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?

Spoketoosoon

Not worried petal, just flamin common sense and thinking of others.

I think most people are genuinely worried, or concerned. There's no shame in that at any time, but especially now, during a national and global emergency and pandemic. It shouldn't be used as a way of ridiculing a person's opinion. We're all in this together, it's just that some of us are more in it than others.

Driving on country roads is dangerous, even for those of us who know them well and know where all the accident blackspots are. Crashes out here are more likely to happen at speed - someone else's if not yours - and therefore are more likely to result in injury or death. We all need to do what we can to reduce risks just now to avoid diverting depleted emergency services away from the Covid-19 response. Even regular and experienced climbers and fell walkers, for example, are being strongly advised not to undertake those activities at the present time by their own organisations.

It is concerning that there has apparently been a rise again in cars on the road. Being away from home and home area should be the exception right now. We all need to pull together. If a rise of 563 tragic deaths in one day in the UK from Covid-19 isn't a sobering thought - that's 563 loved ones, gone before their time - I don't know what is.

"The number of people who genuinely need to travel to exercise or walk their dog is small"

There are however people in this situation (with a genuine travel need) and perhaps more than you realise, and the kangaroo court / vicious judgement on social media on local facebook groups is intimidating for these genuine cases.

This from a lady on a local police facebook page today:

"so pleased this is now sorted. I have mobility issues and live in a hilly area. Not good as a self propelled wheelchair user. At least i can now go out in my car to more suitable areas(locally) to take my grandchildren out for a walk. Have been to scared to go in case i get judged or worse told of by the police"

I was also pm'd by someone's who's father has had chemotherapy and he is concerned about being immuno compromised. He would however still like to get out and walk his dog once a day but doesn't want to walk the mile down his street to get to the huge green open space locally, because social distancing is hard to achieve whilst he is passing others along that street. He has been getting up at 5.30 for the past week to avoid detection and covertly driving the mile there. Incidentally the person who pm'd me is a serving police officer.

Another person has 4 dogs and can't safely manage them walking along the pavement. You could ask - why does he have 4 dogs, it was his choice. Yes it was his choice and a perfectly workable one until a week ago when heavy handed interpretation of the guidance (egged on by the public frothing) stopped him from loading them into his car and driving a short distance to take him and them out for a walk.

I think you know my situation - no pavement, 60 mph road and in some places not even a grass verge. Most drivers have been courteous whilst I have been trying to navigate this on foot, but I had a near miss last Sunday when a car cornered hard and fast into my road. He swerved to avoid me otherwise I could have been taking up the time and resources of emergency services.

I don't deny that there might be some people who just want to drive a short distance for a more scenic walk - but on social media people are assuming the worst of everyone and it has had a perfidious effect - as per the lady in the wheelchair that I referenced. She hasn't left the house in a week but mercifully now feels empowered to do so.

I registered to be an NHS helper and they checked my ID and sent me instructions to get started. I actually haven't bothered to action this because I have felt despair and disgust at the antics of some of the general public recently (the shouty, abusive competitive quarantiners) and this has made me feel ambivalence toward anyone who isn't my close friends and family. I might still complete my joining instructions - I need to reflect on it

Anyway, its time for the public to take a step back and wind their necks in. Leave it to the police who have the new guidance. They will still patrol car parks but can deal with individual situations in a nuanced way rather than making everyone feel like total shit

LimitIsUp I agree there's some who genuinely need to.

I just think that the majority of people who would be inclined to travel deliberately confuse want with need and are liable to take the current clarification as a pat on the back (for example on another thread someone was shopping daily because that's what they like to do and it's not against the law, others were defending going out for chocolate and magazines because it's something they need and anyone who disagrees is a hypocrite if they've added anything nice to their main food shop. One person even went as far to argue that it's fine popping out to the shops all the time and nobody who owns a phone can express any concern for shop workers and Coronavirus because technology is made in Chinese factories. There's some serious desperation to defend selfish actions in places).

As ever, the reasonable people will be reasonable and the selfish piss takers will continue to do so.

I actually haven't bothered to action this because I have felt despair and disgust at the antics of some of the general public recently (the shouty, abusive competitive quarantiners) and this has made me feel ambivalence toward anyone who isn't my close friends and family

I feel the same.