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Original poster

Why don’t people realise they are part of the problem?

46 replies

Mrsfrumble · 23/03/2020 08:50

Just seen on Facebook; a photo of a very crowded London Park, taken yesterday, with a caption about how people are such selfish idiots and stupid for ignoring advice. The photo was taken by the person who made the post, and unless he used some sort of remotely operated drone (didn’t look like it from the angle) it means HE was at the park too, and therefore contributing to the crowding! There’s lots of it on the local Nextdoor site too; people complaining that they went for a walk in the park and it was soooo crowded. Why didn’t everyone else stay at home? Not stopping to ask the same of themselves. I’m finding it really hard not to point out the hypocrisy!

Same with the supermarket situation; the attitude of “it’s everyone else unnecessarily panic buying, but I’m just trying to sensibly stock up and everyone else is getting in the way and putting me at risk”.

It’s like drivers who complain there’s too much traffic on the roads, but worse. Why are we so bad a self-reflection??

OP posts:
Duchessofblandings · 23/03/2020 08:50

Because they are a. Selfish, b. Stupid or c. Both

Original poster
Mrsfrumble · 23/03/2020 08:58

Well yeah, I think we’re all innately a bit selfish and stupid. I like to think I’m trying to be a bit more self-aware though!

OP posts:
bobstersmum · 23/03/2020 09:03

Has anyone seen the video of that absolute total knob head licking things in the supermarket?

BruceAndNosh · 23/03/2020 09:05

Yes, it's the same as No, you're not stuck in traffic, you ARE traffic!

Sparklfairy · 23/03/2020 09:05

I did @bobstersmum, well I saw it posted yesterday but couldn't bear to watch it. Can't find it anywhere today despite numerous searches!

NameChange2PostThis · 23/03/2020 09:09

I think it’s ok to go to the park as long as social distancing is maintained. I took my kids to the park yesterday. We were never closer than 2 metres to anyone - more like 5 metres+
But I did notice some football going on Hmm And also some multigenerational groups - I mean they could be one household, but I doubt it. There were also a lot of people walking really close together on the path rather than on the grass.
I’m pissed off that the selfish idiots failing to social distance mean this might be the last day I can take the kids out for a run around. But I think it’s time to lockdown because you can’t legislate against stupid.

KaptenKrusty · 23/03/2020 09:11

Hard one though - I needed to get some air yday so went out for a cycle to clear my head - I’m in London and there’s only really 2 big outside spaces near my house - so if everyone needs a bit of fresh air they go to both those places and they end up crowded - it’s hard to avoid crowds in London with there being so many people here. What do you suggest - we each get set times to go out? I get that it looks stupid - but I needed that air as was going crazy inside - and it seems we are not welcome to come further out to the countryside cus it upsets the locals

RufustheLanglovingreindeer · 23/03/2020 09:15

Maybe he rocked up there

Realised how busy it was

Took a photo to prove how busy it was

And went straight back home

(I like to be optimistic...but it probably was just him being a hypocrite)

ErrolTheDragon · 23/03/2020 09:20

If the park in question is the one he can walk to in five minutes and it's full of people who've arrived there from miles around then he's got some cause to feel aggrieved. If he's travelled any distance to get there himself then no.

Original poster
Mrsfrumble · 23/03/2020 09:20

KaptenKrusty we went out on bikes yesterday too. Also in a very densely populated part of London. When we got to the park and saw how busy it was we decided to cycle around the empty back streets instead, but the people in the park were no more selfish idiots than us. We went because there are 4 of us in a 2 bedroom flat with a postage-stamp-sized garden (which I know we’re lucky to have!) and one DC has ADHD. But every person out there in the park probably had equally valid reasons. We were all part of the problem!

OP posts:
BiarritzCrackers · 23/03/2020 09:25

Not trying to make excuses BUT: one thing did occur to me about the Broadway Market and Victoria Park bits on the news, WRT to the groups of people: I used to live around that area in a flat share of 4. So we might have gone out together to the market to get food because the supermarkets in London are all empty, and, after all, we are being told "takeaways are fine, go get takeaways".

And as a bunch of twenty somethings we might have chatted together, and looked like we were congregating, whereas in fact we were 4 young women, all from the same household.

There is lots of apparently appalling behaviour going on, but the pictures on the news and social media don't tell you everything. And as for Columbia Road market, there was no excuse! There is no such thing as a floral necessity.

Original poster
Mrsfrumble · 23/03/2020 09:25

Errol you could fill every big park in London with people who live less than 5 minutes away, that’s how densely populated it is!

I once read a wise post on here about how we excuse our own less desirable behaviour because of external circumstances, but ascribe others similar behaviour to their innate characters, which seems very true these days!

OP posts:
DisasterousManagementPlan · 23/03/2020 09:26

DP and I went for a cycle yesterday (the road is a lovely place to maintain an appropriate distance from everyone 😁) and most of the people out and about were doing their best to maintain social distancing.

I don't understand why the people in that now infamous photo didn't just spread out on to the grass. There's plenty of space if people do that.

Similarly, if I were going to take the kids to the beach (and I totally will), I'd drive a bit further and choose one of the ones that are empty even on glorious summer days because they're not in a town and have no interesting amenities. If you drive there and the car park is really busy, then that is not the beach for you.

It's important to get fresh air and exercise, and you can do that away from other people. In fact, it's always better when you do it away from other people.

daisypond · 23/03/2020 09:26

I suspect that people going for bike rides, walking in parks, etc, will come to a close. I have relatives in the centre of the lockdown in Lombardy. They live in a small flat. You cannot go for a run or a bike ride at all.

mummaminnie · 23/03/2020 09:30

Biarritz they're telling families not to all go to the supermarket together but just one person from a family. You probably still shouldn't all go shopping together.

daisypond · 23/03/2020 09:33

It's important to get fresh air and exercise,
It’s more important to stay alive, keep others alive and not overburden the NHS. Other people in other countries don’t get any fresh air and exercise at all, because people just wouldn’t obey the guidance to stay at home. You do not drive off to a beach with your kids. How is that essential travel?

BiarritzCrackers · 23/03/2020 09:35

I didn't see that update mummaminnie, and I follow the news on this rather more than I should. Have the government said that? Just had a quick look, and I can't find a source.

BiarritzCrackers · 23/03/2020 09:36

I don't do that now - I am a 40 something, and far away from London!

quasimodo7 · 23/03/2020 09:40

Well we seem to be living in a society where people have become quite blase about the freedoms we normally enjoy in this country.
Many see democracy now as an excuse to behave in any manner they choose, and say whatever they like regardless of consequences.
We are really quite spoilt as a nation, and seem to have a need to have anything we want immediately, and the need to display it online.
Perhaps this will be an opportunity for people to realise, compared to many other countries in the world, how lucky we have been, and to stop leading lives of unnecessary excess.

DisasterousManagementPlan · 23/03/2020 09:52

You do not drive off to a beach with your kids. How is that essential travel?

I really don't see any issue with getting into a car and driving to a deserted beach (there are plenty of these near here) where you don't interact with anyone. Especially if you pick a nice, cold, rainy day to do it on (inevitably one of them will be along soon). Who are you going to infect?

And there's been loads of advice from public health professionals that people should go outside and get exercise in ways that mean they're not coming into contact with people. There are plenty of ways to do that (if you don't live in London, for example).

Part of the problem is people getting hysterical even when others are taking actual precautions to make sure they don't meet anyone (and why would you want to?). There's a very big difference between popping down to the seafront at Scarborough, queuing for fish and chips and then sitting on a crowded wall to eat it and going out so that you can avoid other people.

Original poster
Mrsfrumble · 23/03/2020 09:53

I think you’re right Quasimodo and I definitely include myself in that. I buy too much stuff we don’t need. Especially with the ease of contactless payment and online shops who have have my details stored. Soon they’ll be nothing to buy but essentials so I hope it will force me to change my ways a bit.

OP posts:
daisypond · 23/03/2020 09:55

Part of the problem is people getting hysterical
And a bigger part of the problem is people saying other people are hysterical as soon as it affects something they they want to do.

DisasterousManagementPlan · 23/03/2020 10:04

And a bigger part of the problem is people saying other people are hysterical as soon as it affects something they they want to do.

But people are being hysterical. Part of the problem is that we have millions of people sitting at home going online and just making each other hysterical. It helps no one (and makes it impossible to find sensible guidance and discussion).

TreacherousPissFlap · 23/03/2020 10:06

Friends had one of their mums over for dinner yesterday - they're normally prolific FB'ers but there was total radio silence on this so they must be aware there would be a backlash. (I know because her car was parked outside)
Considering one of them works in the NHS and one in the police I have really hoiked my judgy pants high.

PerfidiousAlbion · 23/03/2020 10:11

Yes, relatives of mine went to a park to walk yesterday and the cafe was still open serving food and drink. They were operating as a take-away (no sitting in) but the people queuing were all very close and mingling at the entrance/exit to the queue.

Relatives (in their sixties) wanted to then pop in and see me on the way home and thought I was paranoid for saying no.