To think it's nonsensical that I'm allowed to go to the pub but not the local beach?

[AvocadosBeforeMortgages]

I'm in one of the Welsh areas of local lockdown, so we're not allowed to leave the local council area without a "reasonable excuse"

The beaches have just reopened to dogs after the summer, and normally I'd take DDog to the nearest local beach, which is 7 miles away. DDog loves the beach. However, this would take me across a county border, so my planned trip is now illegal.

However, it's still totally legal to go to my local indoor pub.

I really can't see how a trip to a breezy beach to walk the dog, keeping 2m+ apart from other people is higher risk than going to the pub. This rule feels like a complete nonsense to me.

Some of the rules are absolutely ridiculous.
I live in an area of the North West that is also in 'local lockdown'. I am allowed to the pub, the shops, schools are mixing lots of children every day, workplaces are often choosing to work back in the office now. I am involved in a hobby and - because it is a 'covid secure environment' with a risk assessment, we can go, and be in a room with up to 30 of our friends (and we have checked this with a few people to make sure we can, it seems to unreal).

Basically, all of the above is safe, but having a chat in my dad's garden - which you don't have to go through the house to get through - would be too risky.

I agree that the rules are often contradictory and the whole thing has been appallingly handled. Although there is a certain logic to allowing people to go to the pub (trying to preserve the local economy), whilst restricting movement in and out of a high-prevalence area.

I sincerely hope there a not a thousand other idiots like you in your local area, OP. Every time you, or any of the other idiots, makes a wholly unneccessary journey outside of your lockdown area, you create a tiny risk. EVERY TIME.

And as any epidemiologist will tell you - take a tiny risk, multiply it to population level, and suddenly it's not so tiny any more. How the hell do you think we got to this situation in the first place?

• The beach is special to us, both because B) he's still trying to understand waves*

Oh why didn't you say this in your OP, of course the rules shouldn't apply to you!

Every time you, or any of the other idiots, makes a wholly unneccessary journey outside of your lockdown area, you create a tiny risk. EVERY TIME

No she doesn't.

If that was true we'd have total national lockdown with no supermarkets open.

Getting in your car with no covid, driving to a beach, letting your dog run around and getting back in the car and driving home creates absolutely zero risk.

They have to have general rules though. They can't have rules that cover absolutely everything people might want to do.

So much talk of common sense but simultaneously not understanding the above.

It’s better than the 5 mile rule.

Dogs don't mind where they are walked as long as they get a good old gallop.
Even urban areas have ancient overgrown graveyards to explore and parks.

I'd not break the Covid rules personally as this is how it spreads...Everyone thinking ''It'll be ok if I do this just the once''.

There will be dogs locally to run with, surely?

How far can they realistically break it down in each county?

By limiting movement by distance, rather than some imaginary lines in the ground.

Keeping pubs open is nonsensical from a vital point of view, it's an economic decision.

Of course it's an economic decision, why wouldn't that be relevant

@covidiotidiot

Yes, OP, I'm a doctor. I agree, the risk of you catching covid with precious doggy on the beach is pretty damn minimal. However - right now, there are umpteen other people also thinking that the rules don't apply to them. It's not just about YOU, on an individual level.

Right in the middle of the pandemic, I had an accident whilst exercising outside. Far away from anybody else, where I was quite sure I presented no risk to anybody and nobody would present a risk to me. I wasn't badly hurt, and got myself home okay. But it's not beyond imagining that something like this could happen to you on your precious bloody beach, where you shouldn't even be in the first place. Perhaps you might be rather more badly hurt than me - and people would need to come to your aid - presenting a transmission risk. Because it's just not about YOU, OP, it's you and a million other people thinking how the rules don't apply to them. And, really, "my doggy likes the waves" is one of the most selfish and stupid reasons for breaking the rules I have heard so far.

Do I sound angry? That's because I am. I'm bloody sick of this, and I'm sick of selfish people like you perpetuating the situation. Selfish and self-centred to the max. But hey - who cares, just as long as precious doggy isn't lonely. Pathetic.

This. Very well said. That’s why people isolating with the virus also have to stay at home. Car crashes, people coming up to them, getting ill and needing assistance etc.

It's relevant because someone else has taken the decision that spreading the virus is worth it for the economic benefits.

That's no different to someone deciding their mental health is more important than blindly obeying a nonsensical rule.

@Janevaljane

Of course she - and all the other idiots - create a tiny risk every time they make uneccesary journeys. You're quite simply wrong about that.

Just like we ALL create a tiny risk every time we go to the supermarket. Difference being - food is pretty essential. Letting precious doggy frolic in the waves is not.

We should all be doing our best to avoid UNNECCESARY and AVOIDABLE risk. To my mind, taking a day trip out of a lockdown area solely to enable a bloody dog to dig in the sand is the very definition of unnecessary.

What part of this is so difficult for you to understand?

oh for gods sake people can have accidents anywhere! We aren't locked down! The people in the county with the beach could have a car accident or an accident on the beach! That's the nost ridiculous thing I've ever heard.

Getting in your car with no covid, driving to a beach, letting your dog run around and getting back in the car and driving home creates absolutely zero risk.

This.

OP, given that there is no logic or sanity in what’s being laid down by government, I don’t see why you should respect it.

It will make absolutely fuck all difference to the spread of Covid or how long restrictions will be in place for.

Surely you need an eye test?

One that you can only get at a particular beach-side specsavers?

We aren't having a lockdown where we aren't allowed out, that should have said.

I don't believe half the people on here that say they are are medical, I really don't.

It's relevant because someone else has taken the decision that spreading the virus is worth it for the economic benefits.

No one is been forced to go to pubs. So you think the economy should just be shut down?

Or perhaps you could get StanleyJohnson to adopt you? That family seems bullet-proof.

Of course she - and all the other idiots - create a tiny risk every time they make uneccesary journeys. You're quite simply wrong about that

No, I am not wrong. How on earth do you think this virus spreads?

If that was true we'd have total national lockdown with no supermarkets open.

How would that work then?

It's literally only this way to try and encourage spending. They aren't too bothered about controlling numbers now, they want to help the economy.

I can go to a cafe with my friends, sit amongst other people with no masks on, have coffee from cups other people have used and you have to assume are properly cleaned. I can't go for a walk in a forest or on a beach with same friends.

Come on, that's not helping reduce numbers. Is it not obvious?

YABU for saying Ddog

I can get on a plane and fly to a Greek island but I can’t visit my Mum 10 minutes drive away

Sticking to your ounty works bettter than 15 miles but it contains spread

If you have the 15 mile rule you can essentially have a chain of people accross the country, all only 15 miles from their home but everyone having different boundaries

If you stay in your county you are putting the same bondaries on a group of people, so you cant get that chain of people across the country. Unless people decide their dogs need to dig a hole is greater of course

Yes, its utter bollocks. I resent being told to spend money if i want to socialise - eg its all fine to go to a cafe or pub. But walking outside, where we KNOW the virus doesn't spread, or at least spread easily, is wrong?! Madness.