'We will decide when the lakes are open' AIBU to be irritated?

[Aberforthsgoat]

Just been on the phone to my cousin who lives in the Lakes. We were discussing how Cumbria has been really badly hit; I was saying how gutted we are to miss our Lakes holidays this year but how I hope it gets under control for the residents, and we are so looking forward to being able to go when we can.
My cousin said 'IF you can come'
And I acknowledged that of course, we would absolutely not come until it's safe for everyone to do so and government says we can; even then we would make our own risk judgement
My cousin responded by saying, quite smugly 'it doesn't matter what the government says,the people who live here will decide when its open, we are keeping people out at the moment'
She proceeded to tell me how much they all hate tourists and how they would blockade to keep people out if the government lets people visit too soon

I understand it must be scary and I would be worried if I live there too but AIBU for thinking this is quite a nasty reaction?! It's made me feel like actually maybe I won't go back, which I know is petulant and cutting off my nose to spite my face, but it's left a bad taste.

I had no intention of finding a loophole so I could go, I was talking about next year or the year after hopefully!

Most walkers, including myself, just want to park in a carpark away from peoples houses, do a walk that avoids farmyards and use hand sanitizer before and after every gate!

I think if you need a car park you will struggle certainly where I live. Town car parks are open only.

"She's now sent me a link to a daily mail article which has pctures of existing signs and blockade"
I'd be innocently asking her what's going to happen to all the locals who depend on tourism for their living? When the pandemic is under control and everyone remember these pictures of blockades, and they don't come back to the Lakes? What will her neighbours do for jobs then? And is local custom only enough to keep her favourite restaurants / cafes / shops in business, or will they close and stay closed?

Ask it in a 'concerned for her future' tone.

I'm just making a mental note of the areas where people are behaving like knobs
That would be every where (apart from your own garden)

Tourists are literally shitting in gardens down here! Nice pic on my friend's Instagram!!

I'd be innocently asking her what's going to happen to all the locals who depend on tourism for their living? When the pandemic is under control and everyone remember these pictures of blockades, and they don't come back to the Lakes?

Absolutely zero will happen. People will be back as usual once all this us behind us.

Itonyah sorry I was referring specifically to the lakes which has opened most of its car parks, several of which are away from peoples houses.

Well that's ok then isnt it? Just park your car and go for your walk.

She’s not done a great job - we live in the lakes (not not a fancy part) and drove to a lake today. There were loads of people out and about on the water, walking, cycling, driving. They all seemed to be keeping a distance and weren’t being minging. It’s a really odd attitude that lots of people who can afford to actually live in the Lake District have in general - not just coronavirus times - that people shouldn’t come in and mess up their scenery by being there. Odd.

Imagine being that greedy and possessive over a few lakes, hills and beaches. It’s not like you can take it with you when you die.

Hopefully by end July cv will be controlled well and then tourists will be very welcome. It's really not that hard to understand.

And again, no one on this thread has said they want to go to these tourist places now.

It’s a really odd attitude that lots of people who can afford to actually live in the Lake District have in general - not just coronavirus times - that people shouldn’t come in and mess up their scenery by being there. Odd.

It reminds me of my sister eating all the chocolates in a box when we were kids not because she wanted it but to make sure I didn’t get any.

I grew up in the Lakes, up a valley with a single access road. I've been stuck on either sides of blockades due to neighbourhood disputes, let alone pandemics.

The ones doing this sound like the sort we read about so often on MN, who somehow believe that a large piece of the road directly outside their house is their own exclusive property for parking, but bizarrely still expect the council to maintain it. People who genuinely believe that the world was made for them alone and that everybody else was just added to make things nicer and more comfortable for them.

I'm sure that most people who work in tourism respect and genuinely welcome their customers (and not just their money) - providing they are respectful too - but there seem to be an awful lot of people working in tourism who are to tourists what Bernard Black is to book shop customers.

I'm baffled, really - I can't imagine that, when I spend money in my local shops and we exchange brief pleasantries before I leave with my purchases, they're frothing, hating me and sticking their fingers up at the window as soon as I'm out of sight; why would touristy places be any different, just because their customers happen to have come further?

Nobody is expecting you to fall to your knees, start tugging your forelock, declare yourself their BFF and set up an international fan club for them - just that both sides should recognise the benefits they bring to each other and be civil and pleasant in their dealings.

Cheeky baggage .
Sounds like Karen off Faceache knows everything !
Could understand it if you were expecting to stay with her !

I think the OPs.post sounded very genuine until the bit about her sister saying they "all hate tourists". Unlikely.

Some people are genuinely like that and will presume to speak for everybody else. They're effectively the mean girls (and boys) at school but older. I don't believe that they all hate tourists but I can well believe the sister claiming that they all hate tourists.

Is there really a photo in the mail of existing signs and road blocks?
Hope the police look into this. It's got to be illegal?

We haven't stopped international travel into the UK. What on earth makes people think regional travel (within England) isn't allowed?

just that both sides should recognise the benefits they bring to each other and be civil and pleasant in their dealings

I'd be amazed if any shops in touristy areas weren't like this.

I also assume OP's cousin never goes on holiday. Given her stated hatred of tourists, she clearly wouldn't want to herself be a tourist.

"She's now sent me a link to a daily mail article which has pctures of existing signs and blockade"

I'm making no allegations at all here, but I am saying that it wouldn't surprise me IF the tabloid hacks were to take their own pre-painted bed sheets with them and set them up for a story - like that chap on Drop The Dead Donkey who took a teddy bear with him to every sad story, to place in situ, film and pretend it belonged to a child who had been forced to flee or killed. If doing that would stoke up animosity between the locals and tourists, that just makes their story even 'juicier' whilst they hide in a bush and record it all. As I say, just a not-impossible scenario.

It's my cousin not sister and she did say that. But that was towards the end of the conversation when I was pushing for justification for her attitude. I don't believe she actually feels that way either, more just a heated moment.

I don't believe all people in the Lakes feel like that either and can fully understand their frustration, but was just illustrating the strange attitude and how het up people are getting about this. Again not belittling their feelings at this time, I'm just baffled as to how they feel like they own the entire Lake District and are somehow exempt from the Government rules, because apparently when the Government says OK to travel, according to them they won't allow it.

I would text back to that last message

“And you think they’ll keep those up until 2022?”

just that both sides should recognise the benefits they bring to each other and be civil and pleasant in their dealings

I'd be amazed if any shops in touristy areas weren't like this.

Yep, that's what I believe - I think it's just the noisy minority (probably mainly those who don't work directly in tourism). Maybe their views are coloured by the rude and drunk tourists (not that locals can't also be rude and drunk), but again, these are thankfully usually in the minority.

if you hate dogs, you'd be mad to set up a kennels business; so if you despise non-locals, why on earth would you open or buy a shop in Bowness selling touristy gifts and then be either shocked or disgusted when tourists come in to buy them and thus provide you and your family's livelihood?

Perhaps what the govt says isn't necessarily the best thing to do? Just a thought.

I’d just make sure that when she’s decided that you’re allowed up again OP, that you’re far too busy or have somewhere better to go to!

It's my cousin not sister

Sorry - somebody else made that mistake and I lazily copied them without engaging my very-recent memory

Damien. Teddy bear journo's name?
I bet the beaches would be a lot more socially distanced if all the journalists hunting for photos of the Hordes, the Swarms, the Floods, and Non Local nappies weren't prowling around.

I live on the coast and journalists won’t need to hunt far for the photos of crowded beaches today.
My son has just come back. He was working all day and though a walk along the front would be nice after being bent over a computer all day. He didn’t even stop as the coast road is nose to nose cars and the green and beach is packed. Groups playing football, having bbqs, picnics and just lazing in the sun.
Everything is shut so god only knows what clump of bushes they have turned into a toilet and we can only hope they take their rubbish home with them as the bins have not been emptied in weeks.