To think that for most people this should be easy

[FuckPolitenessSSDGM]

The news of the increasing strain on the NHS, the deaths of clinical workers, the videos of ITU nurses in tears and the lack of PPE is making me very sad and I feel that the NHS workers have been tossed to the lions. The government were underprepared, haven't taken adequate steps, and now all frontline staff are facing a deadly illness without the right equipment or facilities to help those in need. I just want to cry for them. I have a lot of friends and family members who are all frontline NHS workers and I'm extremely anxious about their health and safety. The fact the government are now threatening to ban outdoor exercise entirely means a lot of people are still not following the guidance. It makes me so angry . How hard is it for the vast majority of people to just bloody stay at home? It's literally the easiest contribution to a global threat you could ever have so why can't these people just stay at home?

I think the vast majority ARE

There is always going to be a minority that dont and how to deal with them is the problem

But there must be a significant number who are still not doing what has been asked or they wouldn't be threatening to ban outdoor exercise. I understand that some have difficult situations that make it hard to stay at home and they won't find it easy to stick to but I don't think they can account for the numbers of people who are going out against guidance.

someone put a photo on FB, from Daily Mail, I think, where a policeman is approaching a couple having a picnic on a beach and the woman's face is clearly "What on earth is he talking about?". Such an idiot!

The thing is, there are 60+ million people in this country and all of them have the right to go out to exercise every day for one hour a day. There is nowhere to exercise but the streets or parks (sports centres are closed, gyms are closed). There is also nothing to do BUT exercise (pubs are closed, cinemas are closed, shopping centres are closed). So all the people who would otherwise be in gyms or doing other activities have now been driven into the streets/parks/open spaces. So even if people aren't flaunting rules, it looks like they are simply because the streets/parks are busier than usual.

Maybe we should do like the French and have a form to print off giving the reason why you are out. No form and you get a fine.

BBQs and sunbathing aren’t excercise

You can go out to excerise for more than one hour a day in England.

But there must be a significant number who are still not doing what has been asked or they wouldn't be threatening to ban outdoor exercise

I don’t think that necessarily follows

I think the government HAVE to make the restrictions stricter, its what other countries seem to be having a degree of success with

But if its OUR fault then they are not being the bad guys

I think further restrictions are inevitable

(I could obviously be wrong...I frequently am)

Just been told there are cars doing 100mph on our 30mph roads in our city

BBQs and sunbathing aren’t excercise

No of course they’re not but how many people are doing that? - the photos I’ve seen show a handful. Most of the people in the pictures of London parks are walking together in small groups likely made up of members of their household, all perfectly legal. Most of the photos I’ve seen that seem to be all about proving a point show 90% of people abiding by laws, and that’s in the photos they’ve chosen specifically to make people outraged.

Sadly I think further restrictions are inevitable from all the talk about this in the media today but what makes me furious is I think it is only a fairly small minority who are not following the rules, and what's more I haven't seen a single police officer (well, hard with all the cuts....) when I've been out on my (once per day, exercising only) walk or run, so although pretty much everyone I've seen looks to be following the rules, I really don't think there's much enforcement going on. So, enforce the EXISTING rules and fine people who are flouting them, before moving to the next step and banning going outside for exercise entirely. Once again an example of a small minority making things worse for everyone else. Very easy for people to sit in judgement from a garden but those of us in central London with no outdoor space will find it much more debilitating if we're not allowed out (again, once per day, exercise only).

Also irresponsible media talking about people 'flocking' to parks and captioning photos that look like fairly quiet parks of people doing exactly what the rules say, walking or running in ones and twos as 'basking' in the sunshine. Just fuelling fire for what will inevitably follow after this weekend and ahead of the Easter bank holiday...

The problem is that most people who walk about while in their work, or go to the gym during their lunch break or after work, are stuck at home, so go out to exercise, walking in the streets or in the park. Therefore streets and parks look (are) busier than usual. So it looks like no one is following the rules. The rules don't work because even if everyone only goes out for their designated daily walk that leaves the streets and parks pretty busy.

We've only been out once because it's impossible to social distance on the pavement! (And don't start me on the cars still on the road!)

really don't think there's much enforcement going on. So, enforce the EXISTING rules and fine people who are flouting them, before moving to the next step and banning going outside for exercise entirely. Once again an example of a small minority making things worse for everyone else. Very easy for people to sit in judgement from a garden but those of us in central London with no outdoor space will find it much more debilitating if we're not allowed out (again, once per day, exercise only).

I agree. They should start enforcing the rule and heavily fining those who don't adhere to them. It's going to be really tough for those who have no gardens if further restrictions are imposed. My local park is fairly quiet. It's not full of people. Every time I've been out, usually mid-morning, it's just people out for a run or a walk, or out with the dog. It's not full of people but I don't live in an inner city. Perhaps the problem is greater there. In all honesty I haven't seen all the media articles, my rant is based on the threat from the government and social media posts I've seen of people taking picnics and games to their local parks 🙄 (these people don't live in inner cities either and have their own gardens). Combined with the terrible news coming from the NHS it has made me quite cross.

How are they supposed to enforce the existing rules more than they already are? They are already patrolling “hotspot” areas like parks and beaches but it simply isn’t possible to have a police officer on every street just in case someone breaks the rules

Maybe we should do like the French and have a form to print off giving the reason why you are out. No form and you get a fine.

What happens if you don't have a printer, can you hand write something?

Harsher restrictions were always coming, they were just easing us in with lockdown-lite for the first three weeks. It’s a clever tactic by the media/government though - get us all to believe this is our own fault and accept the punishment rather than question them.

I’m very concerned at how easily and quickly this government has managed to take away all of our freedoms without it even really being challenged. It makes for an extremely interesting social study of what the public will accept when they are sold the idea that it’s for their own benefit.

What happens if you don't have a printer, can you hand write something

Yes, you can handwrite the form. A new form is needed for every trip. Signed, dated and timed. No writing in pencil and changing the date/time. 135euro fine.

From tomorrow it appears that there will be an app to allow you to have the details on yor phone (the initial one from weeks ago was swiftly withdrawn due to data privacy issues).

Yes, you can handwrite the form

pop but how do you get the form with no printer?

Sorry pop just read the phone app bit

Thats gonna be a pain the arse, would rather have the paper...but if needs must

@HopefullyAnonymous I don't see it as a punishment. The government haven't been challenged on the taking away of our freedoms because it is in our best interest. It's not only about protecting the elderly and vulnerable because young, fit, healthy people are being killed.

In France you can write out the text of the form in pen if you don't have a printer - that's what we've been doing. It does make you rethink going out as it turns each time into an occasion, especially now that the time of leaving has to be added.

Thanks pythone

I know a few people without a printer including my eldest and his partner

YABU to expect it to be easy for most people. Of course it’s not easy! There are a lot of people that are no longer allowed to work and who live alone, it’s actually quite a huge ask to expect those people to have absolutely no human interaction whatsoever for weeks on end.

I’m not arrogant enough to think I know better than than the scientists who have recommended this, and I am following the rules so I can’t agree with those that are breaking them. But at the same time, I can’t really see how staying within your own space, with no symptoms, not touching anything in a huge open air piece of land is going to be a big virus spreader compared to the large number of people that are still allowed to go to no key work.

Non key work

pop but how do you get the form with no printer?

You access a copy of the form (on your phone or by email or via FB or other social media) and then you write it onto a piece of paper.