An increase in traffic - or not?

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Mike_P

Guru
Location
Harrogate
There has been a gradual an increase in traffic which has to be expected given that beyond the originally specified essential shopping only firstly it was announced it was alright to drive to a place to undertake exercise provided the time spent exercising was longer, shops that could have been open, but were not, reopening (B&Q for example), recycling sites reopening and apparently from next Wednesday garden centres. Also major house builders have recommenced work with in the last couple of weeks.
 
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Brandane

Brandane

Legendary Member
Location
Costa Clyde
There has been a gradual an increase in traffic which has to be expected given that beyond the originally specified essential shopping only firstly it was announced it was alright to drive to a place to undertake exercise provided the time spent exercising was longer, shops that could have been open, but were not, reopening (B&Q for example), recycling sites reopening and apparently from next Wednesday garden centres. Also major house builders have recommenced work with in the last couple of weeks.

They allow all these places to open up, but continue to tell us to stay at home and only make essential journeys for food, work, or medical reasons. Hadn't heard the one about driving to a place to take exercise. All very confusing and contradictory.
 

Mike_P

Guru
Location
Harrogate
They allow all these places to open up, but continue to tell us to stay at home and only make essential journeys for food, work, or medical reasons. Hadn't heard the one about driving to a place to take exercise. All very confusing and contradictory.
As my B&Q is next to an Aldi I made an essential journey for a £30 shop in Aldi and just happened to pick up compost up from B&Q whilst their. Not sure how I could fit the recycling site into an essential journey unless their is a farm shop somewhere in the countryside beyond the oddly middle of the countryside location of the recycling site. Annoyingly the opening of that has meant the road pass it has been made one way to cope with the masses so effectively overnight axing a lot of my cycling routes:sad:
 

Smokin Joe

Legendary Member
I drove 12 miles into town yesterday to buy a bar of chocolate, but mainly just to have a walk somewhere different. Very few people about, absolutely no teens and most shops still closed. As long as you are sensible, keep your distance and don't go snoting all over door handles or gobbing on the street I don't see the harm in it.

I'm lucky in that I still do my morning job, but one thing this lockdown has re-enforced in me is that should I ever be facing a prison sentence I would commit suicide. Confinement is something I could not cope with.
 

Slick

Guru
I drove 12 miles into town yesterday to buy a bar of chocolate, but mainly just to have a walk somewhere different. Very few people about, absolutely no teens and most shops still closed. As long as you are sensible, keep your distance and don't go snoting all over door handles or gobbing on the street I don't see the harm in it.

I'm lucky in that I still do my morning job, but one thing this lockdown has re-enforced in me is that should I ever be facing a prison sentence I would commit suicide. Confinement is something I could not cope with.
In all honesty I don't see the harm in it either. Obviously some think it's the thin end of the wedge but as long as you are sensible I feel the virus is avoidable for me now. Not quite as confident on the next stage though.
 

Mike_P

Guru
Location
Harrogate
The one problem for cyclists with any further increase in traffic is possible difficulties in socially distancing from pedestrians although I have seen a number who are not as it is.
 

geocycle

Legendary Member
One shock to me was a suggestion that current traffic levels are similar to those in the early 1970s. I guess that explains why I was happy riding the A roads in and out of York as a teenager. Amazing how traffic levels have grown requiring segregated lanes etc. During the lockdown I’ve avoided shared Cycle route as pedestrian levels are high while the roads are quiet. opening things up again will need serious planning.
 

Steady

Über Member
Location
Derby
One shock to me was a suggestion that current traffic levels are similar to those in the early 1970s. I guess that explains why I was happy riding the A roads in and out of York as a teenager. Amazing how traffic levels have grown requiring segregated lanes etc. During the lockdown I’ve avoided shared Cycle route as pedestrian levels are high while the roads are quiet. opening things up again will need serious planning.

When I was a kid, my Dad and I would walk across the a52 quite easily with our bikes on a Sunday morning in the 90s without it being dangerous (luckily my Mum didn't know though as she'd disagree!). I now cycle over a little narrow bridge instead, and I've always wondered how we managed to get across as it's constant traffic every Sunday, until lockdown began and it just made me realise the difference because if I was daft enough I could run across with my bike again.

Rush hour morning work traffic in my area increased around two weeks ago, enough that it was noticeable and I knew I was going to have to alter the times I went out in the morning again. I've avoided shared use anything, they're packed even early am.

Sundays however are still extremely quiet, VE day had more traffic than Sunday did around me.
 
The one problem for cyclists with any further increase in traffic is possible difficulties in socially distancing from pedestrians although I have seen a number who are not as it is.
This is (partly) why many campaigners are asking for new temporary bike-only space on busy roads. It's already happened in many cities abroad.
 
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Brandane

Brandane

Legendary Member
Location
Costa Clyde
I was out for a ride this morning, and I have to say I was shocked at the amount of traffic I encountered, even on a remote single track road which I regularly use. It was as busy as I have ever seen it. Lockdown? What lockdown... These selfish idiots just don't seem to care, and what's more, they have zero road sense.....

522470


All that grazing land for miles around, and this lot feel the need to use the only strip of tarmac there is :laugh:.
 

Milzy

Guru
Rode through a country park and it was packed with people who drove there. The roads were busier in general. It's time to get on with life.
 

hoopdriver

Guru
Location
East Sussex
I was out for a ride this morning, and I have to say I was shocked at the amount of traffic I encountered, even on a remote single track road which I regularly use. It was as busy as I have ever seen it. Lockdown? What lockdown... These selfish idiots just don't seem to care, and what's more, they have zero road sense.....

View attachment 522470

All that grazing land for miles around, and this lot feel the need to use the only strip of tarmac there is :laugh:.
They’ve got herd immunity so they don’t care
 
I was out for a ride this morning, and I have to say I was shocked at the amount of traffic I encountered, even on a remote single track road which I regularly use. It was as busy as I have ever seen it. Lockdown? What lockdown... These selfish idiots just don't seem to care, and what's more, they have zero road sense.....

View attachment 522470

All that grazing land for miles around, and this lot feel the need to use the only strip of tarmac there is :laugh:.
Yeah and what about all the flippin' emmisions?😊
 
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