To think the more ridiculous and inconsistent these rules get the less likely people will follow them

[FruitLikeAPeach]

Further to the tightening in northern England today...

AIBU to think the more ridiculous and illogical the rules get the less people will follow them. It seems utter madness to me that you can visit a pub, there is about to be an incentive next week to get people to 'eat out, help out', you can go out to a shop to browse for clothes etc... but apparently sitting in your mum's garden for a cup of tea 2m apart is too dangerous.

I feel like this is just going to get people fed up to the point they just won't bother with the latest lockdown, not as strictly anyway and I can't even blame them anymore.

Absolutely agree Shamoo. Although I still think either way you'd still get lots of people just making their own judgement calls. However, definitely agree I'd have more respect for the decision.

@sevencontinents

"The new rules for Northern hotpots"

Oi, less of the "hotpots" what next, pie eaters?

I'm just on the edge of the area ( half a mile inside) and I'm completely pissed off. I have no problem with trying to prevent second spikes and have been really careful. so far. We were due to have my sisters family visit and camp in the garden this weekend - havent seen them since xmas - and have now had to cancel. It's far riskier to go to the pub/ hairdressers/ buses etc than sit in a garden.

I think people who never bothered with the rules will carry on regardless, and the law abiding ones will increasingly get fed up and use common sense.

I think people who never bothered with the rules will carry on regardless, and the law abiding ones will increasingly get fed up and use common sense

Yes, I think where I may have judged slightly before, at the start of lockdown, I certainly wouldn't now if someone said they were going to make their own call.

Haha. I did, of course mean to type 'hotspots'!

I do love myself a hotpot

I find it bizarre that you can go to the pub, share close office space with colleagues, go swimming, sit on a plane, pack out a beach, protest in groups, but cannot listen to live music, watch a show, or hug relatives.

How do they square it?

Drunk people cannot socially distance. Of course they will hug! I was at a packed pub 2 weeks before lockdown and it was carnage. My nephew goes out regilarly and says people are tacticle, kissing, dancing etc as always.

Bournemouth beach is heaving, so I can understand why groups in the 'hotspots' are still meeting family. There is no consistency.

A good old Lancashire hotpot!

Gestapo state..

YABU at your anger, it needs to be done, that's the fastest way out of this surely? YANBU at also not shutting pubs and shops etc. That totally makes sense.

You get posters on here in the hotspots wanting to go on holiday to tiny communities that are low risk, with typically lots of older residents, some people are so self centred and cuntish.

you'll do what you want ultimately, can you live with your actions?

I'm not talking about whether another lockdown is or isn't necessary. I'm talking about the inconsistency of saying you can't meet with your family member outdoors, keeping 2m apart but you can visit a pub/restaurant/shop full of strangers.

And I've definitely never mentioned people from hotspots visiting smaller towns/villages to holiday in.

In fact I think the government should have taken far more action when people were doing this and filling beaches and seaside towns a few weeks ago.

YANBU, it seems that everything that involves spending money is safe!

I'm assuming they are not shutting down pubs, cinemas and non essential shops.

I'm at the stage I will make my own risk assessments, for me pubs are a no and meeting up with friends and family is a yes.

Quite frankly you lost me at Barnard Castle.

Indeed.

Not so much the fact it happened - but the lies, followed by the justifications and whitewashing.

Like we are all stupid.

If he can use his own judgement, then why can't the rest of us?

We have been very strict and followed the guidelines to the letter.
But DDs BF will still be welcome in our house and we will allow her to go to his despite the new rules in our area

Because it was reported that most cases csme from people in households as opposed to being outside and sorry people won't stick to just sitting in the garden at distance they will still need toilet etc.

@cyclingmad

Because it was reported that most cases csme from people in households as opposed to being outside and sorry people won't stick to just sitting in the garden at distance they will still need toilet etc.

Of course they would report that, as it justifies keeping the non-essential services open.

But even if it's true, where did those people get it in the first place to spread it between their family? Probably at least some of them at the pub etc.

Whereas if we'd had home visitors without the pubs etc reopening, there might not have been the same issue.

Plus most of the increase is likely just statistical due to increased testing anyway.

Agree

I’m just struggling to think of how we keep the economy going and slow this down

There is no easy solution here

But yes , it does give a reason to slightly twist the rules

Herein lies the problem

You get posters on here in the hotspots wanting to go on holiday to tiny communities that are low risk

But they make money from this , it’s tourism
This is why it’s so fuxked

Spend online I guess .. whilst I still have a job

I am in a northern lockdown area. Our rate is 4.2 (and has been fairly low consistently) but because other local councils are higher we are caught up in it. Looking at the local FB pages this has not gone down well.
My family are in a different area but also under the new rules. It's an area of 5 towns and several villages. The majority of cases are in 2 towns but all are affected by the rules. The council keep describing the cases as 'household transmission in an area with a significant amount of multi generation households'.

The new rules for Northern hotpots is that people from separate households can't mix anywhere, indoor or outdoors. It's totally banned, 2 metres apart is irrelevant.

Sorry, but . Betty's hotpot?

I’m totally with you OP - the whole thing is nonsensical and the Government is just an embarrassment.

I don’t mind in an area where the new regulations are in place, but as an outsider I am angry on your behalf.

There’s no credibility to it.

It’s fine for people to sit on a confined plane, to go to the pub, to go to restaurants and to go to beaches, but you can’t sit in your mom’s garden because it’s too risky?

It’s a total joke.

And the worse thing is that Boris isn’t answerable to anything - he just brings in the guidelines via Tweet or a quick briefing and then disappears again. At least when there were daily briefings the public had a chance to question his actions, but now he just does what he likes without facing any backlash or anyone asking him why it’s ok to go to pubs and restaurants but not visit your mom in the garden?

I felt sorry for Chris Wittey yesterday, he looked embarrassed and exasperated. He probably thinks Boris is an idiot is much the same way most of the population do.

I do think people will stop following the guidelines simply because of how nonsensical they are.

I went to a restaurant a few weeks ago and the table next to us was certainly closer than 2m, so if that allowed I certainly can’t see why somebody sitting 2m away from their mom in an outside garden has to be forbidden because of the risks it poses?

It’s all insane.

Imo they don't want people in pubs but don't want to have to support businesses or workers either. Far fewer people will go now anyway as a) they've been told the virus is circulating and b) you can only go with your own household.

+ + at you lost me at Barnard Castle this was a key moment in our national covid journey.

I agree the more alcohol consumed the more likely it is that you will hug - especially if you’ve been trying hard not to for months. They should have shut the pubs and restaurants, the lack of consistency undermines confidence. The Government are an embarrassing shit show - we have a talentless pile of zealots running the country during a National crisis, we were never going to succeed - except at being the worst is seems!

Dh and I went for a walk through town the other evening...early on, midweek. The pubs were heaving with people just standing around in huge groups outside, all bunched together...i thought you had to book a table and sit down all night? Obviously not, and the establishments clearly not trying to enforce anything.