I’m amazed at the amount of traffic in Rye today (Sunday) – motor bikes on the Strand as per normal, an endless stream of cars on Fishmarket Road.
The High Street is deserted, which is good, but I did spot a touring motor bike with his sleeping bag and tent strapped to the panniers. The chap was parked up having a sandwich so was obviously out for the duration.
Before you all go into one about the missing police, can I just say that it’s all down to individual’s personal actions. People appear to have difficulty understanding that the more they break the rules, the longer we’re going to be in lockdown.
Image Credits: Gillian Roder .
I am surprised that the motor bike assembly place on the Strand has not been closed for the duration to discourage bikers. Two Sunday afternoons ago the noise of motor bikes either arriving or leaving the town was incessant and continuous on Rye Hill for a long period of time. On another road matter I notice that there has been a lot of welcome renewal of white- and yellow-lining on roads around town. Except i notice in one crucially important place where the High Street parking is interrupted by a necessary double yellow to allow larger vehicles to swing round into Market Road without going over the kerb. This restriction has always been “honoured more in the breach than in the observance thereof” and I expect vehicles were covering that short stretch of yellow line at the time of the visit of the painters !
A few days ago I had to take my wife to Boots in Rye to pick up some essential medication. Living a couple of miles outside the town. with a bus only every couple of hours, we drove in as normal.
I found it interesting that whilst there were virtually no people in the High Street, no tourists, no restaurants , no bars, and only a couple of essential shops open, there was still no parking spaces available in the centre. I am coming to the conclusion that we don’t need expensive meters – just a 30-60 minute waiting limit.
There is a time limit on all parking in the centre of Rye. It is because these limits are ignored, with residents and traders parking all day, every day and often for days on end, that parking meters are being installed.
I walk the high Street most days and you see the same cars in the same position, some have not moved for weeks.
I really can’t see a problem with parking to go in Boots, the pavement outside is more than big enough for a car to park on and people to queue, anyone one trying to get past has to walk in the road but you can’t have everything.
Written with my tongue well and truly in my cheek.
There are lots of bikers on Strand Quay car park today and many queuing up for chips outside the Kettle of Fish. I can’t see any of them observing social distancing rules. I imagine many bikers from Kent will descend on Rye this weekend and park there to catch up on scintillating motor bike talk.
We too have seen the bikers at the Strand Quay car park and other cyclists, occasional tourists and couples young and old in Rye over the last few weeks. Where are they all going to the loo? We saw a cyclist and one slightly disabled man trying to find a toilet in Rye. The man was unable to communicate well and was desperate to use a toilet. We directed him to the Kettle of Fish that was open for takeaway food but they refused to allow him to use their toilet. We were at Strand Quay at the time and this toilet is locked, as are the toilets at the Station car park and at Lucknow Place car park at the recreation ground. A cyclist we met was having the same problem and luckily Jempsons supermarket allowed him to use their loo. This is so humiliating and distressing for people. How the elderly are coping I just don’t know as at least in more normal times, pubs and cafes would be open and hopefully allow people to use their loos. Rye Town Council should be ashamed and get all of these public toilets open again immediately.