The new normal
How has corona virus changed the lives of biker sin the UK?
How the coronavirus outbreak has changed the Livesof bikers.
A few weeks ago you couldn't have imagined what life looks like today. Self-isolation , social distancing and the shutdown of large parts of society and economy were things that happened somewhere else, not here. But we are where we are, and we wanted to see what this means for motorcycling. It's only a small part of the whole situation, but a big part of many of our readers' lives, so we talked to a couple of them to see how their lives had changed during the pandemic. These are their stories.
Blood Bikers ar e held in high regard at all times, but in times of crisis such as the Covid-19 epidemic, these selfless volunteers are even more appreciated. Nigel Richardson is one of them.
Nigel retired after a career in the militar y and the financial servic es, so h e has the ben efit of free time , but even so the long hours, hard work and regular night shifts are not a walk in the park. Having volunteered for years, Nigel shrugs off the per ceived hardship. "I carried out my first duty on a Honda
Pan European on October 27, 2012. It was transporting blood from th e Oxford Blood Bank to the pathology lab in Milton Keynes GH. Since then I've carried out over 275 duties riding approxim ately 21,000 duty mil es. It can be tiring and demanding, but I do ha ve time for friends, hobbie s and family holidays aswell!"
Given that Blood Biking already involves carrying blood products, breast milk and urgent medical items between medical institutions, th e current crisis has not made a big change to normal duti es. "Th ere hasn't been asignifican t change yet, although from Monday , March 30, we moved to being on call 24/7, which indicates that an increase in demand for our services is lik ely. One thing you notice is that there is less traffic on the road. We have b een advised to only collect and deliver at designat ed points to exercise social distancing, and luckily hospitals are well sto cked with sanitisers.
"To be honest, I've always felt good volunteering to help the NHS, so carrying on no w is no different. It's good to give som ething back. We all h ave stories of being approached during a duty, or whil e fundraising, and being effusively thanked by someone who has benefitted. That certainl y mak es us feel good and realise that thos e long, som etimes wet, cold and wind y wint er nights riding were worth it:'
If you want to join the cause it is still possible, but practically speaking it's too late to help with the current crisis. "New members must have an advanced rider qualification and then undergo Blood Bike training, which has been suspended because of social distancing . Nationwide, there are 3000 riders within the 32 groups across UK, so hopefull y we have enough bodies for the job at hand:'
Nigel is currently taking one lockdown day at a time. ''Apart from Blood Biking , I've got an old house and large garden that always need att ention, and I've got a dog to walk. These will still b e around for som e tim e:'
There are two ways to react to the current coronavirus crisis. You can bury your head in the sand and hope it all blows over soon, or you can roll up your sleeves and join in the fight against it. Mike Sturrock chose the active path.
A company director from the Chilterns, Mike has always been the active type. Motorcycles and sailing are his main passions, but he manages to combine his busy work life and hobbies with volunteering for charity. This commitment to helping those in need has only intensified during the recent weeks.
"I volunteer where I can for whatever needs doing and right now there's lots of help needed;' said Mike. "I have been a volunteer for the RNLI for many years, and for the last six years I've been a member of the board of directors of the charity. Although I'm working full-time, I'm sure I can find the tim e to help with this crisis. In my village we've already set up a WhatsApp group of volunteers and put a flyer through all the homes in the village offering help to those self-isolating or vulnerable. Weve done quite a bit already around medicines and groceries:'
Mike was one of the thousands who volunteered to help the NHS too, but he hasn't been called to action just yet.
"So far the volunteering has only been in my village. With over 500,000 volunteers, the NHS will have a job to organise us all, so nothing from them yet:'
It sounds like Mike has a lot on, but as the owner of a 2016 Triumph Tiger XcX and a 1960 BSA ClS, he finds time for motorcycles, too. Riding may have been put on hold by the pandemic, but that doesn't mean the bikes get neglected. "I usually ride for pleasure at weekends, but right now I'm choosing not to go out on the bike. Boris has been clear: Minimise trips and only go out for grub and medicin e.
Also, ifl was injured riding a bike that doesn't help the NHS. Spending more time at home , I've managed to do all the little jobs I've been meaning to do on the BSA, and it's running well. I also had the Tiger serviced just before the lockdown, so I'm ready for some adventures. Once this pandemic is all over the NCSOO is on the cards, and then riding down to Brittany to visit friends. And next year I want to do the Atlantic highwa y of Norway, and also ride round Ireland ... I'll pack my waterproofs!"