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AIBU?

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Original poster

To remind people of the exercise rules

349 replies

Orangeblossom78 · 25/04/2020 09:56

Keep seeing all this stuff where people are making up their own rules and telling people off! we were even glared at while having a family picnic on a long walk yesterday! Please stop with telling people off when they are within the guidelines.

Here is the current situation, as updated about a week ago.

What are the current rules when it comes to exercise in the UK?

Daily exercise, including walking, running, cycling, tending to an allotment or doing yoga is allowed.

You are allowed to drive somewhere to take your exercise. The guidance says, ‘it is lawful to drive for exercise.’ However, ‘Driving for a prolonged period with only brief exercise’ is also deemed ‘not likely to be reasonable’. The rule of thumb? You’re allowed to drive somewhere to go for a walk or run as long as you spend much more time walking than you do driving.

Exercising more than once per day is likely to be allowed if you have a ‘reasonable excuse’ for needing to leave your home.

You are allowed to sit and take a break from exercise, say, on a bench or sitting down in a park. However, this must be for a short time only and, as before, you must spend markedly more time exercising than resting.

OP posts:
Thread gallery
7
EveryLifeHasASoundtrack · 26/04/2020 17:41

sorry we were having another picnic!

Yawn.

heartsonacake · 26/04/2020 17:47

Ho sorry we were having another picnic!

Course you were, OP 😂

GinnyStrupac · 26/04/2020 17:52

YABU.

Gil55 · 26/04/2020 19:00

So glad I live in Scotland. From reading some of the posts about social distancing, I think you've all lost the plot in England. If you're not grassing up your neighbours, you're arguing over what constitutes exercise etc. FFS - stop bloody panicking and use some common sense

AlexaShutUp · 26/04/2020 19:10

I really don't understand why people can't manage for a couple of hours without eating. Can't you just wait until you get home?

Of course, it's different if you're out hiking for the whole day, but personally, I don't feel that's really in line with the spirit of the rules anyway - we're allowed out once a day for daily exercise, not for the whole flipping day.

Personally, I'm sick of the people who don't observe proper social distancing when we're out walking.

TheFuckingDogs · 26/04/2020 19:15

A long walk in the middle of nowhere and stopping for a picnic is fucking fine. Get a grip people! Obviously if you live in a massive city this probably isn’t something you can do but it’s fine in some places. Where we live you can drive 20 minutes away and be in a place where you can walk for 3 hours barely seeing another soul - in this scenario a short food break is fine!

puffinandkoala · 26/04/2020 19:34

All this nonsense stems from the (a) the fact the guidance doesn't reflect the law (b) there are miserable so-and-so's who don't like seeing other people having some fun and (c) there are CFs who take the mickey.

I actually think Michael Gove's view was very sensible - up to an hour.

And I agree with the Welsh government on once a day. I don't however agree with their new "walking distance" restriction for cyclists which makes no sense - they should have just said you can't be out for more than an hour. Not sure how you would police it but I suspect most people wouldn't try a 4 hour ride.

BruceAndNosh · 26/04/2020 19:39

Why was the annoying man on scooter annoying when everyone else wasn't?
He most probably wasn't annoyed by his own actions but might had found other people annoying...

JacobReesMogadishu · 26/04/2020 19:41

And the nhs boss Stephen Powis has said if people don’t stay at home there is a risk of a second surge. He specifically talked about people enjoying the outdoors.

But crack on OP.

Livelovebehappy · 26/04/2020 19:42

Ignore, ignore, ignore. If you’re following the guidelines, and unelected covid police are glaring at you, don’t be intimidated. TBH, I would say it’s safer to sit in the middle of a field eating a packed lunch than standing in line at B&Q for an hour with dozens of their people within a few feet of you.

BreakfastAtSquiffanys · 26/04/2020 19:42

The exercise rules are simple.

Whatever I want to do is ok
Everyone else is wrong
HTH

MyOtherLifeIsAFairytale · 26/04/2020 20:06

OP, you’re being dick. The End.

JacobReesMogadishu · 26/04/2020 20:10

I would say it’s safer to sit in the middle of a field eating a packed lunch than standing in line at B&Q for an hour with dozens of their people within a few feet of you.

You don't have to do either.

QueSera · 26/04/2020 21:05

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

RUSU92 · 26/04/2020 23:09

And the nhs boss Stephen Powis has said if people don’t stay at home there is a risk of a second surge

They’ve also said there will be a second surge anyway, so that’s bollocks. It’s going to happen regardless.

Most people will get it regardless.

This is all just a matter of timing, of protecting the NHS from being overwhelmed at one time, not of protecting the general public from every getting it.

How many times does that need to be said before some of you will get it?!

Abreadsandwich · 26/04/2020 23:49

A long walk in the middle of nowhere and stopping for a picnic is fucking fine. Get a grip people! Obviously if you live in a massive city this probably isn’t something you can do but it’s fine in some places. Where we live you can drive 20 minutes away and be in a place where you can walk for 3 hours barely seeing another soul - in this scenario a short food break is fine!

The OP was complaining about people (ie several, not just one person) glaring at her which suggests that they arent in a completely isolated area where they will only have 3 wasps and a pigeon for company....

infernotowering · 27/04/2020 06:20

@RUSU92 who has said that? Can you provide a source please?

That's not the message I've been getting from government briefings. A second surge is exactly what they want to avoid as is 'everybody getting it'. Happy to see where your evidence is coming from though.

ememem84 · 27/04/2020 07:11

Where I am (Channel Islands) we’ve been told that everyone will get it. And there will most likely be a second wave of the virus. So the feeling is our lockdown will be lifted on 11 May for things to be more mornal (as in more businesses will open and we can maybe send kids to nursery) for things to go back to lockdown by Christmas

Scarlettlmc · 27/04/2020 07:15

What's funny ? You asked a question and the response is yes, ABU. The guidelines don't at all suggest you should be sitting outside to eat a picnic, regardless of how long you've walked. it's very clear - leave the house for one form of exercise or essential food shopping/medicine pick ups only. I'm sick of people moaning at quarantine 'vigilantes'. We all want to see our families and friends as soon as possible and people flouting the rules means we will likely be subjected to harsher lockdown measures. It's selfish behaviour and you should know better than to post on this forum and not expect a reaction from those following government guidelines.

JacobReesMogadishu · 27/04/2020 07:16

Oh I do get it. I’ve said from the start that people need to use their common sense. Can’t see a problem for some people going out for exercise twice, etc if they’re very rural and won’t see anyone. I always said that the rules don’t state your exercise needs to be an hour or dss like some people said. I’ve no problem with people having a picnic if they’re very rural and in a field in the middle of nowhere.

But OP said several people were glaring at her, which suggests she’s in a busier park. What if everyone from that area decided to have a picnic? You can be 2m away from people and still be a twat. The only reason she was able to be more than 2m away from others is because other people weren’t being twats. But to be honest the more twats which get it now the better if there’s any chance it might help with herd immunity so she can crack on.

CasperGutman · 27/04/2020 08:24

The idea that a picnic lunch is ok on a long walk comes from the guidance produced by the National Police Chiefs' Council (NPCC) and the College of Policing, from Crown Prosecution Service guidelines. Those guidelines are supposed to help police officers decide whether a particular act is likely to be a crime for which a fine could be imposed. There's a big difference between that and public health advice on what behaviour is actually appropriate.

If you are seeking to follow best practice on how to behave in the present situation, a document intended to define the boundary of behaviour that will lead to legal sanctions might not be the best starting point.

Normalmumandwife · 27/04/2020 10:50

Well was out walking yesterday, cars full of families as well as visiting other houses. Blokes u loading canoes from car and carrying to the river, clearly for their exercise 😆

saints11 · 27/04/2020 11:16

It would be simpler if there was a distance you were allowed to travel for exercise if using a car. No issues in National Parks likely, for example, or remote villages.

In Belgium you have to walk or cycle and cannot go by car to start your walk.

YogaFaker · 27/04/2020 12:56

What if everyone from that area decided to have a picnic?

I think this is the issue.

If one person/family breaks the strict interpretation of the lockdown law, then it's OK. But if 20 do it? Or a hundred?

You can see the problem ...

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