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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To have naively thought people were sticking to the rules

145 replies

Myfriendanxiety · 19/05/2020 13:05

We’ve been for a walk at a local country park today- first time in 8 weeks of leaving our village.

I had believed people were sticking to the rules as all my friends and family are, but the place was full of people meeting up who clearly aren’t the same household!

Loads of grandparents out with children and the children’s parents, lots of mum groups with pushchairs, and lots of school age children playing with friends while mums sit and watch.

I understand everyone is fed up now and desperate to see people- but I was so surprised at how many people are clearly ignoring the rules of mixing households.

OP posts:
ClassicCola · 19/05/2020 13:08

I think people think the risk is low outdoors so have made their own minds up.

Original poster
Myfriendanxiety · 19/05/2020 13:10

@ClassicCola yes this seems to be the case.

I am usually big on rules so was waiting To be told we can mix households before we see anyone- but if this second wave everyone has talked about comes then it’s going to be lockdown even longer and my poor kids won’t get to see their grandparents all year!

OP posts:
ClassicCola · 19/05/2020 13:12

The risk is low outdoors, so I can understand people meeting up with grandparents etc outdoors.

BigSandyBalls2015 · 19/05/2020 13:13

The risk isn't that low if the kids are all touching each other and coughing all over each other, sharing drinks, ice creams etc etc.

WorraLiberty · 19/05/2020 13:15

Yes YABU

Mumsnet has been literally full of threads about this ever since lockdown began.

The news, many TV shows and newspapers have also been reporting a lot on it.

How you managed to miss it all is beyond me.

IcedPurple · 19/05/2020 13:17

These ''everyone is 'flouting' the 'rules' apart from me'' threads are getting old. In fact, they got old more than 5 weeks ago.

You just do you, OP. Enjoy your walk and stop analysing groups of strangers to guess whether or not they were part of the same household. In other words, mind your own business.

NoMorePoliticsPlease · 19/05/2020 13:22

In reality we only need the main bulk of us to obey the rules for a massive reduction in transmission. Annoying but true

poppy2021 · 19/05/2020 13:25

@IcedPurple I would normally agree with you on mind your own business and know you think this has been done to death but it's other people who they are putting at risk. Some of my family are NHS workers and trust me and don't need an immediate second wave of infection. They are exhausted

Wewearpinkonwednesdays · 19/05/2020 13:28

So you've not been on MN since lockdown then?

Wewearpinkonwednesdays · 19/05/2020 13:29

Or any other social media?

wildcherries · 19/05/2020 13:29

Like PP, I'm surprised you're surprised. But that's giving you benefit of the doubt as to whether you are simply displaying faux naivety and virtue signaling.

IcedPurple · 19/05/2020 13:31

I would normally agree with you on mind your own business and know you think this has been done to death but it's other people who they are putting at risk.

How much risk is being done by a few people enjoying a walk together? There is considerable evidence that transmission rates are very low outdoors. Plus, all the actual statistics - as opposed to outraged MN curtain twitchers - state that traffic in all forms has massively reduced over the past 2 months. The vast majority of people have adhered to the guidelines, though you'd never think so to read MN.

OneandTwenty · 19/05/2020 13:34

People have proudly and smugly ignored the rules from the beginning because they could - in England they were merely guidelines and are laughing at "snowflakes" and "dementors" who are "hysterical" about imaginary risks.

As all restrictions have been pretty much lifted, people are packed in public transports, schools are reopening, cleaners can go to your house and so on, I am surprised that there still are people who ARE respecting anything!

I've already mentioned it but I can't be only one : parents on my whatsapp class are organising a class birthday party in June as the kids will see each other anyway. As technically they are right, I am not even sure anyone could argue with that.

LilyE1234 · 19/05/2020 13:34

I just went for a walk and in the park was a group of 4 mums, they were all spread apart “Social distancing” but had plonked their babies in the middle all touching each other 😂

BlackberryCane · 19/05/2020 13:35

I doubt the number of people you saw today represent a sufficiently large percentage of the local population for you to be able to draw any useful conclusions about compliance rates generally.

mag12 · 19/05/2020 13:36

I feel the same op. Not really seeing it in person as not going out very far but many Facebook friends are posting their outings with their friends and family! Not just outside either! This will be the reason it will take a long time to slow down.

There’s still a risk even if outside if people aren’t social distancing.

Stupid people thinking that things are okay when it’s not.

OneandTwenty · 19/05/2020 13:36

Plus, all the actual statistics - as opposed to outraged MN curtain twitchers - state that traffic in all forms has massively reduced over the past 2 months.

technically, the actual statistics show that traffic HAD reduced, it's near back to normal now...

It's half term next week, see how the traffic and the queues to beach, park and anything not close will increase.

otterturk · 19/05/2020 13:37

We definitely didn't need another thread about this.

Astrid84 · 19/05/2020 13:38

Apart from the first 2 weeks of lockdown, a lot of people in my area are certainly not following guidelines. I was in Sainsbury's on Friday after work and everyone was queued to go in but once people were in nobody gave a toss about the guidelines and were shopping in their usual manner

OneandTwenty · 19/05/2020 13:38

oh, the thread police is back! Grin

MerryInthechelseahotel · 19/05/2020 13:38

Is it only UK saying the risk is minimal outdoors? How do we know that? All the other countries had much stricter rules. I don't believe anything they say at the moment Hmm

OneandTwenty · 19/05/2020 13:39

the quicker the majority go back to normal and gives the rest of us a chance to see if it makes any difference to the rates the better.

IcedPurple · 19/05/2020 13:46

technically, the actual statistics show that traffic HAD reduced, it's near back to normal now...

It is not back to normal. Not close. How could it be? Schools, most shops, places of entertainment etc. shut. Public transport reduced to a minimum. Almost no overseas travel.

Where are all these people going, and by what means are they travelling if it's 'back to normal'?

P1nkHeartLovesCake · 19/05/2020 13:48

You were out, they were out. Funny on mumsnet isn’t it that the OP is always sticking to rules or out for an essential reasons but everyone else is a rule breaker despite government data all along saying different.

The majority are following rules, lockdown was always based on the majority. You never get 100% compliance

I think being outside is great for people’s well being. These times are rubbish and sun on your face can do wonders

They don’t think the virus transmits the same way outside. So better to have people in the park that Sarah’s kitchen imo

Children are not thought to be great spreaders of this virus

The park here is busier but everyone appears to be in household groups. Yes a group of mums with non mobile dc in pushchairs were together eating but having young dc is hard and to be fair they were all sitting apart, so I can’t get worked up over it as the mums used sense sitting apart and the dc can’t play together because they are tiny babies.

I can’t even get worked up about car use, possibly going up. Good I say, keeps people off public transport.

user1487194234 · 19/05/2020 13:49

I think this is inevitable,people have had enough
We need kids being educated,people working and things getting back to normal ASAP
Have you seen the unemployment figures today