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news
Group ride (picture credit Matt Hodges)Covidiots? Lancashire cyclists snapped on group ride contrary to lockdown rules
How lockdown restrictions should be interpreted has dominated the headlines over the weekend, but leaving aside whether you should be taking a 60-mile round trip in a car to test your eyesight (no, you shouldn't), rules on exercise clearly forbid group rides – something these cyclists photographed in Lancashire seem to be ignoring.
The picture was taken by road.cc reader Matt Hodges, who also happens to be one of Cycling UK’s longest-standing Right to Ride volunteer campaigners. He said that the sight of groups of cyclists such as this one is “getting us all a bad name.”
He encountered the group on A588 between Cockerham and Thurnham about a mile north of Cockerham.
“It is good to see so many cyclists on our roads especially families,” he said.
“But it is not good to see groups like this getting is all a bad name by totally ignoring the guidelines on social distancing.
“Can you not see that this sort of behaviour gives motorists the justification they want to condemn ALL Cyclists as selfish idiots who shouldn’t be allowed on the roads because they break all the rules?”
Matt continued: “I don’t recognise any of them. I don’t think they are one of the Lancaster clubs as they would be unlikely to be returning to Lancaster so early, also they usually have several members in club jerseys.”
In England, the emergency regulations currently state that “no person may leave or be outside of the place where they are living without reasonable excuse,” with one of those being:
to visit a public open space for the purposes of open-air recreation to promote their physical or mental health or emotional wellbeing —
alone,
with one or more members of their household, or
with one member of another household.
So, a bike ride with your family, if they live with you, is fine, as is going out and meeting a friend to ride as a pair. Riding in a group of eight, though? That’s not allowed.
> Cycling dos and don'ts in a time of pandemic – how to be a responsible cyclist
Moreover, even if you find yourself on the road with other cyclists, you need to keep much further behind them than the standard 2 metres recommended social distance.
While the pair of cyclists at the rear are a little further back, we'll take Matt's word that they were part of the same group, given his years of experience within Cycling UK, and the point remains that even if you are maintaining social distance, you should not be out with more than one person who is not in your household.
> How much distance should you leave to the cyclist ahead?
We’ve reported a number of times during lockdown on how some images in the press taken with telephoto lenses appear to show cyclists riding in a group when, in fact, there is distance between them and they are riding alone or in pairs.
One of the most striking examples of that was a photo published in The Times of people riding bikes on the popular Box Hill climb in Surrey, with a picture taken from one of the riders’ perspectives at the very same moment underlining how misleading the press picture was.
> Times latest newspaper accused of trying to shame cyclists with dodgy telephoto pics
That’s not the case here, however, and unfortunately it’s not the first time we’ve heard of actual groups out on the road ignoring social distancing rules – sometimes in club kit.
Some might disagree with Matt’s assertion that the sight of such groups gives all people who ride bikes “a bad name,” but you only have to look at the comments beneath pretty much any local newspaper story on cycling to see the stereotyping that goes on.
That, plus a large section of the press that is actively hostile towards cyclists – including giving a platform to columnists for example talking about stringing piano wire across the road – in turn gives rise to acts of aggression against bike riders, whether from motorists, or people spreading tacks on the road or setting other traps.
In its latest COVID-19 advice, meanwhile, British Cycling highlights that cycling outdoors could even be banned should people not do so responsibly – and that includes avoiding riding in groups. The governing body says:
While the restrictions on cycling outdoors will be eased from Wednesday 13 May, the Government had made clear that this is contingent upon people continuing to act responsibly.
The infection rate will increase if people begin to break these rules and, for example, start to meet up and ride in groups. This will also trigger the need for further restrictions.
By riding responsibly and following the guidance, you’ll be securing our right to ride outdoors, protecting the NHS and saving lives.
Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.
Latest Comments
- chrisonabike 27 min 4 sec ago
Thanks. I guess the question is "need". If the road is busy, it sounds like it is a desired route between places? In which case (given this an...
- mdavidford 35 min 1 sec ago
Don't know what you mean. I thought my suggestion was entirely practical.
- hawkinspeter 35 min 21 sec ago
So, it looks like she can choose a 45 minute drive or a 26 minute walk. It's almost as if the scheme is encouraging people to walk short distances...
- mdavidford 37 min 31 sec ago
...and a square of faux sheepskin for the back of your saddle.
- hawkinspeter 47 min 15 sec ago
They've got GPS tracking information, so the app can not allow the journey to be "finished" unless the bike is left in an authorised parking...
- chrisonabike 47 min 44 sec ago
An excellent idea but then - due to expensive lawyers and accountants - no doubt the richer would be found to personally not own or control a penny...
- mitsky 56 min 27 sec ago
Re: the shipping container bike lane......
- Rapha Nadal 1 hour 9 min ago
I'd buy a motorbike fo rthat kind of money!
- ktache 12 hours 2 min ago
There are people out there who will make you the belt out of your old tyre.
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75 comments
Well, I'm still furloughed (and enjoying the weather for solo bike rides and improving my hill climbing) so I'll wait for the second wave with a nice cold beer: https://www.brewdog.com/uk/barnard-castle-eye-test
Duplicate post... but rather than say nothing here, I'll instead wager that there will be no second wave until the Autumn... who's with me?
Do you know what will give all cyclists a bad name? How's about influencial cyclists publicising potential cyclist indiscretions and stating that such behaviour gives all cyclists a bad name.
Honestly, this coverage helps no one. No one is going to read this and go...'hang on, turns out I was wrong about the lockdown restrictions and I shouldn't be going out with my mates after all'... we all know the rules just fine.
How we interpret them is up to us, but I can assure you, nothing anyone is going to say will make those taking the loosest interpretation of the rules, rethink their actions. They have made a conscious, informed decision.
What it may do however, is two things...
1. It helps fuel the argument that all cyclists are naughty lycra louts (especially when the angle publicised is 'see, these cyclists are all lycra louts'
2. A percentage of dutiful isolators will think 'hang the fcuk on, am I the only mug still riding about on my own... I feel like a right mug' and potentially change their viewpoints.
Publicising bad behaviour only normalises bad behaviour and I'm disappointed that a seasoned Cycling UK member has chosen to do so.
You can't have a second wave if you keep the first one going, which seems to be government policy. The UK has the highest pro rata death rate in the world, which might be why they are so willing to talk about Cummings; distraction.
https://www.ft.com/content/6b4c784e-c259-4ca4-9a82-648ffde71bf0?fbclid=I...
Thanks for proving my point Burt.
Another easily disproved lie.
https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/
I don't see anywhere there where it tells you how many deaths per cyclist.
Yup - been following that site for a while. And been watching the UK moving up the per-capita-death-rate table, quite rapidly. Did you really mean to post a link demonstrating how we've just overtaken Italy on that metric and are set to overtake Spain within a week? Was that really your plan? Why did you think that would help your case?
Only Sweden is doing worse - it will overttake France about the same time we grab that coveted number 4 spot from Spain.
The US, UK, and Sweden look set to rise to the top of the table.
Why do you have to be so consistently wrong about _everything_?
I think Brazil may end up taking the No 1 spot.
Anyone see a pattern.
Sweden being a bit weird of course.
You seem to have misunderstood the discussion.
The link was to disprove the claim that we had the highest per capita (pro rata) death rate in the world.
So the link did its job.
Those countries which have had the largest outbreaks now should, if the modelling is correct, have smaller outbreaks in the future.
We still have an entire winter to get through before even the earliest mass vaccination is likely to be available, if one ever is. We should, therefore, get a pretty good test of that theory very soon.
We probably won't know which country had the best approach until years later.
We probably won't see the full effect of overly aggressive lockdowns for a generation, maybe longer.
Criticising an approach now just demonstrates your own ignorance of the long term picture.
Depends what you're talking about. It shows that the UK doesn't (quite) have the highest rate of reported deaths with Covid-19, but it doesn't tell us very much about where it ranks on actual deaths from Covid-19. To get an idea of that you would need to examine the 'excess deaths' over the pandemic period, though even then there would be confounding factors of deaths resulting indirectly from the pandemic (e.g. people who didn't seek, or weren't able to access, healthcare at a time when they needed it) and normal statistical variation in the underlying death rate.
But Rich already has told you were lying about that.
He's posted it so it must be right.
Sorry double.
I am getting athe Ajax error, a lot.
Must stop re "Save" ing
Sorry triple.
I am getting athe Ajax error, a lot.
Must stop re "Save" ing
I also posted the supporting evidence.
In fairness to Burt he has now retrospectively added a link.
So now his post is only slightly misleading.
Which by his standards is pretty good.
5th (or 3rd if you discount very small states)
Or unknown, if you take into account that there will be deaths where the virus was involved but wasn't identified, and conversely deaths where it was known to be present, but didn't actually contribute to the outcome.
In all fairness, eburt, I read that we are only about the fourth highest deaths pro rata from Covid.
But we are second in absolute numbers, so we're showing how well Britain leads the world
Agree. Try and get it now - the hospitals will not have a bed spare come October.
I'm not scared of the virus. I'm scared that they are slowly introducing us to martial law and turning fellow cyclists into Stasi snitches. https://youtu.be/MTfAblb7jUE https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/11687699/lockdowns-difference-coronavirus-...
It's not the martial law that scares me, its the surveillance capitalism.
Reading articles today about the New Normal: Use an app to 'book' visits to shops instead of queuing. No cash anywhere at all, ever. Everything taken off shelves into 'quarantine' once its been touched. Chinese cities deciding that the 'health monitor' apps will become permanent and linked into their 'social credit' scoring systems.
I don't think I like the New Normal.
You seem a little credulous of headlines in the Mail and the Sun, and a study by a financial analyst (not an epidemiologist).
The claim is that 'lockdowns have not worked'. The poster child for the claim is the reduced Coronavirus occurrence in Denmark, and the reduced R value.
Unfortunately Denmark did impose a rapid lockdown eg closing schools and pubs, and is now benefiting from the results achieved.
Next...
I was out on Sunday morning and went out on this road, on my own. I saw plenty of groups out, not as large as this but plenty four or five. There were a few that turned out in front of me, then seemed to go through and off for the next few miles. I cannot understand it, regardless of whether you think it is acceptable, unacceptable, or you throw a dig in at the Government, the facts are that you must not go out in large groups. All this does is stir up hatred from other people, namely motorists. I have a friend who wants to organise a ride with four of us for next month. I have politely declined, much preferring to ride on my own for the time being. Every group I saw out, even in twos, were too close together. Nice to see Matt is still out and about!
"All this does is stir up hatred from other people, namely motorists" Totally agree. Unfortunately every population has a section of complete 'idiots' and whilst that might only be 5%, or less, or more that is how people can end up viewing that whole population.
The problem of cyclists being hated by motorists is mostly brought about by a small minority of cyclists who do not behave as they are supposed to, be it group riding in lockdown (awful lot of middle aged men apparently live together, who knew?), jumping red lights, roundabouts etc.
The sad fact of the matter is, that is how cyclists are viewed and also the other way round, most motorists are respectful of cyclists, again just a small percentage that don't act in the right way and are at the forefront of our mind in discussions like this.
This is the local branch of the Conservative Party out demonstrating their support for Dominic Cummings. They are simply behaving instinctively like all good Tories.
Look, lets not get caught up in the blame game with who said what and went where etc.
Instead, we could be playing a nice new game like this:
https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2020-05-26-someones-made-a-barnard-ca...
I don't see how motorists can use these groups as cannon fodder when so many are driving hundreds of miles to the coast to spend a day on the beach, and other beauty spots with hundreds of others doing the same thing.
You are correct, however. Two wrongs don't make a right.
No, no, no. I'm not being an idiot in driving 100 miles to go to the beach. It's the other people driving 100 miles to go to the beach: it's them who are being Evil.
Have they got a beach in Castle Barnard?
That looks like the way Cambridge Bus Way Cyclepath get..... two riders together catching up with slower ones.... bloomin nightmare...
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