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Covid

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Original poster

Can I drive 5 miles to walk in the woods?

805 replies

R2221 · 23/03/2020 22:12

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?

OP posts:

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LaurieMarlow · 24/03/2020 10:09

Driving is adding to air pollution at a time when people's lungs are being compromised by a respiratory illness.

The impact of that is very minimal if it means that the OP is coming into contact with much fewer people.

HasaDigaEebowai · 24/03/2020 10:09

You know where there are fewer people? Your house!

Stay inside. Open the windows and do a youtube exercise class or if you have a garden do it in the garden.

Rosa · 24/03/2020 10:11

I am reading the comments on here and thinking Yup I and many others were like that 3weeks ago . I used my common sense, kept my distance but now I am confined to walking my dog up to 200m from my house. All because people thought that they knew best . We would walk to the car and drive to the park or lake , never saw a soul . But it was not essential . Then we were confined to walking in our own town / city , keeping the distances . Again that was not enough as some people abused this and kept doing what they had always done. We reduced our shop to twice a week now it is down to 1 . My kids do exercise in the house as we don't have a garden and my dog gets walked round the block 4/5 times a day . So you carry on doing what you have always done , you have to make an effort for 3 weeks trust me you deal with it and finally it seems that we are seeing a turn ... Its early days but fingers crossed.

LaurieMarlow · 24/03/2020 10:14

You know where there are fewer people? Your house!

Lots of people’s mental health will really struggle with that.

I’m still not seeing an issue with OP driving to remote spot, where she will come into contact with a minimal number of people and be able to practice social distancing safely.

Now if the above turns out not to be true, then yes, she should reconsider. But if it is I’d say it’s better than running in a built up area.

U2HasTheEdge · 24/03/2020 10:15

Stay inside. Open the windows and do a youtube exercise class or if you have a garden do it in the garden.

Perfect for my own exercise. Not sure an exercise video would benefit my dogs.

The key thing in stopping the spread is minimising contact with other people.

You would think so wouldn't you?

dorapicasso · 24/03/2020 10:16

LaurieMarlow the issue is that there isn't one rule for the OP and a different rule for everyone else. I'd much rather drive 5 miles to the woods for my walk than walk from home. And I'm sure that would apply to many many people.

Kraejka · 24/03/2020 10:17

No you shouldn't.
I suspect the UK government will have to make things like this more explicit if people keep asking things like this.
I'm in lockdown in Austria and we had exactly the same rules as the UK has just introduced but 8 days earlier.
After a couple of days they told us that going out for a walk was allowed but not driving somewhere to do this, nor going mountain biking, ski touring or mountain climbing. The reason being that all of these carry increased risk with the possibility of needing mountain rescue and then needing hospital treatment putting the hospitals under strain. There have been 3 mountain biking accidents in my local area and those 3 people are now in hospital taking up a bed which someone else might need.
We have also been told that driving somewhere for a walk is not essential and we should not be doing this as there is an increased risk of an accident meaning rescue teams needing to come out (all volunteers around here) and again, taking up vital space in hospitals.
The walk starts from your front door.

The point of all of this is to reduce the pressure on hospitals, not just from Corona, but from people having other accidents.

I think Boris will be back on TV in a couple of days making things even clearer.

Tonyaster · 24/03/2020 10:17

There's noone on my walk except me and two dogs.

There are 5 people in my house.

daisypond · 24/03/2020 10:18

Now if the above turns out not to be true, then yes, she should reconsider. But if it is I’d say it’s better than running in a built up area.
By the time it turn out to be true, it’s because it is already too late. You will have killed people. You may have killed yourself. No one cares what you say, what you think, what you believe. Just obey the rules. No non essential travel.

HasaDigaEebowai · 24/03/2020 10:18

Lots of people’s mental health will really struggle with that.

Lots of people's actual physical health will struggle with idiots making up their own rules and not containing the virus as much as they could have. Struggle to the extent that they will die.

Tonyaster · 24/03/2020 10:19

I don't think people are still mountain biking and mountain climbing in the UK

Driving to go for a walk is not quite in the same league

Kraejka · 24/03/2020 10:24

Did you read all of my post??
My point was how the Austrians made the restrictions more clear after a couple of days of people heading to the mountains and doing all sorts.
They then also mentioned driving to go for a walk and said that was also not essential.
It's not in the same league as in requiring a mountain rescue team out because you got lost somewhere but it was mentioned as part of the second wave of instructions we received about what we were not to do.

If a whole load of people decide that they are going to drive somewhere for a walk and those popular places get crowded with cars and people, the UK government will have to make a statement about this because
a) too many people gathering in one place is a risk for spreading the virus
b) too many people driving around for non-essential trips increases the risk of car accidents which puts pressure on the NHS at a time when this is extremely detrimental.

LaurieMarlow · 24/03/2020 10:25

Lots of people's actual physical health will struggle with idiots making up their own rules and not containing the virus as much as they could have.

How is the OP, walking in a remote area where she can practice social distancing very safely ‘not containing the virus’?

Rosa · 24/03/2020 10:25

U2 your dogs have to adjust as well .... Ours had and he was having 3 hrs walk a day ... If we had a treadmill we would put the dog on that . At least we can go 150m more than Spain .... You go through a frustration phase and then you deal with it ...

Tonyaster · 24/03/2020 10:26

How is the OP, walking in a remote area where she can practice social distancing very safely ‘not containing the virus’?

This.

People are scared and angry and have lost any scrap of common sense they once had.

moveandmove · 24/03/2020 10:26

This was mentioned on tv earlier and they said do not drive to take your daily exercise as then you'll need petrol and people will go to petrol stations which is not what they want.

LaurieMarlow · 24/03/2020 10:27

By the time it turn out to be true, it’s because it is already too late. You will have killed people

No. She sees it’s crowded, she turns round and goes home.

The ‘rules’ are fine with her running in a built up area, which is much more dangerous.

U2HasTheEdge · 24/03/2020 10:28

Lots of people's actual physical health will struggle with idiots making up their own rules and not containing the virus as much as they could have.

Walking in a more populated area where it is more difficult to keep your distance VS driving 5 miles to walk in a quieter area where you can easily keep your distance from other people.

Which is more containing?

Eckhart · 24/03/2020 10:29

No one cares what you say, what you think, what you believe

In the true spirit of MN!

SociallyDistanced · 24/03/2020 10:31

Drs last weekend's idiots are on here in their masses it would seem.

So many people determined to argue thier point. Determined to find a way to not do what they have been told to do.

Carry on with your walk feeling smug at how much nicer it is than the shitty pavements outside your house but don't fucking moan next week when you're told to stay the fuck indoors except to walk your dog within 50m of your house like they have done abroad and be safe in the knowledge that the further clampdowns were due to twats like you.

If any aspect of your life feels normal right now you're not doing it right.

Tonyaster · 24/03/2020 10:31

ekhart

LaurieMarlow · 24/03/2020 10:33

Carry on with your walk feeling smug at how much nicer it is than the shitty pavements outside your house

And how much safer in terms of social distancing, than running in a built up, urban area!

Tonyaster · 24/03/2020 10:33

No, you are a twat if you think walking on pavements with lots of others is somehow more virally containing than walking in the open countryside with no people.

Sameold2020 · 24/03/2020 10:35

But the pros and cons don't matter. The rule is no non-essential travel.

U2HasTheEdge · 24/03/2020 10:35

U2 your dogs have to adjust as well

Absolutely.

I will obviously stop walking them if and when we have to self-isolate and we will get creative and deal with it.

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