I agree with what you say. It's like when I go to Venice and the place is ruined for me with all those tourists.
Yup, we can criticise all we like, but even if we feel we're different because we have been cycling B.C. (Before Coronavirus), we are still part of the problem as far as non cyclists concerned.
I used to make cycle trails part of one of my circuits when I was out, but recently they have been heaving with joggers, walkers, family groups, new cyclists with kids on bikes, dogs etc. They are perfectly entitled and I welcome this but many are so unaware of their surroundings that it's difficult to keep social distancing and make any sort of smooth progress.
So I tend to stick to the roads for the present. Most of the cyclists I see on the roads are going the other way, or overtaking me. I don't overtake many! The other day I came across a bunch of yoofs on generic mountain bikes coming the other way. It was hard to visualise them as a family group, they looked like they came from a local estate, on their way to a local beauty spot by the river. Giving cyclists a bad name! We have to assume that the majority of people are sticking to the guidelines.
I try not to look like a cyclist, and haven't had any real problems with traffic. No 2 wheeled red light jumpers seen. But I have the good fortune not to live in London or any other large city. It's a difficult balance between being unobtrusive enough so that you don't make other road users have to change speed and direction, and being assertive enough so that you get noticed and not wiped out by some distracted driver. Of course there will always be the pillock who drives around like Mr Angry with his hair on fire, hopefully you will hear him coming, and try not to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. I have seen the occasional speedy driver but they are giving me plenty of room so far. I haven't yet retreated to my turbo trainer like guitarpete247 but who knows what another day might bring?
