Cycling UK statement on Covid19

Cycling UK Publicity
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Cycling UK statement on Covid19

Post by Cycling UK Publicity »

As the national cycling charity, our aim is to support the UK’s population to cycle. This remains true during this period of Covid-19 affecting the UK.

Above all, the safety and welfare of Cycling UK’s staff, volunteers, participants at our rides and events, beneficiaries of our cycling programmes and the general public is always our main priority.

We are closely monitoring the situation and taking advice from the Government, the NHS and partners. Currently (as of Tuesday 17 March) we are advising the cancellation of all group rides and activities following the latest Government guidance and is urging everyone to follow best practice to minimise risk.

Cycling UK has two live documents on our website which we will update as new information and advice is made available.

Our overall statement for group cycling
https://www.cyclinguk.org/news/what-does-covid-19-coronavirus-outbreak-mean-cycling

Advice on how to continue cycling at the moment in the form of a Q&A
https://www.cyclinguk.org/article/coronavirus-qa-it-safe-cycle

If you do have any particular questions that you feel are not answered in the above documents. Email publicity@cyclinguk.org and we will do our best to answer and update. Alternatively leave a comment below, and we'll aim to respond as soon as we can.

Please do bear with us as we update these pages and answer your questions - we will always aim to do as swiftly and as accurately as possible.

Stay safe everyone.

Sam Jones
Cycling UK Communications Manager
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mjr
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Re: Cycling UK statement on Covid19

Post by mjr »

Thanks for posting that. A small question:

"Strenuous exercise is unwise while you are unwell." I want to know about cycling, not strenuous exercise! Or in other words, could we cycle while able if we don't knock ourselves out?

I know from past testing that my existing illness deteriorates if I don't exercise. If I get a fever, I'll stop, but I'm reluctant just for an intermittent cough which will probably be a common cold. I don't need to end up in hospital due ultimately to inactivity!
MJR, mostly pedalling 3-speed roadsters. KL+West Norfolk BUG incl social easy rides http://www.klwnbug.co.uk
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farnorth
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Re: Cycling UK statement on Covid19

Post by farnorth »

There's an idea going the rounds that we should avoid cycling, because now is not a good time to end up in hospital as a result of an accident, and that it would be selfish to do so.
It might make sense to be a little less dare-devil and group rides are already off, but otherwise this is a slippery slope Accidents happen to pedestrians too, and even car drivers occasionally get badly hurt.
Can Cycling UK try to kill this one off? Staying reasonably fit is good for health (although trying to get super-fit probably isn't), and getting out is good for mental health too in these difficult times. Just don't meet anybody.
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Re: Cycling UK statement on Covid19

Post by drossall »

The BBC advice item supports solo cycling. Also, this poster apparently from WHO (or perhaps based on WHO advice???) appears to have been doing the rounds on Twitter. Again, it encourages solo cycling. However, I'd always want to check sources with such things, and it doesn't look like other WHO material, even though nothing jumps out at me as wrong or silly. Can anyone validate it?
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Re: Cycling UK statement on Covid19

Post by Vorpal »

mjr wrote:Thanks for posting that. A small question:

"Strenuous exercise is unwise while you are unwell." I want to know about cycling, not strenuous exercise! Or in other words, could we cycle while able if we don't knock ourselves out?

I know from past testing that my existing illness deteriorates if I don't exercise. If I get a fever, I'll stop, but I'm reluctant just for an intermittent cough which will probably be a common cold. I don't need to end up in hospital due ultimately to inactivity!

I think that's a sort of thing where you have to use good judgement. I know if I take my commute by bike when I have a slight cold, it will get worse. But my commute is all uphill (ca. 300 metres). I can do it as gentle exercise only if I allow a couple of hours, and get off and walk when I start to get puffed.
“In some ways, it is easier to be a dissident, for then one is without responsibility.”
― Nelson Mandela, Long Walk to Freedom
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Re: Cycling UK statement on Covid19

Post by mjr »

drossall wrote:The BBC advice item supports solo cycling. Also, this poster apparently from WHO (or perhaps based on WHO advice???) appears to have been doing the rounds on Twitter. Again, it encourages solo cycling. However, I'd always want to check sources with such things, and it doesn't look like other WHO material, even though nothing jumps out at me as wrong or silly. Can anyone validate it?

The mention of WHO at the bottom is as footnote 1, which is just the advice to maintain a distance of one metre. The typesetting isn't the clearest and could easily mislead people into thinking the whole poster is from the WHO.
MJR, mostly pedalling 3-speed roadsters. KL+West Norfolk BUG incl social easy rides http://www.klwnbug.co.uk
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Re: Cycling UK statement on Covid19

Post by AndyK »

mjr wrote:The mention of WHO at the bottom is as footnote 1, which is just the advice to maintain a distance of one metre. The typesetting isn't the clearest and could easily mislead people into thinking the whole poster is from the WHO.

I can't help suspecting that's no accident.
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Re: Cycling UK statement on Covid19

Post by PH »

mjr wrote:Thanks for posting that. A small question:

"Strenuous exercise is unwise while you are unwell." I want to know about cycling, not strenuous exercise! Or in other words, could we cycle while able if we don't knock ourselves out?
!

The first part of that answer is to self isolate, so where are you thinking of cycling?
The document isn’t great, maybe a result of the updates and editing.
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Re: Cycling UK statement on Covid19

Post by mjr »

PH wrote:
mjr wrote:Thanks for posting that. A small question:

"Strenuous exercise is unwise while you are unwell." I want to know about cycling, not strenuous exercise! Or in other words, could we cycle while able if we don't knock ourselves out?
!

The first part of that answer is to self isolate, so where are you thinking of cycling?
The document isn’t great, maybe a result of the updates and editing.

Around the garden, say. It's not long but enough to turn an MTB and do little laps and I am really not joking about rapid deterioration in my health if I stop exercising. That's why I bought ice tyres depite their rare use. Or maybe I'll get an indoor trainer despite detesting them.
MJR, mostly pedalling 3-speed roadsters. KL+West Norfolk BUG incl social easy rides http://www.klwnbug.co.uk
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Re: Cycling UK statement on Covid19

Post by LinusR »

Cycling UK should be doing something like this.

British Cycling Chief Executive, Julie Harrington, has today written to Health Secretary Matt Hancock to encourage the Government to add cycling to its recommended activities during the current coronavirus outbreak.

The current Government advice on social distancing states that you can “walk outdoors if you stay more than 2 metres from others”, but does not yet reference cycling. https://www.britishcycling.org.uk/campaigning/article/20200319-campaigning-news-British-Cycling-asks-Health-Minister-to-recommend-cycling-as-part-of-Government-advice-0

And the International Mountain Biking Association has said:

Getting out on the trails is tremendously valuable. Trails bring us together, but to keep each other safe, we must keep our distance. How can our community navigate this challenge? For now, let’s ride in very small groups, keep our distance, and enjoy our trails close to home to minimize the risks associated with car travel. https://singletrackworld.com/2020/03/imba-statement-on-mountain-biking-and-covid-19/

It's right to cancel large group rides and cafe stops but we can still get out and ride together as a small group keeping our distance. Let's not just give in to this. There is a workable solution. And I'll be doing just that with a few friends. It's a lot less risky than going to the supermarket.
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Re: Cycling UK statement on Covid19

Post by LinusR »

Cycling UK have now advised against riding with anyone - even if you keep your distance - unless they live in the same household as you and are not unwell. They define a group as "two or more people". So officially I cannot organise a ride with a couple of friends even if we maintain a distance.

I can go shopping - a relatively high risk activity - for my neighbour (something I did today) but as a ride co-ordinator for my club I cannot help people to organise "buddy rides" with each other. As an asthma sufferer aged 58 the only high risk activity I do is to go shopping. I am well aware of the dangers of catching the virus. But I am also well aware of the benefits of cycling, meeting friends and keeping a distance.

Q: Can I ride with my friend if we don’t live in the same household?
A: No, you should not ride with a friend if you don’t live in the same household as either of you may be infected, although may not be showing symptoms. It would be wise (although frustrating) to stay at home and use a turbo trainer or exercise bike if you have one, instead of going out, even if you feel well.

Q: Is it OK to go for a ride with my kids?
KH: Yes, if you are all well and not self-isolating because of symptoms of a cough or fever then you are not a risk to others.

It's therefore safe to go for a ride with the usual hygiene precautions outlined above. https://www.cyclinguk.org/article/coronavirus-qa-it-safe-cycle
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Re: Cycling UK statement on Covid19

Post by farnorth »

I'm concerned about today's newsletter, pointing out that the cyclists apparently photographed riding rather close to each other were in fact 2 m apart. 2 m is the minimum recommended separation in still air. Really, you should be as far apart as possible. The distance is intended to be far enough for virus-laden particles to fall below the breathing zone. When you are riding in someone else's slip stream, as these cyclists clearly were, you are in that exhaled air long before particles have fallen down. There's research 'out there' that suggests a fore and aft distance of more like 20 m is appropriate. I think Cycling UK should make it clear that riding in a group is contrary to the intent of the guidelines. It's not 'how close dare you come', but 'how far away can you get'. Stay safe, stay alone! Cycling UK Highland has ceased all group rides. both formal and informal. The two road clubs in the area have also ceased group rides.
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Re: Cycling UK statement on Covid19

Post by PH »

farnorth wrote:I'm concerned about today's newsletter, pointing out that the cyclists apparently photographed riding rather close to each other were in fact 2 m apart.

This is the gist of the complaint
“The photograph has been taken to create a misleading impression and support a factually inaccurate narrative."
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Re: Cycling UK statement on Covid19

Post by mjr »

farnorth wrote:There's research 'out there' that suggests a fore and aft distance of more like 20 m is appropriate.

No, there's a newspaper interview about unpublished research in progress which has itself been rereported in English, often with mistakes. While bike haters like to push that extreme upper limit, the highest credible I've seen yet is the 5m advice on Belgian TV or the similar triathlon non-drafting rule of 7m behind the front of the bike in front.
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Re: Cycling UK statement on Covid19

Post by mjr »

British Cycling suspensions have been extended to 1 September (national/international), 1 August (regionals/sportives) and 4 July (clubs/groups), to be reviewed fortnightly with just two weeks' notice if things get suspended again, making organisers' lives difficult: I wouldn't be surprised if some refuse to take the risk of restarting under those terms. https://www.britishcycling.org.uk/about ... activity-0

Still no updates from Cycling UK to https://www.cyclinguk.org/news/coronavi ... t-measures - has there been anything in the secret Velocheer newsletter?
MJR, mostly pedalling 3-speed roadsters. KL+West Norfolk BUG incl social easy rides http://www.klwnbug.co.uk
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