I will be breaching lockdown today: any thoughts?

[Thornyone]

Since the beginning of the lockdown in March I have met no-one outside my 2 person household and the closest I have been to others has been during the horrid weekly supermarket trip, wearing a mask. I have cycled during the whole time, alone, though sometimes passing others on narrowish paths (breath held).

I am now subject to Britain’s first local lockdown, missing the “freedom zone” by a mere 200 yards. The advice, as far as I can see, is to stay at home as much as possible. There is actually no mention of exercise now, or whether one can exercise outdoors all day. What does seem certain is that technically I should not now cycle some of my favourite - and safer - routes, just yards from where I live at the edge of Leicester, because it entails leaving the lockdown zone. So instead of cycling, alone, straight from the lockdown zone onto country lanes and bridleways devoid of people, I should now cycle on still fairly busy city roads (with unenforced speed limits) or use fairly busy shared cycle tracks through rather busy parks etc., with inconsiderate two-abreast walkers and cyclists and pig-ignorant dog walkers.

So I will simply have to break the rules, I’m afraid.

[pwa]

My advice would be to take all the practical steps you can think of to avoid being a means of the virus being transmitted. Hygiene, distancing and all that stuff. And you ought to be careful, for the sake of others, because you have been visiting a supermarket in the virus hot spot of the UK and plan to visit areas outside that hot spot. You could be seen as a risk to others. Just do what you can to manage that risk.

[roubaixtuesday]

As I understand your post, you intend being self- sufficient, meeting no-one and remaining outdoors?

I think you are absolutely meeting the spirit of the rules and should feel no guilt.

[Thornyone]

As I understand your post, you intend being self- sufficient, meeting no-one and remaining outdoors?

I think you are absolutely meeting the spirit of the rules and should feel no guilt.

Absolutely. If I did actually encounter another individual I would, as I have all along, practice 2 metre minimum distancing.

[Thornyone]

The whole problem with Covid 19 and the sort of mess we have in Leicester is that people seem incapable of seeing the obvious. My going for a bike ride ALONE (that is to say BY MYSELF, NOT, REPEAT NOT, meeting anyone else, and OUT OF DOORS) poses no threat to others. The virus has been spread because constantly people have been visiting others from other households, something I have not done AT ALL.

[Graham]

Some posts removed that really don't help analyse the dilemma faced by the poster. Please keep this diplomatic & helpful !

* Government guidelines/restrictions provide a framework for some personal decisions.
* No sensible person wants to get Covid-19 or transmit it to others.

[Marcus Aurelius]

The whole problem with Covid 19 and the sort of mess we have in Leicester is that people seem incapable of seeing the obvious. My going for a bike ride ALONE (that is to say BY MYSELF, NOT, REPEAT NOT, meeting anyone else, and OUT OF DOORS) poses no threat to others. The virus has been spread because constantly people have been visiting others from other households, something I have not done AT ALL.

What if you came off the bike? You’d be meeting people then. It’s fairly simple. If you’ve been ordered not to do something, don’t do it. It’s only for a couple of weeks.

[Marcus Aurelius]

* Government guidelines/restrictions provide a framework for some personal decisions.

The O.P. is in an area with a lockdown order imposed on it, it’s not open to interpretation.

* No sensible person wants to get Covid-19 or transmit it to others.

Unfortunately, too many people in the O.P’s area clearly haven’t been sensible, hence the legally enforceable, mandatory lock down. I hope the police do their jobs to the best of their ability and ‘engage, encourage and enforce’ the mandatory lockdown regulations that have been put in place.

[irc]

The whole problem with Covid 19 and the sort of mess we have in Leicester is that people seem incapable of seeing the obvious. My going for a bike ride ALONE (that is to say BY MYSELF, NOT, REPEAT NOT, meeting anyone else, and OUT OF DOORS) poses no threat to others. The virus has been spread because constantly people have been visiting others from other households, something I have not done AT ALL.

What if you came off the bike? You’d be meeting people then. It’s fairly simple. If you’ve been ordered not to do something, don’t do it. It’s only for a couple of weeks.

What if you got struck by lightning? Are you seriously suggesting that the risk of firstly crashing and then transmitting a virus to ambulance and hospital staff using PPE is worth bothering about. I am confident the higher rates in some areas are due to close mixing of large parts of the population not crashing cyclists.

Meeting a group of friends in breach of the guidelines? No. Going for a solo bike ride? yes.

[botty]

What if you came off the bike?

What happens if you fall down the stairs at home? I think people have to be realistic of risk generally but especially during these times. Is the risk of falling from the bike more or less by riding within the lockdown area on busier roads/routes?

[Thornyone]

The whole problem with Covid 19 and the sort of mess we have in Leicester is that people seem incapable of seeing the obvious. My going for a bike ride ALONE (that is to say BY MYSELF, NOT, REPEAT NOT, meeting anyone else, and OUT OF DOORS) poses no threat to others. The virus has been spread because constantly people have been visiting others from other households, something I have not done AT ALL.

What if you came off the bike? You’d be meeting people then. It’s fairly simple. If you’ve been ordered not to do something, don’t do it. It’s only for a couple of weeks.

A couple of points:

1) It will not be for a couple of weeks, but quite possibly until such time as an effective vaccine can be deployed, because I don’t see numbers coming down any time soon. Much more likely that the rest of the country will be back under a stricter lockdown first, especially after the opening up of pubs etc.

2) The highest risk I’ve run has been during supermarket visits, and yet under the new local lockdown rules it is OK for an inhabitant of the lockdown zone to visit a supermarket outside the zone if it is that individual’s nearest supermarket.

Moreover, your point about coming off one’s bike has been true of the whole period of lockdown so far. Have you simply stayed off your bike since March?

[mercalia]

The whole problem with Covid 19 and the sort of mess we have in Leicester is that people seem incapable of seeing the obvious. My going for a bike ride ALONE (that is to say BY MYSELF, NOT, REPEAT NOT, meeting anyone else, and OUT OF DOORS) poses no threat to others. The virus has been spread because constantly people have been visiting others from other households, something I have not done AT ALL.

What if you came off the bike? You’d be meeting people then. It’s fairly simple. If you’ve been ordered not to do something, don’t do it. It’s only for a couple of weeks.

That didnt stop Cummings trip North did it?

[Marcus Aurelius]

The whole problem with Covid 19 and the sort of mess we have in Leicester is that people seem incapable of seeing the obvious. My going for a bike ride ALONE (that is to say BY MYSELF, NOT, REPEAT NOT, meeting anyone else, and OUT OF DOORS) poses no threat to others. The virus has been spread because constantly people have been visiting others from other households, something I have not done AT ALL.

What if you came off the bike? You’d be meeting people then. It’s fairly simple. If you’ve been ordered not to do something, don’t do it. It’s only for a couple of weeks.

What if you got struck by lightning? Are you seriously suggesting that the risk of firstly crashing and then transmitting a virus to ambulance and hospital staff using PPE is worth bothering about. I am confident the higher rates in some areas are due to close mixing of large parts of the population not crashing cyclists.

Meeting a group of friends in breach of the guidelines? No. Going for a solo bike ride? yes.

The regulations are clear. If something is specifically prohibited, it’s not open to interpretation. This is the single biggest problem with this whole situation. Government decrees something, people start thinking ‘ ah yes, but what if (insert own self serving agenda), surely that’s okay’. No it isn’t. If the rules are you must not leave your house, or you must not go past a certain lamppost ( or whatever ) you must not do it. If you do, and the law is used to impose the requisite sanction, you can’t argue. If you’re allowed to go about your business in a certain area, you must stick to going about your business in that area. The Government / police aren’t driving ‘ the bus’ the Virus is. Anyone can do whatever they want, if that falls outside if what’s been decreed as acceptable, then expect consequences. One of which could be trouble with the law, the other one is possibly helping to start another outbreak, which will impact everyone else eventually. These lockdowns are imposed for good reasons, if selfish people choose to ignore them for their own ends, then they should expect to be treated accordingly.

[roubaixtuesday]

What if you came off the bike? You’d be meeting people then. It’s fairly simple. If you’ve been ordered not to do something, don’t do it. It’s only for a couple of weeks.

What if you got struck by lightning? Are you seriously suggesting that the risk of firstly crashing and then transmitting a virus to ambulance and hospital staff using PPE is worth bothering about. I am confident the higher rates in some areas are due to close mixing of large parts of the population not crashing cyclists.

Meeting a group of friends in breach of the guidelines? No. Going for a solo bike ride? yes.

The regulations are clear. If something is specifically prohibited, it’s not open to interpretation. This is the single biggest problem with this whole situation. Government decrees something, people start thinking ‘ ah yes, but what if (insert own self serving agenda), surely that’s okay’. No it isn’t. If the rules are you must not leave your house, or you must not go past a certain lamppost ( or whatever ) you must not do it. If you do, and the law is used to impose the requisite sanction, you can’t argue. If you’re allowed to go about your business in a certain area, you must stick to going about your business in that area. The Government / police aren’t driving ‘ the bus’ the Virus is. Anyone can do whatever they want, if that falls outside if what’s been decreed as acceptable, then expect consequences. One of which Gould be trouble with the law, the other one is possibly helping to start another outbreak, which will impact everyone else eventually. These lockdowns are imposed for good reasons, if selfish people choose to ignore them for their own ends, then they should expect to be treated accordingly.

It would be helpful if you could reference which rules you believe are being broken.

In the original country wide imposition, essential journeys included exercise.

In which case, Thornyone is not breaking any rules.

Even if you can point to rules being broken (which I very much doubt), Thornyone is clearly taking their responsibilities very seriously, and deserves a more thoughtful response IMO.

[slowster]

As far as I know the Regulations have not been published (and so not been given effect of law, i.e. by the Secretary of State). To date, the government has only said (in some respects in only general terms) what it intends to put in the Regulations.

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/leicestershire-coronavirus-lockdown-areas-and-changes

Within this boundary, restrictions will be put in place pending a review from 18 July.

This means:

non-essential shops that reopened on 15 June have been asked to close from today (30 June)
bars, restaurants and hairdressers will not reopen on 4 July
schools will close from Thursday 2 July except to vulnerable children and children of key workers. They will not reopen until next term
the relaxation of shielding measures due on 6 July cannot now take place in Leicester
single-adult households (those who live alone or with dependent children only) can still form a support bubble with one other household
people are still able to meet in a group of up to 6 and only outdoors, provided strict social distancing is followed
people in Leicester are recommended to stay at home as much as they can
we advise against all but essential travel to, from and within Leicester

The OP will not be breaking any laws, neither now while the Regulations do not even exist, nor when in force assuming the wording above is followed in the Regulations.

In practice I would expect the Regulations, like the existing/previous regulations, to include a criterion of reasonableness, i.e. 'don't do XYZ without reasonable justification', and I would expect continuing to take daily exercise would meet that criterion (indeed, in the original England wide regulations it was given as an example of a reasonable justification for being outdoors).