Don't ride in groups or we will be stopped cycling completely.

[matticus]

I do not think you are getting my point about cycle haters, not to worry I am sure others have.

Ah ok, that is a different problem: haters continuing to hate.
Just smile sweetly!

 

[SkipdiverJohn]

We are three weeks in to a much longer period of lockdown (my view is that it's a minimum six weeks more before there will be any relaxing at all). It relies on compliance and self policing to work. The nightmare scenario is that the levels of compliance start to reduce as time goes on. Every little example of non compliance like riding a long way or going for a blast on your motorbike makes that more likely

I'd give the government until the end of this month, before I reckon compliance will start to plummet. If Johnson turns around in the next week or so and says "right, on 30th April, it's over. Everything re-opens on 1st May, pubs open, business open, school open, football back on, go out and enjoy yourself, and thanks for what you're doing to help in the meantime" then he'll keep the vast majority on board in the meantime.
On the other hand, if they keep trying to extend this disruption because they're still getting a few thousand more cases a day and a few hundred more deaths a day, whilst more people lose their jobs and more business goes bust and it really starts to feck up the economy in a big way, people are going to start to think the collateral damage is worse than the virus itself. Plus, you are just not going to be able to keep 60 million people indoors once we really start to move into the summer season. What we're in at the moment is a honeymoon period during which the government are drawing on a reserve of public goodwill. It isn't going to last for month after month.
Trump in the USA understands this, even if his main consideration is getting re-elected. You can't impose this sort of regime on an open-ended basis in any democratic society. Even China wouldn't get away with it as it would eventually bankrupt them. There has to be a clearly defined end date and it can't be more than a few weeks or the lockdown will end itself anyway through mass non-compliance.

 

[DaveReading]

It's a bit of a giveaway if they see you setting off at 09:27 and don't see you return until 20:36!

Come to think of it, I have seen several of my neighbours leaning out their windows with stopwatches when I set out on a ride, and again when I return.

Or possibly calendars.

 

[matticus]

Come to think of it, I have seen several of my neighbours leaning out their windows with stopwatches when I set out on a ride, and again when I return.

Or possibly calendars.

This is why my rides are all under 2h
Or
Over 24.
Chances are they will have forgotten when I left,or doubt their own record-keeping.

 

[BoldonLad]

I don’t understand this Strava thing, I’m probably too old 😮

Are cyclists recording and sharing their performance data from every ride? Doesn’t sound very relaxing, just over competitive. I suppose that’s the world we now live in.

I don’t use Strava, but, I do use a similar App to record my cycling and walking activity. Don’t share it with anyone (except Mrs @BoldonLad). It not for competitive reasons, but, simply to give an indication of how much activity i do (or, perhaps, more relevant, don’t do).

 

[SkipdiverJohn]

Most of my neighbours aren't taking the social distancing advice very seriously at all. The Asians especially are still having all the usual groups of friends & family coming and going, and there have been groups of people sitting out in back gardens eating and drinking all over the Bank Holiday. No parties or music, it's fairly discreet, but it's pretty much business as usual for a lot of people already, and this is only three weeks from the start!

 

[BoldonLad]

Seems to me people are getting their knickers in a twist for no reason - the numbers of cyclists going out for 100-mile rides is an infinitesimal percentage of the population (hell, it's a tiny proportion of the cycling population!) and comparing a four hour solo ride on the lanes with someone having a BBQ and inviting friends around is just absurd. It's not even comparing apples and oranges, but more like comparing elephants and tweezers - there's no relationship at all.

Indeed. I shudder to think what life would be like in the U.K., if ever we had a Stasi, judging from this, and other threads.

 

[screenman]

The thing i

Indeed. I shudder to think what life would be like in the U.K., if ever we had a Stasi, judging from this, and other threads.

Out of interest did you read this week about the cyclist in Greetwell quarry?

 

[BoldonLad]

The thing i


Out of interest did you read this week about the cyclist in Greetwell quarry?

Not that I recall.

 

[screenman]

Not that I recall.

Took a helicopter, fire engine, ambulance and more to recover him, I think maybe they could have been doing better things with their time. It will be easy to find.

 

[Soltydog]

No but the guidance is to minimise time outside, so interpret that as you will

My interpretation is that once you have decided on your route, to minimise your time outside you must pedal as fast as you can

It's a bit of a giveaway if they see you setting off at 09:27 and don't see you return until 20:36!

Last week my neighbours could have seen me setting off on my bike at 11:30 & not return until 12 hours later, around 23:30 & I still only managed 32 miles in that time 🤔

 

[Ming the Merciless]

It's a bit of a giveaway if they see you setting off at 09:27 and don't see you return until 20:36!

Just means they missed your first return from shopping on your bike or that you were NHS volunteering or working a shift at work. It means nothing.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

 

[screenman]

My interpretation is that once you have decided on your route, to minimise your time outside you must pedal as fast as you can



Last week my neighbours could have seen me setting off on my bike at 11:30 & not return until 12 hours later, around 23:30 & I still only managed 32 miles in that time 🤔

Still at work then, well, wish I was.

 

[Soltydog]

Still at work then, well, wish I was.

Yes, I'm quite lucky. It allows me to get out & have a bit of normality 👍 Days off can drag a bit now though, I'm trying to restrict cycling outdoors to maximum 2 hours, even though living rural I hardly meet a soul whilst out sometimes. I'm spending more time than usual on zwift group rides, at least there's a bit of social interaction there