have it in for the old. You'll be there, yourself, sooner than you think.

Societies used to respect their elders.

In reply to John Stainforth:

Hardly - it’s the virus that does. Look at the death rates by age. I was simply stating the government advice.

In reply to MG:

Motorcyclists overtake. It’s what they do. 

Screaming past, lunatics.... all that stuff, it’s just in the head of the four wheeled motorist. There are far more bad drivers on four wheels than there are on two.
 

In reply to birdie num num: 

Sure. Are multiple motorbike accidents each weekend on just one stretch of road in my head too?

In reply to John Stainforth:

People have been saying that since Socrates was a lad.

In reply to MG:

This is where we seem to be in the UK now. I merely said: respect your elders, and I get five dislikes and no likes.

All the elders (70+) I know are taking this lock-down very seriously.  This afternoon I went out for a walk in my neighborhood, and when a group of youngsters approached in the opposite direction, I crossed the street in order to create a "safe" distance. One of them put his hand up to his face, imitating a mask, and laughed his head off. I suppose I was the silly old geezer stupidly following the rules.

Shortly after this, I had to leap of the tarmac'ed pavement for a group of cyclists who were using the paved footpath as a cycle track (where the road actually has an adjacent "cycle track"), into the road where I was nearly swept off my feet by drivers doing 50+ mph through the 30 mph zone.

I am tired of these behaviours.

In reply to John Stainforth:

No you didn’t. With no basis whatever you accused me of “having it in the old.”

(Ironically you seem to have tarred all the young on the basis of the bad behaviour of a few. Respect has to go both ways)

In reply to John Stainforth:

The dislike is not aimed at you, it's aimed at the sorry state of some parts of society. 

In reply to MG:

You said: "If they are that old, they should be self-isolating", which they are already doing to an extraordinary extent.

In reply to John Stainforth:

And from that (Government advice almost verbatim) you conclude I have it in the old!? Bizarre.

In reply to MG: The advice to self isolate is if one is poorly, though, not 70 or older. 

In reply to Timmd:

No it isn't.  First bullet.    Why are people struggling so much with simple instructions!?

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-guidance-on-social-dist...

In reply to John Stainforth:

Respect is best earned rather than granted for an arbitary attribute.

Whereas when I was out yesterday the worse group were the elderly dog walkers.

In reply to MG:

It's my understanding that social distancing is different from self isolating, in that in self isolation, as described in a notice at a local shop as staying at home and needing food deliveries due to possibly having covid19, is different to only going out food shopping as little as possible (if one can't have deliveries), that there's 'social distancing', and 'self isolation', which both overlap but are slightly different.

Edit: The first part which has 'self isolate' mentioned is when covid19 is suspected. 

''What should you do if you develop symptoms of coronavirus (COVID-19)

The same guidance applies to the general population and those at increased risk of severe illness form coronavirus (COVID-19). If you develop symptoms of COVID-19 (high temperature and/or new and continuous cough), self-isolate at home for 7 days. You can find the full guidance at stay at home.''

All which is talked about before the possibility of having it is mentioned, is 'social distancing'. 

In reply to MG:

This is what happens when people make sweeping generalisations about specific groups.

Al

In reply to MG:

youtube.com/watch?v=AJRMEmvMB24&

A 21 year old healthy young woman has just died from covid19.

In reply to MG:

what do you suggest then?

In reply to krikoman:

I know what I'll do (again) when visiting the supermarket.

I'll go on my MOTORBIKE, wearing my helmet with nice protective visor, NOT remove my helmet or gloves, and effectively wear a "hazmat" suit whilst shopping for the basics. Pay by card, and shopping into my panniers for the journey home.

I can always wash the helmet etc. down afterwards with warm soapy water.

For info: As I live in a terraced street, if I went by car I'd never be able to get a parking space on my return anyway. The bike (350 Royal Enfield Bullet) however goes into the shed in the back yard.

In reply to fred99:

 

My mam always said, "make sure you clean your helmet", I didn't know she was talking about Covid-18

In reply to krikoman:

Covid-18? Holy shit, has a new strain developed already???

In reply to John Ww:

That's the strain of coronavirus the hipsters had, before it was cool.

In reply to MG:

I don’t have much sympathy for this manchild I must admit 

https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/news/bugzy-malone-cr...

In reply to MG:

Had my first cycle ride, up to the reservoir and back (10 miles), 3 bikers out, old boys in all their leathers parked up and chatting in the car park.

In reply to John Ww:

It's one less than the 19, so it's not as dangerous.

In reply to MG:

No, around us it’s the cyclists.  Bombing around the lanes still in groups, slightly smaller groups, but still groups of them.  Talk about accidents waiting to happen.