[David9694]

Today was brilliant. Lovely, sunny not overly hot. Very few of our four wheeled friends out on my country roads on my Sunday exercise. When you read the accounts of some of the Stupid reasons (I realise we only get the highlights) drivers give to the police for being out, it really makes you think about the need and proportionality of it all.

Paused for a pull on my bidon and some home made cake – nothing but the sounds of nature, and my restored Raleigh Record Ace saying “c’mon, let’s go”. Families – mum, dad, kids, walking together, cycling together – I just can’t remember ever seeing this before. Can we hold onto this, or am I living in a dream?

In some ways, living the lock-down reminds me of parts of childhood. A plainer version of our past life, when There weren’t attractions, Shopping centres, coffees, restaurants, drinks. I’m not an only child, but my brother and sister are older and had left home by the time I was 5, so I really felt like it. Winter Sundays in particular were really tedious If you couldn’t go outside (which at least we were able to do). You might get lucky with an afternoon film, with Jack Hawkins winning WW2, there might be an afternoon outing, probably to grandparents.

Topic

[ktache]

I’m seeing a lot of early 90s

I’m seeing a lot of early 90s ridgid mtbs with cantis.  Some quality others not.  Still a lot of noisy chains out there.

[kil0ran]

I’m seeing so many family

I’m seeing so many family groups out, and also people who clearly haven’t ridden a bike for years. Also gnarly OAPs tanking around on classic 50s and 60s metal (Dawes, Condor, Raleigh) with nary an idea of Eroica. Even saw one wearing one of those 80s-style track helmets.

Bike wise I’ve seen everything from BSOs to classic 50s/60s tourers with full chain guards, stirrup brakes, and downtube shifters. It’s brilliant. The only downside is you can’t drop in with them and have a chat because of social distancing. I just hope they stick with it when things get back to normal.

[Rick_Rude]

We should go back to closed
We should go back to closed Sundays. I remember going into city centres in Sundays to skateboard as it was the only time you had access to all the terrain. There was rarely anyone there.

In general I think people need to learn how to switch off sometimes.

[kil0ran]

Rode 17 miles on Sunday
Rode 17 miles on Sunday morning – not super early, around 7am – and all I saw was a couple of oncoming vehicles. And two deer, a couple of birds of prey, and a hare. Unprecedented. Not a single close pass, because noone overtook me. Was glorious.

[ktache]

I rode around a roundabout

I rode around a roundabout yesterday afternoon that I have not gone around that way (apart from very late night/wee hours) for many, many years.

It’s so dangerous (in my quick risk assesment view) thet I get off, use the pelican crossing, walk the bike a bit on the pavement, cross a road and only then get back on to ride the cycle route, hastle I know, far slower, but much less chance of a violent death from sheer driver incompetence.

It really is that quiet out there, sometimes.

[Daveyraveygravey]

It’s unlikely I know, but

It’s unlikely I know, but wouldn’t it be nice if this state of affairs continued after the restrictions are lifted?  Familes going for walks, people saying hello to each other (apart from those that look at you like you may have an unexploded bomb under your t shirt) people riding and walking to the shops half a mile away…

I’ve been riding on roads I wouldn’t normally dream of; admittedly not dual carriageways but some A roads I would dread are actually…quick and convenient ways of getting from one point to another.

[Mungecrundle]

Around Royston I’d put number
Around Royston I’d put number of cyclists at 5x the number of cars. Couples, singletons and in the villages families out together. Plenty of walkers and joggers too. People out in their gardens and pretty much everyone with a friendly smile or wave.

All very creepy and dystopian.

[Welsh boy]

The number of walkers and
The number of walkers and joggers in what look like family groups is going to be my lasting memory apart from the traffic levels being like the 1970’s again. It’s funny, if I am out on my own I almost never stop for a cafe stop but today I could have killed for a cafe stop. I have noticed the amount of traffic is slowing creeping up though.

[Author]

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