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!

I just saw this on Twitter which is very clear and very sensible. Please read, digest and share with friends, family (and nosey neighbours):

twitter.com/NorthernFell/status/1251123547801554944

I live on a country lane with no path and have young kids, I drive around a mile or so to take them to a Woods for a walk each day. Common sense to me, it would be unsafe to walk them down the lane as lots of blind bends, very narrow and some people drive like idiots down it 🤷‍♀️

Driving somewhere local and quiet where it's more accessible, safer or social distancing is easier. Fine.

Driving long, disproportionate distances or to well known touristy places. Not fine.

Don't go driving off to remote, inaccessible places where an incident would require greater resources. Particularly not the type of inexperienced person who goes walking up Snowdon in flip flops, with a carrier bag and then moans that the cafe is closed and it's cold, wet and windy on top.

Normally, I simetimes mix my runs up by driving a short distance to a different starting point along the route. It means that I don't have to finish every single run with a final mile up the steep hill back to my house which gets tedious (and does not agree with my tight calves and hamstrings). I haven't done it recently, but it's good to know that it's not particularly problematic. It's also good to know that I don't have to choose between maintaining my own health and fitness and that of my children and I can do both. (We go to quiet places where it makes minimal difference anyway).

Sadly I think the driving for exercise threads have replaced the parking threads.

I miss the parking threads.

ChocolateDove
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.

The current estimate for the percentage of people in the general population who are infected is 4%.

Also, outdoor exercise is considered a low risk activity.

I would love to be able to drive to a nearby forest to walk because there are few footpaths where I live so we are stuck walking on country roads with traffic, and people drive crazily on them. But police have explicitly said no to anyone using the forest, complete with Facebook shaming. I honestly don't get the logic because the forest is huge and not very popular with walkers even in normal times because it's not actually very picturesque.

What if you have an accident?

Statistically, more accidents that require hospitalization occur in the home than on the roads.

Also, 30% of car accidents occur less than a mile from home, so the stuff about only the very short drives being better doesn't seem to make that much sense either.

But that may change now that the guidelines are clearer isabelle.

I'm pleased that cemeteries and crems were mentioned today in the briefing . We have a massive one 5 minutes walk down the road from our house. It's extremely open with very wide roads and you never have to get within 100m of anyone. It's quiet too with a maximum of 5 other people in a huge area. We were using it for our daily walks, but they closed it a week or so ago. It was sad for us, but even sadder for those who have relatives buried there. Seemed like a big overreaction and I'm hoping that they open it up again.

• Statistically, more accidents that require hospitalization occur in the home than on the roads. Also, 30% of car accidents occur less than a mile from home, so the stuff about only the very short drives being better doesn't seem to make that much sense either.*

As I said, it’s about reducing risk isn’t it.

Just use your common sense! Go for it.

You can drive a short distance to exercise . I drive to Hyde Park or Putney Common to exercise dog before work early in the morning and at weekends .

That's a shame about the cemetery. It doesn't seem a sensible idea to close a large green space in a presumably urban or at least quasi urban area where there aren't many people.

As I said, it’s about reducing risk isn’t it

Not sure you read the post properly.

As long as you genuinely are driving somewhere quiet.

Not like some places around here (rural beauty spots) that have had to be closed with people driving to walk there thus making them busy.

You dont seem to be able to in north wales. Police patrolling and fining people if you stop your car in a beauty spot car park

I wish someone would tell the police round here that it’s allowed. They’ve either missed the memo or decided to ignore it .

I wish someone would tell the police round here that it’s allowed. They’ve either missed the memo or decided to ignore it

This.

They’ve barricaded the entrances to parks around here

They are saying the guidance only applies to England ghostmous3 - I think North Wales Police have too much time on their hands.