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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

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

194 replies

AvocadosBeforeMortgages · 02/10/2020 09:56

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.

OP posts:
Coyoacan · 02/10/2020 12:45

It is frankly amazing that people are demanding that the OP respects a rule that, though having a generally good raison d'etre, is nonsensical in how it applies to her.

Elphame · 02/10/2020 12:47

@Rabbitjam

You are not going to spread covid by walking your dog on the beach op. I'm also in one of the welsh lockdown areas. We followed the rules to the letter last time. This time they are all about keeping as much of the economy going, rather than keeping us safe. Well sod that. I'm close to the border of a large amount of moorland. Literally a few miles. We'll still go up there. I won't be going near other people. It is actually safer for us to go for walks there than more popular beauty spots in my county. I'm following the science not bullshit rules to make the Gov't look like they are doing something.
The rug has been pulled out from under the local economy here in the North by this new lockdown and the refusal of the Llywydd to allow my local MS to table questions on it at the Senedd is disgraceful.

It'll also be imposed up here with an iron fist if the first lock down is any guide, For the first time in my life I am ashamed to be Welsh. We're now seriously considering selling up the house and business and moving over the border to England.

And I never thought I'd ever say that.

SchrodingersImmigrant · 02/10/2020 12:48

@Coyoacan

It is frankly amazing that people are demanding that the OP respects a rule that, though having a generally good raison d'etre, is nonsensical in how it applies to her.
It's not nonsensical though. 🤷🏻
unmarkedbythat · 02/10/2020 12:52

I know. Me and my team are all abiding by all rules, because we have to and we think it's wrong not to without really good reason and because we work at site with vulnerable people (no wfh or furlough for us, we've all been at work throughout) and cannot be responsible for any further risk to them, or our 600+ colleagues. But we have a long rant at least once a day about the illogicality of some of them and get very cross and fed up.

tinytemper66 · 02/10/2020 12:54

I need to go to the building society but the branches in my county are only open between 10-2 mon-Fri so unless I cross county lines I can't access the branch that is open 7 miles away. I am also in Wales but can go to the beach.

Tootletum · 02/10/2020 12:55

It's all nonsensical and a complete waste of time.

Flaxmeadow · 02/10/2020 12:57

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

This sums it about all "the rules don't apply to me" brigade ^

Janevaljane · 02/10/2020 13:09

The more you post the more I seriously doubt you are genuinely a doctor rather than an angry mumsnetter who wants to seem more important than all the other angry mumsnetters

Literally no doctor I know thinks the way this poster does, that's all I'm saying.

Lilybet1980 · 02/10/2020 13:10

I’m confused OP. You said you should have been shielding but carried on working in an apparently unviable sector?

yellowmaoampinball · 02/10/2020 13:11

In those circs tinytemper you possibly could just go to a different branch - if you can't get to the one in your county and you NEED to go and do something at the building society then you can. I'd look at the guidance.

Lilybet1980 · 02/10/2020 13:12

Teaching the dog about waves is right up there with testing your eye sight.

luckylavender · 02/10/2020 13:15

Look I'm no fan of everything this government has done but there have to be rules & so there'll be inconsistencies. In the grand scheme of things, your dog will live. Let's hope the rest of us do too.

Westminsterbridge · 02/10/2020 13:16

@AvocadosBeforeMortgages if you are thinking of travelling to Aberavon be careful, the police are hanging around there as it’s an easy place to catch people. Lots and lots have been fined there.

Original poster
AvocadosBeforeMortgages · 02/10/2020 13:22

@Lilybet1980

I’m confused OP. You said you should have been shielding but carried on working in an apparently unviable sector?
Without wishing to out myself

I should have been shielding. The backbone of my business is in an "unviable" sector (even though I have bookings for 2021 and 2022, I may not be allowed to work). I carried on working and doing the bits of the business that are still allowed to continue. Not that it's enough to keep the wolf from the door, it's merely slowing the wolf's approach

OP posts:
covidiotidiot · 02/10/2020 13:24

@Janevaljane

Um, you've asked lots of doctors for their opinions on this post, have you?

I'll admit, I haven't yet canvassed my colleagues for their opinions. But I'm pretty sure that very, very few of them would be impressed by OP's proposal.

BreconBeBuggered · 02/10/2020 13:26

I'm sorry your dog will miss his beach fun, OP. I felt the same about taking mine to his beloved woods at the beginning of lockdown, but complied for the greater good to avoid the small risk of accidents or breakdowns. I have two other counties a very short drive away, so I can see your dilemma. It feels like a local drive; it IS local but for administrative and political purposes. But I get so pissed off at other rulebreakers, my feeling is that we should comply with the regulations.

Myalternate · 02/10/2020 13:36

You can't reason with people that feel entitled to do what they want to do. This thread is pointless really. The OP doesn't want and certainly won't listen to any arguments that disagree with their own view.

Entitled people never do.

TableFlowerss · 02/10/2020 13:44

You’re not wrong but I suspect it’s because they are trying to keep the business afloat as much as they can. Makes no odds if no one visits the beach. Also in theory the rules can be implemented in a pub in a way they can’t at the beach.

Don’t get me wrong, I think it’s ridiculous!!

friendlycat · 02/10/2020 13:51

I’ve seen some amazingly entitled reasons as to why restrictions don’t apply and should be ignored because of the specialness of circumstances, but this one is a true winner that relates to a dog and understanding waves. God if everyone took this attitude we won’t ever get through this. If others as well all take the approach that their cat, budgie and hamster need to cross county lines to visit a specific beach then perhaps you can see the problem. Just take the dog for a walk locally he really won’t know the difference.

SchrodingersImmigrant · 02/10/2020 13:54

@TableFlowerss

You’re not wrong but I suspect it’s because they are trying to keep the business afloat as much as they can. Makes no odds if no one visits the beach. Also in theory the rules can be implemented in a pub in a way they can’t at the beach.

Don’t get me wrong, I think it’s ridiculous!!

The thing is that people can visit the beach. But they have to live in the county with the beach. It's not about a place shutting down local beach but keeping pubs open. It's about inter county travel.
ShortFatandDumpy · 02/10/2020 13:55

I was at a beach in S Wales yesterday afternoon, not my first choice beach because that's out of my permitted area. It was actually my last choice beach in normal times.
Anyway despite the wind and rain and it generally being a dull shit day to go out the beach was actually very busy with dog walkers. I know that the risks are minimal outside and probably even lower on a such a blusteryday but if everyone who lives jyst over the birder gad come along too it might have been like Bournemouth back in the summer.

I agree some rules don't seem fair or logical but ultimately it's about minimising risk of spread.

Sadly not everyone takes the view but its perfectly safe for me to walk up Snowden (like it was rammed last weekend with financial distancing at the summit), walk on X beach, go paragliding off the cliffs 3 hours from home, thenriskmof.spr3ad is.jncreased, however minimal. The line has ton rawn somewhere. There cannot be exceptions for everyone's individual circumstances. The more everyone thinks but I'm ok because it outside/low risk or whatwver, the longer this shit will drag on for. Its shit but that it in a nutshell.

Our mentality needs to change and we should all be thinking what can i do or.not do to minimise the spread but thats long gone with apathy, frustration and the help of our self centered MPs doing laughing in our faces and doing wtf they like.

Coyoacan · 02/10/2020 14:17

@SchrodingersImmigrant

Of course it is nonsensical in the case of the OP. If it were summer going to the beach to walk the dog would be likely to contribute to crowds on the beach, but we are in October now.

yearinyearout · 02/10/2020 14:19

Quite frankly, I would just go to the beach.

SchrodingersImmigrant · 02/10/2020 14:33

[quote Coyoacan]@SchrodingersImmigrant

Of course it is nonsensical in the case of the OP. If it were summer going to the beach to walk the dog would be likely to contribute to crowds on the beach, but we are in October now.[/quote]
It about where the beach is. It's not about going to the beach. If the beach was in OP's county she could go. But it's not.

It's are containment, not activity containment

SchrodingersImmigrant · 02/10/2020 14:36

*area not are