"Don't cycle through Pill without expecting raging locals": more reports of 'vigilantes' making up lockdown rules; Froome seeing "a lot of negativity" over TDF dates; Bianchi named official bike of Giro d'Italia; Rapha facemask + more on the live blog

Sigh. Imagine being that sad, cowardly, vindictive person.

True.  I think what was annoying me most about it was all the people saying "It's terrible!" and "It's making Pill out to be really unfriendly" and yet those were the same people who only a few weeks ago were ranting about how 'Evil Cyclists should be burnt at the stake' (that might be an exaggeration).

I think that all the lockdown vigilantism comes down to "Is this something that I would do?".  Out-group activities, as usual.

So: when these people didn't think that they would cycle anywhere, it was an evil activity; but now that, you know, maybe they would cycle, suddenly anyone leaving tacks is evil instead.

I do so love a consistent attitude...

..

I rode through some local villages yesterday, on routes I ride all the time fwiw, never normally a problem with the locals as I rarely see anyone anyway, but now everyone is out wandering round as theres nothing much else to do, and it felt like there was a definite final scene of Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978) vibe to some of the encounters, that were all well outside of 2metres I wasnt going anywhere near other people and keeping plenty of social distancing, but that combined with the appalling quality of driving and general speeding on the roads, maybe the turbo is the safer option for now.

'I wish I could have a jolly in my car around the countryside (during this global pandemic)' was the best/worst comment 

Priceless collection! And somewhat scary in what it reveals about the entrenched layers of misunderstanding and calcified bigotry we are up against.

I think this one goes some way to interpreting the whole lycra rage:
"Cyclists should show some humility and awareness and cycle in clothes appropriate to their 30 minute allowance."

cycle.london wrote:

I never thought I'd be living in a time where British Cycling was referring to cycling as 'a privilege', and where so many people would swallow the canard that 'not cycling protects  the NHS'.  You know, the same NHS that the Tories have been dismantling for a decade.  

And the utter hypocrites like Boris the Liar, gushing his praise for the NHS when he clapped and cheered as they denied pay rises to NHS staff.

Problem is that if you ride on the A369 shared-use path then there's no way you can pass another cyclist or pedestrian with two metres' clearance; you'd be lucky to manage about half a metre's clearance on some of it.

Given how quiet the roads are, it would make far more sense to ride on the road at present.

(Unfortunately, that probably would be seen as "taking up precious road space" and you'd attract every mouth-breathing f-er pretending that they're in a car advert so they could make a punishment pass...).

Shades wrote:

Greg Kirkby; the man who HATES cyclists any day of year (judging by the A369 comment) and tries to use the lockdown as an excuse (poorly worded) to have a go at them.  Tucked in under the M5 Avonmouth Bridge (I recall passing through there a few years ago) and judging by his lack of intelligence, it's a part of the world I'd happily avoid.

By the sounds of it,  being fit and healthy gives you a fighting chance against Covid; perhaps Greg and his mates are 'bricking themselves' because their unhealthy lifestyles mean it's something they can't 'swerve' by taking pills, hip replacements, 'don't victimise me because of my lifestyle' etc etc.  He could always dig out his 'treader', join the #bloodycyclists and get fit; probably unlikely in that he resolutely drives down the A369 rather than cycling.

brooksby wrote:

Isn't the "two miles from home" thing referred to in the 'lockdown' legislation in the Republic of Ireland? 

I think so yes, also in France, definitely not in the U.K.

Jack Sexty wrote:

brooksby wrote:

Isn't the "two miles from home" thing referred to in the 'lockdown' legislation in the Republic of Ireland? 

I believe it's two kilometres (1.2 miles), and yes that's Republic of Ireland not the UK. 

There's also no limitation on the number of times one can go out to exercise.  But I'm seeing so many people in the UK, posting to UK cycling groups on Facebook, attacking anyone who writes that he or she was out twice in a day.  

Looking at the legisation, i'm not sure if I was stopped by a policeman and he asked me why I needed to be taking exercise for the second time that day, I would be in the right

You have to have a excuse to leave your house, any, from the legisation

Restrictions on movement

6.—(1) During the emergency period, no person may leave the place where they are living without reasonable excuse.

And excuse can include the need to do something (go shopping)

6 - (2) For the purposes of paragraph (1), a reasonable excuse includes the need—

To take some exercise

6 - 2 (b) to take exercise either alone or with other members of their household;

So I'm not a lawyer or very good at english, but with the guidence that you need to exercise once a day, once a day is fine, twice a day ... why, which is why your not allowed to ride a horse, play golf,canoe or any other sport, because you don't need to do those to exercise .... I think