jez

Covid-19 Update: Resuming Group Rides

On Monday 22nd June, the Sotonia committee discussed the best way forward for the club to enable activities to take place while minimising any risk to members.

British Cycling have recently updated their Covid 19 guidance to say that club activities and coaching sessions can resume, providing they are delivered in line with Government guidance on group sizes and social distancing.

We would like to encourage members to resume social rides in groups of up to six people, but we can't see a way to safely resume our regular Sunday and Wednesday morning meet-ups at North Baddesley just yet. We have no control over the number of people who might turn up, social distancing could be tricky and with a maximum group size of six there's likely to be a shortage of ride leaders.

With this in mind we suggest that anyone who would like to lead a ride posts the details on the Sotonia Facebook group and/or WhatsApp Group and invites other members to join their ride.

The meet-up location should be somewhere that allows 6 people to assemble while observing social distancing.

We will continue to monitor the situation and resume organised club runs as soon as it is safe to do so.

GROUP SIZE

Up to 6 people can exercise together.

SOCIAL DISTANCING

At least 2 metres apart, or "1 metre plus" if everyone is wearing PPI.

In terms of a bike ride, if the 2 metres distance is between your faces, and bikes are 160-175 cm long, you should ride an absolute minimum of 50 cm away from the rider in front, ideally a metre or more to avoid getting too close if someone brakes in front. Riding 2 abreast when socially distancing is likely to only be possible on wide roads or quiet country lanes.

OTHER RISKS

At 15-20 miles an hour you'll be passing through the same air as the rider in front within a fraction of a second, and while 2 metres is technically the "safe" distance, there is a tangible risk of breathing air containing particles of someone else's breath. You should be aware that the 2 metre distance has been set by the government to limit the risk of contagion to an acceptable level, and there is still some risk of being exposed to the virus.

WHO SHOULDN'T RIDE IN A GROUP

Please don't join a group ride if you are over 70, are a vulnerable person or live with a vulnerable person, or have reason to believe you may have come into contact with the virus in the last 2 weeks.

CAFÉ STOPS

Quite a few cafés are now open, or another option for a stop would be to pack some food or buy a snack from a shop and have a socially distanced picnic.

Here's a list of cafés known to be open, but please check opening times and other details as most will be open for takeaway food only:

New Forest
Hythe, fish and chips shops x 2
Pallets, Beaulieu
The Lookout, Lepe
Exbury Gardens (only Eddy's cafe)
Hockey's Farm Shop, South Gorley
Lymington fish and chip shop

Test Valley
Josie’s, Romsey
Carlos, Wellow
Lockerley Green village shop (inc. Costa coffee machine)
Coffee Lab/Woodfire, Stockbridge
Longstock/Leckford Farm Shop café aka Waitrose-in-the-Woods

Middle East
Josie’s, Bishops Waltham
Handlebar Cafe, Viaduct Way, Winchester
Coffee van on Old Winchester Hill (road junction at GR SU644 217)
Caracoli, Alresford
Preston Candover Community Shop
Kudos, Whitchurch
The Village Bakery, Whitchurch (and Overton)

Far East
Cloisters Continental café, The Square, Petersfield
Bumblebee café, Rowlands Castle
Old Forge Tea Rooms, Hambledon

by jez