'Stay local to exercise' is rubbish

[ThePants999]

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-52062209

Taking public transport to start your exercise is obviously counterproductive.

Driving to somewhere where loads of other people are also going to exercise is not exactly ideal.

Driving to somewhere in the middle of nowhere to go for a walk? Not only is that perfectly safe, I'm going to assert that it's BETTER than walking from your house, especially if you live in a built-up area.

AIBU? And if I'm being U - why? How am I endangering anyone by going out to the countryside by car instead of walking round my town?

the problem with driving a distance is that it spreads the virus potentially this is what happened in spain and Italy and why people in Cornwall the Cotswolds and Scottish highlands were so cross last weekend it is not just going with a camper van or to a second home but even a walk there could introduce virus to a previously virus free place just by climbing a stile leaning on a gate to admire the view etc

say you live in Glasgow or Dumbarton and think a nice walk round Loch lomond would be good (25 / 8miles away) there are lots of corona cases in greater glasgow but very very few in highland which is technically where loch lomond is, so if you leave the virus from your dog walk on the dog pooh bin the railings overlooking the loch etc etc you potentially introduce virus to a village that was virus free
it doesn't mean the village will be forever virus free but if we can stop it galloping across the country by slowing spread it is all to the good :- the flattened curve means the same number of people catch it but over a much longer period of time so the by the time it reaches the last ones the first and middle ones have recovered hopefully

Gates and latches are made of metal, just like supermarket trolley handles are. The virus can live on metal for around 72 hours, so could easily be passed on to the next person passing through. Why do you think supermarkets are disinfecting their trolley handles? I doubt whether any farmers are finding time to disinfect gates and latches. Don't forget to take your anti-viral spray if you are planning a country walk!

shoots no, local people know not to do it! We wouldn't set fire to our own back gardens 🙄

But the risk associated with driving to the supermarket is justifiable by the need for food, and is presumably something you only do once a week.

What a strange presumption looking at the shelves and pictures. Lots of unnecessary journeys that are very high risk for spreading the virus

I run for my exercise. I run a long way, usually around four miles from my house out and then four miles back. I need to stay very fit. I'm a key worker and I have very mild asthma which will worsen if I don't stay fit (I'm currently unmedicated). 2km from my house I won't even break a sweat. I could fall over and break my leg whilst running or sprain an ankle. Yet my running four miles is less of a problem than someone driving four miles....why? I'd still need a people in attendance if I fell and injured myself. (I don't intend to and, short of a really bad bone break, could probably get myself home again, but that's not really the point).

HOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE TO DIE BEFORE PEOPLE REALISE THE RULES APPLY TO THEM TOO

which specific rules are you referring to? I don't think people are disputing that rules apply, they are disputing what those rules say or to what extent they should be gold plated in Ratner's finest.

@TeacupDrama
Say you live in Glasgow or Dumbarton and think a nice walk round Loch lomond would be good (25 / 8miles away) there are lots of corona cases in greater glasgow but very very few in highland which is technically where loch lomond is, so if you leave the virus from your dog walk

If the loch ness monster dies of covid there will be hell to pay..

Petrol - touching pumps, card machine, being close to people.

Cars on road - accidents - police/paramedics may have to be called, could have to go to hospital.

OR if you broke down, you need someone to come and rescue you!

Thats what the government say anyway!

shoots no, local people know not to do it! We wouldn't set fire to our own back gardens 🙄

ah yes, local BBQs for local people.

Got it.

Ireland have just said that people have to exercise within 2kms of their house. As someone living in a tourist area I hope the same will be brought in in Britain

Same here.

People are so pig-headed. "It doesn't specifically say I can't so until it does I'll do what I like". Ugh. Disgusting attitude.

This is not a concern with regards to anything else. Shopping for example. There’s no expectation that we shop only locally and in foot to avoid accidents.
Except it does say “ shop infrequently as possible”.And really emphasises the fact that for 3 weeks we need to Stay At Home.

People are trying to justify going out for drive for exercise or their dogs or whatever which needs to be done everyday. And shopping. That’s potentially a lot of hours a week out of the house.

Where do I start:

If you keep using your car to drive for walks, you will need petrol, where you will come into contact with people needlessly, and you will touch the equipment, increasing the risk of spreading.

If you use your car, you may break down, or have an accident, neither of which you can predict. Emergency services may be needed, putting unnecessary strain on the NHS. You may need assistance from people towing your car, looking at the engine, etc etc. All unnecessary contact and strain.

Depending on how far you have driven, you may go into a rural area which has more limited resources than where you live. Not as many hospitals or doctors. If something happens on your walk, such as a fall or a funny turn, and you need medial attention, you will be putting pressure on already very limited resources.

On your way back, you may decide to pop to the shop - which of course is allowed. However, you may decide to go to a different one, in a different area. If you are an unknown carrier, you have spread the virus into a new area. And what for? For your nice little walk.

Need i go on? I live in a beauty spot, I'm seeing all of the above on a regular basis. Just don't do it! Why can't everyone just do as they're bloody well told for once! There's always someone 'above the rules'.

People say exercise is not harmful...yes, it is. I am in London, the joggers and cyclists use paths used by NHS workers to cross the park, children and the elderly. I saw 3 of them in a half hour doing what they always do: spitting, blowing their nose by holding a finger to a nostril and blowing the snot to the ground. Humans are the dirtiest animals on the planet, dirty people are immune to the tragedies of others. There are also joggers that want to run but avoid others - problem solved by avoiding the paths and running directly over the new spring plants and flowers which the animals rely on for food - meaning those areas are becoming eroded, which compacts the soil getting rid of worms and attracting more joggers..people claim to love nature, they are sometimes the ones that kill it.

Petrol - touching pumps, card machine, being close to people.

if you are driving many miles a week to and from work, then a few more miles does not change this fact at all.

nor if you are driving to the supermarket to buy food is there any possible conceivable reason why even the most crazed corona fascist could argue that you should not stop on the way to walk your dog in a lonely field. (ok you'll probably park in the wrong place and cause a 15 car pile up and then the police will have to take time out from their busy schedule of inspecting people's shopping baskets and flying drones to attend.)

All this about not driving. What about driving as we need to, to go to a supermarket to get essentials? We can't get an online delivery. Would you rather we starved?

People are trying to justify going out for drive for exercise or their dogs or whatever which needs to be done everyday. And shopping. That’s potentially a lot of hours a week out of the house.

and? under normal circumstances people are out of the house.

under current circumstances they are still out of the house, but trying to keep a distance. work such as tradesmen, banks, and others are continuing.

there is still therefore transmission but it is reduced. that reduced transmission is what the government has come up with at the moment.

there are literally millions of people going to work and whatever, someone walking their dog studiously trying to avoid others is not even a blip in the millions of daily interactions where the virus is airborne.

@MinesaPinot that is driving for essentials. Not driving for a more pleasant walk. There's a difference.

Do any of you that do go for a drive so you can walk looked up the “local” hospital to the location? If you were to badly sprain / break your ankle or worse? I live in the nw of England. Big campaign saying the Lake District is CLOSED. We don’t have the medical facilities to take care of the locals in usual circumstances.. many each summer end up going to Newcastle and further. Please don’t risk it for yourselves or us.

SmallChick, yes I get that. I did say I’ve only driven once this week to walk my dog in open countryside; on all the other days, I have walked him from home. Incidentally, on the day I drove out to walk him, I also picked up groceries to drop off to an isolating neighbour so combined three ‘purposes’ in one journey (walk for the dog, exercise for me, help for an isolated person).

The drive I took is 3 miles, so still within my local area- same postcode, same borough. This is a bit different to travelling 20 or 30 miles to pile, en masse, into a remote area. What junecat described upthread is awful. I can understand why Peak District locals would be deeply upset about that.

that is driving for essentials. Not driving for a more pleasant walk. There's a difference.

walking is 20 times more dangerous than driving

you'd have to be a selfish cunt (to borrow the words of some here) to walk outside your home if you live in a place where walking is dangerous due to passing traffic. you risk needing health care, police, blah blah blah.

you should drive somewhere safer.

If the thought of killing people isn't enough to keep someone at home, then nothing I say is

The problem with that is that the people doing it aren’t thinking that they could kill anyone. As far as they are concerned they are in the open air, at a distance from others, and keeping themselves healthy.

It really has been shocking round here, we need the farmers to keep well and keep farming but people aren't sticking to the footpaths and running amok over their land. The police are out on patrol for all this when they should be doing important necessary stuff. No-one would want to deny anyone a safe walk in the countryside but sadly so many idiots have abused it :(

Ireland have just said that people have to exercise within 2kms of their house. As someone living in a tourist area I hope the same will be brought in in Britain

What would be the benefit in that? someone going for a 10k run is no more likely to infect someone than going 5 x around a 2km circuit.

If you allow people to mix in supermarkets, touching jars tins veg etc which other people then touch, then that's a v good source of transmission.
So, our local SPAR provides gloves for everyone but i've not seen it done anywhere else.

The problem with that is that the people doing it aren’t thinking that they could kill anyone. As far as they are concerned they are in the open air, at a distance from others, and keeping themselves healthy.

yes, Derbyshire police spent lots of money shaming a couple walking in a deserted peak district location far from others, whereas those doing it perhaps felt that they were practising effective social distancing.

Zaphodsotherhead it’s about minimising time out of the house because you need to Stay At Home.
Your running is a good example. Imagine everyone could and wanted to run your 8 miles everyday. What do you think that would look like? Luckily for you they don’t,
However over 3/4 of the population has a car. What if they all nip out for exercise, dog walking and shopping? Like it normally does! Which we are trying to avoid aren’t we.