'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?

Quite a lot of the movement regulation applies to either places near conurbations or places of second homes / beauty and tourist appeal. And that is right. Don't fuck off to your second home and don't drive somewhere pretty.

I live in the absolute arse end of nowhere, like a lot of rural people. It's not a pretty place, it's just miles and miles of fields. No bugger comes here because it's unique beauty doesn't largely appeal. Even the nearest market towners (11 miles away) don't bother. There are more places like this than you imagine in the Uk.

We are isolating ourselves pretty well in our hamlet. I reckon we could dig up the roads and shut ourselves down if need be. I hope we will be ok because at the moment there's a lot of us shopping for neighbours, helping the vulnerable and delivering eggs, spuds and other excess from local plots for free.

What we don't need is a shit ton of people from the nearest town. Thankfully they havent realised yet that it's quiet and relatively safe here as most people work on surrounding farms.

But why do you have to? If it’s busy in your area just go out later when not so many people are around, or go in your garden. How do you know that when you get to your chosen beauty spot that it won’t be absolutely heaving and full of people. Just listen to what you’re being asked to do, it’s not difficult.

just go out later when not so many people are around, or go in your garden

I haven't got all the time to pick and choose when to go, i've got responsibilites. And I haven't got a garden

How do you know that when you get to your chosen beauty spot that it won’t be absolutely heaving and full of people

Because I go there all the time so I know what it's like. I was there today and it was practically deserted.

You can't argue with stupid. Its the 'I'm alright Jack' brigade who feel the need to drive all over the place for no good reason, spreading their viral load who will lengthen this pandemic. People will always find a reason that they are 'special' and the rules don't apply to them. It won't be until someone close to them dies that they will listen.

Its not hard. Stay at home.

@ShootsFruitsAndLeaves - glad you've read a bit wider. But this worries me:

'our individual actions at this point have relatively minimal impact'

Now, watch this simulator and realise how incorrect (and dangerous) that statement is:

www.reddit.com/r/dataisbeautiful/comments/fqf9tv/working_on_a_covid19_simulator_heres_a_few/

Its the 'I'm alright Jack' brigade who feel the need to drive all over the place for no good reason, spreading their viral load

That's exactly what i'm not doing. Still, like you say, You can't argue with stupid

What a binchof winger. Boohoo I've got to stay at home.
It's not.like WW2 the last time the nation was asked to pull together where you would have to expose yourself to alot more than a walk in your own locality.

Part of thr reason they dont want people to exercise away from home is they want fewer cars on the roads so the emergency services are not tied up.the event of an accident, similalry they dont want lone hill walkers etc who may become ill and need emergency services,

It’s not rubbish if you’re fined for it .

It’s not rubbish if you’re fined for it

Well yeah, it will still be rubbish - just more expensive rubbish!

I have only read the first half (or so) of the thread.

I watched the update today and the medical guy was saying the 'stay local' and 'once a day' messages was they didn't want beauty spots overwhelmed, and because in towns/cities, they were trying to limit the number of people out at once in order for it to be easier to observe social distancing. He didn't mention rural areas, but he did mention 'this is because, in towns and cities....' several times, and I think implied that in rural areas, people just needed to use common sense.

However there is an issue with consistency. I read on BBC news today that although derbyshire police were criticising people out walking on their own in the peak district, the staffordshire police were actually encouraging people to get out into the peak district to do their exercise, as they would have a much easier time of social distancing in the wide open spaces of the peak district than they would if they were all crowded together in Tamworth.

So if the police are applying the guidance inconsistently, there's no wonder that individuals are also. I'm just planning to continue to use common sense when I'm out for my daily walk/cycle, and trust that I will continue to be allowed to do so.

From our local police today. Makes so much sense and to ignore is irresponsible I'm afraid

🙋🏻‍♂️🙋🏻‍♀️ “Hi Runnymede Beat. Just a really quick question as I know you’re really busy.

We were wondering if me and my partner could use our car to go to the woods for a walk? We do it all the time and don’t see a reason why not just because there’s a national emergency going on.”

👮🏼‍♂️ “Hi both. Yes always busy, never a dull moment. Just have a few more really quick questions.

Where are the woods?

Do you have any woods nearer and perhaps walkable?

How many other people will be at the woods when you get there?

Is your car likely to break down during the journey and are your tyres in good condition?

How good is your driving?

Can you rely on other people’s driving being as good as yours?

Do you have enough fuel?

Will you be stopping for fuel and will that stop turn into another unnecessary shop nearby with other people buying lunch for their woodland walk?

How long will you be away from your vehicle and can you be relied upon to take your bag, wallet and house keys with you or will you leave them in the boot to be stolen by thieves?

Perhaps just take exercise locally and as much as is humanly possible, without transport and away from others.

Minimise the risk and reduce the demand on the Police and NHS.

🙋🏻‍♂️🙋🏻‍♀️ “Thanks Runnymede Beat. Good point. Was asking for a friend.”

👮🏼‍♂️ “Of course you were, no problem. Stay safe. Speak soon.”

I live three miles from the sea, I often walk my dogs there BUT as much as I want to take them there I know I can't so I won't. Peoples health is paramount right now, not scenery or my dogs getting a swim!

Think of others, please!

@susandelgado but it's all very well pushing a button but people will need to come out to you, interact with you, touch your car, touch you if in an accident etc

We need blanket rules as otherwise everyone interprets in their own way, even if you're being sensible.

Also it's for exercise and that's it. Some people are taking the term 'exercise' quite liberally.

I live a literal stones throw away from one of the places people are driving to get their excercise (if I stand on my doorstep and throw a stone it will land in the field opposite). It's been busier here over the last week than it is in the middle of summer.
I'm sure the people driving here are thinking it's the sensible decision to come up here where usually it's very quiet. What they're actually doing is making it unsafe for the locals. Today I had to stand in the bushes with my daughter as 13 people, 6 dogs and 3 bikes all tried to pass each other on a narrow path (I counted).

Whilst I don’t agree with driving miles/hours to attractions/beauty spots I think some common sense should be applied.

I drive 7 miles to work every day, and 7 miles home again. 5 days a week and I’ve got to do it over Easter as well.
Once a week (less if possible) I need to go to the supermarket 5 miles away.
Less than a mile from me (in the same direction as the supermarket and work) is a large common on which I walk my dog. Depending on the time of day I either see no-one, or 1 or 2 other dog walkers. It’s a HUGE open space.

Why is it acceptable for me to drive to Tesco and to work, (And to be around other children & adults when I do so) but not to drive to the common to walk the dog and get us both some exercise whilst remaining isolated from other people?
(And no, I can’t walk to the common, it’s off a dangerous country road with no footpath)

Our council have now announced all park car parks, and the forest car parks are now closed. So I can either walk to the forest, which would be 40 min walk through a town centre, or walk on streets, so my dogs don’t get to run which they have done every day of their lives so now need, or walk through town to the park, which has been packed. Or I could start using the footpaths through farmers fields.
But that’s all better than a 5 minute drive to a quiet walk right?

exLtEveDallas of course it's acceptable. People on here have zero common sense.

It doesn't help when councils and other authorities close car parks and parks either, as it just pushes people into ever smaller spaces. I actually very much doubt today was remotely problematic - as it was windy and cold. Last weekend was the first nice weekend after months of horrible winter. Some of the scenes were a little crazy but people have overreacted massively.

Police closed the car parks near us. So idiots are now blocking the road by parking there.

Maybe couples without children could (should!) be encouraged to stay at home an exercise together...could be a good cardiovascular workout.

Ooh, almost 50 - 50 poll result

BlackBerry I can see there will be a big increase in births from the end of the year

Plenty of Xmas babies perhaps.

Given the crackdown on unnecessary travel, why would you drive miles away to get exercise? Can’t you just find something on YouTube and do that?