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AIBU?

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Original poster

to remind you that we are actually allowed outside?

396 replies

Pishposhpashy · 04/04/2020 23:25

I am following social distancing guidelines.

I am not seeing friends or family.

I am getting nearly all my food delivered online.

I am going out once a day for my allowed daily exercise. Yes, to my local park, because I live in London, in a flat with a 4 year old and no garden.

I am constantly seeing threads on here berating "idiots" for "flocking" to parks and suchlike. But the thing is, if I go to the park for my walk, and see other people there - they aren't "idiots", they are people doing the same thing I'm doing - their ALLOWED daily exercise!

I mean, if you have a garden, bully for you. But I don't, we are allowed out, and I will continue to take my son for a walk in the fresh air once a day.

OP posts:
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Easilyanxious · 05/04/2020 15:36

Walking to park as exercise once a day is fine , sitting around the park for couple hrs isn't and it's these people that will ruin it for those that are following rules who don't have a garden etc .

minmooch · 05/04/2020 15:43

@ArtieFufkinPolymerRecords

I never said so much but if that's the impression I gave then I apologise.

I said in other posts that some people have to go to work, people have to buy food and have to get medicines. You and everyone else who has to go out to work have no choice. What you are doing is understandably hard, extremely important and puts your life at risk.

It's the outdoors exercise thing I have an issue with. I think that it's the one thing we can do that our lives are not dependent on to minimise risks to all. If we have to stay inside to exercise for sometime to save many lives then I think it's something we can do. I have had to do it myself when I looked after my child. Stayed in hospital for 6 months, people couldn't visit him in hospital or at home for many months. I understand that desire for fresh air and exercise. I also had another son at home at that time who also couldn't go out, have friends visit, stay at others at some times in those months. But we stayed in.

My perspective is from being a bereaved mother. I want to protect my other son. I have my father in a care home. I am trying to protect others, all those who do have to go out to work, those vulnerable, as I have no idea if I have or had or will get coronavirus. Me choosing not to exercise outside is the least I can do to protect others incase I transfer the virus to anyone.

We are in the most horrendous times. I know the advice is people can go out to exercise for an hour, close to home. Many people can do that safely but there are huge amounts of people who don't seem able to do that. You may act responsibly but the person in front of you/behind you may not, the person who falls over and needs assistance may carry the virus. There is so much uncertainty in all this.

Everyone will have their own opinion on what risks to take or subject themselves to outside of work/food buying/caring for vulnerable/medicines etc.

My dp had to go to A&E on Friday for something unrelated to coronavirus. He said it was the most frightening experience, people screaming they were dying, the man next to him unresponsive, Drs and nurses and others with very little PPE.

I have a friend living in Lombardy. His stories are truly upsetting. If by staying in where possible can save lives or prevent people from needing to go in to hospital then surely that's the least we can do. It's the part I can play in this.

Again, I apologise if you misinterpreted what I was trying to say. It's a very emotive subject for all.

JudyCoolibar · 05/04/2020 15:58

I'm getting quite tired of photographs on FB and Twitter berating people for going to parks, when it is obvious that whoever took the photos has done precisely that.

I also follow FB groups for my favourite seaside town - to read them, you would think the town is absolutely seething with tourists. However, if you look at webcam feeds for the town, you can see that it's practically deserted. It does rather look as if some people are enjoying the feeling of superiority this situation gives them without necessarily checking their facts.

MockneyReject · 05/04/2020 16:10

So, those with houses large enough for exercise bikes can exercise at home - move the bike out to the garden, even. Do yoga on the lawn while the kids collect twigs and build dens. But those of us in cramped flats with no outdoor space must 'do our bit' by staying couped up indoors staring at the walls.

ChristmasCarcass · 05/04/2020 16:25

This will have burnt more calories than the person opposite who seems to go out every few hours to walk their toddler up and down the path.

Do you imagine she was doing that for her benefit, or for the benefit of her toddler? The toddler can hardly ride her exercise bike can he? Hmm

PurpleDaisies · 05/04/2020 16:28

I’m not sure the majority of people are exercising to burn calories, more for the mental health benefit of getting out of the house (sagely).

TheArchSorcererofContwaraburg · 05/04/2020 17:02

I agree, minmooch.

OlaEliza · 05/04/2020 17:10

@PurpleDaisies but a lot are doing it because they've been told to minimise going out. Many of these people don't go out from one week to the next. Now they all need to get their 'daily allocated exercise'.

VegetableMunge · 05/04/2020 17:25

Many? How could you know that? The sample size of your own acquaintance can't be beyond a few hundred max. Statistically insignificant, even if it were a hypothetically bad thing that some people were using the lockdown to improve their habits. Which it isn't.

gingganggooleywotsit · 05/04/2020 17:25

if you've got kids and no garden you are in a really really tough place right now, and people shouldn't judge you atall. If they do they are the idiots. The only ones I have judged when out are big groups of cyclists together and joggers who refuse to swerve/move out of the way and expect everyone to jump into nearbydriveways/cross the road.

Circe32 · 05/04/2020 17:27

Good grief! Apply some common sense. Derogatory comments are obviously meant for people who are those who are being reckless. You are not. Why are you looking for MN affirmation? Ignore.

PaddingtonStation · 05/04/2020 17:27

olaeliza I doubt people are going out simply because they’ve been told not to. They’re allowed to go out and exercise and are encouraged to do that. Whether the exercise they do is considered worthy or not by you is completely irrelevant.

NewPapaGuinea · 05/04/2020 17:28

I’ve never known so many people to suddenly start exercising

SpratsOnParade · 05/04/2020 17:32

I’ve never known so many people to suddenly start exercising

It's hardly surprising considering how limited people's options are now and people who may have walked to work or walked around a town or city centre while shopping, can't do that so they understandably want to do one of the few options left to them that gets them out of the house.

SpratsOnParade · 05/04/2020 17:33

And the gym lovers are having to find alternate forms of exercise.

VegetableMunge · 05/04/2020 17:38

Is it sudden, or is it people whose exercise would previously have been invisible to you?

OlaEliza · 05/04/2020 17:43

Just seen this on Facebook. 👏👏👏

to remind you that we are actually allowed outside?
vanillandhoney · 05/04/2020 17:48

I’ve never known so many people to suddenly start exercising

Well, millions of people are now stuck at home instead of working. They can no longer go to the gym, or to yoga, or swimming, so they're having to find otherwise to get their exercise.

They're no longer walking the school run or walking around town either. It's not really hard to figure out why there are more people out exercising than before!

twinnywinny14 · 05/04/2020 17:53

Tbh I haven’t an issue with people exercising provided they keep moving. Went to a local field today to walk our dogs, which we do fairly regularly and when we got there it was packed. There were some walkers and dog walkers but a lot of groups playing cricket or rounders and football, which actually made it really hard to navigate around them keeping the 2m distance without meeting others walking towards us etc. Walking was fine but also cyclists and runners who cannot adjust their speed when walkers are there just going straight past you without a care in the world for the distancing measures.

Whatafustercluck · 05/04/2020 17:54

Outside exercise is as important for mental health as it is for physical. That's why so many people are doing it who haven't before. As long as they do it safely, sensibly and responsibly they're entitled - indeed encouraged - to do so.

nowayhose · 05/04/2020 18:01

@ Pishposhpashy I realise I'm probably wasting my time here, but here goes ..............

''Someone coughs in your face''............the viral spores expelled access your mucous membranes..................................YOU ARE BLOODY WELL INFECTED !!!

That's EXACTLY how it works when a virus is expelled, at speed, in your face.

Someone vomiting in you lap is not the same :(

I'm SO frustrated by the misinformation and fake news/ old wives tales and Joe Public thinking THEY know better than scientists and trained medical staff ! Angry

Arnoldthecat · 05/04/2020 18:01

www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2020/350/made

Here is the law. Its what matters. Not the mutterings of some overzealous PC or PCSO,not the crap printed in the papers and not the learned advice of Karen from facebook

SpratsOnParade · 05/04/2020 18:03

0laEliza How many people have lost parents/siblings/children etc or a friend because people drive cars? Loved ones who have been killed in a car accident or hit by a car, or died because of air pollution? How many of the people here and on FB complaining about exercising will question their use of cars if they drive? Not to mention the human cost of numerous goods and clothing that are produced for our pleasure/need. I doubt that most will be so quick to question those.

NewPapaGuinea · 05/04/2020 18:05

You don’t need to leave the house to exercise. A lot of bodyweight movements can be performed at home. People are just using it as an excuse to go out.

SwerfandTurf · 05/04/2020 18:16

Maybe you are fortunate enough to have enough space and ability privilege to be able to exercise at home. Not everyone does.