Covidiots? Lancashire cyclists snapped on group ride contrary to lockdown rules

if 8 individuals from separate households arranged & planned to ride together and then rode as a group of 8, yes that would be unacceptable.

but that photo alone, does not go near enough to proving thats actually what happened there in this instance.

thats the difference.

You might be right Awavey, but that's not really the point. The fact that so many people have chosen to question the picture, or broadly defend the idea of group riding says lots to me about how people are thinking about the lockdown now.

Come back in a few weeks and see if you're right.

I doubt you will be.

I never take pictures on face value unless there is compelling evidence. For all we know they were recorded on Strava at the time and their routes were different and are just on the same road at the same time. Extremely unlikely but still. Perhaps they even planned their individual rides like that, but how much of their ride was spent together? They might have been a club using non-club gear, but who really knows unless we can identify some of them. I will have to take Matt's word for what happened in this case as fact.

shame all cyclists get painted with the same colours because of a few questionable instances despite almost everyone else trying hard to follow rules and advice.

I would hate to be riding and end up trapping faster cyclists behind me in case I was accused of group riding as well. I rarely go fast enough to ever catchup with another cyclist after all xD

Yeah come on Matt a good Stasi wannabe would dox them, we need their names, where they live, what club they ride with. Get them fired from their jobs, run them off the roads, how dare they reject the "New Normal". Forget things like the Magna Carta and Bill of Rights, we need to track and control everyone. We are at war with an invisible enemy!

All the 455 contacts with a person infected with SARS-CoV-2 tested negative,  the infectivity of asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 carriers is not an issue: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32405162/?fbclid=IwAR0JQd-CI6ybxl31em5-k...

Downhill? not much chance of that - this is the Fylde coast, just south of Morecambe Bay. The flattest part of the Lancashire Plain. (I lived all round there for much of my life)

Mrs Mungecrundle holds me personally accountable for the actions of anyone on a bicycle. I refuse to engage in the conversation but even I cringed yesterday when a group of 12 clearly riding together in close formation came past whilst we were out on our walk.

Unfortunately, as said in the article, "you only have to look at the comments beneath pretty much any local newspaper story on cycling to see the stereotyping that goes on".

I agree with you that the actions of a few bad individuals, be they on bikes or in cars, busses, etc., shouldn't impact the reputation of the group as a whole. However, for whatever reason, 'cyclists' seem to be a group that many in the media love to target at the moment and instances like this fuel the fire.

What complete nonsense.

We've had elected MPs both Labour and Conservative breaking lockdown and giving dubious excuses.

We've had the scientists and doctors leading the lockdown strategy breaking lockdown in both England and Scotland.

We've had the Welsh health minister breaking lockdown rules, then claiming he hadn't, then changing the rules to permit what he'd been doing two days after he did it.

We've had the Welsh First Minister telling us it's ok to meet friends in parks then his own government rushing out a press release to contradict him.

But all of a sudden all lockdown breaches are the fault of an unelected advisor.

Do you really think people are too stupid to notice this naked opportunism?

Herd impunity?

Nerd immunity?

People are breaking lockdown because they're getting sick of lockdown.

Self reported surveys show lockdown breaches have increased every week since it started.

Which is exactly what the behavioural scientists said would happen.

Trying to pin the blame on someone you don't like doing something he shouldn't is just opportunistic nonsense.

You could equally pin the blame on anyone of the people I mentioned, it would be equally as valid. (Not at all)

Well if they're sick of lockdown, they should be getting back to work. The furlough scheme, which I fully understand the reasons behind its use, has created a monster. Many people are now treating the furlough as a holiday at the taxpayers expense, and do not want to return to work. The sun is shining, you couldn't have made this up that at the very same time a pandemic was tearing across the globe, we would have the best spring in years. So the furloughed people are wanting to get out and enjoy the sun. A neighbour of mine was furloughed, he didn't want to be, went back to work last week. He really didn't want to go back to work, as he said he had got used to not working, and could manage on the money. He was going to try to persuade his employers to furlough him again. 

I have a friend who told me that the fact that he has been furloughed(He badgered the company until they gave in and furloughed him)has been 'one of the best things that has ever happened to him' and he was hoping and praying that it would continue for a very long time. From day one he has treated this situation as nothing but a great holiday. He moans about 'idiots' walking around everywhere, but goes out walking and cycling every day himself. 

It is people like this that will create a second spike which will result in another lockdown, possibly more severe than the first.

There was always going to be a second spike.

It's been predicted since the start of all this.

The idea that if we keep lockdown going just a bit longer we'll avoid a second spike is pure fantasy.

As someone that's worked right the way through the pandemic i must admit to having used the line "I'll gladly take a 20%cut and ride around on a bike all day like everyone else" More than once.

Furlough is not a choice - businesses decide which staff they furlough, you don't get a choice and the chances are if you are furloughed you wont have a job to go back to.

Yes it's nice to have some time off during the summer but the pay is lousey and unless you've noticed there's not a great deal to do.

Furlough is not a choice - businesses decide which staff they furlough, you don't get a choice and the chances are if you are furloughed you wont have a job to go back to.

Yes it's nice to have some time off during the summer but the pay is lousey and unless you've noticed there's not a great deal to do.

Misread the room there Rich. 

I thought it was a "remoaner" failing to underestimate Dominic Cummings' and Boris Johnson's ability to influence legions of morons to do something which is against their own interests.

Hey look everyone, Rich is here to spout some half arsed defence of the Tories at us. Again.

Have I defended The Conservatives?

Can you actually read?

Would you rather be left alone to agree with each other?

It's interesting that nobody has bothered to actually disagree with what I've said.