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AIBU?

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Original poster

Can my children go out for another walk today?

541 replies

1278kj · 26/03/2020 14:10

I’m aware it’s episode of exercise today. I have not been out today.

Basically my partner took dc and the dog out this morning before he went to work - he has to go to work. I was waiting in for a delivery so couldn’t go.

Going a little crazy and thinking of going out for a walk myself but that means two walks for dc today!

I live in a rural area. Hardly anyone around. Probably wouldn’t meet anyone and plenty of open space to socially distance anyway.

Aibu to take them out for another walk?

OP posts:
1forsorrow · 26/03/2020 22:07

If it wasn't for the fact I can't get a delivery of food I would be enormous in 12 weeks time, no exercise and all I can think of is eating as there isn't anything to distract me. What a recipe for bad health no exercise plus a choice of obesity or malnutrition. Which is worse?

Iminaglasscaseofemotion · 26/03/2020 22:07

The motorway near me is pretty empty. Can I drive at 100 mph? I mean, I know the law says 70 mph, but there is no one else around so it doesn’t apply to me does it?

I see loads of people doing that on busy roads and nothing happens to them. Doing it in a road that's completely empty? Crack on, only person you are likely to hurt or potentially kill is yourself.

Iminaglasscaseofemotion · 26/03/2020 22:12

On another thread, people are suggesting alternate online retailers now Next has closed down online as they need clothes and obviously don't mind people mixing in warehouses and delivery drivers going door to door.

I hope those people in those warehouses are counting their journey to work as their one outing for the day.

Murphs1 · 26/03/2020 22:19

It totally depends where you live. 1 x a day are the guidelines to minimise social contact and maximise the time available so everyone can walk/exercise outside. Common sense needs to be applied, if you live in a rural area, and won’t see anyone it makes no difference.

Patchworkpatty · 26/03/2020 22:21

So I live on a farm.
According to the rules I can stay in my house and property.

I can go out for a walk for 2 hours and not leave the property. Not see anyone. I don't break the rules.

I have a neighbour. I have always allowed her to walk across our fields. She lives 2 fields over. According to the rules she can't go for a walk where she always goes. Across our fields. Because it's my property not hers. This is what makes it a nonsense in the country. If you are genuinely very very rural you just need to use your common sense.

Public health messages have to be simple and relate to the majority. The majority live in cities, towns and villages and have the potential to pass the virus on all surfaces which will be passed on and spread by the local population.

In very rural areas common sense needs to be employed.

Goodgriefidespair · 26/03/2020 22:23

This is what I can’t understand.
Officially, no you should remain at home until you can go out alone as your children have had their exercise allowance for the day.

However..... if you chose to go for the walk with your dc and called into your local shop for an essential food item/milk/nappies or such like, that would be ok.

Infact you could all then later go for a third walk, so long as you called in to your local pharmacy.

Also you could have your one daily exercise allowance, and you could be out for three hours.

Yet if you can only manage a five minute walk around the block, once you are home that’s it you are home exercise done for the day.

Such bizarre rules......

If you know you won’t see anyone, and can say that in full faith, I can’t see the issue in you taking your children out twice.

It’s not as bad as someone in a built up area taking their children out, (albeit legitimately), three times for exercise/pharmacy/shop for essentials.

But apparently common sense and critical thinking can’t prevail.

Mycatwontstopstaring · 26/03/2020 22:31

All the government wants is people to stop spreading the virus. People weren’t bothering to follow social distancing guidance so they made rules to help people get it. If taking them with you does not increase risk to anyone, then of course you can.

Think about it. As you walk along you are breathing out. Little bubble of your family germs. If you are carrying the virus and someone passes within 2m, they might get it from you. If your children are with you then your floating germ bubble will be slightly larger, but if you are rural and the whole group is not passing within 2m of anyone then obviously it is fine. We are semi rural and on our walk earlier we were generally 10m away from people. When we went out yesterday we saw virtually no one.

Of course your children can go with you when you walk. It does not matter that they went out earlier unless you’ve on a crowded street where people are basically taking turns to go outside. You’re rural so go for it.

ErrolTheDragon · 26/03/2020 22:35

Officially, no you should remain at home until you can go out alone as your children have had their exercise allowance for the day.

There is no 'exercise allowance'.

Widowodiw · 26/03/2020 22:37

I’ve been out twice. I don’t live rurally but in an area which isn’t crowded, hardly anyone’s out and people literally cross the road from one another when they see anyone else. Just use your judgment.

Goodgriefidespair · 26/03/2020 23:22

Errolthedragon - Yes there is an exercise allowance. That’s my understanding. You can leave home for one of four reasons. For exercise once per day, shopping essentials, medical reasons eg pharmacy or gp appointment, and work if you are an essential worker.

Straight from bbc news :

Under strict measures to fight the coronavirus outbreak announced by Prime Minister Boris Johnson earlier this week, people are only allowed to leave the house for specific reasons:
Shopping for "basic necessities", as infrequently as possible
One form of exercise a day such as a run, walk or cycle
Medical reasons, to provide care, or to help a vulnerable person
Travelling to and from work, but only if it is "absolutely necessary" and cannot be done from home

ErrolTheDragon · 26/03/2020 23:34

The legislation doesn't specify an 'allowance'. It says

^ 6(1) During the emergency period, no person may leave the place where they are living
without reasonable excuse.
(2) For the purposes of paragraph (1), a reasonable excuse includes the need

(a) to obtain basic necessities,.......

(b) to take exercise either alone or with other members of their household;^

There's no stipulation of duration or that this must be a single event per day.

ThisWontHurt · 27/03/2020 06:33

You can leave home for one of four reasons. For exercise once per day, shopping essentials, medical reasons eg pharmacy or gp appointment, and work if you are an essential worker.

Actually there are also other reasons listed, such as moving house or giving blood.

The Act is well worth a read.

https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2020/350/pdfs/uksi202003500_en.pdf

Sostenueto · 27/03/2020 06:36

No matter who you are, where you live, rules are rules for ALL. Also the virus doesn't care who you are if it's there it will find you.

Passthecake30 · 27/03/2020 06:44

I would go if you need it for your mental health.

Silvercatowner · 27/03/2020 06:52

just to do as the government say

It's quite chilling...

00100001 · 27/03/2020 07:07

And the law makes no mention of how many times you can leave for exercise....

thecatneuterer · 27/03/2020 07:09

Also the virus doesn't care who you are if it's there it will find you. True (sort of), but it won't be there in the middle of nowhere where no one else goes.

Sostenueto · 27/03/2020 07:13

Everytime you think you can bend the rules to suit yourselves just think of this.....

Defoe:

“It was very sad to reflect how such a person as this had been a walking destroyer perhaps for a week or a fortnight before that; how he had ruined those that he would have hazarded his life to save, and had been breathing death upon them, even perhaps in his tender kissing and embracings of his own children.”

SneezyMcSneezeface · 27/03/2020 07:17

Go - it’s a limited to try to limit contact with people. If you’re unlikely to see any one go...

Thisisworsethananticpated · 27/03/2020 07:17

I think a rural walk is in no way shapes
Or form is the issue

It’s the hordes of people in shopping centres , buses , supermarkets , sports grounds shops etc

So as a city ( well suburb!) dweller i say have that walk !

SneezyMcSneezeface · 27/03/2020 07:20

’Think about it. As you walk along you are breathing out. Little bubble of your family germs. If you are carrying the virus and someone passes within 2m, they might get it from you. If your children are with you then your floating germ bubble will be slightly larger, but if you are rural and the whole group is ‘

There is no ‘floating germ bubble’ . Someone would literally have to cough on you. Which if you’re standing close to someone in a queue could happen but your more likely to pick it up from touching a surface then your face.
It’s not floating around in the air waiting for people to walk into a ‘bubble’ of virus.

Sostenueto · 27/03/2020 07:22

My DD is a care worker. My Dgd (18) has just come out if hospital after nearly bleeding to death because she had an autoimmune blood disorder. I am on the at most risk list. My DD has to go to work. My Dgd has to stay at home alone for at least 12 hours a day as she cannot go out at all and has no one who can be with her. I am on a 12 week lockdown as I have cancer. Before you worry or mian because you cannot go out for a walk more than once a day think about me already self isolated 3 weeks before the enforced 12 week isolation. Think about my Dgd who cannot go out at all for the foreseeable future all alone and a walking time bomb. Not once has my Dgd moaned, groaned about being locked in. Because she knows she is doing the right thing for others and herself. I am the same. The rules are for ALL suck it up!

LotsaDo · 27/03/2020 07:29

ThisWontHurt

Thank you for posting that, really interesting.

copycopypaste · 27/03/2020 07:33

No, Jesus what is wrong with people! One form of exercise a day. That doesn't mean you can go out twice. Are people either that stupid they don't get it, or that selfish they choose an extra walk away ver people's health.

Sostenueto · 27/03/2020 07:40

This is an official police notice someone got on another thread. IT IS A POLICE NOTICE because it is LAW which stats YOU cannot go out for another walk no matter where you live even if you bloody well live out in the country! If you go you are breaking the LAW get it? Or shall I shout even louder and repeatedly till you do get it?

Can my children go out for another walk today?