'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?

It is tricky isn't it ? , Essential is such a subjective word when used in a global pandemic situation.

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

I was wondering that too I'm thinking some empty industrial area like you see on murder/mystery dramas, with maybe some old train carriages on rusty, long abandoned bits of track.

Cycle?..Friend gets up extremely early and cycles from his house for ''allowed exercise''..he never sees anyone, and the roads/lanes are much clearer.

Stay at home

I can't believe we're having yet another version of this discussion. So many reasons not to go and why it is neither essential travel nor is it helpful to the effort to limit viral spread or pressure on emergency services, have already been given on other threads, and by NHS staff appeals, the police, Mountain Rescues, the National Trust, local councils and others in the know.

Your 'middle of nowhere' and 'the countryside' is actually home to some people, including me, my vulnerable family member and many others. Even if you feel healthy and are asymptomatic you could be a carrier and spreader, as could we. We don't want your viral spread risk and we don't want you to get ours either - tragically people have died around here and more will. Communities have to take care of each other, not just themselves.

One example is that our volunteer and part-time firefighters, all of whom have other jobs and have to dash from them to answer 999 calls, are now being asked to undertake other emergency tasks, like driving ambulances. As happens sadly too often on our accident blackspot rural roads, if you and your children crash and need a fire engine to cut you out of your car or put out the fire, or an ambulance or paramedic to treat you and get you to hospital, they might not be there. Now that would really be 'rubbish', wouldn't it?

You might see around here as just a playground, but this playground is closed.

It's not just about having an accident. It is also about possibility of spreading virus into areas where there is none.

For illustration. Let's say that Skelwith Fold In Lake District has no cases at all. Great. Not many hospitals and quite far.
But then Jimmy from Preston with a lot of cases decides that he wants to take his family to area near Skelwith Fold. Little one has a bit of cough, bit that's nothing innit. Seasonal allergy. On their cute family hike they meet a local farmer. Jimmy accidentally sneezes towards him, while the farmer is shouting for them to leave. Sneeze travels up to 8ft...
Voilà. Virus in Fold.
Obviously this is just a story to illustrate, but people carrying it from x to y are a problem too.

They need to stop the bike rides. So many bikes going along for miles means inevitable accidents on the road and that will be derailing valuable ambulance, police and hospital staff.

They need to stop the walking. So many people going outside and walking along in the road to keep away from others on the pavements means tripping up and also being hit by bikes and cars and er, ambulances. This is taking up valuable resources and the police need to stop anyone walking.

live next to a beauty spot. I can’t walk near my home as it’s so crowded. YABU

So why not drive somewhere less crowded.

Yanbu OP the government health advisers clearly think exercise is important so be lead by them. But avoid 'beauty spots' I think is sensible advice and to go to those is unreasonable.

So glad I am in an area I can just go for a nice walk or cycle ride from my house

Does anyone think that if this was REALLY serious, they wouldn't let the Prime Minister and the Royal Family get it..?

This is like the beginning of the school year with little Johnny's mother saying his stupid hairstyle isn't affecting his learning & the rules are stupid & little Susan's mother saying that little Susan is only comfortable in pink shoes not black & in a skirt above her knee not below. And that the rules are giving little Susan anxiety.

@haffians that is NOT the government advice and I could not disagree more.

I suspect you want the army on he streets. Very very disturbing frankly

Not this again. Can someone set up a “moaning about not being allowed to drive to a beauty spot” thread then everyone can moan in the same place?

This. In fact why doesn't someone set up a "moaning about trivia" thread and the rest of us could avoid it.

And lockdown should be the same for everyone because everyone's interpretation would be different

But lockdown isn't the same for everyone, there are already exceptions and clarifications for the very reason that it's not possible to impose one rule that can cover all eventualities.

nor is it helpful to the effort to limit viral spread

Yes it is. You're not interested in the argument that's up to you but it is clearly valid.

I have been driving 5 minutes to a quieter, less populated area at 7.30am to run, you are lucky if I passed 6 people each day Monday, Tuesday and Thursday. Today I left from my house and passed more people than the other 3 runs this week combined! One of which refused to move from the middle of the path so I ended up on the road despite the path being wide enough for us to pass safely! Monday I will be back to my nice quiet run.

Your 'middle of nowhere' and 'the countryside' is actually home to some people, including me, my vulnerable family member and many others. Even if you feel healthy and are asymptomatic you could be a carrier and spreader, as could we. We don't want your viral spread risk and we don't want you to get ours either - tragically people have died around here and more will. Communities have to take care of each other, not just themselves.

People are going to catch it the spread is not going to be zero. Someone driving to a sensible place for a walk is low risk to spread anything. You need to get a grip.

Is it essential? No? Then don't fucking do it.
You're not a special exception.

This thread explains such a lot.

I drive us a mile and half down the road to a woodland that is very quiet and we all take a walk/run there. I am sure there are plenty who think I am wrong to do this

Well they're wrong. I can run walk or cycle from my house very easily but I'm not stupid enough to think that everyone is that lucky.

Driving miles to the beach - stupid (unless it's close by). Driving somewhere to walk up a mountain - also stupid. Driving a few miles to somewhere quiet and safe - not stupid.

apart from the possible practical problems, i think we need to remember why all this is necessary.
people are struggling to breathe, and nhs staff are working flat out to try to give them a chance to survive.
it is not a holiday season.
maybe when the situation improves and these measures are relaxed, that will be the time for sporting about. not now. it's not in the right spirit of the times. we must all pull together. it's really very little sacrifice in the scale of things, of life and death. also think what we are teaching our children by this type of self-indulgent behaviour.

This is like the beginning of the school year with little Johnny's mother saying his stupid hairstyle isn't affecting his learning & the rules are stupid & little Susan's mother saying that little Susan is only comfortable in pink shoes not black & in a skirt above her knee not below. And that the rules are giving little Susan anxiety.

Well,that's kind of the point.Little Johnny's haircut won't affect his learning at all,and if Susan has sensory issues and is comfortable in a skirt above her knee but not below,why would it matter?
Those are just rules,their relationship to their aim - learning - is a bit tenuous.

Is it essential? No? Then don't fucking do it

And as I've said a million times (and there's zero need to swear by the way - you lose the moral high ground) people's definitions of essential vary.

For goodness sake follow advice from the Cabinet Office

YOU CAN GO OUT IN CAR TO EXERCISE OR WALK DOG,if and when it changes,I get an email when ANY new measures come into force.I will keep all you know it alls updated.

People are unbelievably selfish.

Your desire to go for a little stroll where you fancy doesn't trump other people's desire to, y'know, stay alive.

Stay the fuck at home.

My Dad lives on a country lane that is popular with dog walkers. I had to go to his the other day, and i have never in all my 30+ years of life seen so many walkers, cyclists and joggers on the lane.
It is nigh on impossible that all of them lived within walking distance of the lane.
If you are thinking of that 'nice secluded area' trust me, a hell of a lot of other people are too.

480Heath Where did you hear that advice from the cabinet office?