Anyone found the roads less busy and/or motorists driving better?

[Paulatic]

I went out yesterday afternoon for an hour.

The M74 Saturday mid afternoon

[gaz]

I had been sticking to my usual traffic free/traffic lite commute, noting it to be a little quieter than usual but with less attentive drivers.

Yesterday I gave the route through town and along the 50mph A road with murder-strip that I usually avoid. Town section was quieter, didn't stop the close passes just fewer of them. A road was quieter but traffic largely faster, no consideration shown to my need to socially distance from walkers and joggists on the adjacent footway. Less unpleasant than usual but still unpleasant.

[peetee]

I have ridden every day for over two weeks now and vehicle numbers have been consistently low. However, I have covered almost the same route for the past three days and in my estimation the traffic more than doubled on Wednesday and stayed higher today.

[Graham]

Yep, it's creeping back up.

The notable good quality of the air in those early few days provides a clear contrast when a diesel engine passes, pouring its smelly pollution into our airspace . . . .NOx : particulates : other pollutants .

[Oldjohnw]

One rather sad thing I saw on my ride this morning: fly tipping. The tips are closed just now.

[roubaixtuesday]

I've been riding every day and would say the standard of driving, particularly the number of speeding drivers, but also impatient overtakes, has got steadily worse.

Still, drivers seem to have split into two camps: those who have reacted by becoming much more considerate (hanging back even on quiet roads) and those who are even worse than normal (blind bend overtakes, close passes, speeding). I see more of both these camps.

All just my own perception and anecdotal, of course.

[tykeboy2003]

Generally the roads have been much quieter, however, yesterday traffic levels were almost back to pre-COVID19 levels. On thursday on the government briefing, it was noted that there had been an up-tick in private vehicle use, from yesterday's ride I would say that up-tick is now exponential.

[peetee]

Yep, it's creeping back up.

The notable good quality of the air in those early few days provides a clear contrast when a diesel engine passes, pouring its smelly pollution into our airspace . . . .NOx : particulates : other pollutants .

Strange that, because I was out riding for two hours yesterday and the only car that I could smell was a petrol Ford Focus that whiffed of burning plastic.

[johncarnie]

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8186935/Police-tell-holidaymakers-stay-home-Easter-holiday-period.html

[rmurphy195]

You have to be a tad careful when looking at some of the photos, which were clearly taken with a telescopic lens which has the effect of not only making things appear closer to the camera but also things that are behind each other from the camera viewpoint appear closer to each other.

So the photo straight down the pathway with the joggers on it makes it look as if they are almost on top of each other when they are not.

These comments aside - the less work the police have to do in keeping an eye on social distancing, the more time they can spend on the tealeaves who are exploiting the situation.

[fullupandslowingdown]

One rather sad thing I saw on my ride this morning: fly tipping. The tips are closed just now.

many if not all seem to be shut around the country which is just stupid. Flytipping is bad enough normally, but it's going to be a lot worse now. The two sites that I have used, the operators have a hands off approach anyway, they'll only help infirm or elderly people with their rubbish. Granted, getting hold of dustmasks now is a serious problem as places like screwfix haven't had any at all for sale now for a week.

I suppose a really sarcastic response would be to say, anyone with building rubble should dump it into their nearest pothole, seeing as these aren't going to be filled for the next 6 months.

[Oldjohnw]

The A1 in Northumberland

[The utility cyclist]

IMG_20200405_090956045_HDR.jpg

Same near me, Just north of J10 there's a tractor crossing on my favoured route that I normally have to wait a few minutes to walk across with bike in hand, the position of the crossing, speed and numbers of the motors hinder significantly, god knows how difficult it must be for the farmers in their slow moving vehicles.
Yesterday I was able to cycle through the gap all the way to the other side, in fact sauntered through, one car from the South and one from the North, even on a Sunday afternoon the numbers are normally quite significant.
Was very tempting to cycle Northbound to the next turn just over a mile away.

[Vorpal]

I was out with Mini V today. It was beautiful here. It was sunny, and perhaps 12 or 13 degrees, though it felt like 18 in the sun.

There was very little traffic. There were a few other folks out, and the park was surprisingly busy, but everyone, except a group of 6 boys who looked to be in their mid-teens, were observing social distancing, and playing in groups of 2 or 3 and taking turns on the equipment, with some mums wiping down stuff in between kids.

We hardly encountered any cars.

[al_yrpal]

On the byways that I ride all the very few motorists that I encounter are very careful and courteous. Huge tractors are just the same they will pull over at a distance in a passing place and let you pass easily. Although the hills are steep and frequent its a pleasure to ride in the countryside, the spring flowers are abundant and many trees are in bud. The Devon countryside is stunning.

Al