Putting e-bike to bed for the duration of C-virus.

Fishy

Pedelecer
Nov 16, 2018
157
152
driving out to the countryside for a walk or a ride is a sensible thing to do for those who live in large cities.
I took a walk to the seafront yesterday. Wardens are out in force dealing mainly with the usual yobs who have nothing to do but congregating and beer drinking.
Still, I had to change side to the other pavement and dodge dozens of people to keep my distance because I can still walk a bit more than them.
No it isn't, the rules are perfectly clear on this, no non essential travel, that includes driving to any location to exercise or walk a dog.
 

Woosh

Trade Member
May 19, 2012
19,525
16,464
Southend on Sea
wooshbikes.co.uk
No it isn't, the rules are perfectly clear on this
drive to the countryside for exercise is a reasonable thing to do and not contrary to government advice.


QUOTE:

Coronavirus (COVID-19): what you need to do
Stay at home
  • Only go outside for food, health reasons or work (but only if you cannot work from home)
  • Stay 2 metres (6ft) away from other people
  • Wash your hands as soon as you get home
You can spread the virus even if you don’t have symptoms.
 

Woosh

Trade Member
May 19, 2012
19,525
16,464
Southend on Sea
wooshbikes.co.uk
the rules need to be enforced but with common sense.
If you live in a city, it's worse taking public transport or walking compared to driving.
That's why congestion charge in London is suspended.
If you need a walk, the parks are closed. What are you going to do?
If you live in the country, you wouldn't want people in the city driving into your village, full stop.

A bit of local news, a GP for 45 years in Leigh-on-Sea, 76 years old, died a couple of days ago of CV.
He was self isolating with his wife but somehow, he's caught CV. He was taken to Southend General and died there 24 hours later.
It goes to show that despite all the precautions, some people will still get it.
If you look at the dispersion of aerosols, living in cities, nobody is shielded 100%.
 

Fishy

Pedelecer
Nov 16, 2018
157
152
the rules need to be enforced but with common sense.
If you live in a city, it's worse taking public transport or walking compared to driving.
That's why congestion charge in London is suspended.
If you need a walk, the parks are closed. What are you going to do?
If you live in the country, you wouldn't want people in the city driving into your village, full stop.

A bit of local news, a GP for 45 years in Leigh-on-Sea, 76 years old, died a couple of days ago of CV.
He was self isolating with his wife but somehow, he's caught CV. He was taken to Southend General and died there 24 hours later.
It goes to show that despite all the precautions, some people will still get it.
If you look at the dispersion of aerosols, living in cities, nobody is shielded 100%.
I don't make the rules, (or completely agree with them), but they are what they are, and people can't interpret them how they they wish, to suit their own needs.
 

Woosh

Trade Member
May 19, 2012
19,525
16,464
Southend on Sea
wooshbikes.co.uk
I don't disagree with you.
I posted a link to government website where the rules are spelt out.
The rules are deliberately kept simple, so subject to some interpretation.

Driving to the countryside for health reason is not on the list.


www.gov.uk

Coronavirus (COVID-19): what you need to do
Find out about the government response to coronavirus (COVID-19) and what you need to do.
www.gov.uk
www.gov.uk

QUOTE:

Coronavirus (COVID-19): what you need to do
Stay at home
  • Only go outside for food, health reasons or work (but only if you cannot work from home)
  • Stay 2 metres (6ft) away from other people
  • Wash your hands as soon as you get home
You can spread the virus even if you don’t have symptoms.
 

Ocsid

Esteemed Pedelecer
Aug 2, 2017
441
265
81
Hampshire
I don't make the rules, (or completely agree with them), but they are what they are, and people can't interpret them how they they wish, to suit their own needs.
Unfortunately, here "one size does not fit all".
We live in the sticks and have access to our own land and to quiet lanes, a Common and the footpath, bridleway & byway network. So getting exercise is readily available.
Contrast that with living on the tenth floor of a multiple occupancy block, the exercise opportunities.
If we were there rather than here we would consider using our vehicle to gain some exercise as "essential travel".
 

Fishy

Pedelecer
Nov 16, 2018
157
152
I don't disagree with you.
I posted a link to government website where the rules are spelt out.
The rules are deliberately kept simple, so subject to some interpretation.

Driving to the countryside for health reason is not on the list.


www.gov.uk

Coronavirus (COVID-19): what you need to do
Find out about the government response to coronavirus (COVID-19) and what you need to do.
www.gov.uk
www.gov.uk

QUOTE:

Coronavirus (COVID-19): what you need to do
Stay at home
  • Only go outside for food, health reasons or work (but only if you cannot work from home)
  • Stay 2 metres (6ft) away from other people
  • Wash your hands as soon as you get home
You can spread the virus even if you don’t have symptoms.
It may not be on Gov. Website, but as in the link I posted earlier, the police are cracking down on unnecessary journeys, telling people it's sensible to drive to the countryside is irresponsible and could land people with fines.
 
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Woosh

Trade Member
May 19, 2012
19,525
16,464
Southend on Sea
wooshbikes.co.uk
you notice also that advice is not taken up by other police forces.
As ocscid said, not one size fits all.
The rules may tighten in a week or two when the CV bites hard but we are not there yet.
 
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Fishy

Pedelecer
Nov 16, 2018
157
152
you notice also that advice is not taken up by other police forces.
As ocscid said, not one size fits all.
The rules may tighten in a week or two when the CV bites hard but we are not there yet.
Let's put it this way, what if you're driving to the country to walk your dog, and you have an accident, requiring police, ambulance, paramedics etc, taking up our already stretched emergency services with something completely unnecessary and avoidable?
That's the real reason we should avoid all but essential travel.
 

Woosh

Trade Member
May 19, 2012
19,525
16,464
Southend on Sea
wooshbikes.co.uk
that's true, the risk of accident is there whenever one goes from A to B, even indoors, more so in a car.
but it needs to be put into perspective.
hospitals are not full right now, except in London.
As I said before, I expect the rules to be tightened in a couple of weeks when the virus bites hard.
I am self isolating at the moment, being in the high risk group, going out only on the keyboard, except an hour a day walking to the seafront and back.
Even when I take the backstreets, I still have to dodge dozens of people along the way.
 
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Fishy

Pedelecer
Nov 16, 2018
157
152
that's true, the risk of accident is there whenever one goes from A to B, even indoors, more so in a car.
but it needs to be put into perspective.
hospitals are not full right now, except in London.
As I said before, I expect the rules to be tightened in a couple of weeks when the virus bites hard.
I am self isolating at the moment, being in the high risk group, going out only on the keyboard, except an hour a day walking to the seafront and back.
Even when I take the backstreets, I still have to dodge dozens of people along the way.
The problem is, if one person does it, then someone else will think it's OK, then someone else, and so on.
We have to think of the bigger picture, and do what's right for everyone, not just ourselves.
 
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Woosh

Trade Member
May 19, 2012
19,525
16,464
Southend on Sea
wooshbikes.co.uk
The problem is, if one person does it, then someone else will think it's OK, then someone else, and so on.
We have to think of the bigger picture, and do what's right for everyone, not just ourselves.
the bigger picture is how we are going to live leave alone pay for it and/or the taxes if nobody goes to work if the lockdown is not lifted soon.
Lockdown works this time because the number of spreaders is relatively small. Next time, lockdown won't even work.

 

Woosh

Trade Member
May 19, 2012
19,525
16,464
Southend on Sea
wooshbikes.co.uk
We're not talking about people going to work, we're talking about people not taking unnecessary journeys.
but they take the car because it is a better method.
They would have taken a lot more risk walking the streets because the parks are closed.
Put yourself in their place.
If you live in a towerblock in London, where would you take your kids so they can run around a bit?
Some parks in London are still open but you would have to use public transport if you don't take your car.
 

flecc

Member
Oct 25, 2006
52,807
30,379
It may not be on Gov. Website, but as in the link I posted earlier, the police are cracking down on unnecessary journeys, telling people it's sensible to drive to the countryside is irresponsible and could land people with fines.
The police are not the rule makers, even though they often pretend to be in overbearing ways as in this matter.

When they make unauthorised silly rulings of their own they need to be opposed where necessary.
.
 

Nealh

Esteemed Pedelecer
Aug 7, 2014
20,130
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West Sx RH
One farmer the other day told someone walking their dog to go home and not put others at risk, for his troubles he got a beating. Plod are looking for the offender.
 
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flecc

Member
Oct 25, 2006
52,807
30,379
One farmer the other day told someone walking their dog to go home and not put others at risk, for his troubles he got a beating. Plod are looking for the offender.
They won't have to look too far, the farmer was an offender against common sense. In what way is someone walking a dog in the countryside putting others at risk where they are least likely to meet anyone else?

All the farmer did by approaching the dog walker was create a contact risk situation, foolish and unnecessary.

Many presuming to know best need to do much more thinking before being didactic.
.
 

Fishy

Pedelecer
Nov 16, 2018
157
152
They are necessary journeys to be able to exercise without high risk of contact for some city dwellers, like myself.
.
All I can say is, that I sincerely hope that if you or Woosh, contract this virus, you don't miss out on a hospital bed because it's been taken up by someone who thought it was fine to take a jaunt into the country to walk a dog.
 
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