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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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:
TheLadyAnneNeville · 27/03/2020 09:16

@PolloDePrimavera... but look at what’s happening in London. The tube is still packed (though better). People allowed to make up their own minds re. going to work on building sites. I REFUSE to get my k I keys in a twist about taking two short walks in a day.

TheLadyAnneNeville · 27/03/2020 09:17

I REFUSE to get my knickers in a twist about two short walks a day

TheLadyAnneNeville · 27/03/2020 09:52

This. So Boris Johnson will allow non essential workers to make up their own minds about whether to work or not (building sites etc) yet some little old lady walking her Jack Russell twice a day will be arrested?

It should be all or nothing unless you’re a KEY WORKER.

Can my children go out for another walk today?
DowntownAbby · 27/03/2020 10:25

All of you selfish people who are making up your own rules or deciding that the government's ones just don't apply to you, read this article:

medium.com/@jpsmithalt/hold-the-line-17231c48ff17

By this man: medicine.yale.edu/profile/jonathan_p_smith/

It explains very clearly why it's so important to follow the rules and how just a little indiscretion here and there is a major problem.

I don't know how many more experts in infectious diseases and public have to try to explain it to you - they're wasting their time, it seems - but they do keep trying, bless them.

00100001 · 27/03/2020 10:28

But how is OP putting ANYONE at any greater risk by going for a walk twice in a deserted area? Confused

If nobody else goes there... there's no gates/handles etc to touch, OP meets no other human being....

What difference does going out twice make??

Please someone enlighten me!!

Sostenueto · 27/03/2020 10:35

It is not for you or me to decide whether it is safe for OP to go out more than the law states. This is a world pandemic and rules and laws put in place by countries are there to enact. They are the ones who have the knowledge and power to decide what is safe and what is not. We must follow these laws and rules when it is a world pandemic.

chomalungma · 27/03/2020 10:39

t is not for you or me to decide whether it is safe for OP to go out more than the law states

What does the law state about exercise outside?

There is a law - it has been linked to upthread. Can you point out the clause about how many times you can exercise outside?

ThisWontHurt · 27/03/2020 10:39

(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, including food and medical supplies for those in the same household (including any pets or animals in the household) or for vulnerable persons and supplies for the essential upkeep, maintenance and functioning of the household, or the household of a vulnerable person, or to obtain money, including from any business listed in Part 3 of Schedule 2;

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

(c) to seek medical assistance, including to access any of the services referred to in paragraph 37 or 38 of Schedule 2;

(d) to provide care or assistance, including relevant personal care within the meaning of paragraph 7(3B) of Schedule 4 to the Safeguarding of Vulnerable Groups Act 2006(a), to a vulnerable person, or to provide emergency assistance;

(e) to donate blood;

(f) to travel for the purposes of work or to provide voluntary or charitable services, where it is not reasonably possible for that person to work, or to provide those services, from the place where they are living;

(g) to attend a funeral of—
(i) a member of the person’s household,
(ii) a close family member, or
(iii) if no-one within sub-paragraphs (i) or (ii) are attending, a friend;

(h) to fulfil a legal obligation, including attending court or satisfying bail conditions, or to participate in legal proceedings;

(i) to access critical public services, including— (a) 2006 c. 47. Sub-paragraph (3B) was substituted, with sub-paragraphs (1), (3) and (3A) to (3E) for sub-paragraphs (1) to (3) by s. 66(2) of the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012 (c. 9). 5
(i) childcare or educational facilities (where these are still available to a child in relation to whom that person is the parent, or has parental responsibility for, or care of the child);
(ii) social services;
(iii) services provided by the Department of Work and Pensions;
(iv) services provided to victims (such as victims of crime);

(j) in relation to children who do not live in the same household as their parents, or one of their parents, to continue existing arrangements for access to, and contact between, parents and children, and for the purposes of this paragraph, “parent” includes a person who is not a parent of the child, but who has parental responsibility for, or who has care of, the child;

(k) in the case of a minister of religion or worship leader, to go to their place of worship;

(l) to move house where reasonably necessary;

(m) to avoid injury or illness or to escape a risk of harm.

Lockheart · 27/03/2020 10:41

I live in London, so I'm going out as little as physically possible. I'm not even going out for a walk everyday, just to the shops when I need to.

If I was at my parents (in the middle of nowhere) then I would go out for 2 walks a day with the dogs round the fields. On a regular day you never see anyone anyway. Who would I spread it to or pick it up from?

The rules are designed to enforce social distancing. However when you live rurally, you're pretty well social distanced under normal circumstances.

Sostenueto · 27/03/2020 10:41

In situations like a world pandemic it cannot be one rule for one and one rule for another. I know and understand that op lives in a remote area but just because the op lives there gives her no more right to break the law than it does for me to break the law. To even post about flouting the law will cause anger and bewilderment that people think they are entitled to continue to do what they want because there isn't many people where they live. Law is law and safeguarding not only your own life but others too must be the priority even if you think the rules are stupid.

ThisWontHurt · 27/03/2020 10:41

Posted just for people to read - not because I have any judgement for the OP.

Sostenueto · 27/03/2020 10:42

It states repeatedly you can only exercise once a day.

Sostenueto · 27/03/2020 10:42

Oh by the way they are now going to stop house moves.

chomalungma · 27/03/2020 10:43

It states repeatedly you can only exercise once a day

No it doesn't.

The guidelines do - but the law doesn't.

That is a significant difference.

Sostenueto · 27/03/2020 10:44

Please refer back to police notice, an official notice, put on someone's car.

LotsaDo · 27/03/2020 10:44

I know and understand that op lives in a remote area but just because the op lives there gives her no more right to break the law than it does for me to break the law.

She's not breaking the law.

chomalungma · 27/03/2020 10:45

lease refer back to police notice, an official notice, put on someone's car

In this country, we have rule of law.

Law trumps a police notice

Sostenueto · 27/03/2020 10:46

But don't worry as the death rate rises and people continue to do wtf they like you will no longer be able to go out for exercise or walk your dog.

ErrolTheDragon · 27/03/2020 10:46

The law is the law; it will be up to the local police officer to make the judgment as to whether it's 'reasonable' for the OP to go out in the way she described. That judgement is very likely to depend on the environment, how her kids are behaving etc.

chomalungma · 27/03/2020 10:46

But don't worry as the death rate rises and people continue to do wtf they like you will no longer be able to go out for exercise or walk your dog

Is that you saying that you agree that the law does not state how many times you can exercise?

Lockheart · 27/03/2020 10:47

@Sostenueto that is not 'the law'. Anyone can whip up a notice in MS Word and stick it on cars.

The law is published on www.legislation.gov.uk/ and other posters have already linked to the specific sections of the legislature.

ErrolTheDragon · 27/03/2020 10:47

Please refer back to police notice, an official notice, put on someone's car.

Please refer to the law.
Driving somewhere - generally unreasonable. Walking locally in a quiet place? Not your call to make.

LotsaDo · 27/03/2020 10:48

But don't worry as the death rate rises and people continue to do wtf they like you will no longer be able to go out for exercise or walk your dog.

Wow, sounds like you can't wait. Anyway, of course the OP will...it would be impossible to police people in rural areas walking their dogs, not only that but it would be very unlikely to be a priority because it really doesn't matter!

BraceYourselfEffie · 27/03/2020 10:54

The law is the law; it will be up to the local police officer to make the judgment as to whether it's 'reasonable' for the OP to go out in the way she described.

It's really not. It is for our courts to interpret law, it for police to enforce it. I'm not trying to be pendantic but it an important principle of our judicial system that the police are enforcers, not interpeters.

It is aso an important element that the law is paramount and so takes priority over any guidelines, rules or whatever else. Finally that the people are allowed to do anything except what the law prohibits (not the other way around).

The law does not state how many times exercise is restricted - therefore, it is not 'illegal' to go out more than once a day, regardless of moral opinions. It is allowed because the law does not expressly forbid it.

Sostenueto · 27/03/2020 10:55

Well if it really doesn't matter go and tell all those that who have lost loved ones then