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.

I'll ignore the idea of a dog needing to learn to understand waves ...

You are restricted to within a certain area OP. If something is not in your area then you can't do it. Picking things to do which are outside your area and comparing them risk wise to things to do which are inside your area is not a logical argument.

You can't go to the beach because the beach is not local to you. It's nothing to do with weather or not it's safer than a pub. Or a swimming pool. Or an art class. Or rock climbing. Or sitting waist deep in some rapids. You can't go and do it because you don't have it near you.

If you want to discuss what the logic is of restricting movement across borders then do that - but comparing it to the pub is silly.

Weren't a lot of the coastal community members up in arms at 'Londoners' traveling out of their area to get to the beaches? Are these boundary rules suddenly nonsensical because it's a bit close to home?

OP has quite clearly been told to stay within the boundaries of her high-prevalence area. She doesn't want to do this, because she thinks walking her dog is more important.

Just HOW many times do I have to say this? OP's chances of catching/spreading covid by doing this are negligible, on an individual level.

But OP's neighbour also doesn't think the rules should apply to him either, for equally pathetic reasons. And neither does the guy two streets along. Or the family half a mile away. And so on, and so forth. Now those tiny little risks are starting to multiply.

Do you get it now? Really don't know how I can make it any clearer.

OP's chances of catching/spreading covid by doing this are negligible, on an individual level

Not negligible. Zero.

please can you explain to me the exact way in which I might catch or transmit covid on a breezy beach walk while staying far in excess of 2m from other people

what make YOU so special?

How can your neighbour transmit or catch covid staying in the front garden of their friends living at the other side of the country, how can your other neighbour transmit or catch covid sticking to wild camping From Scotland to Cornwall, or via Spain whilst we are at it?

Why YOUR unnecessary should be limited to YOU? We should all go for unnecessary journeys because it's "safe" and we feel like it.

YOU are the reason why we have had and will have lockdowns and fines are creeping up. The rest of us who are absolutely sick of it.

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.

So you think everything should be closed?

but you aren't being stopped from going to the beach, you are being stopped from crossing a county border, stop being stupid!

@covidiotidiot

You are right, every small risk adds up to more risks and increases the numbers.

However, can you explain why the government are happy with us socialising in cafes with other people with no masks on, using dishes other people have, sitting close enough to catch viruses if people cough, yet not happy for us to go on walks?

They don't care how many catch it. They just want you to think they do. They want the economy to grow. That's all they want.

At least Wales has sensible and understandable rules.

Dogs can be walked in local places, boundaries are unfortunate, but YABU to want to make the journey you describe.

You are restricted to within a certain area OP. If something is not in your area then you can't do it. Picking things to do which are outside your area and comparing them risk wise to things to do which are inside your area is not a logical argument.

This!

Is the OP banned from beaches in her area?

YOU are the reason why we have had and will have lockdowns and fines are creeping up. The rest of us who are absolutely sick of it.

She isn’t though.

Absolutely nothing she’s doing is a risk factor for spreading Covid.

We know how it spreads. Genuinely risky behaviour is going on all the time. Some of it within guidelines, some of it not. How about we tackle that, like smart people with a plan, rather than stopping the OP from taking solitary walks on a beach?

The main issue many people have with the rulz is that they're confusing. Yet when they're told a dead simple one; ''Here's the line. You can't cross it'' all we hear is:

what about me? I'd like to go over the line.

what about me? I deserve to be allowed over the line.

what about me? My dog needs to learn about waves on a beach and that's safer than a pub, so i'm crossing the line.

@Janevaljane

I have quite clearly explained, several times, why OP's chances of contracting or spreading coronavirus walking her damn dog on the beach are negligible but theyare NOT zero.

I assume she's driving a car. She has a non-zero risk of breakdown or accident. Both of which would bring her into contact with others.

Her risk of accident on the beach is also negligible, but it is NOT zero. How many news stories have you read about people trying to save their dogs from drowning, and getting into difficulties themselves? Just as an example.

Really not quite sure why you are finding this so very difficult to understand? You have a very odd - and quite simply wrong - notion of statistical risk. Do you have insurance?

God, some of you are so nasty for absolutely no good reason. Does it turn you on to bully random people on Mumsnet who have done nothing wrong?

@Janevaljane

OP's chances of catching/spreading covid by doing this are negligible, on an individual level

Not negligible. Zero.

Unless of course one of the doggy friends owners is infectious, the dogs have a disagreement, the two owners have to separate them ,the infectious owner coughs, the OP breathes in at the same moment......

OK, might not happen, probably wouldn't happen, but it could happen. And people who are infectious are out and about, and are not wearing high viz tabard so declaring their status, personally I am keeping away from scottish MPs on trains ATM.

@TheKeatingFive completely agree with you. We have local lockdowns because of an ineptitude on the government's part, not because of people walking their dogs, ffs.

It's ridiculous. Isn't interesting how all the poorer areas of Britain like Wales, Scotland, The Midlands, the North, are being locked down one after the other, but where I live, in hooray henry country, remains relatively unnaffected. How much of this is about controlling the virus, and how much is it about controlling the masses?!

@SoupDragon

They have to have general rules though. They can't have rules that cover absolutely everything people might want to do. This one has to cover people staying within their county border, they can't start adding exceptions like "unless you want to go walk your dog on a beach" (what if you don't have a dog? What if it's a forest? How about riding a horse...?)

The rules about about limiting mixing, not eliminating riskier things.

Absolutely this! So bored of people of people who think they’re clever for pointing out the inevitable result of broad rules.

Actually laughing at the horror of the poor mutt missing his doggy woggy fwends 🙄

Yes, it’s lower risk than the pub. But no, in the context of setting rules that can be easily communicated and understood - it isn’t “nonsense”.

@covidiotidiot I really hope if I'm ever ill or injured I don't get such a nasty, aggressive doctor such as yourself.

It's a dog. It will cope. People have been subjected to far more misery during lockdowns than a dog who won't be able to dig in sand for awhile

I would do it.

But I wouldn't tell Mumsnet.

Comment deleted with posters strike through skills.

(Haven’t RTFT yet) I live on the end. If it were just you wanting to go to the beach, then fine. But everyone wants to go to the beach. If there were a special exemption for people who want to go to the beach, we’d be inundated with visitors from areas with far higher rates than us and then we can’t go to the beach because it’s too busy with people from god knows where. But to be honest, you’re not the only one thinking “fuck it, I’ll do whatever the hell I want” judging by how busy it was down there on Saturday...
(My beach is not your beach as mine is dog friendly all year round)

I despair, honestly. Just do what you're bloody told for once. It's not perfect, none of it is. But if you're purposefully travelling out of a lockdown area just to allow your bloody dog to "learn about waves", you should be ashamed of yourself. No ifs, no buts. And if you're not ashamed, stroll up to your local hospital and tell them what you're up to, and how the rules are not for special people like you and your sodding dog who needs to "learn about the waves" . Good god.

Yes it's utterly utterly stupid.

I have a 20 mile journey now to the nearest supermarket rather than a 2 mile one. Can't visit my mother 3 miles away but I can meet 30 friends in the garden of the village pub or have those same friends round for a bbq in the garden ( it's big enough to allow the social distancing required).

“My dog needs to learn about waves” really is right up there in the hall of fame of dickish reasons why the rules shouldn’t apply to me, whatever the risk levels are.

[quote covidiotidiot]@Janevaljane

I have quite clearly explained, several times, why OP's chances of contracting or spreading coronavirus walking her damn dog on the beach are negligible but theyare NOT zero.

I assume she's driving a car. She has a non-zero risk of breakdown or accident. Both of which would bring her into contact with others.

Her risk of accident on the beach is also negligible, but it is NOT zero. How many news stories have you read about people trying to save their dogs from drowning, and getting into difficulties themselves? Just as an example.

Really not quite sure why you are finding this so very difficult to understand? You have a very odd - and quite simply wrong - notion of statistical risk. Do you have insurance?[/quote]
Surely I also have an identical non-zero risk of breaking down and needing assistance if I drove the same distance within my own county?

Likewise, an hour walking DDog on the beach cannot carry a higher risk of injury than an hour walking in the woods within the county (indeed, I'd say the woods are more dangerous - there's more to trip over, plus personal safety issues)

Likewise (as a PP mentioned) two dogs can have a disagreement and need to be separated while in your local park, just as they could on the beach.

While my chances of coming into contact with someone when on the beach is not zero, I can't see that the chances are any higher just because I've crossed a magic line.

Meanwhile, people from other lockdown counties (eg valleys counties) are, quite legally, commuting into Cardiff to work in shops and restaurants. This was the case even when their home county was in lockdown but their workplace county wasn't. Again, I'm certain that presents far more of a risk than a dog walk on the beach.