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Original poster

Police guidelines for officers on what is a reasonable excuse - worth reading

145 replies

chomalungma · 16/04/2020 15:13

www.college.police.uk/What-we-do/COVID-19/Documents/What-constitutes-a-reasonable-excuse.pdf

Interesting reading. Especially with regards to driving for exercise, what exercise is, going shopping and the allottments.

OP posts:
thatmustbenigelwiththebrie · 16/04/2020 18:29

I drove ten minutes from my home to go for a run today and when I returned I had a note on my car saying I had been reported to the police. I chucked it away because I know I have done nothing wrong.

Wheresthesanitygone · 16/04/2020 18:30

North Yorkshire police have put signs up at every public path near us saying they will fine you for parking there and to go home. So they are not sticking to this.

Our park is packed with dog walkers, most of whom would usually be on quiet woodland paths all around 5 mins drive from our town, but we cannot use them because of these signs. Even with a screenshot of that guidance I wouldn’t feel I could ignore the signs

OddBoots · 16/04/2020 18:33

"The Regulations allow people to move house. This means that
individuals can move between households. But this should be a genuine move (ie,measured in days, not hours). "

This doesn't really match up with how second homes have been commonly thought about since the lockdown. This sounds like they are saying it is okay to move to your second home provided you stay for a period of days.

Statistician999 · 16/04/2020 18:33

@Kuponut

That’s awful. If it’s any consolation all the reasonable people are with you. It’s just that the Petes and the nutters are over represented on social media - probably because they have nothing more constructive to do with their time.Don’t let them get you down!

OP posts:
midsomermurderess · 16/04/2020 18:41

I think this piece by Johnathan Lis in Politico 'Stop Shaming: This crisis calls for generosity, not denunciation' is interesting too. It reminds one of the purpose of the regulations and points to an emerging culture of condemnation and Puritanism that does no one any good.
stop shaming

fascinated · 16/04/2020 18:43

The trouble with all of this stuff that there are so many CFs taking the pis that it is really hard to give guidelines.

That’s why it is so important for the police to take a proper look at the facts of each individual case and for people to feel they will be listened to if they have genuine reasons.

LindainLockdown · 16/04/2020 18:43

Hopefully the lockdown enthusiasts ie curtain twitching, garden fence eves dropping nosy parkers, will stay in lockdown long after the more sane people are let out. This will have the added bonus of helping with social distancing for the rest of us.

Mikki2019 · 16/04/2020 19:10

@OddBoots yeah I’m hoping that means my partner can move in with me for this lockdown - how to get clarity though ?

SchadenfreudePersonified · 16/04/2020 20:00

I don’t think buying paint and brushes to paint the kitchen should be under unreasonable though. Keeping a place in reasonable decorative order is part and parcel or maintenance of a property. It also contradicts the sentence under ‘comments’: ”In general terms, a person has a reasonable excuse to visit the shops which remain open to customers under the Regulations.”

I also think that there is less chance of people breaking the lockdown if they can be gainfully employed at home. It keeps property in good order, stops people getting bored and means that that patch of skirting that the dog chewed because he isn't getting his three hour walks isn't going to drive you nuts for the next month . . . .

ZeroSumTrap · 16/04/2020 20:20

I can assure you that Norfolk Constabulary are not following this guidance. I don't think they give a toss about it.

yesterday I drove just under 20 minutes to an isolated almost deserted location.
I took 2 hours exercise
I drove straight home.

In the last 3.5 weeks, almost the only F2F 'conversation' I've had with anyone who wasn't in my household was when the police turned up last night to say I had been reported. They took my details and say I'll be fined if "travel" for exercise again.

I have no freedom to believe you lot or the DM. I have to do what they said I have to do.

TotorosFurryBehind · 16/04/2020 20:47

Thank you for this XXX

I really want to drive to go for a walk in the country nearby but have not as DH worried it is against rules. I really need a proper walk for my mental and physical health. Walking near our home is quite busy with so many people taking exercise, that we spend all the time avoiding people.

Mikki2019 · 16/04/2020 20:48

@ZeroSumTrap that’s awful (

Maybe now you could wave the guidelines at them though if you go for a walk again?

ElisavetaOfBumsornia · 16/04/2020 20:55

ZeroSumTrap film them if this happens again. It's legal for you to do so.

Worriedmum54321 · 16/04/2020 21:01

Thanks for posting this

Mikki2019 · 16/04/2020 21:14

@ElisavetaOfBumsornia do you think it would be accepted according to this for my partner to drive to stay in my household for the rest of this lockdown ?

ElisavetaOfBumsornia · 16/04/2020 21:23

If he's moving house I expect so.

jasjas1973 · 16/04/2020 21:32

Would explain then why when out for a bicycle ride, i now see far more cars about than a week or so ago.
In fact it's about normal on some roads during the day, my neighbour has re started his ongoing building project with a team of construction workers and his gardener is now turning up every day too.

No wonder 91% support another 3 weeks of "lockdown!"

IDSNeighbour · 16/04/2020 21:33

This is fascinating and, if actually followed by both police and public from the beginning, would possibly have made life bearable.

I live on my own and have mental health problems. The loneliness and struggle not to fall into really unhelpful behaviour is so hard to deal with. If I'd known it was okay to go and stay with friends or family for a bit I would have done so. There's nobody I would be able to move in with for 12+ weeks. But for a 3 or 4 week break in the middle - I would love to do that so much. But now we've been told it's 'wrong' for so long I'd feel a crawling, horrible guilt over it and not sure I can face the judgement of it. So I'll probably stay in misery.

I was so certain that people moving back in with their parents or siblings for lockdown or combining households after lockdown had started were being selfish and not following guidance. I thought I was miserable but right. Seems not!!

I've been going for very long walks already as I live in the middle of nowhere but I've felt guilty about this too and been very conscious not to stop for a drink or to look at the view and chill for a bit, even though I see hardly anybody and it would have made the walk much pleasanter. I think I will try and get over this and relax a bit on frequency and leisurability (is that a word?!) of walks now.

Charlieandthechocolatecake · 16/04/2020 22:57

Thanks OP, I'll keep this handy for the next time I'm stopped by the police.

I was stopped 2 weeks ago, very abruptly ( they pulled the car over the pavement in front of me).

They asked me where I was going, I told them I was going home. They asked me where I had been. I said work. They asked for proof. I'm not allowed to wear or show my ID outside of where I work and I said so. My organisation sent out a text we can show if anybody stops us but I didn't receive it. They were really cunty. Way above their station.

Our dress code is relaxed at the moment so me coming home from work in denim shorts and DR Martens didn't help. I've dressed professionally since.

UnhappyMondays · 16/04/2020 23:09

Thank you for posting these - that’s really good to know!

UnhappyMondays · 16/04/2020 23:10

I’ve got screenshots just in case Smile

BubblesBuddy · 16/04/2020 23:11

The BBC has a full report. Travelling for exercise is ok as long as it’s in moderation. So any police force stopping people driving for 20 minutes is wrong. Complain via their complaints system. This guidance is meant to stop rogue over the top policing and in order to keep any respect for the police they need to implement their own guidelines.

Police guidelines for officers on what is a reasonable excuse - worth reading
SkiingIsHeaven · 16/04/2020 23:25

So I can drive to snowdon and climb it because it takes longer to climb than drive there?

I think the locals will have something to say about that. They are also partial to burning things.

Being sensible I think this is terrible and totally irresponsible advice. Driving there is a risk and climbing it is an even bigger risk. The weekend before lockdown the tourists were queuing to get to the top. Just crazy.