Are driveway drinks allowed

[NotPawPatrolAgain]

With neighbours if sticking to the 2 metre rule?

Edina, no, the guidance says no non essential travel. Not no non essential sitting in your garden.
Watching TV is not essential. Are we allowed to do that? Playing guitar? Planting seeds?

Going out onto your street to clap isn't essential either...

@Callimanco Stop being pedantic. She didn’t ask about those activities. She asked about having drinks with her neighbours.

Gatherings of more than 2 people are banned...

@EdinaMonsoon
"If it's not essential; don't do it"

What bollocks...

It's not essential for you to read that book, it's not Essential that you hang you washing out in the sun, it's not essential that you sit on your patio and have a cup of tea, and it's definitely not essential that you have ham AND cheese in that sandwich....

Just read your last post OP. Sadly, your dilemma is the reason Matt Hancock might ban all outdoor exercise completely - because people aren’t sensible enough to look at the spirit and intention of the rules rather than black letter law. You sound bright enough to do that but are choosing not to. Why?

Do you want a complete Italy and France style lockdown? Do you want the requirement to carry a piece of paper explaining your legal reason for stepping off your property? If not, then just stop. If you are in doubt, there’s a reason for it. It’s your subconscious saying don’t bloody do it.

Someone near us runs daily bingo for their neighbours. Honestly the fun police are out in force on this thread. It's fine if everyone is keeping their distance. Why would it not be? The rules about not going out are about not going off your own property. We've all seen streets of people clapping the NHS on Thursday nights on the news, etc and they're doing similar albeit for a short period.

Gatherings of more than 2 people are banned OP is not describing a gathering

Edina
She isn't asking if she can hold a massive party in her garden. She asked if people could sit in their respective front yards and chat.

That is not banned.
It wasn't me that said "the guidance is quite clear; if it's not essential, don't do it".

Why wouldn’t this be ok? It’s physical distancing. You’re allowed to go in your garden and you’re allowed to talk to others, just from a distance. Should we not be chatting with the neighbour over the fence? .

"Essential activity "
edina this is made up.

The rules are about essential travel.

Some people are determined to make this as bad as possible. Outside, 2 metres away. What's the problem?

Of course it’s allowed, there is no rule to say you can’t go on your own driveway and drink, eat or do cartwheels.

Can’t believe some of these answers, do people really think you’re not allowed on your driveway?

you shouldn't go outside unless essential
No, you shouldn't TRAVEL unless essential.
Unless your driveway is 2 miles long?
We can go outside on our own property whenever we like.

The OP is not stepping off her property and the neighbour is not stepping off theirs. Social distancing will be maintained. MN loves to go on about people flouting the law even on threads where no law or rule is broken.

There are no rules saying you can’t spend time in your garden. Or that you can’t speak to your neighbours from a distance. It’s no unnecessary journeys that was stated, not steps outside! Personally I would stay much further apart than 2m, but I’d say do it. People should do as many things as possible to keep their spirits up within the guidelines (without being antisocial to others!)

Absolutely fine. Why on earth wouldnt it be?! Literally no risk of infection.

Why wouldn’t you be allowed to converse on your driveway with a neighbour on their driveway? I think people are really struggling to understand the rules on here.

We are going out the front if our house to wash the cars and do some gardening. The children are playing on the front garden while we do this. Are the dissenters saying this is against lockdown policy?

We have a stricter lockdown than UK, and did this (well, coffee not drinks) over the weekend again. But we are a neighbourly street who are obeying the social distancing rules and the “stay home” message. 10 minutes standing outdoors well spread apart is ok. We’re also talking on whatsApp, and sharing shopping trips etc (1 person gets things for others when they are out alone and leaves them hanging on door handles - not 2/3 in a car).

EdinaMonsoon Mumsnet isn't essential either and neither is your opinion.

Of course you can, if you're a safe distance away. The rules aren't there to stop people communicating with each other. People seem to automatically say NO ITS SELFISH AND UNNECESSARY. If it's not going to increase risk, it's not a problem.

I don't really see the difference between that and being in your garden, as long as there is plenty of distance (I would want more than 2m personally). I'd think the more relevant part is that it's potentially annoying for the neighbours who don't take part as presumably you'll have to speak quite loudly so they can hear you! So that alone would probably put me off.

I've occasionally been out in our driveway sorting some bits in the car for example while the neighbours have been out in theirs, an appropriate distance away, doing weeding or strimming the front garden or whatever. But we are detached so the driveways are pretty far apart. We also are in the garden quite often when neighbours are in theirs, which are probably closer together than the driveways but there is a 6-foot fence.

Omg people are ridiculous. I'm very much listening to the guidelines and pissed off when others aren't.

But OP is describing staying on their own property (within the rules), having a drink (within the rules), staying 2m apart (within the rules).

Those of you saying this isn't okay...I hope you're not going outside to clap on Thursdays, or taking your bins out to the end of your drive, and also having a go at the streets having a street dance party/workouts?

Can't believe you even need to ask!

Frightening.

because people aren’t sensible enough to look at the spirit and intention of the rules

The spirit and intention of the law is for people to keep physical distance from everyone else wherever possible surely. All you need to do is apply common sense.

I’ve been pretty strict and upset about people flouting the rules about isolation but I honestly can’t get worked up about this. You’re all sat on your own driveway drinking your own drinks. That’s perfectly fine! As long as you aren’t all sharing the same crate of beer or offering a packet of biscuits round. I think it’s a great idea!