"This is not who we are": locals scrubbed 'Covidiot' graffiti off Somerset road; New London Bike Show dates; Italy + Spain lifting exercise restrictions; 'LaserTour' Zwift precursor cost $20k; New La Passione jerseys + more on the live blog

We’re creating a Keyworkers’ Corridor, close to @Leic_hospital #LRI - helping new and returning keyworker cyclists get to where they need to be quickly and safely #tacticalurbanism #leicbikeaid 🚲 #COVID19 pic.twitter.com/gaWTReRtFq

— Cllr Adam Clarke (@OweniteAdam) April 27, 2020

The temporary infra has already received high praise on social media - let's hope it gets made permanent and it inspires other UK cities. 

A statement from organisers said: "Since making the initial announcement on 12th March that the shows would be delayed until July 2020, the UK has undergone a huge change.  Due to large restrictions placed on life in general, and the impact these are having on business the revised July date is no longer an option.

"Following discussions with the venue (which is currently in use as NHS Nightingale) we are pleased to announce that the show will now take place from 5-7 March 2021.  By delaying until then, we feel that this will give businesses involved in the show (both exhibitors and our contractors) a much better chance to make a full recovery from this difficult period."

Those who bought tickets for 2020 will have them automatically transferred to the new 2021 dates. 

Well this is dreadful. This is actually the moment for us all to embrace the cycle-trip. Clean air, good exercise, obeying the rules. https://t.co/hioaXDFrtn

— Jeremy Vine (@theJeremyVine) April 27, 2020

The broadcaster was not impressed by the news of the rogue graffiti, since removed by residents of Litten in the Mendip Hills. 

He queued for 2 hours at B & Q for that spray paint !!

— simon (@NeathamSimon) April 27, 2020

Ironic of course that the vandal creating this message left their home to write the words "stay home"

— Will Nick 🏃🚴 (@Nick88Will) April 27, 2020

Further down the page you'll find that the words 'Covidiot cyclists stay at home protect the NHS' were painted on a road in North Somerset over the weekend, with the chairman of Chew Valley Cycling Club telling road.cc that locals were making efforts to remove it. As you'll see above some have spotted a certain irony in a person/people leaving their home to paint a road with graffiti that berates people for leaving their homes. 

For what it's worth, I've mostly had better experiences when out and about. A small number dog walkers who get annoyed at having to control their dogs on bike routes, but drivers are generally overtaking better and more people are saying hello and/or waving.

— Will Nick 🏃🚴 (@Nick88Will) April 27, 2020

Others are more positive, with James Harrison claiming that the graffiti has already been removed, and most locals in the area are generally friendly and welcoming. 

On our live blog last wednesday and again on Saturday, we reported that Hackney councillor Jon Burke furiously claimed that new Department for Transport guidance to reportedly aid the building of emergency cycling and walking space was simply a case of "gaslighting us"; however, Cycling UK's Head of Campaigns Duncan Dollimore says that the guidance does make life easier for councils. He told road.cc:

“The new DfT guidance does make it easier for councils to satisfy the rules for advertising proposed traffic orders, which is sensible and we welcome, but it doesn’t give councils any other new powers.

“That doesn’t mean councils have an excuse to do nothing. As shown by Cycling UK’s guide for councils, there’s plenty they can do to create space now to make social distancing easier and relieve pressure on public transport for when lockdown is relaxed, either without any order or through an experimental traffic order made after seven days’ notice.

“Cycling UK would urge everyone who wants to see more space for social distancing, whether you’re walking, cycling or taking public transport to speak up now and get in touch with their council via our online tool.”

That online tool is here. Mr Burke retweeted our article at the weekend, suggesting he suports the idea of lobbying councils for safer streets - he also written to Grant Shapps on 24th April asking for clarification over the new powers councils have to introduce emergency road safety measures. 

Today, @mayorofhackney & I wrote to @grantshapps requesting clarification of the powers available to local authorities for the introduction of emergency road safety measures, given the serious deterioration in driver behaviour since the introduction of social distancing guidance. pic.twitter.com/BgbniRZKxb

— Cllr Jon Burke (@jonburkeUK) April 24, 2020

Coronavirus: Are cyclists being wrongly targeted during lockdown?https://t.co/l2JpDEAy5m

— TransportXtra (@TransportXtra) April 26, 2020

Further to the post above, the BBC have asked this question in an article published yesterday, citing coverage on road.cc of the signs in Little Bollington, Cheshire telling cyclists to stay away - the signs have since being removed, with a Parish Councillor apologising and admitting they "got it wrong".

The article quotes an intensive care consultant who says: "If you're dressed in Lycra, there's this notion that you've been out for hours and hours, but in fact I just use the bike and the Lycra to cycle to another hospital."

The consultant continues by claiming that there is no evidence of cycling having an impact on "local spread", and that walking or jogging through a village "is likely to have a far greater impact, as you're interacting with surfaces more than you would on a bike."

When road.cc staff discussed the perceived issue, our personal experiences are that anti-cycling sentiment doesn't appear to have visibly increased noticeably on the roads we ride, but those who previously expressed such views may feel that the lockdown has empowered them to be more vocal with their negative attitude towards cyclists. We've also noticed considerable numbers of those who wouldn't have previously considered themselves 'cyclists' are getting back on the bike to get their daily exercise. 

While government advice still doesn't specify a time or distance limit on permitted daily exercise, it's considered good practice to stay reasonably local. Cycling UK have advised people to consider "a circular route close to home" in case there is a "mechanical mishap you can't fix yourself" - for our advice in line with the latest government guidance, check out our dos and don'ts guide. 

The LaserTour from Perceptronics, available in the 1982 Neiman Marcus Christmas Book. Yours for a cool $20,000. pic.twitter.com/rYuVZ5sjeE

— Humanoid History (@HumanoidHistory) April 27, 2020

Even in today's money, spending close to a grand on a smart trainer set-up and then paying a monthly subscription to link it to a super immersive training app like Zwift might seem like a considerable investment... but if you swear by indoor training through the lockdown then consider yourself lucky that it didn't all happen in 1982, because you could have ended up paying $20,000 for what looks like a pretty rudimentary spinbike with some 'pleasant panorama' blaring out of the TV. 

In what would have been the ultimate showpiece in Patrick Bateman's apartment, the LaserTour from Perceptronics cuts to the chase and does away with showing us any useful training stats; because what we really all need to pass the time on the turbo is fuzzy pictures of rollercoasters, right? We're boxing up the trainer and going to spend the morning search the darkest corners of eBay!

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