AIBU to think they should just ban going to the parks in London?

[ForbiddenFromNaples]

The difinitive park going experience in London is very different than that of the rest of the country. We've all seen those pictures of people crammed together sunbathing in Hyde park.

I dont have a garden so this issue is a big deal to me. Where I live (a fairly big city in the SW), there are numerous parks scattered about and its perfectly possible to go there, chill out and read a book as you catch the sun, all the time maintaining social distancing.

When it comes to the police, they seem most of the time to be pretty sensible about it...... Mostly. Except one or two people have told me horror stories.......

Someone I know who took their autistic child to play football in a park (so officially that should have counted as excersise), then the police turned up and moved them on (which was unnecessarily distressing for the autistic). Im not trying to bad mouth the police here, this is new so theres a lot of all round apprehension in regards to precisely what is allowed. Im just saying, when it comes to the issue of going to the park, the government should have a rethink as to whether everyone else in the country has to have their rights curtailed, simply because of how things are in London. And it would be nice to hear the government admit a one size fits all solution isnt always going to work.

I really believe this is a health issue, both physically and mentally. I bet divorce rates will spike after this, police are already seeing more domestic violence, substance abuse will rocket (ive seen loads of drunk people on trips shopping, so I bet theres even more people getting wasted at home), its not unreasonable to assume people will end up self harming and it could even lead to suicides.

Just to clarify, Im talking about people going to the park ON THEIR OWN. Im not talking about going down the park with their friends to have a picnic.

When the Government said, 'we're all in this together', for the first time ever, it felt true. But now the suns came out, it sort of feels that the poor are getting stung by these restrictions way more than those fortunate enough to afford property with gardens.

A lot of the pictures in the media are from previous summers and are being used to stir up anger.

I live in London, have no garden or balcony and so am going on my daily walk (which I am allowed to do). During this walk, I either walk through or next to 3 large parks which do not have people lying about sunbathing. I’ve seems a few police and park wardens patrolling and speaking to the occasional person sat on a park bench.

Don’t believe all you read in the Daily Mail/Mumsnet/Facebook

Confusing post. OP is talking all about the benefits of going out, yet on the other hand advocating that no-one go out.

We have a communal car park outside our flats, with grassy bits.
People with kids are outside all hours playing sports
I can't work out if sitting on the grass would be outside our property or not!
So I haven't done it (though people who smoke clearly are doing that)
Strange times!

Access to parks is needed more, if anything, in London than in other places. People's behaviour in parks everywhere could be improved.

www.huckmag.com/perspectives/opinion-perspectives/the-sinister-new-politics-of-public-space/

Why on earth do you think you are fully aware of the situation in the UK’s largest city based on a couple of pics in papers/on social media. Lots of parks near me in London, people respectfully social distancing when I go running. You want to close London parks and stop millions of people getting fresh air and exercise?? You’re very selfish and quite, quite mad.

Me and ds go out for a twenty minute walk every couple of days. We walk round the streets where we live avoiding the green spaces because they are too busy.

We are sad not to be out enjoying the sun but want to stay safe and keep others safe.

Im sorry but why? Why shouldn't I chill out? I abide by social distancing rules, and I have no job to go to. Ive applied for volunteering positions but so far, nothings come through.

Do you really think its reasonable to expect families without gardens to be crammed together 24/7?

But apparently it’s ok for Londoners to have to do this?

Let’s face it OP - you just and to go and sunbathe don’t you. One rule for us Londoners and another for you.

Alanna1 why do you think it's ok for you to go out for a picnic and Easter egg hunt in the park today? This is exactly what they've been telling people not to do.
I really must stop reading these threads. The amount of people that think rules don't apply to them is astounding.

So you want London parks to close so you can "chill" in the park

I don't live anywhere near London ,but there are dickheads flouting the rules Everywhere ,I only go.out to go shopping or to take my dog for a walk where I take her across some fields there is a block of flats and every day there is a large number of residents sat together drinking and socialising and generally having a party 🙄my n neighbour continues to have friends around he has two small kids and clearly doesn't think the rules apply to him , my house backs on to a,park and whilst it's fairly empty ,there are still groups of people playing football on the all weather pitch ,this lockdown is going to go on far longer than necessary due to selfish idiots

There are so many things wrong with your post I don't really know where to start and CBA.

And can everyone fuck off with the London shaming? We're not a big bunch of evil, body-touching, park-lounging twats. Twats are twats wherever they live. Where I am (fairly central) 90% of people are observing rules. I certainly am.

We have been going to London Fields and Shoreditch park, they have been very very quiet, last Saturday we only saw two other people at London Fields. Despite this some people idiots were sharing a video of London Fields showing it busy, filmed at a completely different time, yet some idiots believe anything, especially if they see it on facebook.

There were a few more people yesterday, we saw maybe 20 in total, I haven’t seen anyone sunbathing. We have played football most days and had plenty of room at the park to do so.

If everyone in my neighbourhood, in fact in the whole city, went to their local park at the same time IT WOULD STILL BE POSSIBLE MAINTAIN SOCIAL DISTANCING.

And Ive lived in other cities and its pretty much the same. Theres one park I know in Birmingham, that at the height of summer gets comparably as crowded as those in London. So yeah, that park should be of limits too. For sunbathing.

The issue is that the idea of "exercise" has been described by adult fit single people (men). Steady walk, jog or cycle for 30-60 mins is perfect for such groups. Totally doesn't work for kids or people with different abilities or needs.

Egg hunts, football, hide and seek in the trees, cartwheel competition, taking a portable net and squash rackets. These are all things parents are probably desperately trying, to make the exercise period work for kids and get them moving as much as poss in the alloted time.

People might need to have a snack or break, too.

(which was unnecessarily distressing for the autistic
You forgot a word. That child is a child, nor a condition.

Yes thats it EXACTLY. There should be different rules for Londoners than for the rest of the country. Why on earth should we all have to suffer, simply because the vastly inreased population in London means that if they all go and sunbathe, they will increase the spread of the disease?

Yes you're right, I didnt mean to.

@Alanna1 - a picnic and an Easter egg hunt. Can you not read?

You really are not making much sense do you want people to stop going to city parks so you can sit in your country park?

Seriously, you don't see the problem with people going to open areas, sitting down and clogging that area up?

If everyone in MY local area goes to our biggest park, sits down and sunbathes for as long as they feel like, then the park becomes rammed full by mid morning and there IS NO SPACE TO DISTANCE...

IF however, everyone goes out and KEEPS MOVING... then it's just fine.

Do you get it? Just keep moving.

You can literally have thousands of people going through a park over a day if everyone is taking an hour to walk or cycle through it so everyone can get some sunshine. If those people all lie down with at least 2-3m between them you won't fit nearly as many in. That's basic maths. And normal popularity level won't apply, just look how many more people are suddenly running to get out.

It isn't London fault that you're flouting the rules. You're basically a stationary island of possible contagion that yo u expect everyone else to move around.

@Alanna1 people like you are absolutely the problem in this country everyone bending the rules to suit their own agenda. Idiots!

Op you clearly don't have knowledge of the rest of the country. I live pretty rurally but our town only has a couple of parks, these parks are absolutely overrun with problem at almost all times of the day. So it's not just London that has this problem.

Do you really think its reasonable to expect families without gardens to be crammed together 24/7?
Huh? But that’s what you’re asking people in London to do?

I think parks are, if anything, more important in London than elsewhere as the % of people living in a flat without a garden will be MUCH higher in London.

It's completely possible in london parks and most parks are fine. London is also very built up and has lots of people in flats with children, they need to access green space.

I've avoided our local park for a while, went yesterday, social distancing very much in place, i felt much better for it.

Nobody is meant to be chilling in parks we are meant to be out "excersising" for an hour a day no picnics no "chillin" anywhere it sucks but that is what we are supposed to do .