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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

'Stay local to exercise' is rubbish

655 replies

ThePants999 · 27/03/2020 18:56

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?

OP posts:
bodgeitandscarper · 27/03/2020 19:20

I live in a village with riverside walks. Our tiny lane was rammed with dog walkers cars and the narrow paths were impossible to keep a safe distance on, as well as dozens of cyclists zooming past there were people having barbecues and picnics. Elderly residents are trapped in their homes because all the people out exercising from other areas have made them feel too vulnerable to walk. It's just going to spread the virus the more we travel, which is why the NHS are pleading for people to stay at home.

Scrowy · 27/03/2020 19:21

Are agricultural workers lives less important than your need to have a nice quiet walk OP?

Namelesswonder · 27/03/2020 19:21

Stay at home, be sensible, you are potentially spreading the virus. Why is that so hard to understand? I work in the NHS, we are risking our lives and you can’t even just stay at home!!!!

crustycrab · 27/03/2020 19:21

"This will just get silly, where does it end? The point of the measure is to stop viral spread, not accidents."

In order to ease the burden on the NHS. People going to these remote areas and seaside towns are bloody selfish. All of those areas have VOLUNTEER emergency responders. If you get in to trouble on a hill or in the water they will be the ones who have to come and save you.

Shootingstar2918 · 27/03/2020 19:21

I agree. Everyone is walking round where I live at the minute. Never seen so many. I could drive for 5 minutes and be in the middle of nowhere but local police are saying no.

I think their argument is that you could break down, you could have an accident, you might need fuel.

I have a full tank of diesel and a reliable car (touch wood). I could a very short distance to remote areas but no 😭 I’ll just walk around amongst my neighbours out walking too.. no thanks!

123rd · 27/03/2020 19:22

Sure it's been mentioned by now but it's the fact that you could have an accident whilst on your way to somewhere. It's not a difficult concept really

Original poster
ThePants999 · 27/03/2020 19:22

I'm loving the arguments about having an accident - thanks for the good laugh.

It is not rocket science to follow the rules.

Course not. Equally, there's nothing wrong with debating whether the rules are sensible, like we did when Sainsbury's decided to encourage the people most likely to have the virus and the people who most need to avoid the virus to shop at exactly the same time.

OP posts:
Sturmundcalm · 27/03/2020 19:23

I live at the bottom of a hill that I walk regularly and have done for 5 years. At this time of year I should be able to do an 8 mile loop and pass maybe 3 folk, I did a 2.5mile loop at 6.45 this morning and passed 7 people - everybody is having the same idea and driving just adds to the problem.

what do you do if you get to your chosen "middle of nowhere" and there are lots of folk there/no parking spaces? do you just drive home or do you go looking for another spot?

Miljea · 27/03/2020 19:23

What if I drive to an ugly place to get my exercise? Is that OK? Grin

CeriseClementine · 27/03/2020 19:23

We live in inner city London and it means we literally can't go out as there are too many of us locally to maintain a safe distance. We haven't got a garden

And that sucks.

But the answer isn't allowing inner-city-Londoners to drive to all the surrounding rural areas and spread it there.

Cohle · 27/03/2020 19:23

Because lots of people go to the same lovely, isolated areas.

And that means they are dispersing the virus to an even wider group of people, beyond their immediate community.

I don't really understand why people think they know better than public health experts...

There are always those who think they are too unique and clever and special to have to follow the same rules as everyone else though Hmm

category12 · 27/03/2020 19:23

You're unreasonable because you're not the only person with the same idea. You're one of many many many others.

What you end up with, is lots of people driving to "quiet places" and, lo and behold, they're no longer quiet.

And it's really hard to police if everyone's allowed to trunde around saying "oh I'm going to exercise".

Miljea · 27/03/2020 19:25

But the answer isn't allowing inner-city-Londoners to drive to all the surrounding rural areas and spread it there.

How are they 'spreading it' if they practice good hand hygiene, and good social distancing?

Or is the bloody grass now a vector??

BlueGheko · 27/03/2020 19:25

The wording is silly though, you can exercise once a day? Should've added outside surely? I've already rebelled, exercised 3 times today only been out once though. But yeah, no non essential travel means no driving somewhere to exercise, it's just not necessary.

Pishposhpashy · 27/03/2020 19:26

But the answer isn't allowing inner-city-Londoners to drive to all the surrounding rural areas and spread it there.

I actually have a lovely friend 3 miles away in Kent who owns a deserted field she was happy to let us walk in (she has her own massive garden so we wouldn't come into contact with). Can't do that any more because selfish twats who live round here with their own gardens refuse to use them and insist on hogging the parks.

doofusmoof · 27/03/2020 19:26

I think the accident/petrol issue is overstated as surely people driving to exercise will likely to be in the same bracket as those going out for shopping (as opposed to getting deliveries).

Sparklingbrook · 27/03/2020 19:26

I'm loving the arguments about having an accident - thanks for the good laugh.

What does that mean? Confused

Pishposhpashy · 27/03/2020 19:27

I don't really understand why people think they know better than public health experts...

I agree, exactly like those on MN who insist you have to disinfect the post and wash all food packaging, despite the NHS and government websites literally telling you it's needless.

Graft · 27/03/2020 19:27

Stay where you bloody well live.

This.

The quiet lane outside my house is suddenly rammed with arseholes who've driven out from town to go for a nice walk in the country. Fuck OFF.

waterlego · 27/03/2020 19:28

Cerise, I’m much more concerned about potentially spreading it to others than I am catching it myself. I didn’t touch any gates at all while out walking. There were no gates.

Miljea · 27/03/2020 19:28

Also, I bet my CV is the same as your CV. The idea that we're taking Covid somewhere new by driving to an outdoor space to get some exercise, where we'll observe good hand hygiene, and socially distance ourselves- is somehow introducing it to somewhere it is, as yet, unknown.

AngeloftheSnorth · 27/03/2020 19:28

I have had to move into my mums as she is seriously ill and I’m trying to ensure she doesn’t need hospital care

She lives in the middle of nowhere but near tiny interlocking lanes

I swear I have NEVER seen as many people there as I have done these last three days!

Sparklingbrook · 27/03/2020 19:29

I am hoping the cold weather on it's way will sort all this out. People won't be so keen then.

goodbyestranger · 27/03/2020 19:30

To be honest I feel quite guilty. I live by a beach in an area of outstanding natural beauty and we have miles of beach almost entirely to ourselves because of this guidance. Plenty of people could share it perfectly safely. Cones around the village are sending a visual warning that outsiders aren't welcome, but it doesn't seem right that lots of other people are having to exercise in close proximity to others while we have all this space. I think the advice is not brilliantly thought through.

Miljea · 27/03/2020 19:30

Well, lucky you who all live in splendid isolation. The 'arseholes' of which you speak, Graft may have looked at their local, 'rammed' park, recognised the risk- and decided to drive further afield to somewhere where they can socially distance, safely.