Driver behaviour during the pandemic - my honest experience

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Johnno260

Veteran
Location
East Sussex
a few weeks back it was just awful, this past few weeks people have been far more considerate.

It's a mixed bag really, but then it only takes one idiot to spoil things.
 

PaulSB

Legendary Member
I can't say I've noticed a big improvement during lockdown. I have for some years felt driver courtesy has, and continues to, improved considerably. I and many other cyclists I know make a real effort to acknowledge drivers who show courtesy and I like to think this helps the situation in our area. When we wave to a driver it's no longer unusual to get a wave back.

There has though been a significant rise in the numbers driving at very high speed, I mean VERY, VERY, high speed. Lancashire police have a lot of mobile speed traps out and I've seen several cameras bring loaded with film.
 

figbat

Slippery scientist
I thought it was initially. There was no time limit on the other activities but I believe that until Boris made his first easing of lockdown speech you were only supposed to exercise once a day for an hour
This has been the source of a lot of the accusations of vagueness from the government. The law never limited the frequency or duration of exercise (in England), so long as it was alone and respected social distancing. It also never limited the distance or direction. Boris made his thoughts known about what might be appropriate, as did other ministers, but these were not binding. You can't be prosecuted for ignoring a minister's suggestions.
 

vickster

Legendary Member
I thought it was initially. There was no time limit on the other activities but I believe that until Boris made his first easing of lockdown speech you were only supposed to exercise once a day for an hour
Nope...all came about from some Gove comment, was never in official guidance or legislation...anyhow we're well moved on from that! Got discussed to the Nth degree a month or two ago!
 

a.twiddler

Veteran
It's great that this has been your experience. I have had plenty of rides with nothing but great interactions with other people using the roads, too.

Looking at my stats I have reported far fewer drivers for dangerous driving than usual, only one in April, one in May and one from this Tuesday.

Twitter can make it seem like you will encounter a homicidal driver every time you get out on a bike, when you get to hear about so many more nasty incidents which aren't reported anywhere else.
Blimey! How many do you normally report?
When "lockdown" first started I was impressed by how few cars there were about, though even then subjectively some were enjoying the empty roads by driving fast, but I had no instances of close passing, abuse, flying beer cans or anything.

Even as people "gave themselves permission" to start driving more for less essential reasons and more vehicles came out it was noticeable that they gave me plenty of room. Once the official easing of restrictions started it was quite noticeable how many more cars were about but still not up to pre COVID numbers.

Yet so far they seem to be behaving themselves space wise, even to the extent that if I pull towards the centre line to give pedestrians "social distancing", cars behind will either wait or go right across into the other lane to pass. No doubt I am inviting some kind of retribution by even mentioning it for next time I am out but there it is.

I am not saying that all the drivers I have come across are raving philanthropists but certainly at the times that they have passed me (and almost everything does) they have been in a frame of mind to give a solitary cyclist some consideration. I am not above giving a little wobble when I hear something coming up behind but that does not explain the greater than usual numbers of overtaking vehicles that pass in the other lane.
 

vickster

Legendary Member
Less traffic in general, especially outside rush hour / at weekends

Most drivers seem pbroadly courteous and in less of a rush, however...

Seems to be also be more speeding around here, blokes on/in their 2 or 4 wheeled penis extensions :whistle: (sports bikes / sporty cars) - since when did a 20 limit become a 40 limit or a 40 become a 60/70/80 :ohmy: (Covid-19 perhaps affects basic numeracy as well as smell and taste?)

WVM / pick up man becoming more prevalent than earlier on in lockdown but behaving perhaps a bit better on average due to being in less of a rush as traffic ligher (still plenty of impatient nobbers, but fewer)

Lots more delivery nobbers on scooters who have probably never read or understood the basics of UK roadcraft / the highway code
 

RoubaixCube

~Tribanese~
Location
London, UK
Never was, at least not in England ;)

exercise outdoors i meant, as in jogging/walking in the park. etc etc. Most people i know ignored this anyway, They went out for a morning jog then an evening one.

On the contrary, you could exercise 24hrs straight indoors if you want Nobody's going to stop you.
 

vickster

Legendary Member
exercise outdoors i meant, as in jogging/walking in the park. etc etc. Most people i know ignored this anyway, They went out for a morning jog then an evening one.

On the contrary, you could exercise 24hrs straight indoors if you want Nobodies going to stop you.
Once a day outside was the guideline/legislation, not 1 hour outside

So why would anyone say anything if you were exercising at home? Staying home other than for very specific reasons was the whole point of lockdown
 

RoubaixCube

~Tribanese~
Location
London, UK
Once a day outside was the guideline/legislation, not 1 hour outside

Well sure. if you want to be pedantic about it 👍👍
 
you started by saying restricted to an hour...it never was, it was once a day, no legislated time limit

anyhow...
No, by all means, carry on - I'm sure the forum needs another 10 pages about the alleged 1-hour restriction (that no longer applies anyway, but it was a really fascinating subject that shouldn't be forgotten). Would y'all like me to change the thread title so that people can find these posts better? It'd be no trouble!

;-)
 

Arjimlad

Tights of Cydonia
Location
South Glos
Blimey! How many do you normally report?
When "lockdown" first started I was impressed by how few cars there were about, though even then subjectively some were enjoying the empty roads by driving fast, but I had no instances of close passing, abuse, flying beer cans or anything.

Even as people "gave themselves permission" to start driving more for less essential reasons and more vehicles came out it was noticeable that they gave me plenty of room. Once the official easing of restrictions started it was quite noticeable how many more cars were about but still not up to pre COVID numbers.

Yet so far they seem to be behaving themselves space wise, even to the extent that if I pull towards the centre line to give pedestrians "social distancing", cars behind will either wait or go right across into the other lane to pass. No doubt I am inviting some kind of retribution by even mentioning it for next time I am out but there it is.

I am not saying that all the drivers I have come across are raving philanthropists but certainly at the times that they have passed me (and almost everything does) they have been in a frame of mind to give a solitary cyclist some consideration. I am not above giving a little wobble when I hear something coming up behind but that does not explain the greater than usual numbers of overtaking vehicles that pass in the other lane.

I've reported 30 so far in 2020, 17 for close passing or tailgating or similar, and 13 for using handheld mobile phone whilst driving. All of those have received some sort of corrective action from the police. 25 of these were during normal commuting hours though. Hopefully I'll have fewer to report in future if people driving are getting more used to coping with sharing the road with people on bikes. On the other hand it does seem that the real haters are raging a little more than they used to !
 

Bonefish Blues

Banging donk
Location
52 Festive Road
a few weeks back it was just awful, this past few weeks people have been far more considerate.

It's a mixed bag really, but then it only takes one idiot to spoil things.
Well yes, but I'd add "... if you let it." to the end of your second sentence.

OP, I agree. Dare I say there's been some camaraderie amongst different road users in recent weeks. :ohmy:
 
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