Will bike shops remain open?

[Racing roadkill]

Leaving bicycle shops open means I can get my next months imperial ton done. I’ll go up to Esher and back, as I do need new brake pads.

 

[vickster]

Except Sigma is closed
https://www.sigmasports.com/coronavirus-update

Not that you’ll see this

 

[Edwardoka]

I'd force the "shop" part of bike shops to shut but allow workshops to remain open. You don't want idle browsers who end up germing the place up, but if you're a key worker who commutes by bike, having access to maintenance could be crucial.

 

[vickster]

It's fascinating to see how an activity can be portrayed restriction compliant.

I would be solo to and from the shop, which is an allowed journey if I say it's for the purpose of exercise.

Seems from @Mo1959's link, bicycle shops are allowed to open.

It follows that customers are allowed to visit.

Where I fall out of bed is my visit is not essential because I'm not going there to buy anything.

It's really meeting friends, which Boris said is banned.

Looks like I will have to fabricate an urgent need for a bike specific 10p washer to make the overall trip restriction compliant.

If you don't need to go to the shop but just want to chat to the shop guys, how is that actually any different to meeting friends? Just phone them up / whatsapp / whatever if you just want to shoot the breeze

 

[I like Skol]

It's fascinating to see how an activity can be portrayed restriction compliant.

I would be solo to and from the shop, which is an allowed journey if I say it's for the purpose of exercise.

Seems from @Mo1959's link, bicycle shops are allowed to open.

It follows that customers are allowed to visit.

Where I fall out of bed is my visit is not essential because I'm not going there to buy anything.

It's really meeting friends, which Boris said is banned.

Looks like I will have to fabricate an urgent need for a bike specific 10p washer to make the overall trip restriction compliant.

I always suspected you were an absolute ****, now I have no doubt!

I know much of what you type here at cyclechat is purely posted with the intention of causing arguments and disagreement so does not really represent reality but even so, your above comment is entirely inappropriate given the current situation, the deaths that have already occured and the deaths that are still certainly going to happen!

EDIT: Winjim types much faster than me....

 

[winjim]

I always suspected you were an absolute ****, now I have no doubt!

I know much of what you type here at cyclechat is purely posted with the intention of causing arguments and disagreement so does not really represent reality but even so, your above comment is entirely inappropriate given the current situation, the deaths that have already occured and the deaths that are still certainly going to happen!

EDIT: Winjim types much faster than me....

I deleted my post because I thought it was perhaps a bit too forceful but I agree.

Going out without good reason is socially irresponsible.

 

[snorri]

It's disappointing to see two people posting on this thread suggesting that they have found ways of breaching the rules.
It's not clever and it's not smart.

 

[Pale Rider]

If you don't need to go to the shop but just want to chat to the shop guys, how is that actually any different to meeting friends? Just phone them up / whatsapp / whatever if you just want to shoot the breeze

Where I fall out of bed is my visit is not essential because I'm not going there to buy anything.

It's really meeting friends, which Boris said is banned.

 

[vickster]

It's disappointing to see two people posting on this thread suggesting that they have found ways of breaching the rules.
It's not clever and it's not smart.

Indeed, yes you are allowed to cycle once a day for exercise, to go to work if essential, or presumably to the local shops, but the .gov rules say to minimise time outside which doesn't mean taking a 100 mile round trip to work or a bike shop you go to on a whim

 

[vickster]

Why are you thinking of fabricating a reason to visit then if by your own (not very clear) admission it's just for meeting friends which is banned

 

[wafter]

Bike shops need to stay open to service those who need bikes as commuters. My LBS has been prioritising servicing for NHS, cleaning all contact points, only one customer at a time, and have even taken the handle off the door.

Anybody exploiting the system or looking for loopholes in government guidance is a murderer. I feel that strongly about it. And seriously, do you need the government to tell you exactly what to do or can you manage to do the right thing by yourself? This is a right wing government which is supposed to mean little state intervention and greater individual responsibility after all.

Totally agree with the sentiment (and fair play to your LBS for prioritising those who really need it). Wouldn't go so far as to call people exploiting this murderers, but it's certainly highly irresponsible.

Problem is people will always look for (and probably find) excuses / loopholes / workaround when the actions required of them become inconvenient. While it's clear that bike shops certainly provide valuable support for those who rely on their bikes for essential transport (and to a lesser extent exercise) I suspect many will take their continued trading as a green flag to go in and browse non-essential goods too.. or worse.

It's fascinating to see how an activity can be portrayed restriction compliant.

I would be solo to and from the shop, which is an allowed journey if I say it's for the purpose of exercise.

Seems from @Mo1959's link, bicycle shops are allowed to open.

It follows that customers are allowed to visit.

Where I fall out of bed is my visit is not essential because I'm not going there to buy anything.

It's really meeting friends, which Boris said is banned.

Looks like I will have to fabricate an urgent need for a bike specific 10p washer to make the overall trip restriction compliant.

Point is you know you're blagging the system and IMO sitting in an enclosed space, especially for a prolonged with x-amount of other people (who in turn have also seen a further y-amount of people throughout the day / course of their business) massively increases the risks of exposure compared to simply going out for a ride in the open air with zero direct human contact.

Seems insane to take such elevated levels of risk in the name of just popping in for a chat. Are you seriously considering this or just trolling for a reaction?

Indeed, yes you are allowed to cycle once a day for exercise, to go to work if essential, or presumably to the local shops, but the .gov rules say to minimise time outside which doesn't mean taking a 100 mile round trip to work or a bike shop you go to on a whim

This "minimising of time outside" irritates me as somewhat of a red herring IMO. Exposure to people is the problem, not simply setting foot outside your house. Granted these may be one in the same if you live in London, but if you have access to rural roads with no pedestrains I don't see an practical difference in risk between a 30 minute or three-hour bike ride tbh.


All these new measures are even making me paranoid about / second-guess going to the shops if I'm not physically starving / running out of food; but surely better to buy now to bolster existing stores while the infection rate remains fairly low than wait 2-3 weeks until the cupboards are bare and the infection has spread significantly further within the population...?

I bet the shops will be bloody busy today

 

[DCLane]

My LBS is open, one customer at a time for purchase / servicing only.

 

[vickster]

Totally agree with the sentiment (and fair play to your LBS for prioritising those who really need it). Wouldn't go so far as to call people exploiting this murderers, but it's certainly highly irresponsible.

Problem is people will always look for (and probably find) excuses / loopholes / workaround when the actions required of them become inconvenient. While it's clear that bike shops certainly provide valuable support for those who rely on their bikes for essential transport (and to a lesser extent exercise) I suspect many will take their continued trading as a green flag to go in and browse non-essential goods too.. or worse.


Point is you know you're blagging the system and IMO sitting in an enclosed space, especially for a prolonged with x-amount of other people (who in turn have also seen a further y-amount of people throughout the day / course of their business) massively increases the risks of exposure compared to simply going out for a ride in the open air with zero direct human contact.

Are you seriously considering this or just trolling for a reaction?


This "minimising of time outside" irritates me as somewhat of a red herring IMO. Exposure to people is the problem, not simply setting foot outside your house. Granted these may be one in the same if you live in London, but if you have access to rural roads with no pedestrains I don't see an practical difference in risk between a 30 minute or three-hour bike ride tbh.


All these new measures are even making me paranoid about / second-guess going to the shops if I'm not physically starving / running out of food; but surely better to buy now to bolster existing stores while the infection rate remains fairly low than wait 2-3 weeks until the cupboards are bare and the infection has spread significantly further within the population...?

I bet the shops will be bloody busy today

It depends on whether you want to interpret the rules to meet your own needs.
It's pretty clear what is being said, but up to your conscience ultimately as to how you wish to comply 👍

I'll be restricting my outdoor activity to an hour a day, I may go in the garden to garden although I hate gardening I can walk to the shops when I need essentials

I have a rheumatological condition and get stiffness and pain if I'm inactive, but I have set up the turbo and I can walk up and down the stairs!

 

[Mo1959]

All these new measures are even making me paranoid about / second-guess going to the shops if I'm not physically starving / running out of food; but surely better to buy now to bolster existing stores while the infection rate remains fairly low than wait 2-3 weeks until the cupboards are bare and the infection has spread significantly further within the population...?

I bet the shops will be bloody busy today

I just dropped the car off for an MOT. Garage is allowed to remain open but is closing very shortly for their own health. Popped into the Co-op on way home and everyone was keeping a good distance and many looked positively scared

 

[Pale Rider]

Why are you thinking of fabricating a reason to visit then if by your own (not very clear) admission it's just for meeting friends which is banned

I was speculating as to how such a visit could be justified, even though I knew the answer.

Put another way, were I seriously intending to make such a visit, I wouldn't give advance notice of it on the internet, even anonymously.

Are you seriously considering this or just trolling for a reaction?

I was ventilating the thought process used to come to a decision, which I'm sure lots of us have been doing in relation to lots of things.

I have made the wrong assumption all members would be mature enough to see that, because clearly some aren't.