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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think i should be able to go out

179 replies

Snufflesdog · 25/03/2020 18:14

Without coming into contact with people?!

I can’t get to my car (medical trips today) without getting close to children playing in the road

And I can’t walk our dog without crossing paths with about 100 other people. In addition to all the children on the estate playing out in the road, many others are playing in their front gardens - meaning I would have to walk in the road to stay 6ft from them. Down one road there was at least 5 groups of people (who are not one family or from one household) hanging around just on the pavement having a chat and many of whole were drinking beers(!) out in the sun
There were also people filing in and out of all the local shops for ‘essential’ shopping - such as an ice cream, or a can of coke.

This is not a summer holiday!

What is so hard about these guidelines and why does no one care?!

OP posts:
Duchessofblandings · 25/03/2020 20:17

“What is so hard about these guidelines and why does no one care?!”

Very many people don’t care because they have hitherto been told that if you’re under 60 and healthy you are going to get mild symptoms.

Perhaps videos of besieged NHS staff, telling us that healthy 20 and 30 somethings are extremely unwell in ICU units or the news that an healthy, 27 year old British diplomat in Budapest died today will concentrate their minds.

Bringringbring12 · 25/03/2020 20:18

@ShesGotBetteDavisEyes

I’m a runner. I have been ensuring I circle people to keep the distance.

In your scenario, why the heck did you expect them to move.
It was you heavily breathing and sweating. So whilst everyone has a responsibility to keep the social distance, I can’t fathom why i you didnt (gasp) step off the path yourself

Maryann1975 · 25/03/2020 20:19

We went for a walk this afternoon, at a similar time that I normally do the school run and there were loads of people out walking. Lots of families doing a lap of the estate, even though normally, these people drive their dc to school, because it is too far for them to walk Hmm. Clearly it’s not to far if they are so desperate to take a walk because of all this.

CorianderLord · 25/03/2020 20:20

@duchess a 21-year-old British girl with no underlying issues died today too Sad

Original poster
Snufflesdog · 25/03/2020 20:21

We all have front and back gardens here. Several people in the area (including a neighbour) has Coronavirus.
I think children playing in their front gardens (not all the same family as well) is an unnecessary risk as I am not 6ft from them when I walk on the pavement.
I am happy to walk in the road to avoid their house though and leave them be, except that there are other children playing in the street.

I certainly do not expect a completely empty road to walk my dog.
But I do disagree a dogs walk is as essential as getting ice cream

OP posts:
Lincolnfield · 25/03/2020 20:23

@Snufflesdog - don’t worry. We’ve got the same problem. We’ve lived here for forty years and usually can count on one finger how many people we see in our woods (across the road from our house) when we’re out with our dogs. The last couples of days, the world and his wife - not to mention his parents and half a dozen kids - have descended on us but the good news is it’s due to turn cold at the weekend so all this lot who wouldn’t normally set foot outside, will be back in their holes with their X Boxes, Play Stations and Netflix.

Butterbeeeen · 25/03/2020 20:23

I’m in a small North East town and it’s very quiet. There was a family having a picnic on a bench outside my back fence but they appeared to be the only ones not sticking to the rules.

Duchessofblandings · 25/03/2020 20:24

CorianderLord

I fear there may be many more before it begins to dawn on people just how dangerous this is.
I was told by family and friends that I needed to calm down when I kept our asthmatic, teenage son at home weeks ago.

PickAChew · 25/03/2020 20:24

Our local markses was only allowing 40 customers in at a time, today. Bloody lovely, it was.

Bringringbring12 · 25/03/2020 20:25

We went for a walk this afternoon, at a similar time that I normally do the school run and there were loads of people out walking. Lots of families doing a lap of the estate, even though normally, these people drive their dc to school, because it is too far for them to walk hmm. Clearly it’s not to far if they are so desperate to take a walk because of all this

I can just imagine you on your walk, looking like your sucking on a lemon. You’re one bit of exercise in beautiful weather and you choose to scorn people that have decided to go for a walk that you have clocked driving to school in the past. Bloody hell, talk about focusing on the negative.

Wetfloortiles · 25/03/2020 20:25

It's a complete ghost town where I live (Essex)

Yesterdayforgotten · 25/03/2020 20:27

I see marks and spencer for treats really and wouldnt class it as an essential shop for my family, couldnt get a full shop there.

Original poster
Snufflesdog · 25/03/2020 20:27

Glad to hear it’s not the same everywhere though!

OP posts:
Alsohuman · 25/03/2020 20:29

I see marks and spencer for treats really and wouldnt class it as an essential shop for my family, couldnt get a full shop there

In normal times I’d agree with you but you have to buy food where you can get it right now.

VegetableMunge · 25/03/2020 20:29

You're correct about the large gathering being a problem and the kids playing on the road, but it's hypocritical to moan about other people being out while you want to walk your dog. Their walks are no more or less important than yours, and milk is not actually essential either. Some of this is you saying do as I say not as I do.

Yesterdayforgotten · 25/03/2020 20:30

Alsohuman do they have oats and plain flour? Cant find those anywhere.

nanbread · 25/03/2020 20:31

People are allowed to take up exercise at any time, and of course with no office commute, no school run and lovely weather plus nothing much else to do it's a good idea to go for a walk (away from others of course).

Round here most people are complying but there were four young adults in the local park all sitting together joking about self isolation. Knobs.

Amotherof6 · 25/03/2020 20:31

I live in a seaside town.

Sadly, many have treated the school closure as a reason to visit the coast in their caravans and holiday homes. Sunday the place was swarming with people on an early 'holiday'.... a joke. Local services are already struggling but add the ignorant I will visit the coast brigade, sea air etc.... Local hospital is small.

Even with the government advice to stay home they still come or the ones already here wandering around looking for things to do. Up until Monday's announcement the ice cream vans were queued up - they have shut now... the fish and chip shops were queued up too.

I am self isolating so not been out and not come into contact with them but many people are sad that they treat it as a big joke and swab around like its a holiday!

RoseMartha · 25/03/2020 20:33

That is a shame OP.

People are pretty much staying in where I am. I have to walk the dc (yes that is not a typo I did mean the kids), once a day. Usually about 45 mins round the estate. (If I do not do this one dc will self harm and physically attack me from frustration and pent up energy. Has asd).

On most days we see a couple of joggers, and the odd person walking along or doing gardening or walking their dog. Roads are very quiet, the buses that went past have had a max of about four people.

Some kids having a bit of time in their back gardens.

Usually the main road is rammed and kids play round the street lots. So a vast difference.

Maybe it depends on the area.

CarolineIngalls · 25/03/2020 20:34

Very quiet here. I needed the weekly shop and was nervous, but only a handful of people in shops, road quiet. I walked into hills (from my front door, no nonessential trips) and we saw a few people from a distance. All very quiet. We live in a tourist area that is now quiet, the locals nearly mobbed the caravan park last weekend.

Original poster
Snufflesdog · 25/03/2020 20:34

@VegetableMunge but I didn’t say anything about people being out on walks. That’s fine - even if there are so many of them that it’s hard to avoid people, as you say I’m doing the same thing
My op was about the people having gatherings in the street and hanging around buying ice cream, drinking beer and generally not moving out the way.

Even if I didn’t walk my dog (which I didn’t today) I had a medical need to go out. It was 100% impossible to do so without coming into contact with 4 or 5 people. On a normal day with these restrictions not in place, it’s unlikely I would encounter so many children on the walk to my car (approx 30 seconds)

OP posts:
poppymatilda · 25/03/2020 20:37

Really surprised to read this. I'm in a London suburb (zone 3) and it's so quiet here today.

I went out for a walk and barely saw another person. The park had a few runners and dog walkers. There was nobody within 10 metres of me nevermind 2 metres!

It's eerie and freaky but at least people are doing the right thing

willdoitinaminute · 25/03/2020 20:37

I had to take the dog to the vet today and dropped into the local shop afterwards. I had to sit outside the vets in the car as they are not allowing anyone in. Saw a few people walk by all over 70. The local shop had about 10 customers again all over 70. A young lad came in and looked positively terrified. The oldies were totally oblivious to social distancing rules!

VegetableMunge · 25/03/2020 20:41

You said you can't walk the dog without crossing paths with 100 other people. It doesn't really matter whether you did it today or yesterday, you're still talking about the other people who were there when you did something optional. If your OP had only been about the big groups, fine, but it wasn't.

I didn't mention your medical trip as unlike the other outings you mention, that's actually essential. So that's fair game.

middleager · 25/03/2020 20:45

Not a Midlands thing I'm afraid. I'm in the West Mids and my roads are as you describe OP.

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