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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to think that going for a walk is too bloody stressful?!

135 replies

Pishposhpashy · 24/03/2020 18:40

We live in London. Go out for our permitted daily walk (me, dog, 4yo DD). Constantly having to dodge on the way to the park to avoid people coming in the opposite direction. Once in the park, same story. Dodging out of the way every 10 seconds to maintain social distancing. DC not understanding why she cannot run on ahead. DD touches bench before I can stop her then immediately puts a finger in her mouth. Leave to return home as park is just too busy to be able to be safe.

We dont have a garden and I desperately feel we need outdoor exercise, but this is the same story every time and it doesn't matter what time of day it is either.

OP posts:
Alsohuman · 24/03/2020 19:59

I think the exercise will have to go. It just does not seem to be working

It’s working here. Nobody on the streets, we walked the dog across the fields and saw two other dog walkers, both in the far distance. There need to be different rules for towns and cities. People will go insane if they can’t get fresh air and exercise.

Original poster
Pishposhpashy · 24/03/2020 20:01

People will go insane if they can’t get fresh air and exercise.

We will go as insane in the cities as you will in the country you know.

And if they don't apply the same rules to the whole country then city dwellers will decamp.

OP posts:
Pinkypie86 · 24/03/2020 20:04

If you're out with the people you live with its OK! God, its stressful enough without absolute douches thinking they know the rules. :/

Alsohuman · 24/03/2020 20:05

I know that Pish, I’m not suggesting otherwise. The issue in more populated places seems to be everyone going at once. Maybe different groups could go at different times? We all need to get out, regardless of where we live.

Original poster
Pishposhpashy · 24/03/2020 20:07

Pinkypie86

I never said it wasn't? Its just that there are so.many people out,and I'm sure many have their own gardens so dont need to be.

OP posts:
TSSDNCOP · 24/03/2020 20:10

You can't possibly know that. People May be thinking the same of you. You just can't tell by glaring looking at someone if they've got a garden.

GG20 · 24/03/2020 20:10

The thing I don't understand is why groups of people (presumably family/household - at least I hope so) feel the need to walk two or three abreast on narrow paths, leaving no space to pass at a safe distance. I saw quite a few people doing this today.

We're all going to be spending lots of time indoors with other members of our households in the coming weeks, so is it really necessary to walk side by side with them all the time (I'm talking about adults here, not children)?

RichardMarxisinnocent · 24/03/2020 20:10

Same issue here- I’m walking a vulnerable person’s dog for her, whilst on my way to/from her home and out with the dog I was literally walking in the road and on grass verges by the side of the pavement to maintain social distancing, it seemed like everybody else couldn’t have given fewer fucks, nobody altered their direction even a tiny bit.

Snap! I went for a walk around the pavements yesterday afternoon and had to keep stepping into people's driveways (sorry to people who own the driveways), or into the road if there was a space between parked cars, or crossing the road to keep my distance from people. Nobody else made the slightest change to their path and some looked at me like I was mad. At one point I paused briefly to see if someone crossing to my side of the road was going to come towards me, and someone from behind overtook me a few centimetres from me, and then walked directly in front of me, again very close, and went into their front garden. I am ashamed to say that the final people I came across suffered me very tearfully and frustratedly saying to them "why am I the only person doing this???" as I stood in a driveway to let them saunter past on the pavement. I arrived home very stressed and very nervous about going out again. But I will have to as need to get food at the weekend, and also will go stir crazy if I stay in my flat 24/7.

RevealTheHiddenBeach · 24/03/2020 20:11

The thing is there are bound to be more people out. Everyone who normally walks to work will be taking their "daily exercise" on local streets instead. Everyone who normally goes to the gym will now be running on the streets. Kids and teens who normally burn off by playing football at lunchtime will now be running in the streets. Busyness, especially in cities and towns, is inevitable. It's not people being CFers, it's just numbers.

geekone · 24/03/2020 20:11

@toots111 That’s awful before the lockdown I was going a run but I would run into the road (safely) or a grass verge or just walk until I could 6f away.

My outdoor exercise is now a 6.30 walk with the dog and hardly any people thankfully and everyone very good at social distancing. But it’s not London here it’s much quieter and people have been really good at social distancing 😔

Original poster
Pishposhpashy · 24/03/2020 20:11

TSSDNCOP

I haven't been glaring at anyone. I saw, for instance, my neighbour in the park today with her 3 kids, and I know that she has a massive garden with slide, swing set and trampoline.

OP posts:
Original poster
Pishposhpashy · 24/03/2020 20:12

And btw I dont think anyone is being a CF, I was just saying it is stressful.

OP posts:
1Morewineplease · 24/03/2020 20:12

While walking the dog, I’ve never seen so many inners, joggers and walkers. I have walked the dog at so many different times due to weather, working hours etc.. but this volume of people that suddenly need to exercise has astounded me. Factor in the number of , clearly primary aged children who are meeting up in large groups in the woodland nearby , I’m quite stunned. Do these children’s parents even know where their children are? The clearly don’t care.
I despair.

SneezyMcSneezeface · 24/03/2020 20:13

It won’t be like that at 6am or 7am. Or mid morning, or before dusk.
Stop whinging and just accept that this is the way it is for now and crack on. It don’t. Stay home entirely.

lightyearsahead · 24/03/2020 20:13

It is about keeping safe. You have a right to be out there but the jogger, Walker older person tdying to get out cant. We open up the patio doors, did the Joe Wickes workout (best things for kids) then did dome yogas. Open up the windows and stop moaning. We need to get through this and do it the best we can.

Original poster
Pishposhpashy · 24/03/2020 20:15

lightyearsahead

I never said anyone else didnt have a right to be there, I just said that going out for a walk was stressful. I am allowed to have feelings about things. Have a nice evening.

OP posts:
BodiesMakeForGoodFertiliser · 24/03/2020 20:15

I have little private bets with myself about how long will some people I know keep pretending they LOVE walking/running and have always done it.
I just laugh "no you didn't, silly" and put down a bet in my mind.

FenellaVelour · 24/03/2020 20:15

If it carries on like this the government will have no choice but to implement a stricter lockdown. No exercising, no long dog walks. And it’ll be the fault of all those people who just don’t think they have to adhere to the rules.

Original poster
Pishposhpashy · 24/03/2020 20:16

Some of you really need to think about the way you speak to others, or scroll past. I am observing social distancing rules and doing exactly what has been asked of me. It doesn't mean I'm not allowed to find it stressful.

OP posts:
adaline · 24/03/2020 20:17

I go out early with the dog and it's deserted. This morning even at half eight it was very, very quiet and easy to avoid other people. Everyone was very aware to keep apart too - it was actually quite nice!

Monday we went to the beach at half six and we were the only people there - it was so peaceful!

Original poster
Pishposhpashy · 24/03/2020 20:17

And it’ll be the fault of all those people who just don’t think they have to adhere to the rules

The thing is all the people I saw out today were actually adhering to the rules, it is just that I think too many were out for it to be feasible.

OP posts:
PineappleDanish · 24/03/2020 20:17

I go out for a walk every day when I can - just me, my iphone and my podcasts and pokemon go, but we don't talk about that

I am lucky in that I live in deepest suburbia and I can walk for miles around residential streets and not pass a soul. In your situation OP I'd be just doing a couple of laps around the block and avoiding the park. When my kids were little we'd give them a list of things to "spot" - like 10 blue cars, someone wearing a red coat, a house with a painted pink door... whatever.

Wolfgirrl · 24/03/2020 20:21

Agreed! Took DD out in the pram for a walk round the block, bar one young family not a single pedestrian even tried to maintain social distancing! I would steer the pram to the side and they just seemed to think I was moving out the way for them, and walked straight past us Angry

One bloke was walking his dog down the pavement, I parked the pram on the grassy verge to the side and he just walked straight over to us as the dog wanted to sniff something.

Irritating you can stick to all the rules but thanks to other people being lazy and stupid it might not work! AngryAngry

I'm not going out again now, too stressful.

Singinginshower · 24/03/2020 20:22

OP could you borrow a scooter that she'd have to keep her hands on?

Also agree with PP about wearing gloves maybe

Chocolatecakefan · 24/03/2020 20:26

We went for a walk around our local meadow today (literally less than 2 mins away). Usually I see nobody, but today we saw 4 couples - every single person took absolute regard of the rules - literally crossing across paths to avoid people. In my experience the rules are absolutely being adhered to today. But then we live on the outskirts of a large town, I can see how it would be much harder in a city.