Boris the wildman found 7 miles from home on a bike.

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."

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-55620138


This is getting a bit silly. Why would it matter if he rode around in circles in parking lot or rode 7 miles on the road?

It wouldn't, people are being ridiculous.

The advice is to not travel outside your own area unless necessary, people are interpreting that in different ways.

Walking or cycling, running, jogging, it's all exercise and allowed. They issued the 'stay in your own area' advice after people were driving miles to beauty spots, gathering in groups, taking days out outside their local areas.
We dont have the tier system in now, but when we did they were travelling outside their own tier where cafes etc were closed and driving miles to a lesser tier.

Thankfully now the concentration seems to be (at last) on people refusing to wear masks in public places.
Some supermarkets are now employing security refusing entry to the idiots who for some reason think they are above the law.

All I ever see on my travels, work related and to care for a relative, is cyclists, really serious ones with all the gear obviously going out for the day, usually in groups of four to eight, cycling up the roads to the Brecon area coming from the valleys and the coastal towns. Keep seeing them on all the usual routes.

He's a ''wildman'' ? Polite applause. > >

Wolfman Jack. Haven't heard of him for ages.

This is a truly non-story.

Unless he's in the middle of the sort of pack that forms in a bicycle race, there's no chance he was endangering anyone.

eddie wrote:This is a truly non-story.

It's a non story, story, like many news stories about politics.

I don't know who's worse. The people bitching, or tbebpekple reporting the bitching.

Maddog wrote:

eddie wrote:This is a truly non-story.

It's a non story, story, like many news stories about politics.

I don't know who's worse.  The people bitching, or tbebpekple reporting the bitching.  

Or the people discussing the bitching on a forum.

Syl wrote:

Maddog wrote:

It's a non story, story, like many news stories about politics.

I don't know who's worse.  The people bitching, or tbebpekple reporting the bitching.  

Or the people discussing the bitching on a forum.

I thought about saying that as I was typing my response. But I wanted to give someone else a chance to be as clever and witty as I.

You're welcome.

Syl wrote:

Maddog wrote:

It's a non story, story, like many news stories about politics.

I don't know who's worse.  The people bitching, or tbebpekple reporting the bitching.  

Or the people discussing the bitching on a forum.

I thought about saying that as I was typing my response. But I wanted to give someone else a chance to be as clever and witty as I.

You're welcome.

Hmm  I had no interest this story - and  hence I made no comment on it.  I just wanted to post a gag based on the funny title alone. Which I did.


But now that it's been deemed a 'nonstory' by common consensus -  it's made me take a closer look at it.

Boris is in a tricky position here, hence why he refuses to comment. Few years ago the press mocked him mercilessly for a photo op showing him cycling to work to prove he's environmentally friendly. But then it was revealed that his official car always accompanied him, taking his briefcase along.  The press seemed to find it bizzare and they laughed a lot.

JulesV wrote:Hmm  I had no interest this story - and  hence I made no comment on it.  I just wanted to post a gag based on the funny title. Which I did.


But now that it's been deemed a 'nonstory' by common consensus -  it's made me take a closer look at it.

Boris is in a tricky position here, hence why he refuses to comment. Few years ago the press mocked him mercilessly for a photo op showing him cycling to work to prove he's environmentally friendly. But then it was revealed that his official car always accompanied him, taking his briefcase along.  The press seemed to find it bizzare and they laughed a lot.

I don't cycle because I'm an environmentalist. I do it for my mental and physical health. I enjoy it. Heck, last weekend I drove my 4wd, full sized truck 80 miles to go ride my bike.

But the point is, riding your bike, for whatever reason, isn't a threat to others.

Well the specific point HE was making (two years ago, not this time) was that he was being environmentally friendly and also reducing city traffic congestion.

The press quite rightly pointed out that it was counter productive to cycle to work - if you have an enormous gas guzzling car right behind  you, carrying your bag for you.

JulesV wrote:Well the specific point HE was making (two years ago, not this time) was that he was being environmentally friendly and also reducing city traffic congestion.

The press quite rightly pointed out that it was counter productive to cycle to work - if you have an enormous gas guzzling car right behind  you, carrying your bag for you.

Can't pass up a good photo op for the propaganda campaign can he?

Ben Reilly wrote:Unless he's in the middle of the sort of pack that forms in a bicycle race, there's no chance he was endangering anyone.

Actually, I have now decided to play the role of devil's advocate here,  so I will deliberately take a different stance to everyone      - purely for argument's sake.

I must admit - I do NOT know if he has flouted the rules or not, but there are plenty of issues here.


He's the boss. He made the rules! He told us "Do not leave your area".  A flat rule with no wriggle room for a little flexibility in interpretation, or deciding if we would be endangering anyone.


Several top public figures have lost their jobs over breaking the rules. One MP was arrested recently over it.
Ordinary people have been fined £££'s that they can ill afford.

Maddog wrote:

JulesV wrote:Well the specific point HE was making (two years ago, not this time) was that he was being environmentally friendly and also reducing city traffic congestion.

The press quite rightly pointed out that it was counter productive to cycle to work - if you have an enormous gas guzzling car right behind  you, carrying your bag for you.

Can't pass up a good photo op for the propaganda campaign can he?

7 miles in super-congested London is probably equivalent to tenfold that distance in your huge state of Texas.

A leader's activities will always be put under the unforgiving glare of the spotlight, by the media.

It's not just the story,  it's the backstory too, from years ago. The press never forgets.

JulesV wrote:

Maddog wrote:

Can't pass up a good photo op for the propaganda campaign can he?

7 miles in super-congested London is probably equivalent to tenfold that distance in your huge state of Texas.

A leader's activities will always be put under the unforgiving glare of the spotlight, by the media.

It's not just the story,  it's the backstory too, from years ago. The press never forgets.

Well, yeah. I have to dodge tumbleweeds and longhorns when I ride here.

JulesV wrote:Well the specific point HE was making (two years ago, not this time) was that he was being environmentally friendly and also reducing city traffic congestion.

The press quite rightly pointed out that it was counter productive to cycle to work - if you have an enormous gas guzzling car right behind  you, carrying your bag for you.

My ex drives a London black taxi and often saw Boris Johnson riding his bike with a backpack on - no car following - so I’m not sure I believe that.

eddie wrote:

JulesV wrote:Well the specific point HE was making (two years ago, not this time) was that he was being environmentally friendly and also reducing city traffic congestion.

The press quite rightly pointed out that it was counter productive to cycle to work - if you have an enormous gas guzzling car right behind  you, carrying your bag for you.

My ex drives a London black taxi and often saw Boris Johnson riding his bike with a backpack on - no car following - so I’m not sure I believe that.

Perhaps (now that he's PM) the British Secret Service were holding the bag, and were discretely tucked into a London black taxi two cars back.

Original Quill wrote:

eddie wrote:

JulesV wrote:Well the specific point HE was making (two years ago, not this time) was that he was being environmentally friendly and also reducing city traffic congestion.

The press quite rightly pointed out that it was counter productive to cycle to work - if you have an enormous gas guzzling car right behind  you, carrying your bag for you.

My ex drives a London black taxi and often saw Boris Johnson riding his bike with a backpack on - no car following - so I’m not sure I believe that.

Perhaps (now that he's PM) the British Secret Service were holding the bag, and were discretely tucked into a London black taxi two cars back.

Hahahahahaha possibly.