I fear we'll never get out of lockdown if so many people think the rules don't apply to them

[RockingMyFiftiesNot]

We live in one of the areas subject to tighter measures. I'm no goody two shoes but am playing by the rules on this as taking that backward step has been so hard and I know a lot of people who are struggling more than before . But so many people seem to be ignoring the tighter restrictions, how can we ever hope to get out of this ?
Examples: neighbours entertaining large family group in their garden (meeting in private gardens not allowed in our area); a friend celebrating birthday weekend with friends from c 5 different households, staying in same accommodation and has posted photos of them sitting side by side indoors in restaurants and cafes (all of this is against the restrictions) ; a couple of friends daily posting on FB why the new restrictions are irrelevant and encouraging people to ignore them .... and so many pictures of other illegal gatherings.

I know on many posts like this people like me get told to mind my own business. But it IS my business when I don't see my family and friends because our numbers are increasing, but so many people refuse to believe they might be part of that problem.
Expect I'll get flamed but needed to vent.

[Illuyanka]

Venting is fine and good for your soul. But minding your own business do good for you too. You can't control other people. Try to find something that makes you happy rather than getting upset about what others do.

[dooratheexplorer]

Completely agree!

However, you cannot control other people so best just to ignore them (and come off Facebook!).

[RockingMyFiftiesNot]

I guess my point is that when people's selfish actions potentially affect others, minding your own business isn't that easy.
They are breaking the law in a way that potentially will contribute to longer kick down and a further rise in cases

[RockingMyFiftiesNot]

*lockdown

[ssd]

I don't see what minding your own business will achieve here.
The op isn't talking about something or gossiping. The lock down is there for a reason and people ignoring it will just make it last longer. And that'll affect others, like the op.

I don't know why people are so selfish.

[IceCreamAndCandyfloss]

Many haven’t complied pretty much since the start and it will mean cases go on for longer.

There will always be those that put their own wants first over others sadly.

As long as I know we are following the guidelines and keeping away from those that don’t as much as possible that’s all we can do. It’s made me evaluate a few friendships though.

[RockingMyFiftiesNot]

I think it's all the more frustrating to see people not followin the rules now we are subject to the new measures - I would have thought that being put into that situation would make people more likely to comply. Clearly I'm very naive.

[TrindleGin]

Why are you worried what can you do ? Nothing just protect yourself and family

[RockingMyFiftiesNot]

Not sure I said I was worried - more frustrated and angry that others are breaking the law, rules put in place to protect all of us. So I have to stay home more and not see my adult children other than in a park whilst others do what the hell they like

[TrindleGin]

@RockingMyFiftiesNot

Not sure I said I was worried - more frustrated and angry that others are breaking the law, rules put in place to protect all of us. So I have to stay home more and not see my adult children other than in a park whilst others do what the hell they like

But there is nothing you can do why get frustrated about it

[FlySheMust]

If people are clearly breaking the law and you are concerned, then report them.

[Augustseemsbetter]

Remember that there is a benefit to you from not mixing as you are far less likely to catch anything.

Apart from that I would also say plenty of unseen people WILL be abiding by the rules but won't be showing off about it over social media.

Disengaging from the chatter around it all is the best thing to keep same imo.

I have an adult child who started down the "it's all overblown," thing in a way that clearly wanted a bit of an argument. I didn't engage with it and they've come back to the middle ground. Albeit booking short breaks for autumn ..good luck with that..

[WorkingItOutAsIGo]

You cannot manage others, but sadly they will start getting ill and that might begin to cause a change in behaviours.

[Popcornriver]

More people will ignore the rules come September. What's the point in worrying about catching it from friends and family when kids will be back to mixing with 30 plus households every day

[AlecTrevelyan006]

I strongly suspect that most localised increases in cases isn’t happening because people are breaking either the guidance or the law. Rather, it is the inevitable outcome from the relaxation of restrictions.

I appreciate it is unpopular opinion on Mumsnet but I think we need to move away from the fixation on new case numbers and focus more on the percentage of tests showing positive, numbers of hospital admissions, patients in ventilators, and deaths. Those numbers provide a better picture of how the virus is effecting us.

The virus is still here
People will catch it
Most people who catch it suffer none or mild symptoms
As long as the NHS is not being overwhelmed we can keep moving back towards normality

[Augustseemsbetter]

I strongly suspect that where I am it's pub culture that will drive cases forward the fastest.

Check out Aberdeen outbreak for details: Pub crawls. Households mixing. Crowding. Music you have to shout over. A lot of it is against guidelines and largely avoidable .. with care..

[AlecTrevelyan006]

The lockdown announced in Aberdeen is a consequence of exactly 18 new corona cases, including 13 linked to a single pub. This tiny number of cases is the justification for Nicola Sturgeon to quarantine an entire city, a quarter of a million inhabitants who are now once again forbidden to enter each other’s houses, forbidden to go to restaurants or pubs, and forbidden to travel for any purposes other than work.

'Spikes' will happen - but we need to stop panicking about them.

[NailsNeedDoing]

The thing is, all these people will have felt the same frustration at lockdown that you’re feeling now, and for some people, it’s just been too long now. People feel like they can’t put life on hold forever, and lockdown has its own negative effects. There is more to life than avoiding a virus that you might not get, might not have any symptoms of, and will probably recover fine from if you do get it.

It’s up to you and your adult children whether you see them in the park or a back garden, other people’s choices are theirs to make and yours are yours to make.

[RhiantheMunter]

Loads of people are just too selfish to care. Even mumsnet was full of people from day 1 of lickdown posting smug posted about how they found a way to do x y and z because the actual law say blah or because they had very very special reasons why the rules could be interpreted how they liked. They lived up a mountain. The space outside their house was ugly or too busy or they knew a special quiet place better than everyone else's. There wooden leg needed to be surtounded by trees in a forest 20 miles away so it didnt ferl lonely. Ok im being extreme but some reasons for doing xyz during lovkdown were comefy gold.
Covid does not spread outside blah de blah. Just people convincing themselves they were doing their bit but in reality, they just cant do what's been asked. The I have to do this for my mental health would have made sense if it wasn't 1 or 2 days into lockdown. Im not heartless and get mentsl health is a huge player in this but have these people never had a weekend at home?? 1 and 2 days in and flouting the rules was just a piss take for 99.9% of people.

No point stressing. It's human nature. Some people can accept and do what's asked more easily than others with the understanding that if most people do it, we might get the aimed for result, whether we agree 100% or not.

It's probably the same bunch who want government money for the 14 day quarantine when they get back from their holidays, which they probably also won't abide by.

And a Covid Christmas is next. Just watch the selfish fuckers do Christmas the way they want in 2020 whilst sticking 2 fingers up at the rest of us once again doing what will be asked of us.
Andcnow watch the flurry of responses to this post telling me I have no idea, and again a list of possibilities as to why they do what they do!

[PiataMaiNei]

It's inevitable when the rules are so fucking idiotic. I don't advocate doing most of the things you listed, but as a Greater Manchester resident I'm expected to refrain from socially distanced meetings on private property, whilst being encouraged to unnecessarily go into the workplace (which would be on public transport) and to attend pubs where inevitably there'll be people who are too drunk to socially distance. This is a patently ridiculous situation, obviously based on financial considerations, and people simply do not follow rules that are illogical.

[Sockwomble]

Yanbu for pissed off about that carry on.

Yabu for talking about 'rule breaking' as I associate that with people complaining about neighbour taking his dog for a walk more than once a day or being dismissive of some people's particular circumstances.

"The I have to do this for my mental health would have made sense if it wasn't 1 or 2 days into lockdown."

Ds was self harming days into lockdown. It is that extreme for some people. Be thankful it is not you.

[PiataMaiNei]

My post above should've said socially distanced garden meetings. Missing word very important there!

[Illuyanka]

I'm not British. I comply with every rule, and I don't like how things are here at all, re: selfish people. But getting upset about something out of your control won't do me no good, so, I try not to think about it much.

[Ohchristmastreeohchristmastree]

I think people that post this kind of behaviour on Facebook are not entitled to having their business minded.

[SistemaAddict]

I'm in a similar boat OP, living within greater Manchester. Mum's cousin is being visited indoors by her daughter. They said they are a support bubble yet both are married and living with their spouses. My neighbour is socialising with several people at once. Having recently de-shielded it's annoying but I'm trying to not be too bothered by it but it's proving difficult when their behaviour affects everyone.