Bizarre Covid Lockdown campaigning by Cycling UK.

deckertim
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Bizarre Covid Lockdown campaigning by Cycling UK.

Post by deckertim »

Has anyone else seen this rather stupid bit of campaigning by Cycling UK.

https://road.cc/content/news/cycling-uk ... les-278421

I'm really annoyed by this. By asking the Government to provide clear guidance there is a very good chance that they will impose an arbitrary limit.
Michael Gove when asked about this earlier in the year had suggested 30 minutes to an hour would be appropriate, which was clearly nonsense.

I am going to write to Cycling UK and ask them to be more careful with their campaigning.
pwa
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Re: Bizarre Covid Lockdown campaigning by Cycling UK.

Post by pwa »

With the current lockdown in Wales we can cycle any distance from our front door. I'd not cycle across the border to England because I'd have to do some research on English restrictions, but within Wales the only limit is set by my legs and my enthusiasm. Are there limits in England?
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Graham
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Re: Bizarre Covid Lockdown campaigning by Cycling UK.

Post by Graham »

That's not campaigning ! It is a request for clarification and is probably closely related to riding in CUK groups.

Where there are organised groups, compliance with the law is significant.
PH
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Re: Bizarre Covid Lockdown campaigning by Cycling UK.

Post by PH »

Graham wrote:That's not campaigning ! It is a request for clarification and is probably closely related to riding in CUK groups.

Where there are organised groups, compliance with the law is significant.

Not really, the question relates to the English lockdown and is specifically about duration/distance, the restrictions on numbers is already clear, there is no group riding.
I don't get the point of asking, maybe they were being asked and wanted to be able to provide answers.
deckertim
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Re: Bizarre Covid Lockdown campaigning by Cycling UK.

Post by deckertim »

Graham wrote:That's not campaigning ! It is a request for clarification and is probably closely related to riding in CUK groups.

Where there are organised groups, compliance with the law is significant.

I am not sure what it is to be honest. But it certainly isn't helpful.
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Graham
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Re: Bizarre Covid Lockdown campaigning by Cycling UK.

Post by Graham »

Sorry that's a duffer on my part . . . . . . .
PeterT
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Re: Bizarre Covid Lockdown campaigning by Cycling UK.

Post by PeterT »

The government havent specified a time or distance limit so why ask if there is one? Justifying existence perhaps? This will only make someone in government who knows nothing about cycling make a decision plucked out of thin air... bit like the 1st lockdown.
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mjr
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Re: Bizarre Covid Lockdown campaigning by Cycling UK.

Post by mjr »

PeterT wrote:The government havent specified a time or distance limit so why ask if there is one? Justifying existence perhaps? This will only make someone in government who knows nothing about cycling make a decision plucked out of thin air... bit like the 1st lockdown.

Because they'd rather Boris or Grant said officially there are no limits on cycling before some bikebasher asks the odious Gove again?
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Carlton green
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Re: Bizarre Covid Lockdown campaigning by Cycling UK.

Post by Carlton green »

mjr wrote:
PeterT wrote:The government havent specified a time or distance limit so why ask if there is one? Justifying existence perhaps? This will only make someone in government who knows nothing about cycling make a decision plucked out of thin air... bit like the 1st lockdown.

Because they'd rather Boris or Grant said officially there are no limits on cycling before some bikebasher asks the odious Gove again?


Perhaps for CUK it should be fundamentally about either keeping quiet or asking the right question to get either the right outcome or right answer? As such might it be wise to either ‘keep your head down’ or ask if England might harmonise with Wales on this issue and (so) have ‘open’ limits to the time spent cycling from a rider’s home.
Don’t fret, it’s OK to: ride a simple old bike; ride slowly, walk, rest and admire the view; ride off-road; ride in your raincoat; ride by yourself; ride in the dark; and ride one hundred yards or one hundred miles. Your bike and your choices to suit you.
arnsider
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Re: Bizarre Covid Lockdown campaigning by Cycling UK.

Post by arnsider »

I'm sick to death of the whole hypocrisy.
We are fed the line that we must stay indoors and avoid traveling, while half of industry and commerce carries on up and down the country.
Never mind the huge potential for spreading the virus by having a new kitchen fitted by some white van man, 50 miles up the road, or delivering nonessential Amazon parcels, or the postie still feeding ruddy junk mail through the letter box. The authorities are hell-bent on demonising anyone happening to dive a few extra miles for a walk or heaven forbid to cycle longer than 30 minutes or in a two-mile loop instead of a one-mile loop.
What a load of codswallop!
This lousy incompetent government needs to either tell it like it is, really going to town, shutting down anything and everything that is nonessential, or they need to own up to the fact that commerce is more important than halting the spread of infection.
Bloody hypocrites!
Oldjohnw
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Re: Bizarre Covid Lockdown campaigning by Cycling UK.

Post by Oldjohnw »

Judging by the number of people asking the very same question on these pages perhaps it is an eminently sensible question.

Asking the government formally is massively better than an individual cabinet minister making something up on the spur of the moment.
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RickH
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Re: Bizarre Covid Lockdown campaigning by Cycling UK.

Post by RickH »

Official guidance has often been tweaked to allow for circumstances that haven't already been concidered. Unrelated to cycling, when the conly meet one person outdoors" rule came into play it was pointed out that strictly enforced it, at a stroke, prevented full-time carers of pre-school children & disabled peoplefrom ever going for a walk with someone else. The guidance was altered to allow it.

Also bear in mind that some (many?) people have no concept of being able to cycle any distance. I have friends that live about 5 miles away & it took them some time to stop asking if I wanted a lift home if I had cycled over to visit! :?

From my limited experience cycling (& probably other) sporting/activity groups do get sensible answers & guidance. Probably off most people's radar, but there was good guidance previously for both guided running & tandem riding for visually impaired people previously.

Rather than just saying "don't do it", relevant organisations, such as British Cycling, discussed with government representatives what was the best way forward & issued official guidance. Both "sports" ended up with similar advice - try to pair up within your household/support bubble if possible. If that wasn't possible, stick to one pairing for both parties - only have one guide/pilot & only guide/pilot one person - & maintain distancing when not actually participating.
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grufty
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Re: Bizarre Covid Lockdown campaigning by Cycling UK.

Post by grufty »

Many people who find it difficult to run or walk use a bike effectively as an aid for their mobility. Someone who can barely walk 100m may be able to cover tens of miles by bike, and indeed may need to in order to maintain freedom of movement in joints as well as a modicum of fitness.
I would maintain that trying to maintain a level of fitness and mobility similar to that which one had pre-Covid, is more important than the distance, duration debate. Indeed the necessity to do this is crucial now because of deferred medical interventions.
Tangled Metal
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Re: Bizarre Covid Lockdown campaigning by Cycling UK.

Post by Tangled Metal »

Isn't it a case of asking a question to get a definitive guidance or not asking a question and leaving it up to interpretation of any number of people in positions of power including those who might have the power to stop and fine you.

Personally I'd rather know than not. I'd rather hear them set it as a ridiculously low distance than get stopped and fined at that ridiculously low distance from home.
thirdcrank
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Re: Bizarre Covid Lockdown campaigning by Cycling UK.

Post by thirdcrank »

As I've been banging away across several threads, some police forces appear to be enforcing their own interpretation of the guidance, rather than the law. Reading between the lines, now that the Derbyshire episode has made the headlines and resulted in a climbdown, some of the media releases from other forces seem to be either anticipating a lot of resulting requests for a review or a response to some that have been received.

I think the charity's request for clarification is a sound step. My only reservation is that unless it gets a lot of supporting publicity it will be ignored until the question is academic.

This is against a background of those modern role models - professional soccer players - being unable to restrict themselves to a round of polite applause when a goal is scored and a government unable to influence that.
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