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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:
Thread gallery
12
mummmy2017 · 24/03/2020 14:52

Tomorrow, when everyone spent today and tomorrow afternoon, out exercising in a wood, guess what, it will suddenly become a no no. Karma.

NuclearWinter · 24/03/2020 14:53

Ah, so not now just 'within the rules' but also starting to be the recommended option - in Stafford, at least.

LittleRootie · 24/03/2020 14:56

Glad to hear Gov and Police taking the common-sense approach

LadyGuffers · 24/03/2020 15:00

Came on here to say of course a short drive to somewhere quieter would be more sensible than adding to street numbers.

Got disheartened to see so many aggressive people having a go at the OP for even asking.

Faith restored to see the government have confirmed it is ok/preferable.

pickletickled · 24/03/2020 15:02

I've just read a post on fb regarding my local area. A resident who lives on the coast has today been watching cars rammed with kids and dogs pulling up one after the other. Most no doubt using the excuse that ''they're allowed''
I'm allowed to visit the shop once per day (as per Nicola Sturgeon) but I'm not stupid enough to do so.
This doesn't happen on a normal Tuesday.
Normally local residents can walk their dogs in relative peace without seeing others.

I've also had people posting about this exercise they're entitled to go outside for
Funny the fuckers don't bother with it any other time!
This is an absolute joke still. The whole lock down thing was more a request than an order.

givemushypeasachance · 24/03/2020 15:05

Some people are just trying to use common sense about what seems the best way to reduce social contact. Others are taking the piss. And others are clinging to "just don't leave the bloody house" even though there are expressly permitted exceptions, and no one has been welded in (yet).

For what it's worth, this frankly bizarre question is on the Sky News website summary of Michael Gove's Q&A earlier:

"Can I go for a drive to blow the cobwebs away?

"It is unlikely anybody will be pulled over by the police just for driving," Mr Gove said."

OnlyFoolsnMothers · 24/03/2020 15:06

Everyone from London jumped
In their cars at the weekend to come and get some sea air.. now we are on lockdown well I didn’t and neither did any one I know, so stop having a go at Londoners!

BirdandSparrow · 24/03/2020 15:07

I think soon the rules will be tightened. Too many people will still be out and about. This is what Spain looks like: www.eldiario.es/sociedad/FOTOS-cuarentena-coronavirus-ciudades-espanolas_12_1006619332.html

That is what you need to replicate.

LadyGuffers · 24/03/2020 15:12

Yep, that's what my village looks like today. With the exception that our architecture is MUCH less inspiring...

U2HasTheEdge · 24/03/2020 15:12

The minister said yon were able to drive to walk in a more isolated area to avoid contact with people as long as it was only once a day.

I wonder if I will get an apology from the poster who called me a dick!

LolaSmiles · 24/03/2020 15:12

If the guidelines have now changed then by all means go for it.

Part of me is just waiting to find that all these isolated areas where nobody ever sees anyone suddenly start getting busy because now the official line seems to be "stay at home other than for brief exercise and avoid non-essential travel, unless you fancy going out for a morning somewhere pretty in which case go for it".

People thought keeping away from busy places meant go to the seaside, go to busy markets, go to busy parks and that prompted this semi lockdown. Do we seriously think the great British public will apply any more common sense to this new guidance?

U2HasTheEdge · 24/03/2020 15:21

If the guidelines have now changed then by all means go for it.

They haven't changed.

Yesterday they said you can go out to exercise. Some of us understood that to mean it was safer to travel to less populated areas to do so, using common sense. Now it has been clarified (for now anyway). No rules have changed.

nicenewdusters · 24/03/2020 15:26

Ministers have been saying all sorts of things for the past week which rely on people's common sense and humanity. Each one has collapsed within hours or days, due to the "special" brigade, and then draconian measures are brought in. Let me run this one past you. It's a bit out there, and it might annoy you for 3 weeks, but I hear it saves lives...

Stay. At. Home

All these people apparently in training for the Tokyo Olympics, put on YouTube and find a fitness video. Or improvise - but in your home. And if you have a dog, or two, or three, and you don't have a garden to exercise them in - then why the hell have you got a dog in the first place?

LolaSmiles · 24/03/2020 15:33

U2HasTheEdge
They also said avoid non-essential travel. It's not essential to be driving to parks / woodland etc.

Many people took avoid non-essential travel and you're ok to do some exercise outdoors to mean you go out when it's quieter and you avoid non-essential travel.

Most people who live 5/10 mins drive from somewhere quieter and rural are unlikely to be living in bustling crowded areas at the best of times so it's probably just fine to stay local.

Unfortunately for all the sensible people on this thread there's going to be people now thinking nothing of having a family outing because it's their exercise.

If I think back to the person on my social media who was saying how great it was that local woodland walk was so quiet this morning, being told it's fine to go for a drive probably means that this walk will end up with full car parks. It's only a matter of time before we get full lockdown like on the continent because some people refuse to accept that they can't do everything the way they'd prefer.

MadameLeFunky · 24/03/2020 15:37

They also said avoid non-essential travel.

I see this quoted a lot and abmit I had assumed that's what was said as well - but cannot actually see it as part of the guidelines?

Kraejka · 24/03/2020 15:39

It won't be long before they do toughen up on this. So fair enough, a minister has said that people can drive somewhere to go for a walk. .
Enjoy it while it lasts OP and others.
If too many people start doing this and we end up with scenes like at the weekend with the trailhead to Snowdon completely packed and car parks near remote woodland full of cars and people on family days out, then there will be more restrictions put in place.

OchAyeThaNoo · 24/03/2020 15:40

DH and I just drove out to an isolated area to go for our walk because I'm overweight and need the exercise and fresh air.
Safer than trying to go for a walk in a populated area. Can't see an issue with this. You can infect someone from the middle of a field or forest.

LittleRootie · 24/03/2020 15:42

if you have a dog, or two, or three, and you don't have a garden to exercise them in - then why the hell have you got a dog in the first place?

Because you can usually walk them in a park, on the streets or, even, drive somewhere and walk them in the woods. Tone down the rage for goodness sake, it doesn't help anyone

MadameLeFunky · 24/03/2020 15:43

Enjoy it while it lasts OP and others.

Exacty right. All anyone can do is follow the guidelines given for that moment. They are going to change again at some point (relax or tighten) and then people will have to follow those as well.

LolaSmiles · 24/03/2020 15:50

MadameLeFunky
It's been said in all the press conferences.

All we can do is follow the rules given. There's fines for ignoring them.

Then again given there's people taking the view 'I will do what I want because there's no police to physically stop me' I'm not sure how long we'll have before full lockdown is implemented.

You just have to look on MN to see how many people think they're unique/their DC are somehow different to every other child / they absolutely have to make non essential journeys to see that the greater good mentality is missing in far too many people.

fishonabicycle · 24/03/2020 15:51

Driving out to walk round the woods is fine. You don't touch anything apart from your car!

InFiveMins · 24/03/2020 16:01

Of course you can! Get out and enjoy your exercise in the woods, and just be careful not to come into close contact with anyone outside your household.

U2HasTheEdge · 24/03/2020 16:04

Many people took avoid non-essential travel and you're ok to do some exercise outdoors to mean you go out when it's quieter and you avoid non-essential travel.

Yep, the advice wasn't as clear as it should have been.

The OP, me and others believed that driving 5 miles to a quieter area was safer, and we got a fair amount of shit and name-calling for it. Accused of not giving a shit about other people and so on. No, we were doing something we thought reduced risk.

I don't think there was any need for making out OP and others are stupid and selfish for interpreting the guidelines differently, and quite likely at this point, correctly.

Advice will no doubt change again, and when it does it needs to be clearer.

MadameLeFunky · 24/03/2020 16:25

*The OP, me and others believed that driving 5 miles to a quieter area was safer, and we got a fair amount of shit and name-calling for it. Accused of not giving a shit about other people and so on. No, we were doing something we thought reduced risk.

I don't think there was any need for making out OP and others are stupid and selfish for interpreting the guidelines differently, and quite likely at this point, correctly.*

Well said!

I've also noted how quiet some posters have become, instead of offering the apologies they should...

Glaceon · 24/03/2020 16:25

We will be having a wander around places we know are usually deserted for exercise. If there are other people there doing the same we will leave it though.