To be shocked at ndn having visitors?

[Blueswede]

Next door neighbours in their 70’s, had a visitor arrive on a bicycle yesterday and had a visitor arrive in a car today. I’m sure they’re just sitting in the garden so probably are keeping the social distance but given that I’ve not seen anyone since lockdown began I’m a bit about it! I don’t want to dob them in as I really like my neighbours. Just totally surprised! DH says well people are doing that, visiting friends and family but keeping the distance. ( to be clear - We aren’t visiting or having visitors!)

Maybe one of them isn't well, or both of them, and it is welfare visits. Would you know if there is a problem?

My next door neighbour is currently having a garden party out the back. No social distancing going on there.
She’s lovely and we get on well but I’m a bit annoyed by it. None of my business though. I’m quite happy social distancing!

Gosh op, I think I envy you. You’re life must be very fabulous indeed if your elderly neighbours having a socially distanced visit shocks you. I wonder how you’d cope if something properly shocking happened.

Hopefully it doesn’t. Good for you.

@opticaldelusion who pissed on your chips? I haven’t been further than the garden gate in 7 weeks, I was genuinely surprised and shocked to see them having visitors two days running purely because I haven’t seen anyone but my DH and son for the last two months or so, and it was just so strange to me to see someone having a visitor and was genuinely surprised. This is my first experience of it and no I haven’t read all the threads on here about the same topic, so I genuinely didn’t realise it was happening!
How else can I put it - I’m so used to the new normal that it was strange to see them having visitors and hearing people socialising. I know that’s sad but I’ve not even been to the supermarket, either DH goes or we get delivery. Which is why it was a shock to me!

Neighbours are having a VE BBQ as we speak, loads of people. I don't care as long as none of them come anywhere near me. OP - people have been fooled into thinking we have enough police to respond to every call about lockdown rules being broken. We don't.

It doesn't affect you in any way, so why do you care enough to start a thread on here? Concentrate on your own life.

We just had some visitors. They live within walking distance. They walked down our drive, we let them into our garden through the side gate and we had some socially distanced drinks and nibbles (sorry I know that word will enrage some people).

Shocked is a bit much

@Bluntness100 oh fuck off. I didn’t know socially distanced visits were a thing. Are they allowed? Can I pop to my mums and sit 2m from her in her garden because if so, I’ve avoided her for two months for fuck all as she’s not shielding. Hence my shock at hearing people socialising!

Get over yourself.

Do you think people have gone a bit over the top now...constantly commenting on what others are doing. What boring lives some must live.... my neighbour did this.... my neighbour did that - seriously - so many curtain twitchers on mumsnet

@RainMustFall my question was am I unreasonable to be shocked? Answers like yours suggest it is unreasonable to be shocked at seeing and hearing my neighbours having visitors during a lockdown, so I guess it’s considered reasonable to visit others? 🤦🏼‍♀️ Sorry, I thought that’s what this category was for. Asking if a certain thing or reaction or behaviour is unreasonable. My bad.

@Weallhavevalidopinions curtain twitching?? Sorry, I can’t help but notice when neighbours have cars and people on bikes turning up and then chatting and laughing loudly in garden all afternoon. Hardly curtains twitching. I DONT CARE that they’re doing it I was just SHOCKED/SURPRISED (take your pick) because it’s such an unusual sight now. Plus I’d love to go see my mum and my friends and if socially distances visits are ok then I’ll pop over

For all those people saying it won’t impact us, it might if there is another spike in the figures and we end up having a stricter lockdown. Maybe we will have ones like in Europe where you had to prove why you were out and heavy fines.

For six weeks we have (almost) religiously followed the rules. The only exception being I have once or twice a week sat in my mums garden, whilst she sits in her house and opens her french windows and talked for twenty minutes.

She is 84, lives with my dad who has advanced Alzheimer’s, is his sole carer and she has angina, partial sight loss and needs a heart valve replacement.

I am not going to add depression to her lot. I go masked, I don’t come anywhere near her, I make her remaining life more tolerable.

Report me.

Can I pop to my mums and sit 2m from her in her garden because if so, I’ve avoided her for two months for fuck all as she’s not shielding.

Yes, unless she lives a fair distance away. I've been doing this for the last 2 months whilst dropping off shopping, my parents live in walking distance.
Why have you not left your house for 2 months, you are allowed you know. In fact unless you're exercising at home I'd say it was very important for your health to get out and exercise everyday. Half the country are still commuting/going to work. It really is time people starting using their common sense instead of waiting to be spoon fed specific do's and don'ts by a prime minister who almost killed himself with his own stupidity.

Sitting 2m away from your mum in the garden would be the same, if not lower, risk as standing in a line to go to the shops 2m away from everyone else. The joyous think about being an adult is you can risk assess for yourself, which is what these people have done.

My parents have been following lockdown rules as have I. Therefore, the risk of us spending time together would be the same as if I lived in their house. Yes, lockdown is important but so is mental health. If you or your mum is struggling, a cup of tea and a chat in her front garden isn't going to hurt anyone and may do you both the world of good

@ineedaholidaynow exactly this!!!! Also if expected to go back to work etc and people who have been flouting could be spreading it to all and sundry and then we back to square one. Same for kids etc we haven't mixed with anyone yet all it takes is for one child to be at school who hasn't followed rules and suddenly we are back to square one. I don't get what people do not understand!

@Allthebestusernameshavegone that’s exactly it I’m not bothered if they have visitors it’s their decision but it was just such a surprise to see something that used to be so normal. We talk to these neighbours over the garden wall regularly which is no different I suppose but I mean I wouldn’t make a trip purposefully to visit someone.. bit different if you live on the same street I guess! For what it’s worth we live rurally so people actually need to travel quite far to get here! Definitely ain’t welfare or home help or whatever because we do know our neighbours quite well and they are literally some of the fittest people I know, always gardening and walking etc!

Why wouldn't you go see her and sit in her front garden 2m away from her if its not far from you?

It is my sister's birthday today and sadly as I am following the rules I will not be visiting, nor will her grown up children. Meanwhile my neighbour pulled up this morning having gone to pick up her grandchild, later on the parent's arrived and they have been spoiling any peace I might have had in the garden.This happens every weekend lockdown or not, their entitled attitude makes my blood boil.

It seems to be very normal where I live. People coming and going out of each other's houses. Etc

It's my SIL birthday today and my mum and dad have been to visit her, her mum who lives 20 miles away and her friend from 20 miles away... I think my parents were trying to guilt me into going by telling me there were time slots to visit.... but don't worry she clapped for the NHS, as did my neighbours so it's all good...

Last I heard 2m is guidance and the covid laws still apply and I live with a police officer so I'm sure he'd be one of the first to know if the law changed

My neighbours haven't stopped having family round and doing barbecues for friends since lockdown began. I have to listen to their grandchildren screech even though they're not supposed to be there. It really galls me as I can't even go and hug my mum or celebrate my relatives' birthdays, yet they're happy to carry on as normal.

If they are social distancing in their garden,then at less risk than you are with DH going to supermarket.

Plus how do you know If maybe bicycle visitor wasnt dropping off meds (combining with his daily exercise), and car person wasn’t delivering shopping?

We have people dropping off stuff for us, always have a chat - all very safe and distanced. Last week even let a friend sit in garden bringing us essentials - I made him a cup of coffee and a bacon sandwich . Sensible hygiene measures taken before delivery of said refreshments and after. Wouldn’t have anyone in my house though, and def no get togethers.

I've seen people doing this all day. People don't care anymore and have realised its impossible to eradicate this virus, so why kill our selves trying?

@BlueGheko because I’m extremely fortunate to have a garden and I have always exercised at home anyway.
@TeddyBeans
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Sitting 2m away from your mum in the garden would be the same, if not lower, risk as standing in a line to go to the shops 2m away from everyone else. The joyous think about being an adult is you can risk assess for yourself, which is what these people have done”.
In order to see my parents I would need to drive 20 minutes there, and I wouldn’t class it as a trip for medicine or food and my parents don’t need me to help them with anything. In fact I just broached the idea of visiting their garden now and mum told me not to 😂😂 so yes it is joyous being able to make my own assessments, however the government have specifically said not to visit friends and family in other households if everyone took that approach there’d be absolutely no point having a lockdown