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Afraid to Cycle?

Anyone else not ventured out since the lockdown started?

I started off with the best of intentions. As you probably don't remember, we moved outside the M25 six months or so back, and I wanted to build up to cycling into the centre of London at least three times a week.

Then, when the government announced the lockdown, and my company told us all to work from home, I thought yeah, no problem. I'll do the miles around home.

Then I went for a walk.

The first time I stepped out as a pedestrian, was terrifying. It was like there were no longer any speed limits, and no longer any limitations on how loud an exhaust could be. Quad riders - who seem to have a death wish at the best of times - now seemed to want to kill me as well. Scooter riders going along the footway on their rear wheel, shouting at me to get out of their fackin' why.

But enough about my street.

Then there's the anecdotal evidence here on road.cc as well as from friends and some colleagues who have ventured onto the roads.

'It's fucking madness, mate'.

The driving worries me less, to be honest, than the brazen aggression from drivers and motorcyclists. And if I talk back, I have the choice of a hospital bed, or a police cell.

So I've been doing the occasional trip out to the garage to use the trainer.

Anyone else too scared to go out?

If you're new please join in and if you have questions pop them below and the forum regulars will answer as best we can.

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19 comments

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Rick_Rude | 3 years ago
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It's actually worse on my local routes due to a combination of cycling explosion and the 'going for a drive' gang coming out in force. Loads of cyclists mean Honda Jazz people can't overtake so sit there behind you on 4000rpm in first gear for ages.

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EddyBerckx | 3 years ago
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It's been paradise the few months since the lockdown...although tbh, it's pretty much over now as the traffic is mostly back.

As long as you avoid the main roads it's been great around here, loads of peds in the country lanes, fair amount of cyclists nearly all waving back...and mostly, drivers driving ok (due to the peds and non lycra cyclists I think).

Maybe your area is different but can't help thinking you missed out big time?

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ktache replied to EddyBerckx | 3 years ago
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I don't quite think we are truely back to before times levels of congestion yet, I don't think we've even hit school summer holiday levels yet.  Not round my neck of the woods anyhow.

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Awavey replied to ktache | 3 years ago
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its difficult to judge as Id guess the main congestion around rush hour hasnt come back yet, and Im not riding at normal commute times anyway currently, but when I do go out and ride the same kinds of routes Id take on a commute, as March/April they were the best roads to ride on as they were completely traffic free, Im definitely seeing traffic levels that are at least 90% back to the kind of levels I normally see on my commute, which is way higher than school summer holiday levels and way higher than youd expect for these times normally, the roads feel to me to be close to normal, Im waiting at turnings, for traffic to clear, constant stream of traffic passing me, all that kind of stuff, whereas there were rides I did in March/April it felt like being on a closed road sportive,you had to remind yourself to concentrate and not get sucked into forgetting there could be other traffic to be aware of. Consequently also I note the numbers of the new recreational cyclists is very much down now, still occasional families at weekends, but again nothing like it was a month ago.

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David9694 | 3 years ago
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similar experiences here in south wilts,  though no actual incidents so far.
Today, Saturday a.m.  is cool and drizzley and we've taken my wife's horse for a walk in the unfashionable part of the New Forest. Cars are about, sure,  but we've had 100% courtesy,  which we don't always get. 
it would seem that idiot drivers are solar powered. 

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BIRMINGHAMisaDUMP | 3 years ago
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There was a moment (a few weeks) in April and early May when it was paradise in London. I remember cycling back from work one day and there were so many cyclists and of every type that I had to stop and stare in wonder. I could not believe what I was seeing. I saw children cycling with their parents, I saw pensioners on bikes, dads on cargo bikes, teenagers, groups of young women, Bromptons, tandems, trailers and three wheelers.  And it was so peaceful.  It was an amazing, wonderful few weeks for cyclists. Which unfortunately will never be repeated. 

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Gary's bike channel replied to BIRMINGHAMisaDUMP | 3 years ago
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only if we get billions of holland worthy cycle lanes in all our towns and cities, which i doubt given how much the government is having to spend atm. Or, if china creates another super duper virus, causing this to happen all over again. Not that I hope for that, but it was absolute bliss and a pleasure to see motorists interacting with people on bikes as actual people, not inconveniences.

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Awavey replied to Gary's bike channel | 3 years ago
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would it cost billions though ? Ive never really thought about it as I just assumed there was never a practical likelihood of it happening, but what would the cost be to Hollondaise,if you like  1 our towns and cities. And I mean real actual cost, not the council spends 3months laying 100metres of tarmac cost

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Cargobike replied to Awavey | 3 years ago
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Here you go mate.

A few years old, but a goodindicator nevertheless.

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploa...

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Gary's bike channel | 3 years ago
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i find videos help- this is shot around poole, just watch how good drivers are in it to me, they wait a few seconds, move out and pass, sometimes even in the other lane. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wseM8TnOcy0

that was shot in one ride, about a week ago. 

Now today, its horrible again, cars everywhere, no more families cycling, no more empty roads, we're back to the same traffic level as normal. Its horrible. I'm really annoyed because i loved having it as 1950's traffic levels. The less cars on the road, the more space there is to ovetake a cyclist. You increase the car usage, you take up the overtaking space, meaning more and more people become irate at cyclists, rather than willing to share the road with them and pass well. 

 

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Simon E | 3 years ago
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Around Shrewsbury the roads have been blissfully quiet... until the last couple of weeks. Although that quiet has been punctuated by selfish idiots speeding - many now doing 50 mph or more in 30 mph areas and careering down country lanes without much thought for what may be around the bend.

The weather has been incredible until now. Lots more bikes out on the roads, everything from lycra roadies to couples and families tootling along steadily while kids are riding on our street. Some of the roadies look grumpy and won't acknowledge a wave/nod/greeting. I've been working and not really taken advantage of the weather and quiet roads to do the extra miles that some have managed.

A local bike charity Shropshire Cycle Hub has provided over 100 bikes for NHS and key workers in Shrewsbury and around the county. I intend to catch up with the LBS owner next week and see how things have been for them.

The issue now, with the increase in traffic levels, is that a lot of those people are going to put their bikes away. Shropshire council hasn't done anything regarding infrastructure as yet. Previous experience means I'm not optimistic that they really care but I hope the people responsible will realise the huge benefits for Shrewsbury and other towns if they implement positive steps.

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Sriracha | 3 years ago
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April really was the "golden age" for cycling. I'm lucky enough to be furloughed, and there is no doubt the extraordinarily good weather throughout April (and May) helped enormously. I do wonder whether we'd be seeing all this public talk about cycling if the weather had been crap.

My abiding memory is stopping in the middle of a rural main road and just listening to the birdsong for a few minutes. Now I have to look out just to cross the same road safely, and all you hear is the incessant drone of road noise.

Like you it's done my fitness & health (mental & physical) a power of good. The most obvious sign is hills that used to daunt me now just seem insignificant.

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Hirsute | 3 years ago
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Really crap ride into town and back.

Too many cars but no enough to slow them down. Ridiculous acceleration in 30 limits by some.

Shit close pass around 50mph which was a punishment pass (for what? It was a straight road and no previous interaction) finished with some 80 year fool, pratting around at a junction (on the 'main road'). When he passed me, he was on his phone. Car was a 20 plate merc. Can't even work out how to connect his phone up.

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Cargobike | 3 years ago
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Been making the most of the long summer days and riding as early as possible, usually out the house at 5am and back by 9am at the latest. Been absolutely brilliant with many rides seeing only a handful of other vehicles on the roads, especially on the country lanes outside of Derby.

Did 1300 miles last month and the same in April which has knocked a huge hole in my weight and increased my fitness significantly.

However, by mid afternoon, the roads have become a racetrack for the "yoofs" in their shitty Corsas with noisy exhausts. Had a couple of interesting "conversations" with arseholes who think that driving a car gives them a right to endanger anyone around them.

It's not me I worry about, I'm a confident cyclist, but I do think there is a raised level against cyclists in general as if some motorists are deliberately trying to claim the roads for themselves.

Anybody foolish enough to try it with me will wish they hadn't bothered, I'm more than willing to act first and worry about the consequences afterwards.

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hawkinspeter | 3 years ago
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I'm with kil0ran - I've been doing longer, hillier rides and I've also been losing some weight as I used to eat lots of fruit and snacks whilst working. I was having an issue with procrastinating and taking up most of the day preparing to cycle, but I've tackled that by aiming to get out around 10am.

The only incident I've encountered was the speeding driver near Chew Valley Lake that was NMOTD 414 I think. I think the reduced traffic may have calmed the majority of drivers around Bristol but increased the speed of the dangerous ones.

Personally, I think you should make a point of getting outside for a cycle as it's the perfect antidote to being stuck indoors. It's okay to be scared of loud, noisy, speeding traffic (especially when they shout at you) but you don't have to let the fear make your decisions.

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kil0ran | 3 years ago
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Quite the opposite for me - biggest month ever in April, and topped that in May. It's been glorious around here up to the last week when the idiots have started to reappear. I've had a couple of blazing rows with drivers during that time including one WVM who deliberately close passed me despite the fact we were on a very wide A road with a 40 limit. And all because I'd dared take primary around a parked car.

But, overall, I'm fitter than I've ever been, my bike is in better fettle than it's ever been, and I can't wait for the rest of the summer. I think it's helping that I tend to head out around 6.30/7.30 before rush hour. I did that last Sunday too - it took almost 9 miles for the first car to pass me.

On the flip side I've driven a fair bit over lockdown because I'm delivering provisions to my partner's Mum. By the afternoon the roads are carnage. Very short fuses abound. There's a filter lane at the top of my road where generally people will let you filter (the road is only a 40 limit) but I've had two near misses where people haven't dropped back. And I'm in a tank-built Volvo 940 that would only need to look at their car funny for it to fall apart.

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Richard_pics replied to kil0ran | 3 years ago
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kil0ran wrote:

Quite the opposite for me - biggest month ever in April, and topped that in May. 

But, overall, I'm fitter than I've ever been, my bike is in better fettle than it's ever been, and I can't wait for the rest of the summer. 

 

Stolen these bits as my sentiments are exactly as these!

Its been pretty decent this way (East Suffolk) And i am the fittest ive ever been after doing just under a 1000 miles in April. 

It is a shame we cant keep the roads to peak Lockdown quietness however.

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Daveyraveygravey replied to Richard_pics | 3 years ago
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Richard_pics wrote:

kil0ran wrote:

Quite the opposite for me - biggest month ever in April, and topped that in May. 

But, overall, I'm fitter than I've ever been, my bike is in better fettle than it's ever been, and I can't wait for the rest of the summer. 

 

Stolen these bits as my sentiments are exactly as these!

Its been pretty decent this way (East Suffolk) And i am the fittest ive ever been after doing just under a 1000 miles in April. 

It is a shame we cant keep the roads to peak Lockdown quietness however.

Down in Sussex, it has been generally better.  The roads in April were so quiet, it was like a 6 am Sunday ride all the time!  I still get close passes, but most of them are the type who are too oblivious, all they care about is not scratching the paint on their cars; they probably don't even know there's a global pandemic.  It's almost back to pre lock down level now in terms of cars on the road.

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stonojnr replied to Richard_pics | 3 years ago
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bits of East Suffolk have been pretty decent, but I think thats mostly the case anyway once you get off the beaten track, but some of the roads around Ipswich have been pretty scary to ride at times, Ive met several of the crazy speedsters,60-70mph in 30limits & plenty of close passes which were even more frustrating when there was so little other traffic about. But last week I noted a change for sure almost more hostility towards cyclists than normal,lots of cars overtaking into oncoming traffic,especially on routes to the coast, had one overtake me couldnt have been more than a 10cm gap between us. Certainly where as previously in lockdown I wasnt fussed about which route I took, Im back to now conciously avoiding specific roads for my own piece of mind about my safety.

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