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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Travelling during lockdown

26 replies

Bristolbongos · 19/02/2021 18:22

Just wondering if anyone has actually been pulled over when travelling long distances during lockdown? I see things on Facebook about fines etc but there are thousands of cars on the motorway everyday, who do they decide to pull over? I’m going to be travelling almost 300 miles in a few weeks (I have a valid reason) and I’m really anxious of being pulled over, even though I’m technically doing nothing wrong

OP posts:

Ginfordinner · 19/02/2021 18:25

The only long distance travel I did was to take DD back to university 100 miles away because she is doing a medical related degree. I didn't get stopped.

anniegun · 19/02/2021 18:27

Realistically they will probably only enquire when someone is stopped for a different reason (speeding, breakdown etc). Our local police stopped someone for a broken headlight. He was charged with drug driving, possession and covid breaches as he was with his (non resident girlfriend). They had only gone for a McD!

Coasterfan · 19/02/2021 18:31

I drove 160 miles for a funeral and back again this week, didn’t see a police car. Not sure how I could have proved what I was doing and why but there was no question of me not going.

Paul72 · 19/02/2021 18:35

In November I drove 70 miles towing a caravan. I expected to get stopped as going away for a holiday was illegal. I did not get stopped.
I felt secure as I was taking the caravan to be serviced so it was totally empty, no cushions, mattress, curtains or anything.
A week later I towed it back to my house. I was almost disappointed not to be stopped.
I'm more disappointed that we've not be able to go away on holiday in our caravan since it was serviced.

tinytemper66 · 19/02/2021 18:40

In November during Wales firebreak and the first day in England's second lockdown my son drove from Norfol to Wales and was stopped at Cardiff after midnight by the police.
I drive 8 miles to care for someone almost daily and can drive 30 each way to work to the valleys and have never been stopped.

MissMarpleDarling · 19/02/2021 18:58

I live close to my office but i have colleagues who it can take upto 2 hours one way to get in. Been open through all the lockdown and no ones ever been stopped.

Disressingtimes · 19/02/2021 19:26

Drove over 100 miles (& back) to a funeral and neither us, or 2 other cars of family attending from different areas, were stopped.

SendMeHome · 19/02/2021 19:30

Our local police force seems to be always pulling people over. The next force don’t seem to care. If you’ve got proof of the journey being within the rules, you’ll be fine.

teamdebbievssorelosers · 19/02/2021 19:32

I have several friends who travelled cross-country to pick up a child, to visit an elderly relative, for a funeral etc. I honestly haven't heard of anyone being stopped.

I have never seen the local police stopping anyone here either, and anyone in the traffic could be from anywhere else non-local.

Ellpellwood · 19/02/2021 19:37

Honestly I think you need bad luck (e.g. breakdown) to be stopped. If I were the police and really trying to catch people I'd spot check at service stations but I don't know how you would prove some of the allowed reasons!

pigsDOfly · 19/02/2021 19:45

Soon after this current lockdown came into effect someone I know on a business related journey of just over 20 miles was stopped and was told to turn around as his journey wasn't essential.

This was just outside London.

I know other people who have made far longer journeys from other parts of the country and haven't been stopped at all.

I suspect that the police aren't quite as keen as they were at the beginning and that it also depends which part of the country you're in.

Malbecfan · 19/02/2021 20:13

I drove 410 miles one Saturday taking DD2 back to uni, then 450 the next taking DD1 back. Both had permission from their unis to be back which they forwarded to me. I wasn't stopped.

I drive to a school every day from Monday to Friday either to do my live lessons or supervise the key worker/vulnerable children. I always carry my school ID badge. I haven't been stopped even though it's 16 miles each way 3 days per week.

Alwayswrongneverright · 19/02/2021 20:18

In December my husband and I did a 4 hr journey (I don't drive so don't know how many miles) to my stepmums funeral, we stayed for 2 nights before driving back. Didn't get stopped either way

freddiethegreat · 19/02/2021 20:18

Like @Malbecfan I have driven 20 miles each way to school every day (workday) since lockdown began & haven’t been stopped. Likewise, I drove to a Tier 3 area when Tier 3 was top level & you weren’t supposed to travel in or out for a permitted but hard to prove reason in December & wasn’t stopped. That one was motorway too, but I didn’t stop at services.

99victoria · 19/02/2021 20:20

We've travelled every day this week to the house that we've been renting out. It was my OHs home before we got married and it's about a 35 mile drive from where we now live (most of the journey is on a motorway)

Our current tenants have just moved out and have left the house in a terrible state so we've driven there and back every day this week to try and tidy, clean and do repairs. We'll be going every day next week too.

We haven't been stopped or seen any indication of anyone else being stopped either.

MinnieMountain · 19/02/2021 20:24

A good friend drives lots for her job. She’s not been stopped once.

NellietheNumpty · 19/02/2021 20:29

DH has. He was in a dingy part of town in the early hours waiting in the car. He had gone to pick up antibiotics from all night pharmacy. They searched the car too.

AlrightTreacle · 19/02/2021 20:46

I reckon it's probably mostly people who have been pulled over for other reasons, like no car insurance/tax/MOT, broken brake light, speeding etc. I've not seen anyone get pulled over where I live, though the police were prowling around the local nature reserve at the start of this lockdown to fine people for driving 5 miles there , all the fines have since been cancelled.

zafferana · 19/02/2021 20:51

I very much doubt you'd be stopped unless you were breaking the law or looked like you were going on holiday (towing a caravan/boat, roof rack or car piled high with stuff, etc). I have a couple of relatives who drive for work and they've never been stopped.

Ponoka7 · 19/02/2021 20:52

I know a few younger men who've been stopped. One was my son in law on his way home from work. He works out of town. They made him do a drugs test and were really arsey. He works for the NHS and has a NHS work badge. Some Police are looking for trouble. They've lost a lot of public support in some areas.

MarmedukeDuke · 19/02/2021 21:10

DH has been stopped twice, he works in a hospital.

Lwg87 · 19/02/2021 21:16

In our area (in Wales but close to the English border) the police have had weekends where they check every car coming in. Very strong presence day and night. My brother has been stopped going to work at least 6 times

Original poster

Bristolbongos · 20/02/2021 10:02

@Lwg87 every car? How is that even possible?

OP posts:

Lwg87 · 20/02/2021 10:05

They park across the roundabout and stop every car. It's very possible? It's not a city

Hope4theBestPlan4theWorst · 20/02/2021 10:09

I got stopped 9miles away from home

There's a nature reserve/park area 9 miles from our house

Police pulled me over and asked why I was visiting a park 9miles away when there were places closer to home

I said to take my children out

I got - that's not a valid reason please go home you won't be fined today but your car registration is on our records

I think it was a very busy Saturday and the locals or someone had possibly complained about there being too many people there

It seems to be a postcode lottery - several of my colleagues (hospital) travel from neighbouring counties and although they have a valid reason to travel none of them have been stopped on much further journeys

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