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.

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

Not confusing at all - OP is a CF who thinks everyone in London should be banned from going to the park so she can get a tan - because she is more important than the entire population of London.

OP - last weekend Brockwell Park (one of my favourite running routes) was closed due to idiots like you wanting to sunbathe. The problem is - if you close Brockwell Park you just increase the numbers going to Clapham and Tooting Commons which, by definition, can't be closed.

Yet another non Londoner telling Londoners what they should do....yawn.

I don't think London is particularly different to the rest of the country - sure, there's a big difference between urban and rural but I imagine many city centres will have mainly flats with no gardens.
London has is well supplied with big parks - Hyde Park, Regents Park, Victoria Park, but most areas have lots of small parks and green public spaces. Around me, some have stayed open, others not. The smaller parks tend not to be the ones idiots flock to from a distance, but people do mostly seem to have got the message about social distancing.
As long as they're used sensibly, for exercise and dog walking, I don't see the problem - and I do think they're invaluable for mental health.

I plan to pack a picnic to eat midway through the cycle, and we’ll eat it in one of the parks because that’s a space they can be socially distant when doing so. I might take some mini easter eggs and have a mini egg hunt in one of the wooded areas, if it’s empty

🤦🏻‍♀️

We went for walk in a park today and a stupid twat was doing yoga in the intersection of two paths, so making it very difficult for everybody else.

Honestly, how inconsiderate and stupid can you be?

Oh, but SoupDragon, you missed the bit where the picnic is 'fuel for exercise' and the egg-hunt is 'exercise and adventure'.

Another poster did make a good point about exercise for young children being a different thing from an adult's run or brisk walk. But doing exactly what you want, then making up some bullshit rationale, is taking the piss. I'm in London, too; if that poster thinks there's lots of space for picnic and egg-hunts, then it's because most other families are sticking to the guidelines and staying at home.

@Alanna1

I think they should fine groups, but otherwise exercise common sense. I plan to take my kids on a cycle ride today, I plan to pack a picnic to eat midway through the cycle, and we’ll eat it in one of the parks because that’s a space they can be socially distant when doing so. I might take some mini easter eggs and have a mini egg hunt in one of the wooded areas, if it’s empty. This is exercise and a picnic (fuel for exercise!) and a small adventure for young children (also exercise). We’ve done this a few times and I’ve seen other families doing similarly. I think this is a perfectly acceptable use of the park. No-one is on top of anyone else. I live in London. There aren’t long glorious walks we can easily go on - getting an hour’s cycle ride necessarily involves roads to a green space

I'm with @SoupDragon 🙄🙇🏻‍♀️🤦🏻‍♀️

But I'm also adding in a 'fucking hell. WHY do you think you're an exception to the rule? What makes YOU so special??

Sorry drreed I think I was thinking that Londoners with gardens probably DONT go to parks, but wrote won't

We take the DCs to the local park, and they enjoy doing a scavenger hunt while we are there.
Probably too much like fun and not a grim stroll with horse type blinkers on for Mumsnet though.

We would all love to play in the park with our kids, do hunts (scavenger or egg) but the fact remains you are adapting the word exercise to fit your own desire. Selfish.

I think that’s overly simplistic and complete ignores the number of Londoners in high rises/small flats without access to green spaces, particularly young families.

@Yesmate how do you suggest getting a 3 and 4 year old to walk briskly for an hour without some kind of game - races, football, scavenger hunt? Climbing trees and jumping on things is out of bounds to limit covid spread, and there are of course no playparks. My children refuse to walk round and want to go on our shoulders, I'm tired etc etc... unless we make it fun..If they don't walk or run for an hour they go home, are antsy and grumpy and still want to snack, you can see them visibly putting on weight.

There's a trade off and I personally wouldn't do a picnic or egg hunt but I see no issue with outdoor games like football or bats and balls for an hour or so.

I mean don't get me wrong I HATE outdoor games and wish the kids would just walk or run!

Should Londoners exercise on the streets? It's going to be much harder to socially distance considering how narrow many streets are.

It sounds like some parts of the riverside paths should be closed if Richmond is half as busy and full of lockdown avoiders as the media suggests

Grass is good for some types of exercise and why shouldn't Londoners get a safer and prettier place to exercise?

Our park was full of gangs of lads in puffer jackets and groups of couples.

Yup they all live in the same household - I think not (they would be if I was in charge ‘ok, so who’s got the smallest flat? All back there for 12 week lockdown then’).

@RestaurantoffBroadway a 3 and a 4 year old walking briskly isn’t a necessity.
You are in charge of whether or not they snack. You are in charge of whether you put them on your shoulders. Just go for a normal walk, see what you can spot on the way. I’m just trying to point out that if we all bed the guidance to suit us then the guidance won’t work. I would love to take my kid to the field to play football, he is desperate to play. If we all did it though then we wouldn’t be able to socially distance and we would be part of the problem. It sucks. It sucks for everyone but we have to suck it up.

OP if you got your way the rest of the country would end up in as bad a situation as London. People are dying in large numbers there because of other people not social distancing. If you start sunbathing, together with everybody else in your area, coronavirus will spread more where you are. All we need to do is enforce the no sunbathing or picnicking or group gathering rules. People can then walk and get the mental and physical health benefits you speak of whilst maintaining social distancing. Sunbathing isn't healthy really either. Time in the sun is good but lying in it for extended periods risks skin cancer. Just go for a walk.

If we all did it though then we wouldn’t be able to socially distance
If we all walked in the same place at the same time we wouldn't either. But we aren't. People are going out at different times.
Do you even know what a scavenger hunt is?

Of course I do. The point I am making is it’s not exercise. You are changing the rules to suit yourself which makes you part of the problem. Just go for a fucking walk and stop being selfish.

These threads make me so angry. The guidelines are to stay at home unless it’s for the purpose of exercise. It it was for frolicking in the park and field doing scavenger and Easter egg hunts then it would say. If it was to walk to you parents and sit on their drive and drink wine it would say. If it was to drive round every shop to buy the right colour of fence paint it would say. 1000 people are dying every day. STAY AT HOME!!!!!!

*almost 1000 every day

it’s not exercise.
How is it not exercise?
We are outside. The DCs are running around. I am walking. What about that is not exercise?

We are never going to agree. You are taking your kids out to play, most people are just sucking it up and going for a walk. Things are different at the moment, that has to be for all of us.

But why isn't it exercise? You don't seem to be able to tell me that. So I'm guessing you can't actually think of a reason.

Your children are of course getting exercise by running around having a scavenger hunt. The point, again, that I am making is that things at the moment HAVE to be different. Playing in the park is a luxury we can I’ll afford at the moment. You don’t get it. That’s fine. I’m happy that I’m sticking to the rules and you are happy you are. Everyone doesn’t need to agree.