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Original poster

Is everywhere much more crowded since Covid?

68 replies

ArseInTheCoOpWindow · 30/12/2023 09:22

I know it’s in the past etc etc. l live near a national park. It seems much fuller since lockdown. Loads of camper vans squeezed into tiny roadsides.

Yesterday we tried to go for a walk. Roads were just horrendous. Traffic jams, loads of traffic. Drove past a pub that’s nearly always empty. The car park was rammed to bursting and cars were parked on the sides for about 1/4 mile down the road.

Ive lived her a long time ( very long time) l don’t think I’ve ever seen it like this before. Not even in midsummer. We gave up and came home. I know we were adding to it, but it was just impossible.

OP posts:
Changingplace · 30/12/2023 09:27

I feel like everywhere is so crowded all the time too, people walking into me constantly, having to dodge round them - shops and city centres are horrendously busy constantly round here.

WhyMeWhyNowWhyNot · 30/12/2023 09:29

I agree - definitely feels like that. I have no idea why it would be though - are people going out more?! People are also far less considerate of others now - there’s a real fuck you attitude that you see everywhere. Not using headphones in cafes/restaurants is a good example of this. I don’t remember this pre Covid at all.

Kazzyhoward · 30/12/2023 09:31

Not sure it's anything to do with covid. It's just population growth. Everything is crowded. We've a massive shortage of housing, even full time workers are living in hostels in some areas as there aren't even places to rent. Trains are packed.

Belltentdreamer · 30/12/2023 09:33

Surely it’s cause it’s Christmas and most people are off with the families ??

Whu · 30/12/2023 09:33

Yes everywhere is busy now unless you know the real off the beaten track places. Even then the local rag will probably put them on social media as an ‘unknown beauty’ and next thing you know it’s rammed!!

Whu · 30/12/2023 09:35

Kazzyhoward · 30/12/2023 09:31

Not sure it's anything to do with covid. It's just population growth. Everything is crowded. We've a massive shortage of housing, even full time workers are living in hostels in some areas as there aren't even places to rent. Trains are packed.

But rurally I don’t think this is the issue. Before Covid you could go to the mountains on a miserable day and it would be empty but now they are packed!
I don’t think the population has rocketed in 3 years just more people craving the outdoors?

Original poster
ArseInTheCoOpWindow · 30/12/2023 09:36

Kazzyhoward · 30/12/2023 09:31

Not sure it's anything to do with covid. It's just population growth. Everything is crowded. We've a massive shortage of housing, even full time workers are living in hostels in some areas as there aren't even places to rent. Trains are packed.

But it’s got worse since Covid.

I live near a big reservoir. It was always pretty empty. When Covid hit people were doing barbecues at roadside, going wild swimming in a very deep reservoir. Eventually the council had to step in.

It’s never returned to its pre Covid quietness. It’s just rammed all the time. And it was usually pretty empty.

Had the population grown that much in 3 years? It’s the same in a nearby walk. Would be pretty busy in summer, but not so much in winter. Traffic jam of people walking now. Can’t even park nearby, and that’s never happened before Covid.

OP posts:
Mrsbluesk1 · 30/12/2023 09:36

Whu · 30/12/2023 09:33

Yes everywhere is busy now unless you know the real off the beaten track places. Even then the local rag will probably put them on social media as an ‘unknown beauty’ and next thing you know it’s rammed!!

The Social media curse is a real pain

Original poster
ArseInTheCoOpWindow · 30/12/2023 09:38

Belltentdreamer · 30/12/2023 09:33

Surely it’s cause it’s Christmas and most people are off with the families ??

But it’s never been like this pre Covid Chritmases. I

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TheYearOfSmallThings · 30/12/2023 09:38

I think people had to go out and find new places to walk, and talked to their friends so word spread. We discovered a handful of really nice walks quite near us, and we didn't stop using them when the pandemic ended. Likewise most of our old walks are busier than they were.

LlynTegid · 30/12/2023 09:39

If people have discovered local parks, places of recreation, as long as they are used responsibly, no bad thing. The cost of things such as a night out is also prohibitive for many people.

Though that does not excuse bad driving, bad parking, or not keeping control of a dog if you have one.

Original poster
ArseInTheCoOpWindow · 30/12/2023 09:41

LlynTegid · 30/12/2023 09:39

If people have discovered local parks, places of recreation, as long as they are used responsibly, no bad thing. The cost of things such as a night out is also prohibitive for many people.

Though that does not excuse bad driving, bad parking, or not keeping control of a dog if you have one.

But they are becoming unusable now. And not always used responsibly. Cars squeezed in anywhere on sides of roads. Barbecues half way up hills.

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Fallenangelofthenorth · 30/12/2023 09:41

A lot of people have far less disposable income now. Perhaps there a more people enjoying free stuff such as walks and picnics? Maybe your local pub has a new chef so it's more popular?

Evenstar · 30/12/2023 09:42

I have wondered if it is a combination of COVID and people discovering places nearby to go and the cost of living crisis, people are taking less holidays and staying nearer home to cut costs. A couple of drinks at a local pub and a walk instead of a day out somewhere expensive.

I have definitely noticed places being busier, we moved earlier this year but it was one of the reasons for moving as there was so much more noise round our house and the local park was always much busier than it used to be.

Original poster
ArseInTheCoOpWindow · 30/12/2023 09:43

Fallenangelofthenorth · 30/12/2023 09:41

A lot of people have far less disposable income now. Perhaps there a more people enjoying free stuff such as walks and picnics? Maybe your local pub has a new chef so it's more popular?

It could have a new chef l don’t know. But I’ve never ever seen the car park like that in 30 years. Nor the cars parked for miles down the road.

OP posts:
Picklemeyellow · 30/12/2023 09:44

I live an hour or so from London and over the last 4-5 years we’ve had so many new builds and so many people moving into this area that’s it’s become overwhelmingly busy at times. I hate it.

Everywhere is busy, I never go into our local town anymore because it’s takes 30+ minutes to drive 5/10 miles.

I am lucky to live near the sea and countryside but it’s often busy wherever you go.

Not sure if it’s anything to do
with Covid but since then we’ve been inundated with new builds and there are plans to build an estate with 9,000 houses in the next village 😫

Goingbeyond · 30/12/2023 09:44

People did suddenly discover the outdoors and liked it? Agree with them being irresponsible a*holes mostly though

Waterlooville · 30/12/2023 09:47

The population is up 10% in roughly the last 15 years, so some of it is just numbers of people. But the makeup of those people is different too. Most of the extra population is people living longer. These are people with spare time and often spare cash (for pubs and cafes). COVID pushed lots of people towards early retirement so added to this demographic. Who is it you see on these walks? I see families with children, yes, but far more often a late middle aged couple, often with a dog or two.

Original poster
ArseInTheCoOpWindow · 30/12/2023 09:47

We drove past an ‘edge’ on the way home. It was covered in people. Just covered. Climbers, hang gliders, etc. Never ever seen it like that.

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Tommalot · 30/12/2023 09:47

Population increase, more dog ownership (so going for walks), it's a cheap day out.

TheYearOfSmallThings · 30/12/2023 09:48

Barbecues half way up hills.

Are you in Australia?! We've had a series of storms here, and certainly I've seen no barbecues when we venture out.

Original poster
ArseInTheCoOpWindow · 30/12/2023 09:49

Waterlooville · 30/12/2023 09:47

The population is up 10% in roughly the last 15 years, so some of it is just numbers of people. But the makeup of those people is different too. Most of the extra population is people living longer. These are people with spare time and often spare cash (for pubs and cafes). COVID pushed lots of people towards early retirement so added to this demographic. Who is it you see on these walks? I see families with children, yes, but far more often a late middle aged couple, often with a dog or two.

I would say families with children, and young active sports people. I don’t see that many older people. I see a lot of 30-40 age men, but not sure why.

OP posts:
Waterlooville · 30/12/2023 09:50

Interesting, there must be several factors. I wonder if it's different in different areas.

SaturdayGiraffe · 30/12/2023 09:51

3.2million households bought pets during lockdown.

Most of those were dogs.

They need walking. More people outside.

(and more dog mess in the park and streets)

Original poster
ArseInTheCoOpWindow · 30/12/2023 09:51

I saw a barbecue yesterday as the weather was predicted to be fine all day. However it wasn’t and started pissing down, so l think they were packing up. It belonged to some camper on the side of the road. They started it about 100 yards away in the foot of the ‘edge’

OP posts: