To think people shouldn't walk to my village?

[Bohwens]

Hello,

With the knowledge that this will make me sound quite snooty, I firstly apologise and explain it is because I worry for my own and family's safety as we are all asthmatic and at heightened risk from COVID-19.

We live in a very pretty little village, in a small conservation area in a semi rural location. We are about 2 miles from the nearest modern housing estate. Usually, the lane through the village has a couple of regular dog walkers.

Now that we are lockdown and people are getting out to exercise in the sun (great), the lane is like a motorway. There is a constant stream of people from the housing estate coming for their walk to the village. I understand it must be dull to walk around a modern housing estate. Over 500m there were 30 people. Usually you might see 1. We can't even go for a short walk without risk of coming into contact with people.

Entire large families are coming with 5-6 children out of control on bikes etc, treating the lane past our houses like a park. I've spotted people touching our walls, gates etc, even caught one nosing in the garden!

Many of these people are not staying into the side to observe social distancing, and have dogs off the lead that need to be fetched away.

AIBU to think people should stick to their own areas for their exercise? In a way, I something feel that if they wanted beautiful walks outside their front-door they should have coughed up the extra £100k to live here...

I’d say this is a joke - either that or it’s the woman from my village who posted similar 😂

I'm going to defend the OP a bit, & if that makes me unpopular, tough. The OP is worried about her health & her familiy's health, for good reason. She may have felt that being in a small village meant her family were safer, & this may have given her peace of mind. Now that's been stripped away.

She expected that nothing would change, & that she & her family could go for walks under normal conditions & not see anyone else or could easily avoid other people. Now she finds she can't do that. She's at a disadvantage to these 'incomers', because of her asthma. They're enjoying the area next to her house but she now can't. It's a bit like the recent poster who rented a field next to her house & found a family had broken into it. Her cry was, "Why do people have to spoil things?" & I get that sense from the OP.

Give her a break.

Oh dear, 2 miles just isn't enough!

I think Xenia was showing humour...

Poor you OP having to look at poor people. They're probably all riddled with disease and will steal your cars and garden ornaments given a chance.

Maybe get together with your posh neighbours and put a tollgate on the entrances to the village? Contactless only of course.

Was trying hard to give you the benefit of the doubt, but you lost my sympathy when you mentioned house prices.
Oh the horror ! having the peasants from a housing estate walking around and touching stuff.
It’s funny how this pandemic is showing some people for the awful human specimens they are and others in a much more positive light.

I live on a not so new new build estate. People from outside the estate have been coming here for walks. I had noticed it was more lively come 7pm but didn't realise they were predominantly people from off the estate. Some people on the local Facebook page do have a problem with it because we do pay a factor to maintain the green areas around the estate. I can't say I am bothered as people have been friendly towards my toddlers who have been playing on our front lawn whilst I have been weeding and trying to clean the drive. The kids wave at every passerby and say hello and everyone has been responding to them which makes their day! Op is not the only person out there to think as she does sadly.

The 100k comment was uncalled for though.

I think Xenia was showing humour...

Doubt it, based on past performance she was deadly serious.

I don't live in a small village but I love hearing people walk past and say something nice about my front garden.

I hope someone shits on your lawn.

I live at the end of a cul de sac so it's very unusual for anyone to come "past" my house, usually it's just cars/lorries turning round or delivering items to my neighbours.

But since the lockdown started there have been quite a few pedestrians, including runners. I was a bit surprised about the runners but wondered if they were just trying to find roads without loads of other people to run on. Today I discovered that there is a challenge to run every road in my town! And a few people are trying to win challenges on Strava.

How very dare they. It's MY road. Not for all these people to do their daily exercise on.

Do you OWN the village you describe as 'mine'?

If not, catch yourself on.

So long as you wash your hands and keep to social distancing guidelines, you should be fine. I get your concerned but you cannot legislate for the behaviour of others. If someone comes too close, move / stand to one side and let them pass. Wear a mask / wash your hands when you get home.

2 miles is walking distance & local area.
maybe an own island or castle with moat & drawbridge for those who don't like peasants.

This must be a wind up as no one can be such a twat about people walking in the village she lives in and doesn't own!!!

You own a whole village??

I think you will find that the taxpayers own the road. They pay tax too! I experienced a similar situation on Sunday, some idiot put a go home sign up on a numbered cycle route. Luckily the local shop was a lot more welcoming, doing a great trade in ice lollies!

Unless you own the roads their taxes are just as good as yours and they can walk wherever the hell they want.

Apart from your own property, everywhere belongs to everyone. It isn't 'your' village, and if you could cope with the dullness, you are equally entitled to walk through their housing estate.

The house prices, the fact that it is a village, all irrelevant.

The only relevant thing is that wherever people go they should be sensible about distancing.

I am sure you have a local bobby (every quaint village has one) who could do the occasional patrol and remind people.

Yeah, I'm going wind up as well.

Is the village named The Exclusive Fiefdom of Lady Bohwens (who shall decide thanks to obscure bylaws all who shall enter therein)

No? Thought not.

Off you go. I do hope you take the opportunity to maybe bottle some of your air in (not) your village and maybe flog it to the ne'er do wells as they try to enter. Crack on!

@dexterslockedintheshedagain

Sorry, I'm an anorak

Tubbs says it to Edward in an episode of the League of Gentlemen, and OP seemed very concerned about her village being a local village for local people...

I used to live in Swansea too though and would go back in a heartbeat, I loved it!

I bet some of them even do their shopping in Iceland, and wear TRACKSUITS. Won't do at all.

Her cry was, "Why do people have to spoil things?" & I get that sense from the OP.

Give her a break

I think OP would have got a rather different response if she hadn't let the mask slip with her if they wanted beautiful walks outside their front-door they should have coughed up the extra £100k to live here line.