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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask if you've been stopped by police and asked why you're out?

275 replies

AvocadosBeforeMortgages · 28/04/2020 13:09

I've been out and about a LOT during lockdown. My reasons are legitimate (doing deliveries is the bulk of it) but that wouldn't be immediately obvious to a bystander when I'm driving around in an unbranded hatchback.

I've not been asked why I'm out of the house by a police officer even once since lockdown began, which surprises me. I live in a very urban area, and have seen plenty of them. I don't know anyone who has been stopped and asked. I'm curious to see if this is widespread.

YABU = I've been stopped by the police since lockdown began
YANBU = I haven't been stopped by the police

OP posts:
Elouera · 28/04/2020 13:53

I haven't drive anywhere, but have seen a few community officers walking around.

MIL's gardener was stopped. He lives in the same rural village as her, but with equipment, can't walk to hers. She lives on 4 acres, and doesn't physically see the gardener. She needed shrubs cutting back so she doesn't trip on the footpath. Police said his work wasn't essential (he can hardly do it from home) and recorded his details! He will now apparently get a fine if seen out again without a good reason. The poor man hasn't driven since, hasn't worked and is afraid to go out even for shopping now!

It seems the police don't know the rules themselves, and have been heavy handed in some cases.

ilovedjerrymore · 28/04/2020 13:53

I have travelled around for work and haven’t been asked once and seen many police on my way driving etc they never even glanced at me.

Loads of police in my area that have actually driven past groups of kids on bikesHmm

A few people currently working for us have been stopped especially at London train stations they said they were on their way to work and were given the all clear to continue. We have given letters to each one now to state they are working just so they are covered.

RedskyAtnight · 28/04/2020 13:53

No, but I've not left the house other than to go for walks (near my house) and to the shops (once a week). In fact I don't think I've even seen a police person.

My parents, who live close to a local beauty spot and walk their dog there, mention being stopped quite regularly. So I suspect the police are targeting particular locations.

vanillandhoney · 28/04/2020 13:54

I see the police driving around most mornings when I'm out with the dog. I've been stopped once - not because they thought I was doing anything wrong but because one of the officers loved beagles and wanted to say hello Grin

Kimbaland · 28/04/2020 13:55

OH was pulled over by the police on the motorway on the way home from work and was asked where he was going and why. Without going into too much detail he's part of the system that is building hospitals/morgues so he is an essential worker, just not frontline.

Police couldn't have been nicer about it, thanked him and sent him on his way.

WombatStewForTea · 28/04/2020 13:56

@Becca19962014 is there not a local hub that could support you? Sounds like you're struggling a bit

oakleaffy · 28/04/2020 13:56

A friend took took his heavy Motorbike out.... not at all essential...and he parked it up on a MOTORWAY ''siding'' that was shielded by young trees.
I said ''what on earth did you stop there for? those are police places!

Sure enough, two police came by asking what the problem was.... Friend said he'd stopped for a rest, and the police were very nice to him {he is 70 though, recovering from an operation}

He didn't get a telling off, and they even helped him with a small problem he had, turning his heavy bike around in his weakened state.... no telling off about non essential riding.

amicissimma · 28/04/2020 13:57

I've had to do one motorway journey and fully expected to be challenged so had the documentation for it handy. I passed two Police doing speed checks but that was it.

I think that the public are in more danger from some of the driving I see round here than from a mum standing alone waiting for her DS to finish a swim or sitting on a bench for a few minutes.

deydododatdodontdeydo · 28/04/2020 13:57

It's likely because these people would have been in a gym, swimming pool or playing sports or even spending most of the day in work

Exactly this. DH runs three times a week normally, and is doing the same now, only now he's doing it after he finishes work at 5pm instead of after 7pm and weekends only.
He says normally he sees almost nobody when he's running, but now he sees lots. But everyone's hours are different now.

To the original question - haven't been stoppped, but then have only driven to the shops once since about 15th March and haven't been out otherwise.

Becca19962014 · 28/04/2020 13:59

wombat not unless I'm willing to let people who have abused me know where I live as they're volunteers. Yes I'm struggling. But unless im willing to risk being hurt I've no choice but to do so.

oakleaffy · 28/04/2020 14:00

@Becca19962014
Can they not change the script to twice weekly? /weekly Daily is a bore especially if one is in pain.

Becca19962014 · 28/04/2020 14:00

To be fair the police weren't nasty but clearly felt I'm in violation of lockdown rules.

TooTrueToBeGood · 28/04/2020 14:01

No, but it wouldn't bother me as our police are lovely and I have no doubt they would be perfectly reasonable.

ParkheadParadise · 28/04/2020 14:03

Yes I have.
Dd and I were out for our walk which takes us by her nursery. She decided to hold on to the railings and cry because it was closed🤨.
Everytime I got her hand off she held on with the other one. I thought my day couldn't get any worse when two police officers appeared.
They told her nursery would be opened soon and she needs to take mummy's hand and walk with her. I was shittting myself that she would tell them I'd hit her she can be over dramatic sometimes.
They gave her a wave as we were walking along.

Becca19962014 · 28/04/2020 14:03

oak they won't give me the means to end my life.

AJPTaylor · 28/04/2020 14:04

Of course more people are exercising on green spaces........

Letsdrinkgin · 28/04/2020 14:05

I’m out all the time and I’ve never been stopped

Poing · 28/04/2020 14:06

Nope, but both the police and the army (!!) have stopped by my SIL's place to make sure she was still quarantining.

PineappleDanish · 28/04/2020 14:07

I have passed a police car most days on my walk. I usually give them a cheery wave or a thumbs up.

Never been stopped, but then again a middle aged mum in her trainers and hoodie isn't the demographic most likely to breach the rules.

WhatWouldYouDoWhatWouldJesusDo · 28/04/2020 14:09

My brother in law has.......we live in Cumbria so have had huge issues with people sneaking in. His work car is registered to Birmingham so he was pulled over (( he was working ! ))

Etinox · 28/04/2020 14:10

@Becca19962014
That sounds really tough. Surely the pharmacist could drop off or go to every other day, that’s so hard!

3746xvy734 · 28/04/2020 14:12

The police officer said that if I was standing still I needed to go home because I wasn't exercising. She was right I suppose

What! Of course she wasn't right. Unless your legs are physically moving you without stopping you have to go home? How were you any more of a danger to anyone as long as you are observing the social distance, whether you are moving or not?

If you to the supermarket you have to stand still, a lot, to do your shopping, not to mention queuing and the chances of social distancing being breached are far more than on a beach.

Plus, you were watching your son!

SunnyStroll · 28/04/2020 14:12

I saw them turn up all blues and twos at a park where a group of young people had gathered. They were long gone by the time they got out of their car, so I suppose that was job done Grin

LittlePrepper · 28/04/2020 14:13

Rules have now changed in Wales and round here they're being really strict about it - apparently I can either have medication or food but not both (or have exercise once) and must go directly where I am going and back again and not go into another place. And no stopping except once. I need to stop, many times. I've diabetes so need to carry food - unfortunately not as easy as me just having a couple of jelly babies and blood sugar sorting itself out. There's no taxis and I struggle to even move right now.

@Becca19962014 I think the police may be overstepping the mark somewhat. The Welsh guidance has been updated but still doesn't mention the number of times you can go out for food, medicine etc, it just says as infrequently as possible and it certainly doesn't seem to say you can only go for one ot the other.

It does specifies number of times for exercise (once a day), but even then there is a caveat.that this can be more than once a day if a health condition or disability warrants it.

gov.wales/staying-home-and-away-others-guidance

Deelish75 · 28/04/2020 14:13

No I haven't, but I've only been out in the car three times since lockdown started, once to pick up a prescription and twice to go to the supermarket. The supermarket is just off a dual carriageway that takes you to the motorway , which takes you to the coast or into London and the M25. I was really expecting to see police there checking where people were going.

I have seen the police a couple of times driving along my road, residential road that runs up to a big park, also seen them parked up outside the park on the road but never seen them inside the park, even when it was warm and sunny.