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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:
1forsorrow · 19/05/2020 14:40

I do envy Northern Ireland, I would love to meet up with my kids and would happily do the 200 round trip for an hour in the park.

1forsorrow · 19/05/2020 14:40

that should be 200 mile round trip

Wiaa · 19/05/2020 14:44

Actually for the most part the rules haven't been relaxed just the guidelines relaxed/made clearer, you could do most of the stuff before. Go to work, meet 1 other person 2m apart, stop to eat, leave your home as many times as you like, play outdoor sports. It was all just worded so you thought you couldn't

Original poster
Myfriendanxiety · 19/05/2020 14:44

I was out- for the first time in 8 weeks with my own household for a walk in a public place. I obviously expected there to be many others doing the same. It’s allowed.

I was just a little surprised at the amount of households that were mixing. I appreciate some may be several generations living together of course, but I highly doubt they all were.

I know it’s none of my business, but it just stings a little that we drove past my mums house who would usually come with us to something like this because we are allowed to mix. My children haven’t seen her for 8 weeks. I can meet her on my own for a walk as per the new rules but I have the children with me 6days a week on my own so can’t do it often.

OP posts:
mencken · 19/05/2020 14:46

just heard through the window with two people talking to my neighbours 'are you still on lockdown?'

scary, isn't it?

Kljnmw3459 · 19/05/2020 14:47

I think more people are starting to take calculated risks. Majority probably still sticking to the lockdown rules at this point.

CornishYarg · 19/05/2020 14:50

AWryGiraffe *FLOUT not flaunt for gods sake.

I really hate that phrase now. Argh.*

Amen to that. I wish the words flouting and flocking would take a few days off as they're heavily overused! (And take flaunting with them.)

TheTideIsTurning · 19/05/2020 14:53

My 13 year old and I haven't been out of our village for 8 weeks. We've not seen my mum, who's been on her own for the whole time, she lives 30 minutes drive away. I've not seen my boyfriend, he lives an hour away.

Next week, in half term, my son and I are going to meet up with my mum at a park local to my mum. My son and I will keep 2m away from my mum and hopefully spend a couple of hours sitting in the sun, enjoying each other's company.

I really couldn't care less if anyone sees us and judges us.

AvalancheKit · 19/05/2020 14:55

The evidence is this is the exception rather than the norm. If you look at UK live webcams there are about 50 people mostly in couples on Brighton beach and walkers are several metres apart. St Ives is empty.

Reports of London streets and tube being rammed are being contradicted by people I know who live in the West End.

Where is your local park OP? Sounds pretty unique or your story is elaborated.....

TimeWastingButFun · 19/05/2020 14:56

It's ridiculous. I saw a huge group today having a picnic - about 25 people, all set up for the day with their tents etc. The only people I've seen are the gardener who comes when we stay indoors and my parents who I shop for. You can meet ONE person, outside. There will be stricter lockdowns for everyone if people can't understand and follow basic rules.

SusieOwl4 · 19/05/2020 15:13

If the government KNEW exactly the amount of risk they would have announced a "free for all" but because all we know is the risk is lower outside at a distance - hence the rule - so we can ALL take small steps for the sake of our health and that of front line workers .

so for those saying mind your own business - if we all did that then we might as well just give up because we will then up back on lockdown again without the steps in the plan .

Inkpaperstars · 19/05/2020 15:16

I've heard about similar on here but not seen it in real life. Nothing close to that has been happening around me or relatives in other parts of the UK, although I expect it may soon.

bibbitybobbitycats · 19/05/2020 15:21

People in the UK have by and large stuck to the guidance and we should congratulate each other on that Cake Flowers, rather than endlessly look for people who may not be following everything to the nth degree and pick them apart.

We are on week eight now. I don't think there is a huge amount wrong with people now meeting up in the open air if they are as careful as possible. It's not as though people are having mass piss ups in the park. Wine This is a transition period, during which we have to begin to come to terms with the fact that the virus isn't going anywhere and find ways to live alongside it.

bibbitybobbitycats · 19/05/2020 15:22

There will be stricter lockdowns for everyone if people can't understand and follow basic rules

There won't. The government didn't really want to do this one, there is no way they will impose another, stricter one.

bibbitybobbitycats · 19/05/2020 15:24

Whereabouts are you TimeWasting? I've not seen anything like that here.

CoachBombay · 19/05/2020 15:30

I think the government banked on majority compliance for about 4-5 weeks. It's why they kept saying "were not quite sure we are past the peak" for about a week to keep compliance.

They knew once they said "we are past the peak" that's when compliance would start to fade.

Once they let people outdoors and to mix at a social distance more would bend the rules. Once they opened schools and work places further rule bending because of "well it makes no sense...so I'm going to start mixing"

British society is very poor at taking direction unless absolutely necessary. We just don't, unlike Scandinavian countries and other countries where they comply due to fear of their government e.g quatar, China.

The fact is they know statistically many of us will get it and never know or have a mild to moderate illness. So they aren't overly concerned about rule bending.

They want you to stay away from vunerable people and they shielded people they knew were at more risk, and because it was absolutely necessary British people were happy to comply and continue to stay away from vunerable/shielded.

Were basically like a nation of teenagers, pushing back, rule bending and only doing it if we think it's absolutely beneficial.

I mean they had to have wardens during WW2 to make sure people were turning off their lights and complying....during a global war where the consequence was a bomb being dropped from the sky!

We are honestly shit as a nation for following government advice 🤷🏻‍♀️

BlackberryCane · 19/05/2020 15:31

I don't think there will be either bibbity, because another more strict lockdown would of necessity require paying millions of people not to work again.

bibbitybobbitycats · 19/05/2020 15:33

Yep, I agree Blackberry. The government won't continue to put people's health before the health of the economy.

TurtleTortoise · 19/05/2020 15:40

From what I've seen, most people seem to be at least loosely sticking to the rules. I'm sure there's some quiet meetings going on but not (in the main) the higher risk crowded social things.

But it seems incrediably variable across areas. A friend who only lives a few mins drive away (half hr walk) said people arent even sticking to distancing in the supermarket. She said one supermarket was just like a busy period in normal times, bit of a scrum! (Lidl if you're asking).

I find it really upsetting, actually. There are people really struggling with this lockdown, and twats meeting in big groups are risking spread and making lockdown longer and/or harder (level 5 anyone?) for those who are being sensible. I'm happy to turn a blind eye to smaller less risky things (isolated person meeting other isolated person, visiting GPs before DC go back to school, etc) but meeting in big groups is unnecessary and taking the piss.

Teateaandmoretea · 19/05/2020 15:43

Amen to that. I wish the words flouting and flocking would take a few days off as they're heavily overused! (And take flaunting with them.)

And flooding.

BlackberryCane · 19/05/2020 15:46

I think there are people who have realised that another lockdown of the type we've just had is implausible, and are making decisions based on their own personal risk level. Rightly or wrongly.

Runmybathforme · 19/05/2020 15:56

Tried to take my exercise at my local sea front today, it was packed, but, people appeared to be in family groups. They were having fun on the beach. It must have been heaven for the kids, but I gave up and came home. Really not worth the risk.

Casino218 · 19/05/2020 16:00

You don't have to just meet someone from your household. You can meet someone else in a park as long as you social distance. Boris distinctly said that.

Mummyoflittledragon · 19/05/2020 16:01

The thing is the latest rule is a bit bonkers and very anti children.

I could individually meet 4 friends at the park for say half an hour each over a 2 hour period and be within guidelines as long as I wasn’t with them all at the same time. Whilst I doing that, all of the other 4 people could also be meeting up amongst themselves in the same fashion.

After two hours we will all have been with every member in the group. As I only intend to mix with these people outside of members of my household, what is the harm with doing the latter as long as everyone is socially distancing? Better still would be to meet in someone’s garden. That naturally being a closed group.

I am not doing this btw. This is about my dd. I am allowing my dd out to meet her friends. She is sticking with seeing 4 friends. This has naturally become a closed group because no one else is allowed out. Of the friends, 2 are siblings, I am presumed to have had covid and we isolated as a family meaning it is possible dd had it with no symptoms. One of the friends is presumed to have had it as he’d father tested positive and she was unwell with symptoms shortly after.

Up until the rules were changed, we stuck by them religiously, much to dds annoyance as she saw a lot of people not sticking to the rules on VE especially. As far as I’m concerned, dh and I have risk assessed the damage dd could do or what could be passed to or from her and decided it it unlikely to make a difference if she hangs around exclusively with these children.

OneandTwenty · 19/05/2020 16:20

People were also laughing at the idea of school closure, threads of the week before would make an interesting read. Then the schools closed, and that was more than a month ago.

So pretending things "can't" happen when they easily have for our neighbours is a bit naive. Not very likely, but "will never"? Who can be so sure.

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