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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Going for a drive

141 replies

Glovesick · 09/04/2020 14:44

I have seen someone got fined for going for a drive to break the boredom.

I know it's not essential travel but I don't really get why it is banned. As long as you don't get out, there is no risk of infection.

Suppose that would be difficult to police and also small risk of accidents would divert emergency services.

On the other hand, it is low risk and people's mental health is also important.

Views?

OP posts:
MarieG10 · 10/04/2020 07:26

@Fifthtimelucky

It is non exhaustive...hence the problem.

Fifthtimelucky · 10/04/2020 08:01

But not an unusual problem. And it makes sense.

leafygarden · 10/04/2020 08:05

Says who? I thought it was pretty common knowledge that you're more likely to be injured at home than out of it. You might be more severely injured in a car accident, but you're less likely to have one.

Always one smartass

Lockdown means lockdown - not 'go for a drive cos I'm bored' FFS

LolaSmiles · 10/04/2020 09:51

Lockdown means lockdown - not 'go for a drive cos I'm bored' FFS
This.

The more I see posts on MN, the more I realise why there's having to be loads of information adverts from the government to stay home, millions of people all over the TV saying the same, why there's health staff on the news saying not to travel over Easter weekend.

It's showing that there's a substantial minority of people who are either too thick to know what "stay at home" means, or they understand perfectly but are too selfish to care that people are dying and we have field hospitals being built. Neither are terribly positive.

FiveShelties · 10/04/2020 10:02

I am in NZ and we are not allowed to go out for a drive. Only travel for essential purposes - supermarket shopping or other essential services, such as GP or pharmacy.

The Police here are still dealing with accidents - the roads are so quiet, I have no idea how people are finding anyone to crash into, there is no one about. The whole point is to stop (hopefully) people having accidents and then taking up medical resources and personnel.

We only have supermarkets and small 'corner shops' open, no takeaways, DIY stores or other stores. We are very lucky to be able to close the borders easily. The Police have road blocks to stop people going to their beach homes over the Easter holidays, but people are still trying.

Umnoway · 10/04/2020 10:17

If you’re just driving around and not leaving the car then I don’t see an issue either and have done it myself just to get out of the house because I currently feel like Assange must have Grin.

Goatymcgoaty · 10/04/2020 10:41

No one has an answer to the car battery issue though do they? DH is driving the long* way to the supermarket once a fortnight as it’s a diesel. I can’t see that thousands of households with flat batteries, all discovered on the day lockdown is relaxed, is a great idea. Or discovered when the car is needed to get someone to the gp/hospital quickly without taking up an ambulance.

*not really that far tbh, but at least it might keep the car working if needed in an emergency.

FiveShelties · 10/04/2020 10:47

How long would it take for the battery to run down? I usually spend around 5 weeks in the UK twice a year and my car starts first time when I get home.

HaudMaDug · 10/04/2020 10:49

Have none of you left your car at the airports to go on 2-3 weeks holiday?

LolaSmiles · 10/04/2020 10:58

Have none of you left your car at the airports to go on 2-3 weeks holiday?
Most people will have or they know it's fine for a car not to be driven for a few weeks.

It's just car battery is another way to try and justify going for a drive and present it like it's a public service, after all it's for the common good to ignore the "avoid non-essential travel" rule.

luckylavender · 10/04/2020 11:01

Stay home is a pretty direct message isn't? So going out for a drive doesn't count as staying at home. The more we bend the rules because we're all exceptions, the more people will die, the longer this will last & the tougher the lockdown will be. It really is that simple. You can argue all the 'buts' as long as you want, but that's the reality.

Elieza · 10/04/2020 11:05

We are NOT supposed to drive to somewhere to then take exercise.
We ARE allowed to take exercise.
It therefore follows that the bit of the equation we are not allowed to do is to go out randomly driving about wherever the fuck we please as though we are not in the middle of the largest pandemic for 98 years.

We all have boredom and mental health problems with this shit. It’s not an excuse to think you are above the rest of humanity who are sacrificing their freedom temporarily to save lives. It’s a slap in the face to the workers who are risking their lives to bring us essential goods or care for us. You need to find another way of dealing with the stress that keeps you and others safe.

What is wrong with people that they can’t understand that? I know it’s hard. I don’t dispute that. But we need to stay alive. That’s top priority.

God knows I’d hate to see the state of us if today’s society were presented with a Second World War situation. There would be so many people thinking they had excuses not to go that we’d hardly get any volunteers and there wouldnt be enough white feathers to go around.

What happened to our stand-together-all-for-one-and-one-for-all attitude?

It seems more like I want what I want and I don’t care about anyone else.

Sad. Oh, and by the way, I just heard that a neighbour I knew died of covid-19. So it brings it home yet again that we need to keep with the programme.

We can do this. We can succeed. But we all need to do our bit.

opticaldelusion · 10/04/2020 11:05

Huge increase in speeding apparently

I've noticed this. Boy racers in their little twat cars screeching around far more than usual. Four lads in the car. I'm sure they're all from the same household...

longcoffee · 10/04/2020 11:10

My MIL has dementia, and 75yo FIL usually takes her out for 3/4 drives a day - it's the only thing that she wants to do.

It's been hell explaining to her why she can't do this any more - we've had suicide threats from her, things thrown about the house, all sorts. FIL is at his wits end. She was breaking out of the house at 2/3 in the morning and roaming the streets, trying to get into neighbours houses at one point.

Spend three days dealing with an absolutely amazing crisis team to arrange emergency additional medication, to try and ease the issue - all from 250 miles away (DH is immune compromised so we can go to help, and local-to-them BIL is as useful as a chocolate fireguard)

However. FIL has been absolutely incredible. He's held firm and not taken her out, because we've all been told not to! If he can manage it, with all the crap he's dealing with, surely 'I just want to get out/the car needs turning over/there's better places to exercise 15 mins away' is utter bullshit.

mogtheexcellent · 10/04/2020 11:17

Because the emergency services could have done without <a class="break-all" href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-berkshire-52184303?intlink_from_url=www.bbc.co.uk/news/localnews/2636333-tadley/10&link_location=live-reporting-story" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">this which involved a car full of people, a large bug and ambulance/police attendance

HainaultViaNewburyPark · 10/04/2020 11:29

I haven’t driven my car since 13 March. Today I am going to take it for a drive to recharge the battery properly. I won’t go very far - the round trip will be less than 10 miles. After doing so I’ll leave it parked for another 4 weeks, and then repeat. I don’t actually care whether anyone thinks I’m being unreasonable or not.

GhoulWithADragonTattoo · 10/04/2020 12:42

I drive once a week to charge car battery. I usually go to a wood about 5 miles away and do my daily exercise for an hour and then pop to shops or pharmacy afterwards if needed. I think this is sensible and within the law.

user1492771818 · 10/04/2020 12:55

You don't have drive anywhere to charge the battery. You could just start it on your driveway. Rev the engine a few times if you want to be sure!

GhoulWithADragonTattoo · 10/04/2020 12:58

It’s much better to drive until car is warmed up.

HainaultViaNewburyPark · 10/04/2020 13:13

Actually I think you do need to drive your car to recharge the battery properly. I was taught that the absolute minimum to maintain battery performance is a 10km journey once per month.

Mumof2202022 · 10/04/2020 13:16

I have been taking my two out for a drive. Both have additional needs and a 20 minute drive just to calm them down makes the difference between us coping or not. I will probably get called vile on here but local police have said it would be a valid exception. I have oldest's blue badge, DLA letter, social care letter and her OT/peads reports in the car at all times

user1492771818 · 10/04/2020 13:45

Car alternators put out about 80A at idle engine speed. Providing you don't use the lights, radio, and electric windows you should be able to get a reasonable charge if you left it running for 1/2 hour. The other alternative is to buy a mains charger.

RarePackOfLooRoll · 10/04/2020 15:18

Surely driving to do your weekly shop along with leaving the engine running for 15 minutes on your driveway for those that live very close to their supermarkets is sufficient.
Again, people looking for a loophole to their own selfish wants not needs. A big fuck you to front line workers and everyone else that's abiding by the rules despite feeling as fed up and pissed off with them as you.

Selfish fuckers determined to find a special reason is what people.like this are.

Rebelwithallthecause · 10/04/2020 15:24

Except for if you aren’t going to the supermarket due to being vulnerable right now

HainaultViaNewburyPark · 10/04/2020 15:42

I don’t need to drive to the supermarket - it’s literally at the end of my road. I don’t have a driveway, and it’s illegal to leave my car idling on a public road:

Rule 123 of The Highway Code looks at ‘The Driver and the Environment’, stating that drivers must not leave a parked vehicle unattended with the engine running or leave a vehicle engine running unnecessarily while that vehicle is stationary on a public road.

Local authorities have the power to issue £20 fixed penalties for emission offences and stationary idling under The Road Traffic (Vehicle Emissions) (Fixed Penalty) (England) Regulations 2002.