To wonder why my garden is more risky than a park bench?

[Iamnotusuallyconfused]

I’m confused about the rules - I’ll admit that and I know it’s boring constantly hearing ‘can I do this’ But I’m confused.

So under the new rules, I can meet my mum in a park and sit on a park bench 2m from her - and probably loads of other strangers.

But I’ve been informed I cannot have her sit in my back garden or drive way 2m away?

AIBU to think my garden is not more risky than a park and do it anyway?

And her and my dad live together, why can I not see them together? If she has it, so does he? Is it breaking the rules if he sits in the car while I walk with her and then they switch? What is this madness?

[Savingshoes]

I don't know the answer but what I do know is that you can arrange for people to view your home if it's on the market.
So if your home was on the market, your mum could come and view it and your garden and see you!!

[ProtectAll]

My DP have a huge garden, my DM is shielding and totally fed up as she has already done 12 weeks. We can’t meet in a park easily as she can only walk a short distance and can’t stand for long periods. She can get into her garden where she has her own chairs to sit on.
Various family members have visited to bring supplies etc. Conversations are held at least 3m apart in the garden. Or I’d it is cold from the lounge to the garden through the patio door.
If my DF can play golf with his friend my I can visit my DM

[Firecarrier]

There is zero sense to any of the pathetic rules.

If people want to follow them to make themselves feel superior that's fine - or a deluded sense they're helping themselves or others. Please don't make a grand gesture of standing to the side for me on the pavement though it makes you look like a passive aggressive tit. Especially when I'm jogging up bank and then feel obliged to hurry up. I don't care if you move or not.

I mean, you've only got to question why it is safe to meet in a park/sit on a bench/go to work but if you go fishing you've got to be 15 METRES AWAY!

[Chesntoots]

.

[PyongyangKipperbang]

Its been done this way, as it has all along, because of the willfully stupid.

Not people who genuinely dont get it, but those who will pretend they didnt undetstand in order to break the rules but get away with it. "oh I thought it meant....."

Everyone knows it means "be safe, be sensible, dont be a dick" but those who are going to be a dick either way will do what they want regardless so all its actually doing is making things needlessly complicated for those of us following the rules. However, if I was in charge I would probably do the same. Make the rules so draconian so that those who break do less damage.

[softjellycell]

So if your home was on the market, your mum could come and view it and your garden and see you!!

Vendors to told to go out whilst people view their house. The estate agent 'supervises' apparently - a relative of mine is finally able to sell their house as they are relocating for work.

[GrimmsFairytales]

Make the rules so draconian so that those who break do less damage.

I'm not really sure you could describe the current guidance as draconian.

[SusieOwl4]

Look . The government can not cover every single situation or family demographic.. But you will want to hug and talk to your family more than a cleaner or estate agent . So if you see them outside in the park and keep your distance then you will both be safer . Not sharing a cup of tea of talking closely face to face . Which is much higher risk . The government have made it clear they are trying baby steps and have to give GENERAL guidelines. It seems for mumsnet that loads of families are breaking the rules anyway . So if you feel your family is low risk etc etc etc . No one will probably know .

Personally I will wait to see what happens . But you go for it if you want .

Btw I think teachers are at lower risk than supermarket workers and their families so thanks to all of them as well who have just bravely carried on .

[quietheart]

There is no logic to it.

if she has it so does he if this is referring to both partners having the virus because one has it, it is not true. My friend has nursed her husband through covid19 until he was taken into hospital. He has died she has never tested positive or had any symptoms.

[SusieOwl4]

@GrimmsFairytales

We have had NOTHING like some other countries . And the government have been very trusting .

[tillytoodles1]

I meet my son or daughter most weekends on the benches outside but it's so hard not to be able to hug them. As they say, better to be six foot apart than six foot under

[PissOffStayAtHomeDogMum]

@AJPTaylor

"Be sensible, use your own judgement" is a bit of sensible advice in the sea of batshittery that constitutes MN at the moment.

[EffOrf]

It was said today or yesterday that someone could pass you on a path and not be 2 metres away, I bet some poor bugger has been knocked down by a car hopping into the road to give a 2m berth.

[itsgettingweird]

And that EA meme sums up stupidity and peoples tantrums perfectly.

Viewers are coming around whilst you are out! There are guidelines. They aren't coming around to sit for a coffee and a chat. And actually - most viewings are online. Houses aren't being sold 8n the conventional either.
Plus there are approx 28 million dwellings occupied. How many are being sold and viewed. Not that many. I'd we all visited each other's home it's a greater footfall.

Again. This isn't about you can catch virus doing this but not this. You can catch the damn thing from your mail! It's about transmission rates and keeping them low and getting them lower.
A free for all won't do that.
60k odd excess deaths. And yet people are STILL quibbling over stupid things.

If you want a hospital bed if and when you need one. Keep your contacts low and help keep transmission low.

It ain't rocket science

[HopelesslydevotedtoGu]

The rules are written so that when given to the whole country, viral transmission is reduced overall. They haven't been written by someone who has come and looked round your garden, asked about your relatives, checked out your commute to work. They may not seem completely applicable to your life - maybe in your case the local park is really crowded so you will be bumping into people if you meet your mum there. The rules are made with the whole population in mind.

If they tell the whole country they can have friends round to their garden, viral transmission will go up because some people will misunderstand and invite people inside too, some will push it and let people come in to use the loo or get a drink, some will have small gardens and sit too close together, some will relax more when not in public view and not follow the rules.

I do follow the rules because if people see others breaking the rules, they are more likely to break them themselves, and I don't want to contribute to the virus spreading just for the sake of socialising. However nobody is stopping you have somebody in your garden if you think that it is truly important that you do this.

[SusieOwl4]

@ProtectAll

Just use your common sense . Don’t hug them don’t talk closely with them .

I had to help my parents the other day so I masked up and put gloves on . They are highly vulnerable but it had to be done l

[itsgettingweird]

I know hopeless. People were having house parties when we were in full lockdown. Can you imagine the carnage if everyone was told to meet family!
7 weeks in and still some peoples ability to comprehend the basic science we have access to is astonishing.

[PrayingandHoping]

Because you are more likely to spend a much longer time sat in a family members garden than u would meeting in a public place. There is also the likelihood that u may go in to use the toilet

Also think of people who don't have a large outside space, maybe over a balcony.... then they would twist the rules to suit them and they would be very close to each other. People who can only access gardens through houses? People would do that to

It's easier and safer for the politicians to just say no. Then you stop getting people twisting the rules to suit them (although it will never stop everyone)

[Chesntoots]

I posted it because it does sum it up perfectly.

I am a key worker and the nature of my job entails that I cannot, in any way, socially distance. Quite frankly the whole craziness is driving me crazy. There is being sensible and being ludicrous.

If you live with someone for whom this is likely to be fatal then I understand the worry, however, for the greater population this is not the case.

[ginsparkles]

I think it's to do with risk that you will forget or not maintain the distance you end up popping in to use the loo etc.

I thought it was a bit daft until today, when I met with my mum for our first socially distanced walk and it was surprising how many times we accidentally got too close because being 2m away from someone your talking to feels really weird and unnatural. I can understand that in your garden this might be even more the case, and also why it's harder to maintain in larger groups.

[Idododoidadada]

And I -nhs worker donning face mask, gown, goggles and gloves each day- wants to weep at all the ways people want to circumnavigate the guidelines.

THANK YOU all the people who chose to stick to the rules to NOT put us all at risk.

All the ‘oh but meeting 3 family members in the garden is no different from sitting on a bench with one person’ you are wrong.

The relaxing of the lockdown is an experiment. The more people that don’t stick to the rules the faster the rise and the bigger the second spike will be. Yet not one of you, who ignore the rules, will think YOU are responsible for the rise.

You WILL be responsible for the rise no matter how you kid yourself. Just pray it won’t be your loved one that is the next patient.

[Grandmi]

It’s to avoid people meeting in a garden ,then having a few drinks,then needing to use the loo and so it goes on ! Remember all advice is aimed at the stupid people to avoid any confusion!!

[itsgettingweird]

Ido well said. And a huge THANKYOU to you and your collegues who have worked tirelessly to kept what is awful excess deaths to the minimum possible.
I work in a school. I go in and look after frontline workers children. I know the risks. I shop only once a week for me and my shielding (both on chemo) parents. I don't visit other shops "because I fancy". I don't sit in parks even though I can now. I'm also lucky to have miles of farmland to walk around. I am an increased risk of transmission because of what I do. So I do what's needed and keep myself and others safe as much as I can outside of this despite my 'rights'.

And That's despite being certain I've had it and had a hospital consultant confirm that I probably have!

[TheSmallAssassin]

There is nothing in "the rules" to say that you can't meet someone in your garden. The only guidance is that you should be outdoors, not only in a public place or park, just outdoors and not inside your home.

www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-outbreak-faqs-what-you-can-and-cant-do/coronavirus-outbreak-faqs-what-you-can-and-cant-do

[jasjas1973]

That is literally the point of this whole exercise. Keep people in who don’t need to go out so that it’s safer for those who do need to go out

Uh? So we need to go to a garden centre? or drive 200 miles to exercise?
The whole thing is completely illogical and its why soooo many people are looking at these so called rules and saying "fuck this" the Police cannot even enforce the 2m rule in a park.