To wonder when complying with the law became optional?

[AlexaShutUp]

I know lots of people disagree with the various covid restrictions, and I understand that position, but that isn't what this thread is about.

Rather, I'm really surprised by the number of people who say that they have no intention of complying with the law simply because they don't agree with it. They are not protesting against the restrictions, just ignoring them.

I always thought that people in the UK generally had respect for the rule of law, but it is as if people now think it's just a matter of personal choice/preference?

I know I shouldn't really be surprised. Our PM seems happy to break international law and his senior advisers freely ignore their own government guidance, so on one level, I don't blame people for thinking fuck it, I'll do what I want. But still, I'm surprised by the number of people who seem to regard obeying the law as optional.

AIBU to think that the law is still the law, whether we like it or not?

I think people aren't scared of covid and put self interest first - they are likely to survive it so they won't curtail their enjoyment of life to help others.

Same way people chuck litter, dodge tax, skive off work.

I wear masks, wash my hands, avoid large gatherings. But I absolutely won’t be separated from my family. That crosses a line. I think the government have lost the plot and the public are idiots to allow it.

@Notyoungbutscrappyandhungry

I wear masks, wash my hands, avoid large gatherings. But I absolutely won’t be separated from my family. That crosses a line. I think the government have lost the plot and the public are idiots to allow it.

There is no point in you taking those precautions if you're not taking precautions with your family - you have no way of knowing whether they're taking the same precautions themselves!

I'm naturally risk averse and law abiding.

But, no matter how much it will go against my nature to do it, nothing will prevent me from being my daughter home from university if she needs to, especially at Christmas. That is definitely my lone over all this.

Line drawn even

The reality is that many of the restrictions are largely unenforceable with the police resources this government has. Sending a few officers to help trap a load of students in a single building is one thing, sending officers out to every single breach of the rule of six is entirely a different matter.

People know this. Combine it with a loss of trust and clear hypocrisy from the government and you have a recipe for mass flouting of any rules.

When the law became foolish
When the law became confused/ confusing
When the sanction for breaking the law was so modest there was no deterrent
When the lawmakers flouted the laws themselves
When we realised the lawmakers were liars
When the law helped some and harmed others
When profit was protected by the law but people were not.

I think I have bored myself now.

I am foolishly law-abiding. "Law abiding scholars write, that law is neither wrong nor right" Auden