PPA urges government to allow cycling under strict lock down conditions

[DieselnDust]

You had Tokai for 4 months of this year and 12 months of last year and how many times did you ride it?

 

 

and it ain;t coming back till we at level 2 or 1 and that I fear is going to be September, you know when the warmer weather comes in and it burns up, you know it's going to disappear, just like a miracle......yes its going to be a miracle

[NotSoBigBen]

In response to some of the frankly stupid comments on the Facebook post:

 

1) The time limit is in place to minimise exposure time. The longer you're out there (regardless of whether you think you're an exception to the rule) the more potential there is for being infected or infecting someone.

 

2) The 20km guideline is in place to minimise range of infection. Based on the previous point I don't think it's necessary to explain this.

 

Do a few loops within a 20km range, feel better, come back and get off your high horse.

 

Like my wife and I discussed this morning: "Let's hope that it won't be a case of just having our freedom and then some roadie assholes riding in bunches give cyclists a bad rep again like they've always done."

 

Be lekker, guys.

That last paragraph and the last sentence just don't go together, practice what you preach ... Maybe it's just me?

[Mamil]

I thought the PPA letter was well written, well intentioned, well timed and that it's recommendations are fair and reasonable and from the little I've read about the rules in countries that are responding properly to this crisis in line with what others are doing.

 

Still don't think I will be smashing any technical trails in this period but a nice gentle noodle up Tafelberg Road would be fun, good for the bad case of cabin fever I have and whithin those rules for me.

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

and it ain;t coming back till we at level 2 or 1 and that I fear is going to be September, you know when the warmer weather comes in and it burns up, you know it's going to disappear, just like a miracle......yes its going to be a miracle

The past is not the future, gentlemen

[nathrix]

I presume bicycle shops will be open seeing that liquor stores are allowed to open certain hours?

[NotSoBigBen]

https://www.cyclingsa.com/news-and-press/2020/4/24/covid-19-level-4-update

[Vetseun]

from what i understand CSA & ASA have been working from day 1 of the lockdown through SASCOC to the Minister of Sport requesting relaxing the restrictions for their members nationally. so far no relaxing iow stay at home. lets see what the sports minister comes up with for the 1st May

This is good news to me. Soften them up for five weeks, they will have to give us something surely. We have been good little cyclists, obeying the rules so give us a reward now.

Quite frankly if they say you may now cycle but only in your underpants, pulled up your backside, I would accept and probably thank them for being so kind.

[EmptyB]

That last paragraph and the last sentence just don't go together, practice what you preach ... Maybe it's just me?

Nope, it's not just you.

[scubes]

The PPA's letter is ok. Just a call from them to get some exericse in which I support. A month of hard lock down and now another. More to come. I subscribe to the view that one should alone be allowed to walk or cycle in one's area within limits and reason by now. Wear a mask/buff and the virus does not do well outdoors.

 

Good for physical health and mental health and productivity. Will help a lot. I find myself going grocey shopping with a mask just to get some air- let me RATHER do that alone walking around the block or on my bike and I'm around less people than in the Spar queue. I don't live in a huge mansion with a massive garden. Most people don't. As a city dweller I need some air. 

 

If you want to compare me to a shack dweller somewhere, that is pointless. I am not a shack dweller somewhere, for whatever reason. Just as I am not living in a huge mansion with a huge garden to run in or cycle in. These built in societal differences present in every society in the world, are acknowledged in Rama's speech last night whereby he outlined that the five levels can be implemented differently in different areas and at different times as needs dictate. 

 

 

There is increasing evidence to suggest the virus does not survive long enough outdoors in sunlight to warrant having a range restriction.

It survives much longer indoors or away from UV light (or infrared - which component of sunlight still under investigation).

 

[sirmoun10goat]

Am I the only person interpreting 'no more than 20km from place of residence' as a radius perimeter?

 

My view is they want to keep the virus in smaller geographic pockets and not spread from suburb to suburb. So in effect you can cycle as far as you want/like/able to in 2 hours, provided you have stayed within your 20km radius.

[Forthelove]

Good to see PPA doing some good with all the fees they collect at each race. Australia, many parts of the USA have very limited lock down and are experiencing limited viral spread. Running and biking are healthy. Dr Phill said more will die of health issues than ever before due to the lockdown and the anxiety and poor healthy ofer eating and thoes needing gym to keep well and literally alive.

[Mamil]

With a 2 hour maximum length I think is the proposal.

 

Also I'm taking the view that 20km is as the crow flies and not road distance.

 

Am I the only person interpreting 'no more than 20km from place of residence' as a radius perimeter?

 

My view is they want to keep the virus in smaller geographic pockets and not spread from suburb to suburb. So in effect you can cycle as far as you want/like/able to in 2 hours, provided you have stayed within your 20km radius.

[Jase619]

Jip, School Cycling SA.

 

Actually a very big organisation. From 2020 each school pays an affilation fee to SCSA in accordance with their number of riders.

 

So they represent a very large number of riders.

 

Can add that we are very impressed with all their work and correspondence.

 

Frankly so much better than anything I have seen from PPA.

All fair and well, but can I join it?

[ChrisF]

All fair and well, but can I join it?

 

Uhm, .... Aaaaa ..... 

 

Think that depends ... are you still part of a school, AND is your school affiliated to SCSA .... 

 

 

Jokes aside.  SCSA is obviously aimed at SCHOOLS and kids of that age.  Even so, this limited access group is significantly larger than the PPA !

 

 

CSA is supposed to cater for those no longer of school going age .... My exposure to CSA is nothing more than being forced to pay for a day license at the odd MTB fun ride.  So I wont comment on this group.

 

 

PPA .... novel little regional "club", with lofty goals of cycling safety ....  But in terms of paid members, they are very small.  And over the last few years they have "jumped" from being active in MTB events, then a few cycling-safety campaigns, then Sportiffs ... never involved long enough in any one field to truly make a difference ....  This is my VIEW from living in the Cape and seeing "sporadic" exposure to PPA.  Sadly not overly impressed with them. 

 

All that said, I DO find their letter to be in the right ball park (with the understanding that the rules will change for each level of lock-down) ... but stating that they represent most cyclists is factually WRONG.

[Skubarra]

Uhm, .... Aaaaa ..... 

 

Think that depends ... are you still part of a school, AND is your school affiliated to SCSA .... 

 

 

Jokes aside.  SCSA is obviously aimed at SCHOOLS and kids of that age.  Even so, this limited access group is significantly larger than the PPA !

 

 

CSA is supposed to cater for those no longer of school going age .... My exposure to CSA is nothing more than being forced to pay for a day license at the odd MTB fun ride.  So I wont comment on this group.

 

 

PPA .... novel little regional "club", with lofty goals of cycling safety ....  But in terms of paid members, they are very small.  And over the last few years they have "jumped" from being active in MTB events, then a few cycling-safety campaigns, then Sportiffs ... never involved long enough in any one field to truly make a difference ....  This is my VIEW from living in the Cape and seeing "sporadic" exposure to PPA.  Sadly not overly impressed with them. 

 

All that said, I DO find their letter to be in the right ball park (with the understanding that the rules will change for each level of lock-down) ... but stating that they represent most cyclists is factually WRONG.

 

PPA for all their numerous faults actually have something like 13,000 members. I don't think there is any other large cycling organisation in the country (outside of CSA) of that size that represent a broad spectrum of cyclists from mtb to road, serious to casual.

 

They have been advocating for cycling interests including cycling safety for a long time so I don't know why everyone is suddenly so offended that they give a proposal

 

Nowhere did they state they "represent most cyclists" but I don't think saying they are the biggest cycling organisation is factually wrong.

[splat]

I presume bicycle shops will be open seeing that liquor stores are allowed to open certain hours?

 

Ah man, I really hope so!