Just reading this morning about “Doris’s” new lockdown easing rules, obviously doesn’t mention anything that clarifies when I can just legitimately use my bike for a leisure ride? What’s your take on this? Was hoping that from March I could get the bike out on a decent day and use it without fear of getting my collar felt, not intending to stop anywhere and mingle with folk, just want to be able to ride for a bit,..what do you reckon, anywhere states the rules a bit more clearly?? Also gutted to read that the barbershop won’t be allowed to open until mid April earliest, I’m desperate for a haircut now, I look like Tom Hanks in Castaway!!
I'd wait until there is some actual news on Covid guidance this afternoon from the HoC or the press conference tonight at 7pm. Most of whats being said this morning is either deliberate leaks to see how the public reacts or bollox from newspapers who are paid by different groups.
The Y or N to biking is that it is a non essential journey, the govt is never going to give a specific all clear to biking however once they allow non essential journeys to take place they are also allowing you to go riding I think ? A Tory minister was quizzed in Parliament about why golf courses were closed and their explanation was that it was the fact that travelling to a course was an unnecessary journey, rather than the sport itself that most people thought. It’s up to you whether you want to take a risk of a tumble and subsequent trip to hospital ! Also the mixing of households will be the deciding factor on how many others you could ride with ? Just my opinion, I’m sure others will have theirs.....
Yes, as you say Bezza, fully aware that I wouldn’t want to increase the burden on the NHS with a tumble and ending up in A and E, if I did get out at any time it would Definitely be just a “ potter” about as we haven’t ridden properly for months, but Sunday up here was a decent day and I noticed a few bikes about that didn’t look like essential journeys? Best wait for the official briefings and see what’s said tonight, just gagging to get out now the weathers picking up a bit
I have a motorcyclist friend who is a paramedic and ambulance driver. She spoke at one of our TVAM monthly social Zoom meetings during the previous lockdown and asked us if we knew how many Police/Fire Service/NHS staff responded to an RTC. Any guesses ? Even in a minor collision resulting in a non fatal injury, it’s likely to be around a minimum of 12. No-one sets out on a journey expecting to be involved in a collision but shit happens and her point was that emergency response staff are stretched to breaking point. I don’t think that the situation is lot different today so despite the urge, I still try to play the game and avoid unnecessary travel. Andy
We saw loads of bikes out and about on Sunday here in Norfolk, singles, pairs and even a couple of small groups, I didn't think it was allowed yet. I will have to wake a couple of mine up from hibernation. I still have not seen anything about UK travel being resumed, we have a provisional booking for a holiday in Devon in late April, probably not happening yet.
What’s wrong with isolating inside a helmet as soon as the sun comes out? Ok not strictly legit but we’re all running out of isolation sympathy.
Bikers stopped yesterday for breaching covid rules were finded £800 each according to one post i saw.
It was sunny and dry over the weekend and all I heard all day was bikes and cars screaming their tits off I’m throwing some shagged old road tyres on the Suzuki and will be out once the salt is rinsed off the roads
Understand your sentiments in all this Andy, but to me anyway, ..all motorcycle travel is unnecessary, so if you were to be literal about it , we all might as well sell the bikes now and take up some form of Uber safe hobby that has no chance of involving the need of emergency services ?
I’m not literal nor did I expect to be taken so. Motorcycles have been a part of my life since I was 9 years old when my mother used to drop me off at school on her way to work on her Honda C90. My very existence is enhanced by my motorcycling and as an IAM Roadsmart observer, a part of my every day life (well normally). I will be riding as often as I can once the pressure of high work loads and demand on the NHS is not quite so high, as will my motorcycling paramedic friend and the 1000 members of my motorcycling club. Andy
As I’m sure I am not everyone’s cup of tea. I suspect however the potential for a slight conflict between you and the IAM Roadsmart dogma some of the observers I know seem to think is sacrosanct Andy
Shave the lot off, all of it and that which you can’t shave Veet is your friend well apart from your crack and sack obvs.
Although I found the whole thing very clique’y. And as you say, they bloody love the rules. It was nice to potter up to the club night on a Thursday or whatever it was and talk crap with bike people. Our riding views, especially with the ‘new age iam’ very very rarely aligned however. Some of the die hard new age lot are genuinely dangerous in their love for following rules word for word. The old guard was a different story though.
