Covid-19 Sanatarium: Group Bike Rides

[dasgeh]

@Nadine 199449 wrote:

I wonder if the cycling clubs that are canceling rides ride in pelotons. Babes on bikes doesn’t ride that close – we’ve just been sitting/standing much further apart on breaks.

My husband’s bike team is not training together, and I believe other teams are doing the same. Cancelling group activities helps flatten the curve!

[Nadine]

@dasgeh 199484 wrote:

My husband’s bike team is not training together, and I believe other teams are doing the same. Cancelling group activities helps flatten the curve!

Yeah I understand that but my query is about whether that’s because there are so many of them who ride so close together. The rides I’ve been on have had 2-4 people riding quite far apart – sometimes so far apart we’d lose sight of each other & hafta wait. It’s not a team – it’s just a few friends. We talk about the ways we’re planning to be careful /socially responsible / preventive before we even get together – so we can remind each other on the ride.

It seems to me that’s okay at this point (though I know we might hafta take a hiatus soon) and that if the most people paid attention to the guidelines and followed them seriously we might not have to. (I also feel like it would be good in the long run for a lot of people to stop acting like spoiled children. [emoji849] [emoji1747])

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[n18]

Vienna Police: Cyclist Allegedly Grabs, Shakes Kid for Sneezing Outside

“The first incident involved a cyclist and a boy along the W&OD Trail around 6 p.m. on Sunday (March 15).

According to the police report:

A juvenile reported that he was on the bike trail near the Whole Foods Market with his friends when he sneezed. A cyclist who was riding by stopped his bicycle and began yelling at the juvenile about the pandemic. The man grabbed the juvenile by the sweatshirt and shook him, then left the area westbound on the trail.”

https://www.tysonsreporter.com/2020/03/20/vienna-police-man-allegedly-grabs-shakes-kid-for-sneezing-outside/

[smb9600]

@Nadine 199499 wrote:

Yeah I understand that but my query is about whether that’s because there are so many of them who ride so close together. The rides I’ve been on have had 2-4 people riding quite far apart – sometimes so far apart we’d lose sight of each other & hafta wait. It’s not a team – it’s just a few friends. We talk about the ways we’re planning to be careful /socially responsible / preventive before we even get together – so we can remind each other on the ride.

It seems to me that’s okay at this point (though I know we might hafta take a hiatus soon) and that if the most people paid attention to the guidelines and followed them seriously we might not have to. (I also feel like it would be good in the long run for a lot of people to stop acting like spoiled children. [emoji849] [emoji1747])

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Nadine – Multiple states are calling for everyone to shelter-in-place to help stop the spread of the virus. NOVA has, by far, the highest number of confirmed cases in VA. At this point, In my opinion, it’s better to be cautious. This is not only for your own safety, but for those you may come into contact with (your family, those working at the grocery store, etc). We should limit contacts as much as possible; spend time with your immediate household members right now and avoid group rides. A short time of limiting our contact to friends to a distant/virtual platform is worth preventing the spread of the virus (think about it this way – how would you feel if you inadvertently infected others because you went for a ride with friends).

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[matteblack]

@n18 199511 wrote:

Vienna Police: Cyclist Allegedly Grabs, Shakes Kid for Sneezing Outside

A juvenile reported that he was on the bike trail near the Whole Foods Market with his friends when he sneezed. A cyclist who was riding by stopped his bicycle and began yelling at the juvenile about the pandemic. The man grabbed the juvenile by the sweatshirt and shook him, then left the area westbound on the trail.”

Holy schnikes…what kind of ass hat would do this? If I were a guessing man, I’d say it’s probably the same ass hat who thinks that passing pedestrians (or others cyclists) without slowing down and not yielding to oncoming traffic in the opposing lane is perfectly acceptable. :confused: 😡

[n18]

@matteblack 199526 wrote:

Holy schnikes…what kind of ass hat would do this? If I were a guessing man, I’d say it’s probably the same ass hat who thinks that passing pedestrians (or others cyclists) without slowing down and not yielding to oncoming traffic in the opposing lane is perfectly acceptable. :confused: 😡

I think what happened is that the teen sneezed, without covering his nose and mouth, and the cyclist lectured him, but went too far.

[Nadine]

@smb9600 199521 wrote:

Nadine – Multiple states are calling for everyone to shelter-in-place to help stop the spread of the virus. NOVA has, by far, the highest number of confirmed cases in VA. At this point, In my opinion, it’s better to be cautious. This is not only for your own safety, but for those you may come into contact with (your family, those working at the grocery store, etc). We should limit contacts as much as possible; spend time with your immediate household members right now and avoid group rides. A short time of limiting our contact to friends to a distant/virtual platform is worth preventing the spread of the virus (think about it this way – how would you feel if you inadvertently infected others because you went for a ride with friends).

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Well first of all this is not gonna be for a short time – I really don’t understand why people keep taking in 2 week increments. What do they think is gonna happen after that? Will there be a vaccine by then? Will we even have tests available? I’ve never seen such a poorly managed pandemic – it’s like we’re a 3rd world country!

And uhm I’m not sure who you are so maybe you don’t know me….. I’m NOT one of the unthinking people who keep walking in clusters on the trail as if nothing’s going on. Unlike our prez I saw this coming in January and have been frustrated by how long it’s taken for anything preventive to start happening. Tests, masks, sick pay for food service workers…. [emoji1741][emoji1747] I was a health educator in a community clinic for 15 years during the AIDS epidemic, & worked with nurses and doctors.

I have a deal with my husband now that we check in with each other about how we’re dealing with the outside world re covid19, and we adjust behavior to meet each other’s comfort levels.

We’ve started wearing masks & gloves to medical appointments, grocery stores, and on the metro. I just feel like outside is different – or should be. Plus I can’t get enough air through a mask while biking.

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[Nadine]

Sorry everyone. I promise to try not to get snarky on the forum again. I’m really just incredibly pissed at how poorly managed our country’s response to this thing has been.

No masks? No tests for asymptomatic people? No paid sick leave for low wage earning workers? How is it not obvious that food service workers are then gonna go to work sick (maybe low symptoms but still contagious,) pack up the takeout without wearing masks, and infect people? But even if they wanna be responsible – how can they? (I guess they could wear gaiters or scarves over their mouths -not as good as n95 masks but might be better than nothing.)

Don’t even get me started on the tight clusters of people on the trail. I’ve been calling my passes loud & early, holding my breath and speeding past…. Then cleaning myself & my clothes as soon as I get home. The idea that this might not be enough just felt over the top.

But that’s no reason to go off on someone on the forum.[emoji2960] Also I really need to learn my friends’ forum names. [emoji1747]

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[Emm]

@Nadine 199534 wrote:

Don’t even get me started on the tight clusters of people on the trail. I’ve been calling my passes loud & early, holding my breath and speeding past…. Then cleaning myself & my clothes as soon as I get home. The idea that this might not be enough just felt over the top.

Right now is a good time to learn some new on-street bike routes to avoid those groups of people. Steve O and I did a modified version of the Contes Alexandria ride this morning. Only a little bit on the MVT (and the very southern end too which is rarely crowded), otherwise, all street riding on very safe neighborhood roads. I think that’ll be my long-ish ride route for awhile since it’s easy to do between a 20-50 miles using variations of it people have posted on their facebook page.

I drove past the MVT north of the airport today, and there is NO WAY I’d want to ride on that right now. I went Friday along the trail and to Hains Point which was lovely, but it looks like a downright mess right now.

[SarahBee]

@Emm 199543 wrote:

Right now is a good time to learn some new on-street bike routes to avoid those groups of people. Steve O and I did a modified version of the Contes Alexandria ride this morning. Only a little bit on the MVT (and the very southern end too which is rarely crowded), otherwise, all street riding on very safe neighborhood roads. I think that’ll be my long-ish ride route for awhile since it’s easy to do between a 20-50 miles using variations of it people have posted on their facebook page.

I drove past the MVT north of the airport today, and there is NO WAY I’d want to ride on that right now. I went Friday along the trail and to Hains Point which was lovely, but it looks like a downright mess right now.

Emm: yes, this is a GREAT opportunity to try out a less traveled, all road route that will likely be plowed and treated during FS next year- alone or with your immediate household members.

[Nadine]

@SarahBee 199550 wrote:

Emm: yes, this is a GREAT opportunity to try out a less traveled, all road route that will likely be plowed and treated during FS next year- alone or with your immediate household members.

Yesssssss! I rode with 2 friends on a McLean loop route Joan made up years ago. Trolling to go to Riverbend – though my route there involves riding to Clark’s crossing & back on the w&od.

Oh and I’m tweaking a road alternate to the CCT that I used in winter back when they didn’t plow in MoCo…

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[Steve O]

Putting in a plug for adjusted nomenclature. I’m using “Physical Distancing” rather than “social.” Now more than ever we need social bonding and social connecting, and I think that terminology sends the wrong signal.

I continue to say “Good morning” to all I pass on the trail, and I wave to the other cyclists who are out riding. A tiny bit of social connecting rather than distancing.

Feel free to make the change in your usage, too, if you feel comfortable with it.

[Steve O]

https://www.outsideonline.com/2410530/bikes-social-distance-transportation

[h=1]Need to Get Around in a Pandemic? Ride a Bike.[/h][h=2]As COVID-19 shuts down buses and trains in cities, we remember that bicycles are the ultimate contingency plan[/h]

[Starduster]

@Steve O 199556 wrote:

Putting in a plug for adjusted nomenclature. I’m using “Physical Distancing” rather than “social.” Now more than ever we need social bonding and social connecting, and I think that terminology sends the wrong signal.

I continue to say “Good morning” to all I pass on the trail, and I wave to the other cyclists who are out riding. A tiny bit of social connecting rather than distancing.

Feel free to make the change in your usage, too, if you feel comfortable with it.

Much needed improvement. “Social distancing” is such a new and odd phrase. It does not accurately convey that what you mean is, “STAY THE HELL AWAY FROM EACH OTHER!!!” Thank you, sir…

[ginacico]

Parks & Recreation Closures due to COVID-19
Arlington Closes its Parks, Fields, and Playgrounds

Arlington County is committed to the health and safety of our community and our employees. Effectively immediately, all Arlington County/APS parks, fields, playgrounds, restrooms, tracks, dog parks and athletic courts are closed due to the COVID-19 outbreak. Signs will be posted at all affected locations. Park visitors are asked to adhere to all closure notices and current social distancing recommendations.

Trails and community gardens are also closed to groups. Please exercise and garden alone. In order to stop the spread of COVID-19, it is important that everyone take personal responsibility and practice social distancing and wash your hands frequently. To keep updated on the status of COVID-19, please visit the County’s webpage. Be sure to sign up for Arlington Alert for County updates and here for Parks & Recreation’s eNews.

[Author]

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