How Long Before People Tire of Lockdown?

[wheeliepete]

I don't think it's my imagination, but there seemed to be a lot more traffic on the roads last week, which suggests there is more non essential travel taking place. Read last night that B&Q are reopening some of their stores. Have I missed some vital piece of news?

 

[Danidl]

I don't think it's my imagination, but there seemed to be a lot more traffic on the roads last week, which suggests there is more non essential travel taking place. Read last night that B&Q are reopening some of their stores. Have I missed some vital piece of news?

Essential travel has different meanings. Since my region has effectively been in lockdown since 10 th March, some things are running out. And these can be things that a B&Q provide... A gas regulator for the butane stove, the fuse or circuit breaker for the oven, electric light bulbs , or in my case a spare bike tube or puncture kit for the bike .... Not a luxury I assure, my daughter , who is deemed essential , absolutely needs to travel the 3 miles by bike to get the train home ,and the puncture happened Thursday night..Yes she got the train, but would not have been able to work the next day except for getting the kit.
Now I wouldn't critise a person getting a few tins of paint when they went to get tge fuse.. would you?

 

[sjpt]

I don't think it's my imagination, but there seemed to be a lot more traffic on the roads last week, which suggests there is more non essential travel taking place. Read last night that B&Q are reopening some of their stores. Have I missed some vital piece of news?

One difference is that driving to an exercise point was unclear. It was always sensible in some cases as flecc often pointed out, but it wasn't clear if it was allowed. Now it is explicitly allowed.

I had noticed a little more traffic around earlier this week; I was surprised how little today (except bicycles).

 

[wheeliepete]

Essential travel has different meanings

I get that a shop like B&Q can provide many items that can be classed as essentials, but equally it could also be taken by many that it is now OK to think about going out and buying things like plants and a new patio set which are not. Lifting this so called lockdown is going to be a very tricky thing to get right and i don't think this will help in any way.

 

[Stanebike]

Hi All. This is my first post, although I bought my e-bike in January and then joined the forum I had been reading the posts here since last summer and all my questions were already answered which was great. Now in lockdown it’s wonderful having the bike for exercise which is doing me a power of good.

So today I’ve just got back from my exercise ride and have noticed how there is a lot more cars around and that some of their drivers are beginning to get impatient with the number of bikes on the road. This is especially so when bikes are giving pedestrians a wide birth as social distancing requires. It seems like flouting the lockdown rules is increasing with a return of previously held attitudes. It’s as though the virus is becoming normal especially to those safely tucked up in their metal boxes. Shame as I was rather enjoying the quietness of the roads and the extra curtesy people were giving each other to comply with social distancing and protect one another from the dreaded virus.

 

[Danidl]

Hi All. This is my first post, although I bought my e-bike in January and then joined the forum I had been reading the posts here since last summer and all my questions were already answered which was great. Now in lockdown it’s wonderful having the bike for exercise which is doing me a power of good.

So today I’ve just got back from my exercise ride and have noticed how there is a lot more cars around and that some of their drivers are beginning to get impatient with the number of bikes on the road. This is especially so when bikes are giving pedestrians a wide birth as social distancing requires. It seems like flouting the lockdown rules is increasing with a return of previously held attitudes. It’s as though the virus is becoming normal especially to those safely tucked up in their metal boxes. Shame as I was rather enjoying the quietness of the roads and the extra curtesy people were giving each other to comply with social distancing and protect one another from the dreaded virus.

Seriously ,i would not think the social distancing thing matters when a cyclist is overtaking a pedestrian. The dangerous exposure is supposed to be15 minutes within 2 metres of an emitter person. Now on a bike, let alone an ebike, if you are with 2 metres for a second I would be surprised. @25km hr is 7 metres per second!

 

[flecc]

I get that a shop like B&Q can provide many items that can be classed as essentials, but equally it could also be taken by many that it is now OK to think about going out and buying things like plants and a new patio set which are not. Lifting this so called lockdown is going to be a very tricky thing to get right and i don't think this will help in any way.

You've probably missed the government clarification on what you can buy. After Northampton police made fools of themselves by trying to dictate what shoppers could buy, the government made it clear that while out buying any essential, they could buy whatever else they liked from the store.

In fact the list of things one can go out for is very long, and it includes cash from cash machines. It doesn't specify when, how much, how often or at what time.

So retail isn't a big problem when easing the lockdown by opening up restaurants, barbers, garden centres etc, only retaining social distancing is. That will be tricky in some shops and in classrooms as the kids go back to school.

Driving too will be an easing problem, such things as when, how often, how far and where to. Bus travel too, since a double decker can only carry 20 people with two metre distancing.
.

 

[RossG]

This social distancing thing is turning out to be a real bind in some circumstances. My partner was talking on the blower to a young relative who told her she had to wait in a queue for 45 min outside an asda store today, apparently the line zig-zagged all round the car park.
That's not of course because the store was packed, paradoxically it's because they want to keep it as empty as possible to aid/comply to distancing measures.
Now I don't know about everyone else on here maybe I'm a bit of an oddball but I actually like shopping in supermarkets, for me it's a pleasurable experience. I enjoy wandering around the isles looking for bargains picking up items studying ingredients and getting ideas for yet another culinary delight, a sort of Tesco Masterchef if you like.
Now of course I can't really do that anymore as they don't want you to pick things up and put them back.
Understandable I suppose but if I can't shop in the same way I'll just do it online and save the hassle.

 

[Stanebike]

Seriously ,i would not think the social distancing thing matters when a cyclist is overtaking a pedestrian. The dangerous exposure is supposed to be15 minutes within 2 metres of an emitter person. Now on a bike, let alone an ebike, if you are with 2 metres for a second I would be surprised. @25km hr is 7 metres per second!

I hadn’t realised the time element and it would appear many others out walking don’t know that either by the look of relief on their faces when you give then a wide birth. Often get a nice smile for your curtesy as you pass.

Next time I have a car on my tail eager to pass the moment there's a gap in the oncoming traffic I will remember and not feel guilty for staying close to the path.

 

[mike killay]

I hadn’t realised the time element and it would appear many others out walking don’t know that either by the look of relief on their faces when you give then a wide birth. Often get a nice smile for your curtesy as you pass.

Next time I have a car on my tail eager to pass the moment there's a gap in the oncoming traffic I will remember and not feel guilty for staying close to the path.

I think that car drivers will have to get used to the fact that they are no longer Kings of the road. Here in Gower, I find them mostly very patient and they mainly go right over to the right hand side before passing me.
My guess is that they are driving illegally and do not want any hassle.

 

[mike killay]

We have been in lockdown for a while here in Wales.
Not heard of any rules because,
1 I have stopped watching TV because of the licence issue
2 I don't take a newspaper.
Seems OK to ride a bike here, but then there aren't any Police, if you see one once a month you are doing well.