Whether you are a committed cycling enthusiast or a complete novice looking for an alternative to the gym or team sports to keep up your health and fitness now the country is in lockdown, cycling could provide all the answers. However, you’re also likely to have questions, such as: How does the COVID-19 outbreak affect cycling? How can you minimise your risk as an individual if you are out and about on your bike?
How long and how often can I ride for?
The good news is that there is plenty of advice and guidance out there to help both the cycling community and the general public understand the impact of coronavirus on their cycling. Furthermore, it’s easy to find information about the impact that cycling can have on your health, fitness and well-being in these testing times.
But before we go any further, let’s focus on how long and how often you can ride for under the lockdown restrictions.
Cycling is, of course, still allowed – subject to regulations (which are legal requirements), and government guidance, which is advisory rather than statutory.
Here’s what you need to know.
How can you minimise risk?How to maintain social distancing when cyclingWe all get the public health guidance - staying at least two metres away from other people when we are out in public sounds simple, in theory. However, in practice, whether you are shopping in the supermarket or looking for somewhere to ride to get your daily exercise, it’s not always as easy as it sounds. It can actually be a bit tricky.
Here are some tips for how to maintain social distancing when you’re out on your bike. But first, let’s look at why keeping our distance is so important.
The importance of social distancing
Essentially, the COVID-19 infection is spread by droplets of fluid carrying the virus. If an infected person coughs or sneezes, the droplets can land on a surface or directly on another person. If we touch a surface that is contaminated with the virus and then touch our face, we will become infected ourselves. This is why it is so important to wash our hands frequently, clean surfaces regularly, and maintain social distancing guidelines.
We all have a responsibility to ride carefully and sensibly during the outbreak.
Cycling on off-road trails and shared-use paths
It’s a good idea to plan a route that avoids places that are either narrow or likely to be busy. Time your ride accordingly. On wider paths, it’s fairly simple to stick to the edges and maintain your social distance. However, if you have people approaching you, you should be prepared to stop and move to allow them enough space to pass.
Take a wide line and curve when passing walkers or other cyclists.
Canal towpaths can be particularly tricky to maintain social distancing on as they are so narrow. It’s probably best to choose an alternative route or only use towpaths at times of the day when they are likely to be really quiet.
Shared-use footways and roads
There are many shared-use footways which simply aren’t wide enough to allow for two metres of space when passing people. With a lot less traffic on most roads at the moment, if you feel confident enough it might actually be easier to ride on the road.
When on the road, it’s still important to leave two metres of space if a pedestrian is walking nearby on a narrow pavement. If it’s safe to do so, you should pull out towards the centre of the road as if you were turning right.
It’s important to bear in mind that the health benefits of getting out and about during the coronavirus crisis outweigh the risks, provided we observe social distancing guidelines.
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