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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to think Derbyshire police need to read the LAW and understand that you can't fine people when they are not breaking it

688 replies

chomalungma · 08/01/2021 12:16

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-derbyshire-55560814

Surrounded by police, treated like a criminal for driving 5 miles to a beauty spot for a walk.

It is not illegal to drive to exercise.

OP posts:
Thread gallery
11
Valmur · 08/01/2021 13:17

The government have repeatedly (internationally?) confused the public by issuing guidance which is harsher than what the law says. As this thread makes clear that has caused many people (including police officers) to misunderstand what is and is not illegal.

Pugliandreamer · 08/01/2021 13:18

@Cocomarine

Is the issue that, despite it being 5 miles, they live in Leicestershire and travelled to Derbyshire? Given that when we’re in Tiers, they are managed frequently by county boundaries, it would make sense for the police to take a general position that crossing a county border, whether the distance, went beyond “local”. But in that case - the correct action would be a polite explanation. I do know that would mean you could travel 50 miles in one direction but not 5 in another... but using county boundaries would always create that situation. I’m not saying that I would agree with that - I’d prefer a X mile radius. But it would make sense if you wanted arbitrary rules and consistency between lockdown and tiers.
My village is split into two parts (Upper and Lower). Upper is in one county and Lower in another (and at one point different tiers!) We must cross the county boundary repeatedly when we walk here. Obviously I don't expect to be arrested walking over the field into Upper but who knows these days...
Moondust001 · 08/01/2021 13:18

They were not staying local.

And the legal definition of "local" is...? The law has to be specific. It cannot be guessed at. And it doesn't depend on circumstances. And where I live, five miles isn't just local - it's nigh on next door!

Funneth · 08/01/2021 13:19

Glad I dont live around there, this was the same sort of area that sent a drone to spy on people having a walk in the countryside where you'd be hard pressed to break social distancing. I can only imagine the average penis size of officers in that area leaves a lot to be desired

twinkletoedelephant · 08/01/2021 13:19

I leave my house at 650 to drive 15min to the local woodlands so dog can have a run and we are back in time for dh to leave for work and then start homeschooling 2 children (both asd) for the day. Its just light enough to walk. Youngest ds dosnt get dropped of by taxi from his specialist school place until at least 430 and by then its too dark to let dog off lead and the local parks we could walk to are closed anyway.

Its only day4 for us and I am physically and mentally exhausted. The dc won't/can't be in the same room but both need help with lessons as they have a 121 at school, so I spend hours up and down stairs printing, emailing and trying to explain lessons i quite frankly only have a very limited understanding of all kids are secondary age.

Neither schools will take them back atm as they dont have sufficient staff to keep them safe/meet needs, they are all at different schools.

That 50minutes in the woods watching the morning light change and ddog looning about after long gone squirrels is the only peace I get all day and I'm not going to give it up.

GetOffYourHighHorse · 08/01/2021 13:20

It does seem heavy handed, why not just park there and tell people to go home.

Why are people driving 5m to meet a pal though, it isn't essential. Just go for a walk or run from your home address. Everyone always thinks they are special and different but if everyone drove a few miles to meet someone the roads would be busy. Stay at home fgs!

BuggerBognor · 08/01/2021 13:20

This reply has been withdrawn

Message from MNHQ: This post has been withdrawn

Puzzledandpissedoff · 08/01/2021 13:21

Their chief constable needs to get a grip

Have you ever met her? Hmm

They accosted one of my son's carers on Monday, on foot en route to his house; all the staff carry letters from the agency explaining their role, but it still didn't save him from an aggressive lecture

I'm just worried that they'll target DS himself when he walks to the local supermarket - he has quite severe learning difficulties and it would probably frighten him to death

Ted27 · 08/01/2021 13:23

I never usually comment on these posts but the thing that strikes me really is the lack of common sense in drawing up and enforcing theses regulations.
Absolutely people should not be driving to places like snowdonia and the lakes.
I live in a city. If I go out of my house, walk to the top of the street, do a left, walk for 5 minutes I will be in woods and within 20 minutes walk will be in a different county and on the outskirts of a small market town, but still in the woods. I will probably see no one apart from a few dog walkers.
If I go out of the house and walk to the bottom of the road and continue my walk to stay within my city boundary I will encounter far more people

So which is better ?

Original poster
chomalungma · 08/01/2021 13:23

Leglisation is bookmarked on my phone.

Again.

OP posts:
CriticalWoman · 08/01/2021 13:23

The law does not say you MUST not leave your local area to exercise, it says you SHOULD not, it is not illegal but only guidance and not enforceable by the police. The fact the police have agreed its "not in the spirit" suggests they know that. And local area is not defined anyway.

Chloemol · 08/01/2021 13:23

No it’s not against the law, but you are being asked to stay in your local area, that’s not 5 miles away

Wales34 · 08/01/2021 13:24

The rules state that exercise should begin and end at home , you aren't supposed to driven for exercise. I think given the serious situation in the hospitals I welcome the police doing this

99victoria · 08/01/2021 13:24

Obviously not enough real crime going on in Derbyshire. Perhaps they could reassign half the police force to deliver vaccinations?

sproutburger · 08/01/2021 13:24

if it was a couple of male bodybuilders, do we think they would have been treated the same?

This. Ticket the easy option, pure laziness. Deal with some actual crime - nah.

starfro · 08/01/2021 13:25

The Police don't get to decide what the law is. There is no law against traveling to exercise.

Illegal massive parties or someone deliberately infecting people then the police should be involved. Making up their own rules to harass people in the middle of nowhere is ridiculous.

Lemonpiano · 08/01/2021 13:25

If someone is incapable of comprehending the difference between the legislation they are tasked with upholding and government guidance then they are not fit to hold the office of police constable and should be dismissed with immediate effect.

Original poster
chomalungma · 08/01/2021 13:25

@Wales34

The rules state that exercise should begin and end at home , you aren't supposed to driven for exercise. I think given the serious situation in the hospitals I welcome the police doing this
Again - not the law.
OP posts:
MoltenLasagne · 08/01/2021 13:27

As I see it there are two options:

  1. The police do not understand the law they are meant to be enforcing, in which case they are incompetent.
  1. They understand that it is just guidance but are intentionally overstepping their powers to target these women in which case they are not fit to be police officers.

So incompetence or malice, which is it? Or do we think it is acceptable now for police to rewrite the laws of the country whilst repeatedly failing to act on actual crime?

LilyPond2 · 08/01/2021 13:27

Appalling behaviour from the police. So many crimes don't get investigated at all with the police citing lack of resources, yet here we have an apparent example of the police bullying people for a non-crime. When I looked at the recent guidance I'm sure it specifically said it was OK to travel a short distance in order to exercise somewhere less crowded.

longestlurkerever · 08/01/2021 13:27

Absolutely shocked by so many people being totally ok with the police fining people for things that are not the law. There may or may not be "issues" with people driving 5 miles but unless it's the law the police have no business issuing criminal fines. That's the very definition of the rule of law.

PhilCornwall1 · 08/01/2021 13:28

Oh are these tossers at it again?

SnoozyLou · 08/01/2021 13:29

You can drive to exercise if you can't exercise closer to home. You can do lots of things, but it doesn't make them a good idea.

It's winter. Given the road conditions, a car accident on the way to or from your chosen exercise spot isn't beyond the realms of possibility. The NHS is close to breaking point - who is going to treat you? Is it fair to put the police and fire brigade at increased risk when they have to come and cut you out of your car? And how many people pick up Covid during their hospital stay?

So much entitlement, so little common sense.

Same4Walls · 08/01/2021 13:29

Or do we think it is acceptable now for police to rewrite the laws of the country whilst repeatedly failing to act on actual crime?

I'm not sure which is worse. Police rewriting laws to suit themselves or some posters genuinely not believing there is anything wrong with the police just making up their own version of the law. Confused

Brefugee · 08/01/2021 13:30

This smacks of "low hanging fruit" and if there were a load of police hanging around the carpark that was exactly their intention. Got to keep the statistics up!

It is no wonder when things like this happen that people are wary of the police and don't trust them an inch. Not ACAB but enough are that it's a problem, i think.

Derby police are renowned for this, they were the ones with drones and putting colouring in the lake

that passed me by, what happened? and why the heck?