Driving 3 miles to beach and fined £200

[nancybotwinbloom]

A friend of a friend drove three miles to her nearest beach and took her newborn for a walk in the pram.

She was surrounded by police and fined £200.

This was today.

I think it must of been scary to be surrounded by police with the pram and the newborn. Surely only one of them needed to speak to her. Not mob handed. Or are they all unreasonable?

Is it unreasonable to drive three miles for a walk? I'm at a point now I can't work out what's local and what's not. I don't think she was in the wrong in all honesty.

Or is it that she drove there that it's not local enough.

I walk nearly three miles to the park with the dog and walk through the park and walk back most days and I don't think I am unreasonable?

What is local classed as these days?

[WhatWouldPhyllisCraneDo]

Is this like the "friend of a friend" whose child was snatched in Asda/Tesco/a theme park, had their hair cut and changed in the toilets? That kind of thing?

[Nicknacky]

@FlyingFlamingo Which is fair enough if she pointed out that was the law in Wales and not post as if it is the law throughout the country.

I’m in Scotland. I never post as if what goes on up here is the same as everywhere else, it’s a pointless thing to do.

[OrangePlumGrape]

It’s the driving to exercise bit I think op. If she had walked three miles with the pram it would be ok where I am but you can’t use the car if that makes sense.

[nancybotwinbloom]

If it comes up in the echo I will screen shot it.

For those who say it didn't happen, like I say, I wasn't there, my best mate told me today this happened to the lady she works with. I can only say what she told me her work mate told her.

I occasionally go the same beach early in the morning with the dog when it's dead. It was more of a warning to me.

I thought I'd post on here to let people know that's all.

[Gwenhwyfar]

Was this in Wales? Driving to exercise is not allowed there.

[Nicknacky]

@GettingUntrapped There is many, many reasons they might have been there. And do you mean the 2 metre guidance when you say “enforce social distancing”?

[Carysmatthews]

Maybe she failed the attitude test.

[Markies]

Bullshit. We had something very similar in our local area that went viral until the police were forced to come out and issue a statement denying it. Funnily enough it’s all gone quiet on that rumour now.

[bloodywhitecat]

@SadderThanEeyore

You're not supposed to drive anywhere for exercise. It's supposed to start and finish at home.

I'd love to know where the rules (for England) state that?

[hansgrueber]

I'm about 8 miles from a supermarket!

[Pumpkinstace]

No driving for exercise in Wales because of people taking the piss.

There are definitely coppers at the local beauty spots/ beaches/etc stopping people as they get out the car.

[Greenmarmalade]

That’s terrible- poor woman.

Bournemouth? I wouldn’t be surprised. OTT police force who arrest people for nothing.

[nancybotwinbloom]

We are in Liverpool

[NovemberR]

Cool story.

[Cocomarine]

🤣 at “surrounded by police”
I’m sure there’s a touch of the dramatics there.

[BrieAndChilli]

@hansgrueber

I'm about 8 miles from a supermarket!

That’s fine. If that’s your nearest /most suitable supermarket you are allowed. You aren’t allowed to (in wales) drive 8 miles to the beach or up the hills to have a picnic / ‘exercise’

[tatutata]

Well if it's true, then the fines have no chance of sticking.

[CriticalWoman]

This is what the LAW says - only leave your house for exercise (or other permitted exemptions). The Guidance says stay local. Breaching the law is enforceable with a fine, not following the guidance is not enforceable. The police do themselves no favours by exceeding their legal powers.
www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2020/350/regulation/6/made

[Kinneddar]

@LadyDique

And in terms of exaggerating I'd also wager being 'surrounded' by police was probably 2 walking over to her

😂😂 you beat me to that.

But then that's not quite as dramatic as 'surrounded'

[EmpressSuiko]

I wouldn’t be able to buy any essentials if I had to stay within 3 miles of my home! I live in the middle of nowhere!

[Jijithecat]

@Greenmarmalade if you're referring to the bench lady she was a covid conspiracy theorist who by all accounts is now regretting her protest and not just because she got arrested.

[Santaiscovidfree]

The thing is she didn't NEED to drive though did she?
A walk with a pram is enough surely?

[nancybotwinbloom]

@Cocomarine

Maybe her friend has dramatised it. I don't know. I don't know her friend.

I shouldn't of posted it in hindsight, I just felt like a gab about it on here.

[ghostyslovesheets]

because not everyone wants to walk round your block - but you end up with 100+ people and their kids and picnics driving to the beach!