To think not being able to drive short distances for exercise is daft.

[Superdooper29]

Live in a semi rural area where there’s loads of people walking around making it hard to social distance. It’s not busy but everyone’s using the same pathways etc.

If I was to drive for about 4-5 minutes I’d find a lovely large remote spot to walk in. There’s miles of countryside where I live. Also 5 minutes from a very large beach which would be perfect to walk on with dc, particularly if the tides out. we would go early to completely avoid people. I have to pass the beach to go shopping. It was empty this morning.

I understand that we need to stay in the areas and I totally understand that cars could break down or you could have an accident putting strain on the already stretched emergency services. But I feel like driving a few miles to exercise not miles and miles away!

But this is what’s annoying me. Instead of driving to remote places. Some people I know who live near me are walking miles and miles to get to remote places and be beaches. often along main roads which people are still using to get to work and to shop therefore seems more dangerous to walk. A pedestrian could get hit. Also parents cycling on the main roads with kids when they aren’t used it and people walking across farms etc, across land without permission, touching gates etc. People could be bit by something, have a fall etc whilst walking miles and miles. Risking having no signal here too. I passed a family of cyclists today. They really weren’t road savvy at all! I was careful but the kids looked seriously unstable driving along the main road.

Aibu to think it’s safer to bloody drive rather than walking for 5 miles for hours?! Or just stay in your area?!

Maybe I’m just a little frustrated because I’ve only left the place I live once in 4 weeks!

You are allowed.

You can drive somewhere for exercise. It's not banned.

College of policing advice

As said, you are allowed and always have been.

You can. It was clarified recently. The police have no power to stop you driving a short way, but use common sense if car parks are closed or the park itself is closed etc

But then you will just have people going 'it's only a short distance' for 5,10,15 etc miles. Then you have everyone turning up at the local parks and beaches, like they were a few weeks ago. Because its just a short distance.

It's more sensible to just say no to all drives to go for a walk. You can walk around your area, you just don't want to. It's 3 more weeks, if it means you have to walk at different times than you're used to so that you avoid more people, then do that.

These places are only deserted because many people are not driving to them. If everyone had the same idea OP they'd be heaving with people.

It's more sensible to just say no to all drives to go for a walk.

Except that the police haven’t said that at all - the guidance published this week quite explicitly says that you can. Or do you consider yourself a higher authority than the police?

Isn't the measure essentially you need to take exercise for longer than the drive? Or have I made that up? We live in Derbyshire and they were extremely zealous in the beginning but since the first couple of weeks I've not really see any police around (or PCSOs) on foot or in cars. I did park next to an unmarked X5 the other day though with my husband and kids in the car, fully expecting them to say something. They didn't.

Use your common sense and you'll be fine (at least as far as the rules go!)

You can drive to a place to exercise as long as your exercise is longer than it takes you to drive there.

Thanks all. I will look into it. Local police in my area said no to driving to other areas. 😳 but this info is interesting.

I just feel it’s safer to drive than it is to walk near main roads, cycle on main roads and walk miles through the country side particularly if you aren’t used to it and don’t do it normally!

That sort of attitude from some police is likely why the guidance was issued. I suggest printing a copy off if you can, or downloading to your phone, before leaving the house.

Agree, it's allowed and it's helpful to print out the advice in case confronted. I'm so relieved this has been clarified as we've been in the same position as you.

Except that the police haven’t said that at all - the guidance published this week quite explicitly says that you can. Or do you consider yourself a higher authority than the police?

If you had read the rest of my post, you would see why I think it's more sensible to say no to any drives out for exercise. But I'll say it again, to prevent the mass of people going out to parks, beaches etc to go for a walk.

Let's say we allow that. A third of those people at a beach could be asymptomatic. They then spread it on to 2-3 people there, each. Then those people spread it on. In one weekend, you've got thousands infected.

That's why we shouldn't be allowing it. Because the numbers are just increasing. Because too many people are doing that. They are allowing it, but should we be doing it? No. It's like how we shouldn't be going shopping more than necessary, but some are still going out for their daily paper.

You can but if you live in Tandridge borough in Surrey you risk the police ridiculing you on Facebook which puts me off

You can.

But.

It makes it more likely the restrictions will be tightened. Because if you do it, others will do it, and then we might as well not have restrictions...and then ppl will die.

Alternatively, having obviously daft rules like not permitting a drive to exercise at all, even though driving means some people can exercise in areas with fewer people around, would make people less likely to stick to and respect lockdown and make the whole thing more likely to collapse anyway as
it requires the cooperation of the public. Both possibilities. Very difficult to strike the optimum balance.

Do it OP. It's fine and we do exactly the same thing.

Errr you can drive to exercise as long as the exercise is longer than the drive.

My daughter drives to our house (5 - 7 minute journey time), parks on our drive and walks from there. She's been doing this ever since lock down started and we are very happy that it's been given the green light by the government.

She does this because it's much, much quieter where we live and much safer.

Oh and she walks for 90 minutes, so well within the ratio of drive time to walk time.

^If you had read the rest of my post, you would see why I think it's more sensible to say no to any drives out for exercise. But I'll say it again, to prevent the mass of people going out to parks, beaches etc to go for a walk.

Let's say we allow that. A third of those people at a beach could be asymptomatic. They then spread it on to 2-3 people there, each. Then those people spread it on. In one weekend, you've got thousands infected.

That's why we shouldn't be allowing it. Because the numbers are just increasing. Because too many people are doing that. They are allowing it, but should we be doing it? No. It's like how we shouldn't be going shopping more than necessary, but some are still going out for their daily paper.^

Thanks for this. I assume you must be an virologist or epidemiologist to know better than the experts who have crafted the rules.

It's a surprising outcome, I'll grant you, because I live in a town centre which still has plenty of people around. I can go for a walk amongst various coughers and splutterers. Or I can drive for five minutes and go for a run in deserted woodland. I would be interested in your detailed expert analysis of why the latter is higher risk (for me and others) than the former.

If it's a 5 minute drive then you can walk there as part of your exercise, just time it for a time when people are less likely to be out and about.

"the guidance published this week quite explicitly says that you can."

1. It was leaked as opposed to published.
2. its guidance for police officers not the public
3. it is guidance as to what might be considered a reasonable reason for travel. Might.

It doesn't mean you should