To think that the obsession with knowing which specific rules apply to you in your individual circumstance, has created the need for so many rules in the first place

[Constantfacepalm]

I see it more and more. People acting like the kid in the classroom, arm nearly dropping off from desperately raising it so high "But what about me? What about ME? If x y and z applies to me then can I do this specific random activity for x amount of time?"

Just use your common sense.Who do you think has the insider information? People of mumsnet? The government? Nobody out there possesses a mystical ability to know exactly the probability of you contracting covid if you do the things you are asking about.

I don't really mean people asking from a legal/getting into trouble point of view. I'm talking about those asking about doing things in their own homes, in their own time, that nobody else is likely to tell them off about.

I feel like it's this desperation from those so keen to be told what to do instead of using their common sense, that drove the government to churn out more and more specific individual rules that have started to make less and less sense when taken as a whole, or compared to Wales, Scotland... why all so different? Because the rules are largely arbitrary.

Take Sweden's rules. Very simple and so easy to understand and follow.... no large gatherings, certain places have closed down or have restricted access, across the board social distancing, hand gel.... in a nutshell, keep your distance people. That's it.

takes cover

I don't agree.
I want to get things right.
The way in which it is worded makes a difference to whether I can actually work.
If I don't work, I don't get paid.

Absolutely agree. People seem to struggle to understand the basic principle that the less people you see close up inside the greater the chance that a) they have covid and b) you catch it. That is all all the rules are doing. So if you are going to go to friends houses inside it makes a huge difference whether you do it as a one off or every night.

Just use your common sense.

What does common sense have to do with any of the current regulations exactly?

Yes, we get the gist of things, it's the opposite of obvious what we can and cannot do. At least people TRY to get it right.

Get irritated by people who think rules don't apply to them and who don't care. You are focusing on the wrong people frankly.

"keep your distance"
helpful. Some of us have kids, a job and a business to run.