Lockdown crowds!

Commuting, Day rides, Audax, Incidents, etc.
User avatar
Mick F
Spambuster
Posts: 56359
Joined: 7 Jan 2007, 11:24am
Location: Tamar Valley, Cornwall

Re: Lockdown crowds!

Post by Mick F »

I've been walking our young dog almost daily since we first got him April 2019.
Tend to walk the same lanes and footpaths around and about, and the river path too.
In 2019 we hardly saw a soul other than a dog-walker or two.

February 2020 came along, and we started to see more people. By that summer, the walker numbers had tailed off, but since Christmas, the lanes and the paths have seen an upsurge and are busy with people walking. We know many or even most of them, but never saw them so often as we do now.

Really, it's changed since Christmas.
Mick F. Cornwall
ChrisButch
Posts: 1188
Joined: 24 Feb 2009, 12:10pm

Re: Lockdown crowds!

Post by ChrisButch »

A lot of it seems to be a bizarre psychological lurch - 'permission to exercise' somehow interpreted as 'requirement to exercise'. Which might explain why, on the lifting of restrictions last summer, the numbers of 'Covid exercisers' rapidly shrank almost to pre-lockdown levels.
eileithyia
Posts: 8399
Joined: 31 Jan 2007, 6:46pm
Location: Horwich Which is Lancs :-)

Re: Lockdown crowds!

Post by eileithyia »

gbnz wrote:Anyone else found that a side effect of lockdown, is that the roads are absolutely PACKED with walkers, cyclists and people on bicycles (Nb. Even when on a £1k road bike, wrapped in lycra, such individuals have a distinctive look/speed)

Had a quick look down the road yesterday and it was incredible; a 17 mile stretch of road into town, can't remember ever having seen more than 1-2 cyclists and 1-2 walkers in twelve years on that road. Yesterday? Literally legions of walkers and cyclists. And heading out of town, on a route I can't recall ever having seen a walker or cyclist on? Had to cycle a good four miles to find somewhere quiet enough to stop and feel safe enough to eat! It was incredible; even found myself passing individuals pushing prams on a 5 mile loop out of town!


Little lane we were on today, was so crowded I found it hard to find any where for a discreet field stop, so different from the same stretch of lane in last year's lockdown.
I stand and rejoice everytime I see a woman ride by on a wheel the picture of free, untrammeled womanhood. HG Wells
Slowroad
Posts: 995
Joined: 28 Jun 2008, 9:58pm
Location: Nottingham, UK

Re: Lockdown crowds!

Post by Slowroad »

Six hares.

Just great.

Jonathan

Lovely! Thanks - and the rest of your post. Made me smile.
:-) Slowroad
“My two favourite things in life are libraries and bicycles. They both move people forward without wasting anything. The perfect day: riding a bike to the library.”
― Peter Golkin
Jdsk
Posts: 24640
Joined: 5 Mar 2019, 5:42pm

Re: Lockdown crowds!

Post by Jdsk »

Slowroad wrote:
Six hares.

Just great.

Lovely! Thanks - and the rest of your post. Made me smile.
:-) Slowroad

: - )

Jonathan
Jdsk
Posts: 24640
Joined: 5 Mar 2019, 5:42pm

Re: Lockdown crowds!

Post by Jdsk »

ChrisButch wrote:A lot of it seems to be a bizarre psychological lurch - 'permission to exercise' somehow interpreted as 'requirement to exercise'. Which might explain why, on the lifting of restrictions last summer, the numbers of 'Covid exercisers' rapidly shrank almost to pre-lockdown levels.

I'm not sure that I saw those patterns. Could they also be explained by the amount of motorised traffic? Was there a difference between on-road and off-road exercise?

Jonathan
Grandad
Posts: 1451
Joined: 22 Nov 2007, 12:22am
Location: Kent

Re: Lockdown crowds!

Post by Grandad »

the dog would force us to walk regularly.

I wonder how many of the dogs bought during the lockdowns will be treated this well. Many who were bought as puppies and have had company 24/7 will be left alone all day when the owners return to work, a recipe for problem behavior.
User avatar
Traction_man
Posts: 326
Joined: 10 Jan 2020, 5:30pm
Location: Bangor NI

Re: Lockdown crowds!

Post by Traction_man »

User avatar
Ride-sleep-repeat
Posts: 382
Joined: 24 Nov 2020, 11:58am

Re: Lockdown crowds!

Post by Ride-sleep-repeat »

Traction_man wrote:Far from the madding crowd :shock:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-y ... e-56232546

That has to be a deliberate attempt to get on the news.Why else would you pitch a tent there?
Postboxer
Posts: 1929
Joined: 24 Jul 2013, 5:19pm

Re: Lockdown crowds!

Post by Postboxer »

Ride-sleep-repeat wrote:
Traction_man wrote:Far from the madding crowd :shock:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-y ... e-56232546

That has to be a deliberate attempt to get on the news.Why else would you pitch a tent there?


Because they are idiots and also perhaps trying to hide a little as they seem to be on a small, lower area.
De Sisti
Posts: 1507
Joined: 17 Jun 2007, 6:03pm

Re: Lockdown crowds!

Post by De Sisti »

Jdsk wrote:Lots of other cyclists out: mostly road bikes, mostly dedicated clothing, mostly in pairs, all wearing helmets.
Just great.
Jonathan

If they weren't wearing helmets one wonders how you would have felt? :roll:
Jdsk
Posts: 24640
Joined: 5 Mar 2019, 5:42pm

Re: Lockdown crowds!

Post by Jdsk »

De Sisti wrote:
Jdsk wrote:Lots of other cyclists out: mostly road bikes, mostly dedicated clothing, mostly in pairs, all wearing helmets.
Just great.
Jonathan

If they weren't wearing helmets one wonders how you would have felt?:

That isn't what i wrote:
Jdsk wrote:Out on the bikes in South Oxfordshire yesterday and today. Sunny, bright blue skies, and dry roads.

Lots of other cyclists out: mostly road bikes, mostly dedicated clothing, mostly in pairs, all wearing helmets. Near universal smiles and waves and greetings.

Lots of walkers: many with dogs, near universal smiles and greetings, a few bits of awkwardness in sharing the road.

Lots of runners: about equal number solo as in pairs. mostly dedicated clothing, mostly with sound systems.

Some motorised vehicles: no close passing, no problems except from someone reversing out of a drive who didn't make it clear whether they were going to keep moving or not.

Six hares.

Just great.

Jonathan

The "Just great" clearly applies to a bike ride that I enjoyed. By selective editing you've deliberately associated it with one component.

If you're trying to pick an argument about helmets please could you do it in the "Helmets" section. And without misquoting me.

Thanks

Jonathan
KTHSullivan
Posts: 587
Joined: 4 Aug 2017, 1:15pm
Location: Wind Swept Lincolnshire

Re: Lockdown crowds!

Post by KTHSullivan »

Went out yesterday for a spin up with the other half. Quite a few cyclists out and about, but it was a stonking day; no wind whatsoever and bright sunshine. We had a jelly baby stop half way around our regular 30 miler...........does that constitute an illegal picnic? LOL.
Just remember, when you’re over the hill, you begin to pick up speed. :lol:
Jdsk
Posts: 24640
Joined: 5 Mar 2019, 5:42pm

Re: Lockdown crowds!

Post by Jdsk »

KTHSullivan wrote:Went out yesterday for a spin up with the other half. Quite a few cyclists out and about, but it was a stonking day; no wind whatsoever and bright sunshine. We had a jelly baby stop half way around our regular 30 miler...........does that constitute an illegal picnic? LOL.

How many jelly babies were together at once? And were they from the same household?

Jonathan
brianleach
Posts: 633
Joined: 14 Jul 2007, 2:10pm
Location: Winchester, Hants

Re: Lockdown crowds!

Post by brianleach »

When I go out now I am actually looking at ways to get home without going through the centre of Winchester. The narrow roads are so choked with pedestrians it is virtually impossible to cycle as they stretch across the road and inevitably have their backs to you! I could just go along ringing my bell but that always seems a bit arrogant to me (get out of my way I'm coming through). Also with social distancing it becomes a bit like a cycle slalom course. Of course they have as much right to be there as me although perhaps not on the road?
Post Reply