Cycling in central London during lockdown was just plain weird! It just felt wrong and like one had been transported to a real-life version of one of those zombie apocalypse films where no one is about. The novelty of it soon wore off on me personally and I didn't like it one bit. During this time I sore lots more people on bicycles and as many walking. Zoom forward in time and I have been saying to myself and anyone who will listen that in certain parts of London there seems to be as much, if not more, traffic than I recall before lockdown. There is of course a simple and obvious reason.
As you know - if you have been reading my blog for a while - I really hate public transport, mainly as I perhaps have mild claustrophobic tendencies and don't like crowded trains, tubes, buses...the list goes on. During the past few months I have been using the tube - more out of necessity - and seen that numbers are way down. I suspect that the Covid effect had meant that lots of people have gone back to driving, rather than be close up and personal on a crowded bus, tube or train. I would imagine that this is going to continue.
Does seem to make even more sense to me to either cycle or walk. Perhaps a increase in safe cycle routes might be the way froward for commuters who are able to use them?
Stay safe out there people!
I absolutely know what you mean about zombie apocalypse films. Some days it was absolute bliss cycling, but strangely eery. There was one evening, for random ride, just rode to embankment near Chelsea and for the first time ever, as I hit the river, could smell the sea on the gentle breeze along the river. Just something I've never experienced in London before, or since... carried along there longer than I'd usual bother, just enjoying the experience wondering, as it was coming close to end of first lockdown, whether we'd get much more of this.
ReplyDeleteOnly school holidays have seem to have made London traffic bearable in my recent experience, but doesn't stop an everyday close pass. 2 months in the Rhondda Valley, still haven't been close passed!