The natives are revolting?

[whole diary]

[CyclingSid]

Cyclists allegedly warned to expect "raging locals" if they ride through Somerset village

The post on the Bristol Cyclists Facebook page warned that "raging locals" in the village of Pill in North Somerset are preparing to patrol the area, amid claims that cyclists are arriving in droves and "having picnics on the green" on a cycle route that stretches from the village to the city of Bristol.

The post above also refers to "2 miles from home exercise guidelines", which to our knowledge does not exist in the United Kingdom; the post has now been removed from the page, but was screenshotted and posted on Twitter.

And also:

We've also been alerted to a letter to the editor on the Bournemouth Echo website https://www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/news/18380007.letter-editor-stop-cyclists-fine-rule-breakers/, in which the writer claims she has "never seen so many cyclists of all ages out on the roads", and recommends the police stop them and ask where their home address is; she also wrongly states that (sic) "its only pairs allowed out, not families of 4-8 people, half with no helmets and tiny kids wobbling all over the main road."​

The writer continues to guess that 80% are "well outside their boundaries and are going on family days out", and claims she saw (sic) "a group of four people cycling from Ringwood down the duel carriageway the other afternoon."

Cycling on a dual carriageway is legal in the UK^▸ (United Kingdom).

And more

https://twitter.com/paultrollope/status/1250130683948871683?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1250130683948871683&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Froad.cc%2Fcontent%2Fnews%2Flive-blog-15-april-2020-272761

https://twitter.com/Terryreeves1980/status/1250067794961588224?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1250067794961588224&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Froad.cc%2Fcontent%2Fnews%2Flive-blog-15-april-2020-272761

Happy days! It must be the sunshine

[Marlburian]

One hears of other anecdotes of people (mis)interpreting the guidance in their own ways and examples of "curtain-twitching": Neighbourhood Watch out and about in one village asking other people why they are out and about; car numbers being taken; and photos of apparent strangers being posted on local Facebook pages.

There have been calls for the Government to publish its exit strategy, but I believe that it would be premature for it to do so because it would confuse people, especially those who only bother with superficial media. And obviously the Government will be looking at what happens as other countries implement their exit plans and very likely will need to adjust its own.

[grahame]

If you close all the gyms, swimming pools, football and rugby grounds and training fields, bowling, angling venues, darts venues, boxing and wrestling halls (except for professionals in Florida), athletic tracks,  you tell people to work from home rather than get their exercise walking and from the station and the bus stop, you close down beauty spots where people play physical games (both day and night varieties) and dance clubs, swing clubs  and venues together with cinemas and theatres and halls that host judo practise, Zumba, belly and welly events ... and you tell people they can still exercise by cycling or walking, why is anyone going to be scratching their head and wondering why there are more cyclists and walkers about??     

Certainly where I live there should be space to exercise, to be able to exercise without driving a car or taking public transport to do so, and to maintain separation. But there will be pinch points, and there will be people who live at / around those pinch points who see their local environment where there was historically just thin use an natural distancing finding themselves now in a much busier place, and not liking it ...

[Red Squirrel]

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way...

[TonyK]

Cyclists allegedly warned to expect "raging locals" if they ride through Somerset village

The post on the Bristol Cyclists Facebook page warned that "raging locals" in the village of Pill in North Somerset are preparing to patrol the area, amid claims that cyclists are arriving in droves and "having picnics on the green" on a cycle route that stretches from the village to the city of Bristol.

I know Pill, where there are some who were against the cyclepath, because it would undoubtedly encourage people to visit from the Outside. Wait until the station starts to be built.

[SandTEngineer]

Cor blimey.  The cyclists are actually using the cycle path. Around these parts, despite many dedicated cycle paths installed at great expense, they still cycle on the parallel road......

I'll get my tin hat out of the cupboard.....

[Red Squirrel]

I'll get my tin hat out of the cupboard.....

Don't do that! Just get on a bike, and you'll see that very often what looks like a very usable cycle path from your car window is anything but..!

[Bob_Blakey]

Last week I was shouted at by a pedestrian - 'there is no traffic on the road!' - for cycling on a clearly marked shared footway / cycleway near Exminster. Sometimes you just can't win. 

[johnneyw]

Cyclists allegedly warned to expect "raging locals" if they ride through Somerset village

The post on the Bristol Cyclists Facebook page warned that "raging locals" in the village of Pill in North Somerset are preparing to patrol the area, amid claims that cyclists are arriving in droves and "having picnics on the green" on a cycle route that stretches from the village to the city of Bristol.

I know Pill, where there are some who were against the cyclepath, because it would undoubtedly encourage people to visit from the Outside. Wait until the station starts to be built.

I'm getting mental images of the Royston Vasey "Local Shop" now.

[Bmblbzzz]

Cyclists allegedly warned to expect "raging locals" if they ride through Somerset village

The post on the Bristol Cyclists Facebook page warned that "raging locals" in the village of Pill in North Somerset are preparing to patrol the area, amid claims that cyclists are arriving in droves and "having picnics on the green" on a cycle route that stretches from the village to the city of Bristol.

I know Pill, where there are some who were against the cyclepath, because it would undoubtedly encourage people to visit from the Outside. Wait until the station starts to be built.

In another part of the cyberverse, it's been theorised that the etymology of the word 'pillock' is from a visit to Pill by David Ike.

[Bmblbzzz]

One hears of other anecdotes of people (mis)interpreting the guidance in their own ways and examples of "curtain-twitching": Neighbourhood Watch out and about in one village asking other people why they are out and about; car numbers being taken; and photos of apparent strangers being posted on local Facebook pages.

Who will watch the Neighbourhood Watchers?

[TonyK]

I'm getting mental images of the Royston Vasey "Local Shop" now.

It's not really as friendly as that. I hope my friends who live there aren't reading this, although privately they wouldn't disagree.

[JayMac]

Who will watch the Neighbourhood Watchers?

Quis custodiet ipsos Vicinitas Custodes? 

[Marlburian]

Westminster Bridge fury as "idiots" ignore 2m rule during NHS Clap For Carers - with  police looking on

Latest police guidance:

Exercise - What is allowed:

Going for a run or cycle, practising yoga, walking in the countryside or in cities or attending an allotment

Driving to countryside and walking (where far more time is spent walking than driving)

Stopping to rest or to eat lunch while on a long walk

In some circumstances, exercising more than once per day


A friend texted to alert me to the second one and, knowing I do longish walks, commented that "the world is my oyster". My last walk lasted seven hours, so pedantically, I could drive to Devon, walk, and then drive back! And it's a volte face after all the coverage and criticism of visitors driving to the Lake District. So an end to roadside checks about whether one's journey is really necessary?

I can't see local people being pleased about a return of outsiders. It's a concession I shall use every seven or ten days, with the added benefit of giving the car a run, being very careful where I park my car (away from possible curtain-twitchers).

I'm not sure where this leaves dog-owners, who have been enjoined not to drive out to walk their dogs. (Yesterday a Great Dane appeared on a leash opposite my house, optimistically sniffing around the neighbour's van that was parked there.)

One can now move to a friend's address for several days to allow a "cooling-off" following arguments at home, but one cannot meet in public to socialise (though presumably I can exchange a few words at two-metres' distance if I encounter a friend).

[TonyK]

A friend texted to alert me to the second one and, knowing I do longish walks, commented that "the world is my oyster". My last walk lasted seven hours, so pedantically, I could drive to Devon, walk, and then drive back!

You could try, I suppose.