Why can’t people use a bit of common sense?

[whenthejoyreturns]

It’s absolutely driving me mad. I keep hearing people on the radio and tv bleating on. For example, they’ve got 3dc so if they want to meet up with the grandparents oh no, that’s 7 (just be sensible).They can meet in a garden but shock horror, they’ve got to walk through the house so is it allowed? Have people really become so pathetic they can’t use a bit of common sense? They’re having to phone a radio station to ask this!

[ErrolTheDragon]

I think the problem is that what constitutes 'common sense' to one person is seen as 'breaking the Rules' by another (even if it doesn't actually break any law). And the latter person may include a police officer.

[pfrench]

The 'rules' have never been communicated in an easy to understand way. Also, just this week the government has supported one of its mates breaking the 'rules', which at the time seemed simple for the rest of us to understand.

Common sense is completely personal.

[Earnsomething]

Yes that's exactly it, for weeks peope have been condemned for using common sense. Plus you need to know the reasoning behind the rules before you can apply common sense regarding which ones you're going to bend/which need to be followed and I don't think that's been properly explained.

[noego]

I'm amazed at how this covid pandemic has shown how many people have shit for brains too.

[Earnsomething]

What is your "common sense" aiming to achieve? Safety enough for yourself and your family? The rules were never about that, they were for the greater good. I'm quite happy that I can keep my low risk family safe enough using common sense. I'm not sure that, in itself, helps control the virus though.

[whenthejoyreturns]

I think you can use common sense and not spread the virus. It’s absolutely not rocket science and we don’t need the government spelling out every tiny detail to us.

[ErrolTheDragon]

In reality, I'm pretty sure most people are applying common sense... part of which is that they're not calling radio shows or talking about it on MN. So you're more aware of a self-selected group who either have no sense or like huffing about things on a public medium.

[unchienandalusia]

Agree OP. The lack of ability to see reason and common sense is astounding. People really are sheep it seems and want a nanny state to direct their every decision.

[imsooverthisdrama]

Have people really become so pathetic they can’t use a bit of common sense?
No common sense whatsoever!! somebody posted yesterday to ask if meeting others outside will she need to sit 2 metres away from everyone including her household.
There are questions for everything there are 5 people in my house can I not meet another family of 5 .
I live 2 hours away from my parents etc etc .
It's quite simple you can now mix in small groups up to 6 people.
If you live hours away or you have a big family it's a bit tough to be honest but if you want to see your mum in the garden for example you can .
We haven't got to the point where we can have big family parties yet it's too much risk .

[TheGreatWave]

OP I agree with you, I have read so many posts on Facebook about how they are a family of 6/7/8 so how will it work. It seems that any critical thinking has gone out of the window, so yes your family of 6 can probably have your Mum and Dad round, but don't also have your sister's family of 6 at the same time.

Or just go to the park and sit in two distinct groups.

[dappledsunshine]

Completely agree op. Can't remember if it was in the PM briefing yesterday or if it was a question sent in to one of the news channels but someone was asking if they visited a relatives garden could they use the bathroom.

I said to dh at the time do people really expect the government to spoon feed guidance for every possible situation. Either use the bathroom at home or make sure you follow good hygiene measures and use your relatives 🤷‍♀️

[Flaxmeadow]

Yes lack of common sense and wanting to be spoon fed or for the rules to cater to them personally, but worse is the constant whining and complaining. Complaining about every damn thing and about the government especially, and using the crisis to score political points.

I'm not keen on Boris myself but there isn't going to be a change in government anytime soon. So people might as well just accept that for now and carry on.

The government did not cause the crisis. No one, or no government across the world did. It's a natural event, a terrible contagious disease, and so we need to get on with coping with it as best we can. You live in the first world, FGS stop bloody whinging all the time

[unchienandalusia]

but we are a family of 5 and I have two parents. WHAT ABOUT MEEEEEEEEEEEEEE! The government should have come up with a specific arrangement for my family.

Or, the dimwits should accept that based on average family sizes and average gardens, 6 people is what they deem an acceptable number to allow some familial gatherings yet maintaining the 2m social distancing guidelines.

People aren't making this shit up to frustrate people, Its so they can manage the spread of the virus. they have to draw a line in the sand numbers wise or there will be big gatherings. Drives me fucking nuts that people can't see this!

[ProseccoBubbleFantasies]

My new mantra is "What would Dominic do?"

It's serving me well so far.

[gumball37]

As they say "common sense isn't very common".

[Kazzyhoward]

The 'rules' have never been communicated in an easy to understand way.

Yes, the media have been awful throughout with mis-reporting the guidance.

It's all actually been VERY clear in simple English on the Gov.uk website, but the media havn't bothered looking at that.

[Kazzyhoward]

Yes, common sense is certainly lacking these days.

Why else would people go on holiday mid March, or go to Cheltenham/Anfield when they had symptoms, or still not wash their hands after using the loo?

[cantkeepawayforever]

The problem is that for many people 'common sense' means 'what I want to do'.

That's why specific rules and guidance are needed for proper public health guidance - not a flabby can't be bothered/ don't want to think about it 'Oh, use your common sense'

[dudsville]

You're assuming a high IQ. "Common sense" refers to the average IQ.

[YouSetTheTone]

I’ve seen comments like ‘We still can’t see my parents because we’re a family of five so it makes seven if we meet up ’

I find it really weird that people think that in that circumstance the seventh person is... what..? Going to cause the garden to explode? That a SWAT team will descend from a helicopter and drag you all away screaming? If you’re meeting one parent you might as well meet both! They’re likely to be as infected (or more likely not) as each other. And if unfortunately one of your family was asymptomatic and happened to infect the one visiting parent the other one would go home and infect the other anyway!

The rules are there to discourage LARGE family gatherings or gatherings that include multiple households.

Some people really do seem to have lost the ability for rational thinking in this situation.

[ErrolTheDragon]

You're assuming a high IQ. "Common sense" refers to the average IQ.

While a minimum level IQ may be required to have sense about covid, a high IQ doesn't necessarily ensure common sense!

[Fluffyglitterystuff]

Well yanbu. I've been shocked at how much people seem to need to be spoon fed.

However, people are different.

I know someone who hasn't followed the guidance from day one. Finding any excuse to go out, visiting various supermarkets throughout the day/week. Seeing family who were also mixing with other households. Going in and out of neighbours houses.

I'm absolutely certain that this person would claim to be using common sense, to me they've treated the whole thing as a big joke.

Did Boris use common sense? He caught the virus and ended up in ICU.

I would like to keep the risk of catching the virus as low as possible, but then I'm generally quite cautious about catching bugs and viruses anyway.

I'm not scared to leave the house, I'll do the things that I feel are important and essential to my family. I don't need Boris to tell me I'm allowed to meet relatives in my garden. I'm capable of assessing the risk.

[Alicatz66]

I agree with you ... but Boris Johnson and his "stay home" message has instilled so much fear into people they are afraid to break his "rules"

[winterisstillcoming]

Totally agree. A lot of people don't understand that they themselves are responsible for their own health.

[BigChocFrenzy]

The message on the govt website may be clear enough, but press conferences & statements by Boris & his ministers often aren't,

..... especially now they are stretching every interpretation to try to pretend Cummings didn't break the rules.