How far can I drive to pick up a bike?

[guitarpete247]

I'm looking for a bike for eldest granddaughter. She'll be 13 next month and has recently shown an interest by using her sisters bike. Looking on Fleebay (don't want to spend a fortune as this interest may wane when she gets back to school next week) most decent bikes are over an hour away.
My concern is should I be driving that far, just for a bike? What would Mr. Plod have to say? Or do I just wait till restrictions are lifted?

 

[Cycleops]

Look on Gumtree for local bikes.

 

[fossyant]

Restrictions are lifting on travel soon - I'd wait. Depends where you go. Read a family were in doo doo recently for driving just 22 miles to Talacre to have a walk on the beach !

 

[guitarpete247]

Look on Gumtree for local bikes.

Done that. Nothing worth having within 20 miles.

 

[matticus]

Restrictions are lifting on travel soon - I'd wait. Depends where you go. Read a family were in doo doo recently for driving just 22 miles to Talacre to have a walk on the beach !

This is all open to interpretation. If you live within 22 miles of Talacre, you definitely don't need to drive that far to go for a walk.
Buying bikes is also an allowed activity - and you can only collect a bike from where it actually is!

Do we know when travel restrictions are (provisionally) to be lifted?

Personally, I would take the risk even if I felt my case wasn't 100% watertight - the fines aren't that big for the first offence.

 

[fossyant]

29th March !

 

[biggs682]

Not that far if you ask me

 

[byegad]

29th March !

Possibly. Although I suspect all the projected dates up to June are now set in stone barring the NHS being totally overwhelmed.

 

[gunja99]

Dont think 29th March will allow travel for 20 miles to the beach still. Allows excercise with others, etc. Clarity and Leadership, unfortunately something we've not had durin this pandemic

 

[Teamfixed]

Personally, I think that if you properly socially distance yourselves, wear masks and sanitize before and after, I would consider it a lot safer than going to a supermarket where many people have no clue what 2 metres are.

 

[vickster]

I did a 60 or so mile round trip in Lockdown one to collect a bike. Quiet midweek evening, Went straight there, Covid safe pick up, straight home again. Don’t think it was quite an hour each way (mostly fast A / motorway).
I doubt Mr Plod will even notice a car driving from point A to point B abiding by the rules of the road. £200 fine if they do object but I‘d say little to no chance of that.

 

[Tripster]

I drove 80 mile the night my dad died, done the same trip a further 3 times to help my mum and will be taking her back home today after staying with us a week after funeral. I never get out of my car other than into her house. Never take anyone with me, never go in shops or supermarkets or stop for coffee. To me its safer and less risk than supermarket or promenade thats heaving with folk or skate park thats standing room only with car park full. Most have decided its ok to socialise and mix as normal in village. Collecting a bike is fine to me

 

[Electric_Andy]

The rules are you shouldn't leave your local area unless for work or emergencies. Anyone who wishes to break the rules may well be "safe" doing so in terms of C-19, but in the eyes of the law you would be eligible for a fine. Some on here have previously commented that they hope people who break the rules get fined. We can all bend the interpretations to suit our own needs but this is not a popular thing to discuss when many people are following the rules to the letter and getting pretty fed up with it

 

[Tripster]

The rules are you shouldn't leave your local area unless for work or emergencies. Anyone who wishes to break the rules may well be "safe" doing so in terms of C-19, but in the eyes of the law you would be eligible for a fine. Some on here have previously commented that they hope people who break the rules get fined. We can all bend the interpretations to suit our own needs but this is not a popular thing to discuss when many people are following the rules to the letter and getting pretty fed up with it

On my part I dont interpret the rules any way other than how they are. If I am stopped whilst caring for my 73 year old mother who lives alone with no family or friends then so be it. I will pay the fine without argument and sleep sound knowing she is ok

 

[vickster]

On my part I dont interpret the rules any way other than how they are. If I am stopped whilst caring for my 73 year old mother who lives alone with no family or friends then so be it. I will pay the fine without argument and sleep sound knowing she is ok

That’s not outwith the law however, providing care to the vulnerable (which includes everyone 70+) is permitted. Especially as presumably if she lives alone, she’ll be in a support bubble with you?