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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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:
midsomermurderess · 26/03/2020 15:29

Yes. Those saying 'no, it's breaking the rules' need to think about purpose of the rules. If you live in rural isolation and rarely come across others, who are you going to run the risk of infecting or being infected by? In urban areas, it's quite a different matter. And if you hadn't decide to announce it on Mumsnet (and why on earth did you?) would anyone in your general vicinity even know?

namechangetheworld · 26/03/2020 15:30

Christ, what a lot of hysteria.

Of course you should go OP. I would like one of the people screaming saying YABU to explain exactly what risk the OP and her children are posing going on a second walk when you encounter nobody, and even if you do will be well over 2 metre away from?

We need to apply common sense here people. I've taken my children out every day this week around our village and have encountered a grand total of two people, both dog walkers, both over 100 yards away. Not everybody lives in London, Mumsnetters.

Justginnoschweppes · 26/03/2020 15:30

This is one of those bonkers things where keeping to the rules for the sake of keeping to the rules is ridiculous.

There is no one there Grin

YgritteSnow · 26/03/2020 15:34

I would Smile

Ihopeyourcakeisshit · 26/03/2020 15:35

The thing about Government guidelines/advice etc is that there cannot be a footnote saying use your common sense.
Largely because so few people have any and some people are thick or deliberately obtuse.
If you live in a highly populated area you are obviously going to have to adhere to the rules more stringently for the greater good etc.
If you live in the middle of nowhere, it's going to be different, it's all about minimising risk, hardly rocket science.
It might not appear fair, but that as they say is life and those that don't have as much flexibility are going to make damned sure it's as shit for everyone.
I think it's going to become increasingly impossible to ask for advice on here because it's black and white and rules is rules for the Stasi-esque currently in residence.

Megan2018 · 26/03/2020 15:37

I could wander around the field behind my house 100 times a day and it’d make no difference.
I live very rurally, tiny hamlet. I can go days without seeing another person in normal life. If I lived in a town or city time outside needs to be strictly regulated-but in other areas common sense is required.
I’d have the walk if I thought I needed it. As it goes though I’ve remained in my garden all day instead and not ventured outside the perimeter. But had I hoped over the fence in to the field for 6 hours instead it would make no difference at all!

MyDcAreMarvel · 26/03/2020 15:38

Thanks all. I just can’t see how it will harm anyone?
That’s not the point , the rules are there because some walks will be safe and some will not , it’s not up to us to to ask assess.
That’s why it’s limited to once a day for everyone
My dc can’t leave the house for 12 weeks, makes me angry when people considering flouting the rules when their dc can go out every single day.
84 days my dc can’t walk for!

bloomingwonderful · 26/03/2020 15:40

Not following them means PEOPLE WILL DIE.

So the virus knows which walk you're on?!?!

It will leave you alone if you're on your first walk but attack you with vengeance on your second?!

JFC the situation is even worse than I imagined.

WhatHappenedThen · 26/03/2020 15:41

I live fairly rurally and there were loads of people out today. I’ve never seen it so busy.

Ihopeyourcakeisshit · 26/03/2020 15:41

I rest my case.

Clymene · 26/03/2020 15:42

Do you know what OP? Use your common sense, which seems to be lacking among a vast swathe of MN posters.

wildthingsinthenight · 26/03/2020 15:42

No sorry. One trip outside a day

MyDcAreMarvel · 26/03/2020 15:43

It’s not common sense to ignore the government is it!

babydogandi · 26/03/2020 15:44

*What part of you can each go out for one lot of exercise a day do you not understand?

The part which is omitted for people who aren’t thick as pig to use their own common sense in a situation which will detrimentally affect no one but may well save the health and sanity of certain families in certain situations.

This is just wrong. The government have given us the freedom of one lot of exercise per day due to the fact that they want to avoid total lockdown. If people don't listen we will end up with no freedom at all.

OP it is a no I'm afraid, you cannot 100% guarantee you won't see anyone and unfortunately the government did not specify if you live rurally you can disregard these rules

Please everyone remember if you get sick and end up in hospital you could be taking the care away from someone who has tried to follow these rules...

I'd certainly rather be bored then take medical care and attention away from somebodies loved ones

Clymene · 26/03/2020 15:45

If the OP and her children aren't going to see anyone, no one is going to know if they've been out once or 50 times are they? And if they're not going to see anyone, NO ONE IS GOING TO DIE

youngestisapsycho · 26/03/2020 15:45

Course they can. I do two walks a day. Once in morning and again when it’s dark. Never pass anyone on the night walk

babydogandi · 26/03/2020 15:46

@bloomingwonderful it means that you are exposed to less contaminates per day. You don't know who you will meet on that second walk? Whilst everyone is doing one walk per day it means that in theory less people are out and about therefore exposed to less risk

MyDcAreMarvel · 26/03/2020 15:47

One form of exercise a day, such as a run, walk or cycle. This can be done alone, with members of your household, or indeed with your dog.
unless you live rurally then you can do as you please, as you are so special, and your common sense is far superior than that of the chief medical officer

diddl · 26/03/2020 15:47

"My dc can’t leave the house for 12 weeks,"

Which would be the case no matter how many times a day other people were allowed out or indeed if Op is lucky enough to be able to take her kids out more than once.

bloomingwonderful · 26/03/2020 15:47

@babydogandi so let's use some common sense. If OP knows she's not going to see anyone then it's fine.

Bagelsandbrie · 26/03/2020 15:49

I think people have truly gone bonkers.

If you don’t see anyone on your walk - and if you do you cross the road or stay well out of the way- you aren’t going to catch anything from anyone, are you?

Therefore it doesn’t matter if you go out once or 100 times a day. It depends where you live and how busy it is.

Not everyone lives in a city. And yes it sucks and it isn’t fair but life in general isn’t fair.

Where we live I have genuinely never, ever seen a policeman walking about or a police car whizzing past. As opposed to the many I would hear day and night in south London. If they wanted to catch people going for more than one walk a day here they’d be standing on the street corner all bloody day and night and probably still hardly see anyone.

1forsorrow · 26/03/2020 15:52

Surely the child was out walking the dog not doing their one outing for exercise so they should be able to go out.

babydogandi · 26/03/2020 15:53

@bloomingwonderful again you aren't understanding.
Firstly you cannot guarantee you won't see anyone. You don't know who's decided to go for a walk in your area. My crystal ball skills have certainly not developed because of these new guidelines but maybe I'm in the minority?
Secondly by limiting to one walk a day means that the chances of seeing other people are reduced, this is because it's unlikely that all the people in your area will go out at the same time as you. If you start increasing the amount of times you go out the likelihood of meeting other people increases
Thirdly you don't know who's walked there before you, if you go out ones a day you are exposed that's true but if you go out again you double your chances and so on. If someone walked your route an hour before you and coughed this can last on surfaces, you then touch that and touch you face game over. More walks = more chances of getting it.

MyDcAreMarvel · 26/03/2020 15:55

Which would be the case no matter how many times a day other people were allowed out or indeed if Op is lucky enough to be able to take her kids out more than once.
My point is she should be thankful her dc can go out once a day. They are not lucky to be able to go out more than once, they can go out once.

bloomingwonderful · 26/03/2020 15:56

And again @babydogandi I really really do.

If you live rurally you will absolutely see less people than someone in the city. So technically those in cities should have zero walks.