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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To hire a private field to walk dog and have a sandwich?

233 replies

millerjane · 13/04/2020 13:57

Is this a reasonable or unreasonable thing to do.

2 mile car journey required.

Couple had a sarnie on a blanket whilst the dog "zoomed" around.

OP posts:
Kordelia · 13/04/2020 15:58

The two miles to the field may not be safe to walk.

I normally hire a secure field at £10 an hour to give my dog a good run, but it's closed at the moment to prevent unnecessary travel.
For me it's a lot more than two miles away though.
Pity, as there's no-one else around and I'd just have to be careful not to touch the gate.

If there was one available only two miles away I'd certainly use it.

BoomBoomsCousin · 13/04/2020 16:06

If the alternatives are walking a dog somewhere he is may be a danger (along the street) or somewhere that is crowded (local woods) then this would seem to obviously decrease risk. And I can’t see which bit of the law it would contravene, so I don’t get why you being “a stickler for the rules” should make you at all concerned about this?

squirrelsbizaar · 13/04/2020 16:16

I don’t know what the problem is with the people that start these kind of threads. The ‘offenders’ are practising social distancing and aren’t harming anyone. Is the problem that they might be enjoying themselves ?
The expression rules are for the obedience of fools and the guidance of wise men springs to mind whenever I encounter these kind of threads.

TinglyFeets · 13/04/2020 16:21

I am so sick of reading about people’s precious dogs!

Maybe not click on threads that mention dogs then? Just an idea.

Fairybatman · 13/04/2020 16:26

Bonkers - car journeys don't cause Coronavirus, and as far as I'm aware there isn't a virus in existence which is transmitted by cars.

Going for a walk in a crowded area is obviously much higher risk than going to a field a short distance away and being completely on your own.

If they took the other option of going for a walk they may have come onto contact with gates, pedestrian crossing buttons, touching the bin when throwing their poo bag away.

You cannot eliminate the risk, so you have to minimise it. This sounds like a sensible way of managing risk.

cologne4711 · 13/04/2020 16:32

I know someone who runs a field for dog walkers to use. You book a slot for your dog(s) when nobody else is there. It doesn't seem unreasonable to use it, if you've paid for it and it's not too far away from where you live.

Worriedmum54321 · 13/04/2020 16:37

I think it's completely fine. Good luck to them

shinynewapple2020 · 13/04/2020 16:40

I wouldn't do it myself but equally wouldn't get arsey about anyone else who did.

DarklyDreamingDexter · 13/04/2020 16:46

I don’t see why not, it they have the money. They are not going to bump into anyone else and it means that’s one less couple with a dog walking around their local area, so more space for others. I suppose it would be better if they walked to the field to save an unnecessary car journey, but they’re not harming anyone.

RincewindsHat · 13/04/2020 16:51

The whole purpose of the new guidelines is to maximise social distancing, so I could not get worked up about this - I think it's fine. Officially, you are permitted to drive 'a reasonable distance' to exercise (as confirmed by the government) unless that's changed so I would think this situation falls under that.

batvixen123 · 13/04/2020 17:00

I am so sick of reading about people’s precious dogs!

You know, there's something you could do to resolve that...

firawla · 13/04/2020 17:11

Sounds fine to me,.. it’s their private field!

Angrywife · 13/04/2020 17:16

We're not allowed to drive somewhere to exercise ourself so why would it be ok to do it to exercise the dog Confused

HugeAckmansWife · 13/04/2020 17:20

Ffs you are allowed to drive somewhere to exercise, but relatively local, not miles to a famous beach or the Lake District etc.

HugeAckmansWife · 13/04/2020 17:23

That's a perfect example of what's being said about people not being able to use their common sense. I am taking my kids for a long walk tomorrow from our front door into open countryside by a river. We might well take a snack and perch somewhere to eat it. Technically we are 'picnicking' but in our context there might be an occasional passer by. We are not going to a picnic table in a city park. I'm using my common sense to judge that that is OK

5foot5 · 13/04/2020 17:25

Sounds like a good idea to me, showing initiative.
We drove about 2 miles today to the other side of town so we could do a walk which was largely on quiet country roads and lanes where we saw very, very few people. Far fewer then if we walked the streets and parks. We thought carefully about the route and avoided the canal tow path, which would otherwise have been an obvious thing to include, because we didn't think it would be possible to socially distance there. Also not fair to the people who live in houseboats.
On other days over the weekend we have done similar walks which we could start from home but felt that the 2 mile drive today would be OK so we could try this route

5foot5 · 13/04/2020 17:26

Oh yes I meant to say, shock horror, we took a sandwich with us and stopped to eat it. No we didn't sit on a bench we stood on a grass verge looking at the scenery

Alsohuman · 13/04/2020 17:28

We're not allowed to drive somewhere to exercise ourself so why would it be ok to do it to exercise the dog

We are. HTH.

YouDoYou18 · 13/04/2020 17:28

Honestly I’ve considered it once or twice, we’ve got a dog and two young DC and no garden... usually this isn’t a problem as we’re surrounded by fields that are usually empty... but now they’re more in use and we can only go out once I’ve considered hiring a field so the dog and children can run free for an hour or two without people getting unnecessarily close to us and trying to start conversations.

yearinyearout · 13/04/2020 17:36

We're not allowed to drive somewhere to exercise ourself so why would it be ok to do it to exercise the dog 

Yes, actually, you are.

radiohelen · 13/04/2020 17:46

Ummm...

Actually you can't drive to exercise... the police can and have stopped people driving to parks to exercise.

"The Government has clarified that only essential travel should be undertaken, and that daily exercise should occur locally and close to home.

"Stay local and use open spaces near to your home where possible – do not travel unnecessarily," the guidance states.

"If you have a garden, make use of the space for exercise and fresh air."

Alsohuman · 13/04/2020 17:48

Ummm, yes you can. Matt Hancock quite explicitly said you can only last week.

IndecentFeminist · 13/04/2020 17:49

"where possible"

vanillandhoney · 13/04/2020 17:50

Actually you can't drive to exercise... the police can and have stopped people driving to parks to exercise.

The police were criticised for being far too heavy handed in this regard. Matt Hancock has specifically said you can drive a short distance in order to get some exercise.

I wish people wouldn't quote things that are blatantly untrue and use them to make people feel bad.

480Widdio · 13/04/2020 17:51

Nothing wrong with doing this!Sounds sensible,common sense has gone out the window at the moment.

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