Can I drive 5 miles to walk in the woods?

[R2221]

Just that really. We’ve been isolating for over a week and these woods are the only thing that kept us sane. Isolated woods - not many people there. Those we came across were mindful of distance.

With the current lockdown rules, are we allowed to drive there?

While your car is parked someone sneezed on the door handle, your child gets ill. Was your walk worth it?

I've genuinely reached the point in these threads where I can no longer tell who is being deadly serious and who's taking the piss.

I'll get some sleep instead. Night all.

Hello from a national park. Lots of public footpaths run through farms, and are getting really bored of people walking through our farms - each time they are using our gates. This weekend we had six different groups of people. Makes me feel so anxious - people will not be respectful, they think it’s some matter of principle that they continue as before.

Factors I would consider - is that path public; will you be parking near others; any chance others will touch your car; are there any gates or climbstiles or similar that you need to use to access the land.

It must be so boring to be cooped up with family at this time and have limited space. I really do get that. But I dare say you’d rather be bored with your family than see them dead. Family friend is mid 30s and by the grace of the NHS has just survived two weeks at deaths door in hospital with corona, we’ve lost an acquaintance in our local town from it, we have four cases in the hamlet. I’d rather be bored than dead.

Good luck.

He said a walk. I didn't hear go for a drive to go for a walk.
@SnoozyLou you did not hear “do not drive to exercise” either. Why? Because if people choose to use the car to do any of the permitted activities, it will not make any difference to the spread of coronavirus. Otherwise we’d have been told only to use shops within walking distance.

What part of “going to do exercise” don’t you understand @Flaxmeadow?

Because you do not need to drive a car to get exercise. It is not essential. If someone lives miles from a shop and needs food then yes but you can only do that once

It is one of the four express “good reasons” to be out. Nobody said that you could only go on foot.

Food is a good reason. Work is a good reason

Most pavements in residential areas are less than 2m wide. If you go out for a run from your house and meet 10 other people also out, how do you safely observe social distancing? On the other hand if I drive past them all in my car on my way to a quieter place, I have successfully exercised while complying with all SD requirements. Common sense.

Your car does not give you any more privileges than a pedestrian

Personally my family are staying inside for a week. Which means anyone infected in our area will become know and their family can also stay inside for a second week.
My family are medical people and say this is the way to stay safe.
If your outside you may become ill, and your doing this willfully to yourselves.
I hope your walks are worth the pain.

Your car does not give you any more privileges than a pedestrian

It is a physical barrier between me and other people! Of course it does.

While your car is parked someone sneezed on the door handle, your child gets ill

I’ve heard it all now.

Oh hang on, our bins are collected tomorrow. Wait...what if the binman sneezes on my bin? That’s it, I’m bleaching the bins tomorrow.

No wonder we're in bloody lockdown.

It's not the walk in the woods but the drive and risk of a serious RTA putting more pressure on an already stretched NHS.

What do you think will happen if everyone has the same idea as you? "I'll just jump in the car and nip five miles down that rural road...".

If you fancy an extended stay in hospital with no visitors while this crisis is happening then crack on.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-northern-ireland-51999437/stay-at-home-doctors-and-nurses-appeal-to-uk

I've genuinely reached the point in these threads where I can no longer tell who is being deadly serious and who's taking the piss.

That comment gave me a much needed laugh though. People sneezing on car door handles.. whatever next.

I mean it could happen, but it could happen anywhere.

Sitting in my car with my family to go to a more isolated area is more dangerous than walking around the block where it is going to be more populated.

Apply some common sense ffs.

I would say it is OK.
If you really know that it is an isolated area then go for it.
If you then see that other people are gathering there then knock it on the head.
My wife and I know areas where we can walk for a couple of hours where we see no other people, then that is safe.

Here are the “good reasons” @Flaxmeadow
Why cherry pick food and work?!

Shopping for basic necessities, for example food and medicine, which must be as infrequent as possible.
One form of exercise a day, for example a run, walk, or cycle - alone or with members of your household.
Any medical need, or to provide care or to help a vulnerable person.
Travelling to and from work, but only where this absolutely cannot be done from home.

Surely there's more chance of someone sneezing on your car while it's parked on your road!

So how much food should we have at home? I mean has anyone calculated the best scenario to minimise contact (in supermarket) but not be fucking things up by stockpiling.

Sitting in my car with my family to go to a more isolated area is more dangerous than walking around the block where it is going to be more populated.

Did you miss out a “no” or a “not” there @U2HasTheEdge?

Otherwise we’d have been told only to use shops within walking distance.

Lots of us live in places where there are no shops within walking distance. The government isn't planning on condemning the entire rural population to death! Those in cities need to realise that you need farmers to stay alive. So understand what farming life entails, and don't assume that everyone lives the same kind of life to you. When the government doesn't specify a distance to travel it could be because distance doesn't matter. Or it could be because the distance limits necessary with cities would mean rural life (and therefore food production for you to stay alive) would stop.

you did not hear “do not drive to exercise” either. Why? Because if people choose to use the car to do any of the permitted activities, it will not make any difference to the spread of coronavirus. Otherwise we’d have been told only to use shops within walking distance.

Does your car take itself to the garage and fill itself up with petrol then? And it 100% guarantees you will never have an accident either? Wow, clever car.

The press release said very clearly no non-essential journeys. Driving to the woods is a non-essential journey. Plus don't think for a minutes no one else will have had this brainwave too.

It is a physical barrier between me and other people! Of course it does.

That wasn't my point but seeing as you raided it. You have to park it up leave it somewhere, get in and out of your car.

My point was more that the police will stop and question car drivers as well as pedestrians

*raised

It's a non-essential journey.

Does your car take itself to the garage and fill itself up with petrol then?
Nope, because it is electric and plugs into my garage.

You have to park it up leave it somewhere, get in and out of your car.

How is that any different from going in and out of my house?

I live on the edge of a national park.
I can see the hills from all sides of my house but I would have to drive to get to a walking spot.
I have no doubt that idiots will drive out there regardless.
If you can't walk there, don't go.

Yes I did miss a no out there. It's late

Driving to a less populated area to exercise is reducing the risk to myself and others. Isn't that what people want us to do? reduce the risk?

This is the best thread I have been on in days.

What’s with the confused @Flaxmeadow. As I say to my son, can you use your words to tell me what is wrong?

That people are under the impression that using a car cannot spread the virus