To think if you chose to go abroad during a pandemic it serves you right?

[FunnysInLaJardin]

I get that folk feel they deserve a holiday, but if you travel during the current pandemic you shouldn't complain if rules suddenly change before you get home.

Anyone with half a wit could see that it was a risky thing to do to take a holiday at this time.

cantdothisnow1 There’s nothing wrong with how and when they are announcing them. Of course they can’t give much notice.

Whatever your reason for going abroad, the fact of the matter is that you went during a pandemic knowing this could happen, so I have no sympathy. You have to face the consequences of your decisions.

The bit I find most annoying is the timings. Why so late at night? They must know beforehand. Announcing in a morning means that when people find out they can act - help lines, chat bots, etc are working to try and get through in. Hotels are open to speak to people.
Finding out at night leaves people feeling helpless as they can't make any changes hardly and can't start to 'solve' it. Hence they are more likely to feel aggrieved.

Especially if travelling the next day. You watch the 6pm news and there nothing in it, so you pack the car up, settle the kids in bed and enjoy you evening finishing stuff before your holiday. Or you even set off for the late night drive to catch a plane or train early morning.

And then you find out late, or even (as many people don't watch the news after 6pm) in the morning when you're already on your way!

I know announcing in a morning would still catch some people out that way but at least things are open to call and make plans.

And MNetters really need to remember that the weather in south England is it always replicated across the whole country! Not everywhere has been gloriously hot and sunny all summer. Much of the UK, a lot of England, has had a lot of the school summer holiday with grey drizzle and wind.

cantdothisnow1 sorrybut I think you are protesting too much. You chose France and the quarantine applies to all those who went to France, however remote their location. All the stuff about "overcrowding" is just froth I'm afraid. It is possible to find remote locations in the UK, esp with a campervan. You chose France (don't blame you) but it was exactly that, a choice, not a necessity.

I am not protesting too much at all.

We are having our movements restricted and we are not allowed to question it?

And as for they couldn't give more notice, what a load of rubbish. They will have known about the Quarantine before 11pm at night. They act on stats published earlier, they also could be transparent about the trigger and cut off so people can plan better. They choose not to.

It is interesting also that there was 'no time' to implement quarantine at the hight of the pandemic, but now it is possible at short notice.

I have no faith in our government. I will abide by the Q14 but I absolutely have the right to complain about it.

I think that people need to be aware that things can change at the drop of a hat right now.
But I am also aware that not all people who are travelling are travelling for a holiday right now.
Some may be travelling for work, to help family or even medical reasons

@cantdothisnow1

Don’t you realise That on Mumsnet you can challenge every aspect of the government’s handling of coronavirus to rapturous acclaim but NOT the shambolic handling of quarantine ?

We are having our movements restricted and we are not allowed to question it?

cantdothisnow1 But you knew perfectly well this could happen when you went to France. That’s the risk you chose to take.

If you weren’t prepared to be restricted at short notice, you shouldn’t have gone. It’s not like they didn’t warn this could happen; they did and you went anyway.

Oh I agree that announcing changes late at night is stupid. I'm just not buying the "rules dont apply to me because x/y/z"

@Aridane quite, we just unquestioningly follow apparently!

For what it's worth I went to France before the Q14 was announced for Spain. At that point no one knew that this would happen, at least not in the way it has happened with minimum notice and unclear exceptions! We were not told what the cut off would be nor that there would be minimal notice.

The regulations are entirely unclear on what happens when transiting an airbridge within the country within a private vehicle. Which is what I was doing. Regardless of that lack of clarity I am following the Q14.

If I applied Dominic Cummings common sense I would just ignore the quarantine saying that the exception for transit applies to me. What difference is there from setting out from Germany and traveling from an air corridor through France to the UK without Q14 and from not leaving a private vehicle from the point at which the country was put on the naughty list?

For what it's worth I went to France before the Q14 was announced for Spain. At that point no one knew that this would happen, at least not in the way it has happened with minimum notice and unclear exceptions! We were not told what the cut off would be nor that there would be minimal notice.

cantdothisnow1 That’s not true. The government were very clear travel restrictions could be put in place at any moment with little to no notice.

It just hadn’t happened with Spain at the time you went so you apparently assumed you would have all the time in the world to leisurely make your way back.

You made the decision to go abroad, you should face the consequences without whinging about them.

I think it’s pretty silly that people can’t not have a holiday for a year.. we are in a pandemic , people need to stop taking risks like that and if they get stuck /need to quarantine for 2 weeks then it’s their own stupid fault .. I have no sympathy at all x we own a holiday home we haven’t been there this year as the beaches are packed and I feel it’s irresponsible to flock down there , we’ve lost a significant income not renting it out but feel it’s worth it for the neighbors as they are mostly elderly and have to stay in constantly as people keep filling up the village ... it really annoys me it’s a year ! Be considered!

I've had a complete rethink now and have written off this year in terms of going abroad. Since my flight wasn't cancelled I've moved it to July next year. It seems sensible. I rather wish international travel hadn't been opened up in the first place - at least everyone would have known where they stood. There are now so many countries off the green list with probably more to come perhaps it's time to close it down again.

Yep. Totally agree

I have written off the idea of a holiday in the UK given the hordes of people packing the beaches and places I would otherwise like to go

@Aridane

I have written off the idea of a holiday in the UK given the hordes of people packing the beaches and places I would otherwise like to go

Me too. There is no way I’m going to pubs, restaurants, tourist sites in the U.K. after following the lockdown rules to the letter. I’ve walked past pubs and parks in England - heaving and no SD. No thanks!