The Welsh First Minister has said some "modest adjustments" will be made to #coronavirus restrictions in Wales from Monday - including allowing more than one outdoor exercise session a day, and reopening garden centres.
Read more about #COVID19: https://t.co/rebEszzpRwpic.twitter.com/Y5RACtblBw
— SkyNews (@SkyNews) May 8, 2020
The 'modest' changes will mean that Welsh residents will be permitted outside to exercise more than once per day; while no such rule specifically exists in England, it's been reported that a change to the current guidance - that says'one form of exercise a day' is allowed with a number of exceptions - may be announced by Boris Johnson over the weekend when he addresses the nation.
Who the hell can tell us whether a bike ride we choose to go on is necessary? How dare these people?https://t.co/mR9vVEuRfq
— Alistair Haimes (@AlistairHaimes) May 7, 2020
The Somerset County Gazette reports PCSO Steve Hill wrote on his Police Facebook account that a cyclist was injured while out on a bike ride with friends, which would have reportedly been 26 miles in length. PCSO Hill said the cyclist crashed on Ford Street in Wellington, Somerset, and was taken to hospital with minor injuries.
He then said: "It transpired the cyclist was with two friends from Taunton who decided to go for a cycle ride as their daily exercise. They were avid cyclists and thought this was ok.
"Although cycling can be part of your daily exercise is going for a 26-mile bike ride with friends necessary?
"This cycle ride ended in tragedy, luckily the cyclist only suffered minor injuries but was taken the (sic) Musgrove Park Hospital.
"This incident took up valuable emergency service time and could have been prevented by the cyclists staying at home as per government regulations.
"Please think before going out, is the journey necessary?"
The comments reportedly attracted anger in comments underneath PCSO Hill's post, and others have criticised him for imposing 'rules' that don't exist; under the government's lockdown guidance daily exercise is permitted, but the length or duration isn't specified.
Authorities are on a power trip worldwide. They need to be checked by the people.
— Cynic-19 (@beacon_freedom) May 7, 2020
1/2 PCSO Hill's officious & peremptory remarks, if quoted accurately, betray a troubling misapprehension of the operative provisions of the Health Protection Regs. 6(2)(b) provides that a reasonable excuse *includes* the need to take exercise. No onus to show a 'necessity'.
— Christopher Larcombe (@drimpolitic) May 7, 2020
26miles on a bike isn’t even that far tbh
— Cheryl 🛶🌌🦋 (@CherylBoruszko) May 7, 2020
The 2018 winner of Le Tour revealed in a Facebook Live chat with Wiggle (above) that he will be heading to France on Monday to up his training for the race, which is set to begin on the 29th August - Thomas is a resident of Monaco.
He said: "We'll be back out there, we can train on the roads there. At the moment anyway that's what the French Government are saying, so looking forward to it."
Thomas also said that while it "obviously isn't ideal that he is 'excited' about the new UCI calendar, which has been squeezed betwen September and November with many events overlapping: "if we can get it all in that will just be phenomenal", he added.
Mundiales, tres opciones en Oriente Medio en noviembre si el evento en Suiza se salta como alternativa a Aigle-Martigny 2020. Según MARCA las opciones son Emiratos Árabes , Qatar u Omán (foto Sirotti) pic.twitter.com/0TrcSMGEug
— Nieves Moya (@NievesMoya) May 8, 2020
According to the Spanish publication Marca, one of the Arab nations could step in if Aigle-Martigny 2020 is unable to take place in Switzerland between 20th-27th September because of the pandemic.
The Swiss organisers of the championships are reportedly not convinced that the event will be able to go ahead, and co-chairman of the organising committee Grégory Devaud says that they "must be humble" about the situation, out of respect for those who are fighting the virus each day."
He added that a final decision whether Switzerland could host would be made by the end of June, while Marca claim to have learned from insiders that the UCI is considering the UAE, Qatar or Oman as alternative host nations. As Switzerland is mountainous and a road race in any of these three countries would most likely be very flat, it means any shortlist of favourites to win world titles in 2020 would be turned on its head. With organisers most likely looking to avoid big crowds gathering, there would be an advantage to hosting in one of these three countries according to some...
The climbers won't be happy, but at least they can guarantee there won't be big crowds
— Peter Cossins (@petercossins) May 8, 2020
Go home NHS? pic.twitter.com/4hhCBA71tt
— b i c y c l e s (@MCRCycleSam) May 8, 2020
The scattergun approach to this ranting collection of signs mean they appear to say something the angry authors probably didn't intend for them to say.
Then you have idiots like this guy. pic.twitter.com/03BJEzhMEa
— Elisabeth Anderson (@velobetty) May 8, 2020
There's stupid as in endangering the lives of others by putting drawing pins in the road to puncture bike tyres... and then there's stupid as in admitting it publicly on social media. That's what 'Welsh Cabbie Tony' has done if his tweet from 21st March - which has resurfaced today - is to be believed. Incredibly, the Twitter account is still active.
Remember these? Remember the 13 year old child that nearly got injured in all of this? Remember how we are supposed to help the NHS, which is why many ppl are cycling where they feel safe, places like parks?? Yeahh... @MetCC@MetCycleCops@metpoliceuk@theroyalparkshttps://t.co/Hb7fyHLhZspic.twitter.com/vcNTsAs4gu
— Ramos (@SezRamos) May 8, 2020
We understand the tweet has been reporting to the police and they are still investigating.
It's been brought to our attention that some international readers may be unaware that 'black cab' is an informal term for a specific type of licensed taxi in the UK. We've changed the headline to reflect this, apologies for any confusion.
A little thread on cycling in London. The experience of a 45 year old, overweight woman - ie me (inspiration provided by @peterwalker99 in his article this morning) ... pic.twitter.com/8FkA270mSl
— Heidi Alexander (@Heidi_LDN) May 8, 2020
Heidi Alexander - an ex-Labour MP and now London's Deputy Mayor for Transport - sums up perfectly what is so good about switching to two wheels in the thread above. She closes with: "Life is going to be pretty different for a while. We are going to need to change how we move around the city. I’d love this horrible period to lead to hundreds of thousands of women (and men!) in London taking to their bikes - being healthier and happier as a consequence."
Although it did attract a comment from someone who didn't believe Ms Alexander's post was a 'great advert for safe cycling'...
Great advert for safe cycling. No helmet, no gloves, no idea...
— TDF TT (@TDF_TT) May 8, 2020
Though we can't help noticing that this account's profile picture is Jan Ulrich, and despite his slick aero helmet this happened to him in the final time trial of the 2003 Tour de France...
Work will take place on Sunday to create a new temporary cycle lane on the A270 Old Shoreham Road, freeing up space for cyclists in response to government guidance on physical distancing and changes to how people are currently travelling around the city.https://t.co/UzqynBR95ppic.twitter.com/MCwUAtTD6X
— Brighton & Hove City Council (@BrightonHoveCC) May 7, 2020
Brighton and Hove Council have announced that a 1.7 mile long temporary cycle route is to be installed along the A270 Old Shoreham Road; described as "significant because you'd only want to use that road on a bike if you're in a hurry" according to road.cc contributor Jo Burt.
Resident access to driveways are unaffected, and the lane will be in use from 11th May.
A cyclist wrote to the Northern Echo suggesting this could be the case, observing that while flytipping has inevitably gone up, there seems to be much less general litter around during lockdown. Evidently it's not gel wrappers that appear to be the main litter problem on countryside roads then...
Drawing pins left out for cyclists again. @RPcyclists@MPSRoyal_Parks@MetCC@theroyalparks#regentspark Opposite London Business School. Thankfully there's so much traffic they've mostly been squashed. pic.twitter.com/soB4Y0BfsT
— The Dynaslow 🚴♂️🐈👨👩👧 (@TheDynaslow) May 8, 2020
We first reported this on our Wednesday live blog, and it looks like either they've yet to be removed or new pins have been put down in their place. The MET Contact Centre replied to this tweet to say that they're aware of the latest discovery.
Good morning, thank you for the information. Local police have been made aware.
— Met Contact Centre (@MetCC) May 8, 2020
There have been rising reports of self-styled 'vigilantes' laying traps - presumably aimed at cyclists and/or walkers - who are attempting to enforce their own warped version of the government's lockdown guidance and illegally putting up signs telling people to stay away. This one from South Wales was one of the numerous examples we've seen since the lockdown began.
Front page of the Independent:
“Millions will be urged to cycle to work” pic.twitter.com/ySdJpvTkU1
— APPGCW (@allpartycycling) May 8, 2020
That's what's on the front page of this morning's edition, as it's reported that the public wil be urged to cycle to work to avoid the risk of further spread from a return to the mass use of public transport. Are we really heading for a 'Golden Age of Cycling'?
The Slovakian recently revealed on an Instagram live video that he didn't care much for indoor cycling, and that he's "a real cyclist not a virtual one"... but ever the people pleaser, Sagan has been taking one for the team and getting involved with Bora-Hansgrohe's virtual ride outs.
When it’s time for a fast escape, I rely on the new @iamspecialized Diverge as the ultimate getaway vehicle. Escape Responsibly → https://t.co/muySflYPlA#diverge#iamspecializedpic.twitter.com/mHFuqiCdNC
— Peter Sagan (@petosagan) May 7, 2020
He's also been taking one for the Specialized marketing team by starring in the ad for their all new Diverge, posing as an escaping crook by the looks of things and using the revamped all-roader as his getaway vehicle. We all know it's make-believe because that rather expensive bike wasn't locked, and in real life it would have definitely got pinched...
I got shot at cycling with a friend on a highway outside of Mitchell S. Dakota. When we got in town and told another friend...you know what he said?
"They were just joking cause most of these guys are crack-shots. If they wanted to shoot you, they would have."
100% serious 😑
— Q - They don't really care about us (@QuancyClayborne) May 6, 2020
Apparantly getting shot at was 'just a joke', if this story is indeed true. Only in 'merica...