to remind you that we are actually allowed outside?

[Pishposhpashy]

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.

I know we are allowed, but I have a small garden to sit in, and I don't need to have a break from my family, so I'm only leaving the house if I absolutely have to. And I think others should do the same.

Why do you think others should do the same as you, when you've already acknowledged they are allowed to go out?
I don't consider sitting on my arse in the garden exercise, any more than sitting on the sofa is. I'm guessing you are not somebody who regularly exercises, so don't understand why others might like to maintain their fitness by going for a run or cycling.

I agree. People going to parks and staying apart cannot be an issue. Saying people are "flocking to parks" is like saying there is some sort of planned group activity, when in reality people are just heading to their local park for a walk and other people happen to be there, as you would expect. It's driving me mad. Seriously, how do people think a virus is going to transmit on this way? Open air, people being mindful of distance? I can see a while lot of more serious problems coming because all this horrible judgement of others.

Why do you think others should do the same as you

Yes this is exactly my point, people on MN making up arbitrary rules that they think everyone else should follow too!

I think supermarkets are worse than going outside for your daily exercise.
Even the shop assistants stacking the shelves ignore the advice. I think supermarkets are absolutely shocking. It is virtually impossible to keep two metres apart.
I've had very little trouble running. In actual fact the people out walking who smile and say hello have given me a huge boost when I'm knackered.
Please keep walking and keep smiling and being polite as it's honestly helped me keep going on my runs

I'm getting plenty of exercise in ny garden at the moment as we're prepping it for summertime so lots of weeding, digging, carrying things to/from the shed, bending/stretching, even some chopping today when we got the hatchet out to cut back next doors midge-magnet trees. Have also been playing football with the DC in the garden, chase, hide and seek, and had a go on their trampoline. Once the garden tidy up is finished though I'm going to need more activity so will have to start going out for daily walks instead of just now and again like we do at the moment. Only trouble is that we have four DC so when we're out walking we look like a big group and people look askance at us for it.

Ddraig - what a wonderful silver lining then. If we all end up fitter that will be bloody marvellous!

The thing is, CV19 doesnt know you're on your 'allowed' walk. As PP have said, if you're going to a park/beach/anywhere where there is a lot of other people, you are inevitably increasing your risk of catching it than if you had stayed home.

Plus, its not just people you can catch it from too remember - we know it lives on steel/plastic etc for up to days. So the button at the crossing your child always presses or the handrail you use on the stairs into the park etc are all additional risks.

It's up to you to weigh that risk against the boredom of being inside for how ever long the lockdown lasts.

I really don't know why people are telling me it is up to me to weigh up the risk, as I obviously know that already and have done so, or I wouldn't have posted.

I'm not asking if it is ok to go for a walk, I'm asking that others remember that it IS ok before they start berating people because they went to a park.

And I'm not touching anything when I'm out, nor allowing my child to touch anything.

Why do people assume going to a walk means loads of other people or pushing buttons to cross a road or using a hand rail ? If you live rurally you can walk for miles without seeing anyone. Why is that a risk of spreading the virus ? And don’t say ‘you might touch a stile’’ there aren’t any.

I think we go too far if we say stepping outside our house/garden or pressing a green man button is taking too big a risk. You tell the kids not to put hands in mouth and wash when you get in. That’s reducing the risk enough without alarming your children or being so crazily cautious that you actually stop living normally. There is a healthy balance to be struck and, for the most part, people are striking it perfectly properly.

YANBU, they’ve put it on the guidelines for very good reason. Fresh air, exercise and sunlight are important for physical health not just to avoid going stir crazy in lockdown!

But...I know I am very lucky,I have a garden and it's relatively quiet where I live,so this isn't something I have to deal with.
But if where you are is crowded such that you and your child can't stay 2 m from everyone you meet,I think you should be staying in.
Which will be dire,I know - but the virus isn't going to overlook because you needed some fresh air and you were doing your best.Sadly.Or because it is your allowed daily exercise.
If you can stay 2m away all the time,no problem.

Again, I am not asking whether or not I should go out.

By "okay" do you mean allowed under the guidelines?

That's different than 'minimising your risk'

I am also amazed at how many couch potatoes have suddenly discovered a love of exercise.

This is good isn’t it? Lots of posters have been snotty about people taking up walking or jogging. I really don’t understand why.

Tatty101

I haven't asked about whether or not it is ok, because it is ok.

YANBU. There seems to have been an outbreak of competitive martyrdom on Facebook. My favourite recent one was a picture of people walking along a mildly scenic public footpath in the inner city - "... and something tells me they're not all local". Exactly what suggested that wasn't stated.

I'm still walking DDog; two months ago if I never walked him I would have been called selfish, irresponsible and lazy!

@ArtieFufkinPolymerRecords I exercise usually but I'm shielding so I can't go for a walk or jog or horse ride or do any of the things I would usually

I don't really see the point of the thread then unless it's some sort of public service announcement?

Everyone needs to weigh up if they feel the risk of going out is worth it, that's it really.

Realistically someone walking past you, even if they are less than 2m away, is much less of a risk than handling packaged food or picking up a letter the postie put through your door. The 2m thing gives a huge safety margin, and you generally need to be in close contact for some time.

The chance that a passerby would be infected and would sneeze at the exact moment they walk past you is pretty small. Even if an infected person actively coughs in your face, you won’t necessarily get infected because the immune system doesn’t work that way.

Social distancing rules exist for a reason, but they rules were created to balance all kinds of different factors. We can’t wrap ourselves in plastic.

Go out, try to observe 2m as much as possible, but don’t lose common sense. Being vigilant about not touching your face and washing your hands after you get home is far more important than panicking about someone briefly walking past .75m away from you.

Facebook is endlessly entertaining at the moment.

The latest on the village page was a Mother complaining how upset her 9year old son was,she drove through the village and he waved out the window at anyone he saw walking,noone waved back at him!!

She doesn’t even live here,she moved to the local town.

There was also a photo of two boys (brothers) out on their bikes,apparently the Police should have been called.

The point of the thread was stated clearly sparklingbrook. It is to remind the frothers that we are actually allowed to go outside and that if they see pictures of people "flocking" anywhere, it will most likely just be because they are having a walk, and not because they are selfish dicks en route to a party or an orgy.

I will also confess, I drove to a park today. Only a few minutes drive but I have MS so if I didn't drive I couldn't get there and back. And I was shitting myself that I would get in trouble with the police or judgemental people who saw me get out of my car. I live in a not particularly nice area and wanted to walk my dog where there were trees and grass. I stayed apart from people and washed my hands on my return.

I feel for you OP. I lived in east london for years and if still there my "outdoor space" would be a 2x4ft balcony.

I'm fortunate to live in the countryside now and it is quite easy to walk for 90 minutes and perhaps pass just 2 or 3 other people in that time. I'm aware this is a huge luxury.

Like you say, in a city you are more likely to be closer to someone on the way to the park than in the park. I think most people are very observant of social distancing etiquette and a lot of the comments berating people for going to parks are from people who don't live (or haven't ever lived) in flats in high density areas.