Remembering lockdowns and the pandemic

[FF68]

From a personal viewpoint, I loved the pandemic period as I was classed as an essential worker so I didn't have to be locked down and I carried on working as normal. The streets and roads and motorways were always empty and the world was a much nicer place without people in it. I was much happier during the lockdowns than I have ever been in my life but, to be fair, I've always been an introvert with anti-social tendencies anyway so I don't really like being around people too often. How was that period in time for you and how would you deal with it if it happened again?

[MarJay]

I liked the sunshine, the working from home and the time I had, but I also missed people, doing things and the general lack of existential dread that we didn't even know we enjoyed pre-pandemic.

If I could do it again, but choose a limited amount of time, and not have to worry about a potentially lethal infectious disease, I'd probably be OK, but that's a lot of caveats.
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British beauty: Triumph Street Triple R; Loony stroker: KR1S; Track fun: GSXR750 L1; Commuter Missile: GSX-S1000F
Remember kids, bikes aren't like lego. You can't easily take a part from one bike and then fit it to another.

[to v or not to v]

it was the fecking twilight zone.
and it saddened me just how sheeplike and compliant people are.
i carried on as normal.
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current bike Yamaha Thunderace.
Moto Guzzi V7.

[DaddyStu]

I carried on working classed as an essential worker. Don't know how they got that exemption though. However, with so many people off all the time I had to do silly amounts of overtime. Hoping i'd get Covid so I could take a break. 6 days on - 2 days off on very busy 12 hour shifts. When I did get Covid it was on Christmas Eve isolated myself from the family for the next 7-10 days.

On the positive side - I made stupid amounts of money. Oh and the air outside was noticeably cleaner.
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Daddystu
Zontes 125-G1 (part-ex'd). Yamaha Tracer 700.

[panrider_uk]

Essential worker so it was pretty good.
Clear roads etc.

There was a period of time where we admin wallahs (I'm I.T.) were told to come in as little as possible so as not to risk the production staff so I had to do a fair bit of wfh.

That was really boring.
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Current bikes: Hondas - Forza 750, ST1100 Pan European

[BanditsHigh]

Not having to travel to work and back on the bike every day in all weathers was fantastic, as was working from home.

I'm quite happy on my own and pottering about the house, I'm not one for travelling much, so again it was perfect for me.

One of the best times ever

[blurredman]

I shared working from home with working in the office every other week with my colleague for years (but much much later than everyone else was prescribed to work from home generally.

I spent a lot of time reading at work, and when I was at home a lot of time playing computer games (which I would never ever have the time to play if I wasn't stuck in my home office anyway).

I do wish I got out more just to burn more petrol than I did, it was 99p by me. I got too used to how quiet the commute was and should have done longer routes.
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CBT: 12/06/10, Theory: 22/09/10, Module 1: 09/11/10, Module 2: 19/01/11
Past: 1991 Honda CG125BR-J, 1992 (1980) Honda XL125S, 1996 Kawasaki GPZ500S, 1979 MZ TS150.
Current: 1973 MZ ES250/2 - 18k, 1979 Suzuki TS185ER - 10k, 1981 Honda CX500B - 91k, 1987 MZ ETZ250 (295cc) - 39k, 1989 MZ ETZ251 - 50k.

[Islander]

I enjoyed the lockdowns. The first couple of months of the first one were pretty busy getting a usable form of remote working in place for the majority of the workforce and I had to set strategy and policy governing this so lots of meetings over Teams etc. It tailed off once that was all sorted and my workload was lighter than normal.

I live in a fairly remote rural area that's stunningly beautiful which meant lots of walks with my dogs (or on my own if I needed some thinking space). The weather was exceptional and I hardly saw anyone else on my jaunts. Easy to maintain social distancing and chat in passing.

Not having to commute a 36 mile round trip plus various other travel savings did wonders for my bank balance too.

I still work remotely most of the time which suits me just fine.

[Easy-X]

Personally? Much the same as Islander, but we already had the remote working licked. For premium clients we offer near 24/7 support so we already had the guys working from home in the evening. It was more of a "culture shock" to get everything done remotely than a technological problem. Half-way through the lockdowns the landlord wanted us to renew the lease on the office - hilariously bad timing - and just never looked back.

I live in what I'd arguably describe as the nicer bits of suburbia. Jump on the bike and you're soon zooming around the country lanes of the Surrey Hills. I had the cover story of being out and about to fetch things for a "vulnerable and isolated OAP" It never got tested*. I even went out mid-lockdown to Cornwall on the XSR. It's amazing how cheap accommodation is when you're a "landscape gardener and plumber"

The bad parts? Going shopping and bumping into Karen Kriegsrichter in the aisle at Tesco accusing me of genocide for not following the floor arrows in an ostensibly empty shop. No social events was a bit depressing. Thankfully the lockdowns were cut short, god bless Boris for fucking it all up.

Then there was post-lockdown. Acquaintances were either hollowed-out husks, fat bloaters or super-fit, depending on how they'd spent their time. Very jarring.

Economically, sheer madness. Half our clients were effectively deleted by government incompetence

*Said OAP was also zooming about on a Harley. No pillion = isolated.
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Royal Enfield Continental GT 535, Husqvarna Vitpilen 401, Yamaha XSR700, Honda Rebel, Yamaha DT175, Suzuki SV650 (loan) Fazer 600, Keeway Superlight 125, 50cc turd scooter

[to v or not to v]

[P.]

I went from 30 min journeys on busy motorways, costly lunches as I was lazy and people hanging around me to empty motorways on a litre bike, nothing was open for lunch so we just cooked stuff from Tesco in the office and about 4 people max in the usual 60 man office.

Bliss.

I then went from perma-office to perma-remote, moved from London to Lincolnshire where I continue to work from home with a London based company with all the London based perks and weighting, but from the comfort of my own field, silence unless the RAF get out testing their jets.

Bliss x2

Only downside, gash internet provisions..

[BTTD]

I hate what it did to society, the curtailment of freedoms and travel, hate what it did to a generation of child development and hate all the total bullshit spread by the government and the media. Then there was the follow on inflation from all the money the government spaffed.

It was a crime and those who propagated it should be tried and punished.
I was overall in a fortunate position, but know people who lost elderly loved ones and could not visit them. Utter bullshit.

[MarJay]

This thread is now veering dangerously into conspiracy theory territory. I was concerned near the start, but now it's gone.
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British beauty: Triumph Street Triple R; Loony stroker: KR1S; Track fun: GSXR750 L1; Commuter Missile: GSX-S1000F
Remember kids, bikes aren't like lego. You can't easily take a part from one bike and then fit it to another.

[Easy-X]

[Feasty]

I remember it for lovely hot summer and being furloughed for 3 months over this during lockdown. It was great being paid full wage and in an IT support role, being told I was legally unable to help my company through any problems .
I rebuilt my back garden decking, did a ton of painting and generally chilled. It was also a bit bizarre as with neighbours on my street, we all sat on chairs outside our houses getting drunk and playing games/competitions at distance.

Now it's all back to normal, those neighbours don't really speak to us or each other anymore other than a brief 'Hi' in passing - quite sad really. Also my daughter who is now 17 was really affected, she's completely anti-social and I think set back a number of years due to not being able to have a normal upbringing and being involved with friends - I still think we've not quite seen the impact that lockdown has caused society.

And ever since I now only work 2 days a week in the office. I prefer it, but if I'm completely honest work rate has gone down and doing chores around the house and outside has increased a lot!
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Previous: Aprilia Habana Retro 50cc (beauty), Yamaha SR125 (fell apart), Honda XR125 (nippy little commuter), Honda SLR650 (Geewhizz), Yamaha Diversion 900S (Smoooooth) written off courtesy of a stupid escaped horse.
(7 year gap), BMW F650 (Relaxing ride). Aprilia Caponord ETV1000 (Big and bold). Yamaha FZS600 (got me in trouble too quick!).
Current: Yamaha TDM 900 (Comfy, light but big, power when needed).

[hellkat]

[Easy-X]

[mentalboy]

I was living in Florida at the time, what is this pandemic that you speak of?
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Make mine a Corona.

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