Coronavirus: Are cyclists being wrongly targeted during lockdown?

QUOTE:
Cycling is one of the three examples of daily exercise the government advises people to engage in during lockdown.

Despite this, there have been reports of abuse towards cyclists, including signs in a village telling cyclists to stay away.

Some residents say riders "pose a threat" by travelling through villages and increase the likelihood of spreading coronavirus.

But is there any science to back this up?

Prof Jonathan Ball, virologist at the University of Nottingham, said cycling posed no greater risk to the public than walking, and even less of a risk than running.

He said the idea that cyclists' heavy breathing could spread the virus was wrong.

"Somebody who's just breathing isn't producing sufficient particles with sufficient amounts of the virus on them to pose a threat to someone," he said.. Prof Ball said a coronavirus sufferer who coughs produces larger droplets, whereas normal breathing - whether heavy or otherwise - only produces small droplets which are less likely to contain the virus.

"You could theoretically exhale the virus on droplets as you breathe, but you've got to have a minimum dose to contract coronavirus," he said.

"Cyclists are in any part of a village for micro-second."

Dr Kate Hattersley, a GP in Devon, said: "If you haven't got Covid-19, you can't spread it. If the cyclist is healthy, there's no way they can spread the virus through your village." Kate Wilkinson Cross, who lives in the Hope Valley, Derbyshire, said: "Since lockdown I've experienced much more abuse than I have ever had while cycling in the valley."

The lecturer said she and her partner cycled together to deliver food to a friend locally, and a driver in a pickup truck shouted abuse telling them to "go home".

"The ironic thing was he was less than 2m away from me when it happened," he said.

"I feel vulnerable going cycling on my own. I'm well within my rights to do so, but I don't want to have to respond to abuse like this.

"It's making me think twice about where I cycle." Intensive care consultant Dan Harvey said he had received "the odd glance" while commuting to work on his bike in-between hospitals in Nottinghamshire.

"If you're dressed in Lycra, there's this notion that you've been out for hours and hours, but in fact I just use the bike and the Lycra to cycle to another hospital," he said.

He said there was no evidence of cycling having "any impact on local spread".

"In fact, walking or jogging through a village is likely to have a far greater impact, as you're interacting with surfaces more than you would on a bike."

Mr Harvey believes cycling should be promoted for front-line health workers travelling to work.

"Public transport is either thought to be particularly risky or not available, so cycling is a good way to travel," he said. Last week Bradwell resident Iain Greenhalgh was one of the villagers to post their concerns about cyclists from Sheffield riding through the village.

"If you appear in the villages of the Hope Valley wearing a Sheffield Cycling Club shirt, you've travelled 12 miles to get here," he said.

"Having people doing non-essential journeys through our villages makes a mockery of the effort everyone else is putting in to stay at home."

Cycling website road.cc said a parish council had put up signs in Little Bollington, Cheshire, warning cyclists to stay in their local area.

Cyclist Gordon Hollingworth tweeted a picture of a sign in the Cambridgeshire village of Coveney, telling cyclists to "stop panting viruses through our village". Since road.cc publicised the signs in Little Bollington, the parish council has removed them.

It said in a statement: "We as a community welcome anyone who wishes to visit or pass through our village.

"We would ask that everyone ensures they respect social distancing." Derbyshire Police advises people to cycle "alone or with members of your household" as well as "allowing for social distancing measures", and "under no circumstances should cycling be in groups".

Cycling UK advises cyclists to "take the opportunity to seek out quiet and uncrowded places to cycle close to home".

The organisation says cyclists should consider whether they will be able to socially distance from walkers on narrow lanes, or places such as canal towpaths.

Cycling UK advises people to consider "a circular route close to home" in case there is a "mechanical mishap you can't fix yourself".

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-englan...shire-52389245

Simon Mason wrote:

QUOTE:
...Prof Jonathan Ball, virologist at the University of Nottingham, said cycling posed no greater risk to the public than walking, and even less of a risk than running.

...Dr Kate Hattersley, a GP in Devon, said: "If you haven't got Covid-19, you can't spread it. If the cyclist is healthy, there's no way they can spread the virus through your village."

...Intensive care consultant Dan Harvey said he had received "the odd glance" while commuting to work on his bike in-between hospitals in Nottinghamshire.

"If you're dressed in Lycra, there's this notion that you've been out for hours and hours, but in fact I just use the bike and the Lycra to cycle to another hospital," he said.

..."Public transport is either thought to be particularly risky or not available, so cycling is a good way to travel," he said. Last week Bradwell resident Iain Greenhalgh was one of the villagers to post their concerns about cyclists from Sheffield riding through the village.

...Cycling UK advises cyclists to "take the opportunity to seek out quiet and uncrowded places to cycle close to home".

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-englan...shire-52389245

I very interesting and worthwhile read, that article. A nicely
balanced piece from the BBC explaining why cycling should be promoted
for front-line health workers travelling to work and why responsible
cycling is one of the three examples of daily exercise the government
advises people to engage in during lockdown.

On 26/04/2020 11:07, Simon Mason wrote:
QUOTE:
Cycling is one of the three examples of daily exercise the government advises people to engage in during lockdown.

Despite this, there have been reports of abuse towards cyclists, including signs in a village telling cyclists to stay away.

Some residents say riders "pose a threat" by travelling through villages and increase the likelihood of spreading coronavirus.

But is there any science to back this up?

Prof Jonathan Ball, virologist at the University of Nottingham, said cycling posed no greater risk to the public than walking, and even less of a risk than running.

He said the idea that cyclists' heavy breathing could spread the virus was wrong.

"Somebody who's just breathing isn't producing sufficient particles with sufficient amounts of the virus on them to pose a threat to someone," he said. Prof Ball said a coronavirus sufferer who coughs produces larger droplets, whereas normal breathing - whether heavy or otherwise - only produces small droplets which are less likely to contain the virus.

"You could theoretically exhale the virus on droplets as you breathe, but you've got to have a minimum dose to contract coronavirus," he said.

"Cyclists are in any part of a village for micro-second."

A millionth of a second? Really?

So a million cyclists (OK, half a million allowing for gaps) could pass
through a village in one second?

Did he measure that claimed duration scientifically?

Dr Kate Hattersley, a GP in Devon, said: "If you haven't got Covid-19, you can't spread it. If the cyclist is healthy, there's no way they can spread the virus through your village."

So WHAT?

The whole reason for the Coronavirus regulations is that no-one can know
ehether they have been infected.

Kate Wilkinson Cross, who lives in the Hope Valley, Derbyshire, said: "Since lockdown I've experienced much more abuse than I have ever had while cycling in the valley."

She should ask herself a few searching questions about her own behaviour.

The lecturer said she and her partner cycled together to deliver food to a friend locally, and a driver in a pickup truck shouted abuse telling them to "go home".

"The ironic thing was he was less than 2m away from me when it happened," he said.

That's OK if he had the windows closed.

Here, cyclists frequently pass within 6 feet of pedestrians and have no
barrier to rely upon.

"I feel vulnerable going cycling on my own. I'm well within my rights to do so, but I don't want to have to respond to abuse like this.

But *are* you "well within [your] rights" if you fail to compoly - in
full - with the social distancing rules (assuming they apply to
cyclists, of course)?

"It's making me think twice about where I cycle."

GOOD!

Intensive care consultant Dan Harvey said he had received "the odd glance" while commuting to work on his bike in-between hospitals in Nottinghamshire.

"If you're dressed in Lycra, there's this notion that you've been out for hours and hours, but in fact I just use the bike and the Lycra to cycle to another hospital," he said.

He said there was no evidence of cycling having "any impact on local spread".

"In fact, walking or jogging through a village is likely to have a far greater impact, as you're interacting with surfaces more than you would on a bike."

Mr Harvey believes cycling should be promoted for front-line health workers travelling to work.

"Public transport is either thought to be particularly risky or not available, so cycling is a good way to travel," he said. Last week Bradwell resident Iain Greenhalgh was one of the villagers to post their concerns about cyclists from Sheffield riding through the village.

"If you appear in the villages of the Hope Valley wearing a Sheffield Cycling Club shirt, you've travelled 12 miles to get here," he said.

"Having people doing non-essential journeys through our villages makes a mockery of the effort everyone else is putting in to stay at home."

Cycling website road.cc said a parish council had put up signs in Little Bollington, Cheshire, warning cyclists to stay in their local area.

Cyclist Gordon Hollingworth tweeted a picture of a sign in the Cambridgeshire village of Coveney, telling cyclists to "stop panting viruses through our village". Since road.cc publicised the signs in Little Bollington, the parish council has removed them.

It said in a statement: "We as a community welcome anyone who wishes to visit or pass through our village.

**********
"We would ask that everyone ensures they respect social distancing." Derbyshire Police advises people to cycle "alone or with members of your household" as well as "allowing for social distancing measures", and "under no circumstances should cycling be in groups".
**********

**********
Cycling UK advises cyclists to "take the opportunity to seek out quiet and uncrowded places to cycle close to home". The organisation says cyclists should consider whether they will be able to socially distance from walkers on narrow lanes, or places such as canal towpaths.
**********

Excellent advice.

Cycling UK advises people to consider "a circular route close to home" in case there is a "mechanical mishap you can't fix yourself".

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-englan...shire-52389245

On 11:07 26 Apr 2020, Simon Mason said:

QUOTE:
Cycling is one of the three examples of daily exercise the government
advises people to engage in during lockdown.

Despite this, there have been reports of abuse towards cyclists,
including signs in a village telling cyclists to stay away.


If there's a problem then why not use a stationary exercise bike?

The government has advised cycling as a form of necessary exercise, not as
recreation or sport.

Not content with that, you appear to be offended because cycling as a
recreation or sport can be blurred with exercise.

I suggest you stop trying it on. You'll feel more relaxed in such difficult
times.

On Sunday, April 26, 2020 at 1:14:12 PM UTC+1, Pamela wrote:
On 11:07 26 Apr 2020, Simon Mason said:

QUOTE:
Cycling is one of the three examples of daily exercise the government
advises people to engage in during lockdown.

Despite this, there have been reports of abuse towards cyclists,
including signs in a village telling cyclists to stay away.


If there's a problem then why not use a stationary exercise bike?

The government has advised cycling as a form of necessary exercise, not as
recreation or sport.

The article mentions someone who cycles to different work venues - is his cycle use recreation or sport? What about shopping?

On Sun, 26 Apr 2020 03:07:22 -0700 (PDT), Simon Mason
wrote:

QUOTE:
Cycling is one of the three examples of daily exercise the government advises people to engage in during lockdown.

Not quite - it is simply one used as an example of exercise.



Despite this, there have been reports of abuse towards cyclists, including signs in a village telling cyclists to stay away.

Some residents say riders "pose a threat" by travelling through villages and increase the likelihood of spreading coronavirus.

But is there any science to back this up?

Yes. Wind tunnel tests at Eindhoven and Leuven have detected Covid19
particles up to 20m behind cyclists

" Social Distancing v2.0: During Walking, Running and Cycling" found
walkers should keep at least 4m clear when following others, runners
should stay 10m from one another other, and fast cyclists should ride
as much as 20m apart, in order to avoid passing through “droplet
clouds” from others exercising.

The Singapore Cycling Federation (SCF), after feedback from Sport
Singapore and other government agencies, issued a reminder that "all
cycling if done outdoors must be carried out either alone or with
individuals of the same household", urging an allowance of 20m space
"between different household units of cyclists, even at traffic
lights." It also noted that cyclists are the leading breakers of the
rules and wilfully cycle in groups. "It is just a matter of time
before cycling is totally banned during this period."

On Sun, 26 Apr 2020 05:20:57 -0700 (PDT), Simon Mason
wrote:


The article mentions someone who cycles to different work venues - is his cycle use recreation or sport? What about shopping?

What about the 30,000 UK MAMILS who have joined the Strava long
distance challenge for April signing up to cycle 777 miles in the
month. Some of these idiots cycle for 12 hours a day, many went out
as groups.

The misuse of the roads by selfish cyclist groups has already led to
Wales banning long distance cycling. The new rules for Wales state
"Cycling should be local, as a rule of thumb limited to traveling no
further than a reasonable walking distance from home.

Exercising by cycling significant distances from home is not
considered to be a reasonable excuse for leaving home." There is also
a ban on all non-essential travel, so in Wales it is no longer
possible to drive to somewhere to ride your bike.

On 26/04/2020 13:13, Pamela wrote:

On 11:07 26 Apr 2020, Simon Mason said:

QUOTE:
Cycling is one of the three examples of daily exercise the government
advises people to engage in during lockdown.

Despite this, there have been reports of abuse towards cyclists,
including signs in a village telling cyclists to stay away.


If there's a problem then why not use a stationary exercise bike?

The government has advised cycling as a form of necessary exercise, not as
recreation or sport.

Being scrupulously fair, there is no advice against using a bicycle as a
means of transport (eg, for going to work where that work cannot be done
at home).

But cycling two abreast hardly sounds like commuting. It sounds like
recreation.

Not content with that, you appear to be offended because cycling as a
recreation or sport can be blurred with exercise.

I suggest you stop trying it on. You'll feel more relaxed in such difficult
times.

True.

On 26/04/2020 14:41, Peter Parry wrote:
On Sun, 26 Apr 2020 05:20:57 -0700 (PDT), Simon Mason
wrote:


The article mentions someone who cycles to different work venues - is his cycle use recreation or sport? What about shopping?

What about the 30,000 UK MAMILS who have joined the Strava long
distance challenge for April signing up to cycle 777 miles in the
month. Some of these idiots cycle for 12 hours a day, many went out
as groups.

The misuse of the roads by selfish cyclist groups has already led to
Wales banning long distance cycling. The new rules for Wales state
"Cycling should be local, as a rule of thumb limited to traveling no
further than a reasonable walking distance from home.

Exercising by cycling significant distances from home is not
considered to be a reasonable excuse for leaving home." There is also
a ban on all non-essential travel, so in Wales it is no longer
possible to drive to somewhere to ride your bike.

What about it? Everyone should know the rules by now and ANY
transgression should be tested by the enforcement agencies, not by
vigilantes.

On 26/04/2020 14:41, Peter Parry wrote:
On Sun, 26 Apr 2020 05:20:57 -0700 (PDT), Simon Mason
wrote:

The article mentions someone who cycles to different work venues - is his cycle use recreation or sport? What about shopping?

What about the 30,000 UK MAMILS who have joined the Strava long
distance challenge for April signing up to cycle 777 miles in the
month. Some of these idiots cycle for 12 hours a day, many went out
as groups.

777 miles in a month is just 25 miles a day.

The misuse of the roads by selfish cyclist groups has already led to
Wales banning long distance cycling. The new rules for Wales state
"Cycling should be local, as a rule of thumb limited to traveling no
further than a reasonable walking distance from home.

How can something that is not illegal be banned?

Besides, a "reasonable" walk can be 5 or 6 miles. If straight out and
back that's 3 miles from home. Cycling one lap of home, never going more
than 3 miles away from it could be 25 miles.

Exercising by cycling significant distances from home is not
considered to be a reasonable excuse for leaving home." There is also
a ban on all non-essential travel, so in Wales it is no longer
possible to drive to somewhere to ride your bike.

No longer? Driving to take exercise was verboten right from the start.
The police have since been told to be more relaxed about it.