Boris Johnson cycle ride

I’d argue 5 miles was the limit anyways and not being aware of their local area but if them two women had driven past a reasonable place to walk on the way to where they went then they didn’t need to go that far.

As for Johnson I presume he doesn’t just choose where he goes willy nilly and if he said he wants to exercise it is planned by his security detail. If there was a park closer than the olympic park he could have used then it that park should have been used
There were a number of parks nearer.
 
I’d argue 5 miles was the limit anyways and not being aware of their local area but if them two women had driven past a reasonable place to walk on the way to where they went then they didn’t need to go that far.

As for Johnson I presume he doesn’t just choose where he goes willy nilly and if he said he wants to exercise it is planned by his security detail. If there was a park closer than the olympic park he could have used then it that park should have been used

Yeah, it's not like St James Park is within spitting distance of Downing Street, or Hyde Park about 1.5 miles away, or Regents Park about 3 miles away.
 
Yeah, it's not like St James Park is within spitting distance of Downing Street, or Hyde Park about 1.5 miles away, or Regents Park about 3 miles away.

Yeah so as quite clearly stated his security detailed should have used any of them if safe to do so
 
So you agree he was in the wrong, and it's yet another example where he's flouting the rules despite him blaming the general public for not following them ?

I agree his security detail should have used another park closer to his home if safe to do so. Flouting the rules might be regarded abit extreme as its unknown whether he chose the location or his security did or it deemed the suitable location by them.

If you don’t agree the 2 women were flouting the rules then I would suggest its hard for you to say Johnson was. As stated I believe they did break the rules and if Johnson choose the location i would suggest he did too
 
Yeah, it's not like St James Park is within spitting distance of Downing Street, or Hyde Park about 1.5 miles away, or Regents Park about 3 miles away.
Or green park, battersea park, Hampstead Heath. In fact there are many many parks between Downing Street and Stratford
 
Or green park, battersea park, Hampstead Heath. In fact there are many many parks between Downing Street and Stratford

Was it a loop? As in he left Downing street and returned there? Or was he loaded into a vehicle with bikes and taken somewhere?

Although the latter is obviously outside the spirit of the rules, it is probably a security detail thing, they needed somewhere with adequate escape routes, helicopter landing zones, access to women to have affairs with, enough shrubbery to hide an undetermined number of children in etc. etc.

There's a lot to think about when you're PM.
 
I go for 5-6 mile runs. I hardly see anyone and run a safe distance from anyone on pavements etc. I imagine some of these cyclists on a weekend do 30-40 miles or more.

I don't think Boris cycling 7 miles is a super spreader. I get some people think exercise is a walk around the block but many gym bunnies have already had so much taken away.
 
I don't think Boris cycling 7 miles is a super spreader.
I don't think anyone really does. But he shouldn't be bending the rules unless there is a good reason (security?) and he should be prepared to justify that. More than that the rules should be clear, you shouldn't have two women pounced upon by multiple police officers and fined £200 when they were five miles from home in a secluded spot when the PM goes for a bike ride in a busy park 7 miles away.
 
I go for 5-6 mile runs. I hardly see anyone and run a safe distance from anyone on pavements etc. I imagine some of these cyclists on a weekend do 30-40 miles or more.

I don't think Boris cycling 7 miles is a super spreader. I get some people think exercise is a walk around the block but many gym bunnies have already had so much taken away.
Aaaw bless Thumper. 😉
 
Health Secretary Matt Hancock was asked at Monday's Downing Street press conference whether travelling seven miles for a cycle ride was within the rules.

Mr Hancock said: "It is OK, if you went for a long walk and ended up seven miles from home, that is OK, but you should stay local.

"It is OK to go for a long walk or a cycle ride or to exercise, but stay local."


So there we have it. 14 mile, 5 hour walks are acceptable (y)
 
I go for 5-6 mile runs. I hardly see anyone and run a safe distance from anyone on pavements etc. I imagine some of these cyclists on a weekend do 30-40 miles or more.

I don't think Boris cycling 7 miles is a super spreader. I get some people think exercise is a walk around the block but many gym bunnies have already had so much taken away.
He certainly "spreads"(n)
 

Coronavirus: Boris Johnson criticised over bike ride seven miles from home

Published
1 hour ago

Boris Johnson cycling in 2013

image captionBoris Johnson - pictured here in 2013 - has long been a fan of cycling

Boris Johnson has been criticised for travelling seven miles from Downing Street to go cycling during lockdown.

The Evening Standard reported the prime minister had been spotted in the Olympic Park in East London on Sunday.
Government advice allows people to exercise outside, but says you should not travel outside your local area.

A No 10 spokesman would not confirm if Mr Johnson had been driven to the park or cycled there, but said the PM had complied with Covid-19 guidelines.

Labour's Andy Slaughter said: "Once again it is do as I say, not as I do, from the prime minister.

The Hammersmith MP added: "London has some of the highest infection rates in the country. Boris Johnson should be leading by example."
In response to the criticism, a Downing Street source told the BBC: "The PM has exercised within the Covid rules and any suggestion to the contrary is wrong."

A woman told the PA news agency she had seen the prime minister in the park: "He was leisurely cycling with another guy with a beanie hat and chatting, while around four security guys, possibly more, cycled behind them.

"Considering the current situation with Covid I was shocked to see him cycling around looking so care-free.

"Also, considering he's advising everyone to stay at home and not leave their area, shouldn't he stay in Westminster and not travel to other boroughs?"

Health Secretary Matt Hancock was asked at Monday's Downing Street press conference whether travelling seven miles for a cycle ride was within the rules.

Mr Hancock said: "It is OK, if you went for a long walk and ended up seven miles from home, that is OK, but you should stay local.
"It is OK to go for a long walk or a cycle ride or to exercise, but stay local."

'We need a solution'

The issue of travelling for exercise was highlighted at the weekend after two women said they were surrounded by police and fine £200 after driving five miles from home to take a walk.

Derbyshire Police have now dropped the fine and apologised to the women, but the incident led to a debate over the guidance.

Government advice for England says you can leave your home to exercise, but adds: "This should be limited to once per day, and you should not travel outside your local area."

The guidance adds: "Stay local means stay in the village, town, or part of the city where you live."

In Scotland, the advice is more precise, saying exercise can be taken if it "starts and finishes at the same place, which can be up to five miles from the boundary of your local authority area".

Former Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron, who represents a constituency in the Lake District, has written to the PM calling for clearer guidance on exercise similar to that in Scotland.

He wrote: "On the one hand, our local police force here in Cumbria are reporting that people... have travelled hundreds of miles to take their exercise in the Lake District.

"And on the other hand, I have constituents writing to me, worried whether they will be punished for driving five minutes up the road to go for a walk in their local park."

Mr Farron added: "We need a solution that clearly deters people from making lengthy trips and potentially spreading the virus, but also that doesn't discourage people from keeping fit and healthy."
 
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