For anyone thinking of driving somewhere for exercsie

[LadyTiredWinterBottom2]

I think this answers your question.

We saw a car being stopped late in the evening. Anyone else been stopped and checked by the police?

It's something that is necessary in some areas, but makes sense not to in others.

Thers a big difference between someone driving 5 minutes from their crowded home to somewhere more remote to walk,and someone driving 10,20,30 miles.
And the balance of risk is going to change - if you are driving a significant distance you are more likely to be involved in an accident etc. But if you are driving a short way the increased risk of your driving may well be less than the risk you'd be exposed to if you went out from your home.
That's what people driving short distances are saying.The risk overall is less.

Harry lime that's v true about country people coming into the town.

It's beyond nonsense it really is.
I wanted lock down weeks ago. I'm very happy with the new measures and they are needed to break all that transmission the government allowed to go on at Cheltenham, footy matches, etc ect.

Schools, colleges and uni.
Now is the time to socially distance.
I can do that. My car doesn't need petrol, and when it does I get it late at night, use a glove and we queue one in one out to pay.

But it doesn't need petrol. Never even in the most rammer car parks have I ever been cheek by jowl with anyone in a car park. The very nature of car doors opening out precludes this.
The only place for cross contamination is paying for parking. People can queue if there is one at a distance, use knuckle or gloved, covered finger to pay.

Then trot off for a wondeful soul enhancing walk, that boosts all sorts of mental health, immunity, boosts general health etc.

Easy.

It depends entirely where you live and I hope people will be sensible with regards to their particular circumstances.

I am the designated going out of the house person. The rest of them are staying put to minimise risk of passing on or getting CV.

I drive to the local shops, 2 mins in the car, as I live in a built up area close to a large park.

Since the lockdown, the pavements have been busier than usual with joggers, walkers, kids on bikes, babies in prams with more than one person with them, all heading to or from the park.

They are doing safe distancing once in the park, but not on the way to or from it. My foot journey to the shops would take me past 3 of the park entrances.

The roads are pretty much empty, so the chances of an accident are much lower and given it's a 20mph zone I would be looking at a fender bender at most. If the car were to break down (unlikely, given it's condition) I would pull in and be back at home in 5 mins on foot.

I see both sides of this but living in london and having 2 small dogs in the family they need exercise. I have a choice to walk to the local park which is heaving or drive 5 minutes to a local quiet nature reserve where normally only a few dog walkers frequent. So I go for the safer option for us which is a very quick drive and hours walk in peace at 7am. Although suddenly half the population of London seem to be out running, cycling and power walking in training for the postponed Olympics! I also have yet to see any police person anywhere near us-my road is much quieter than usual.

I live near the Peak District.

Derbyshire police have had drones out looking for cars. A carpark showed several parked cars who’s numbers have been registered.

Yesterday I decided that my form of exercise would be gardening. I don't have my own garden as I live in a flat in an urban area but I regularly help maintain our church garden. I drove to church which is about .75 of a mile away. The only people I saw were 2 PCSOs, one of whom was checking on local nursing homes and used the church car park to park in, one was our usual PCSO who told me he was out "looking for idiots".
Neither of them had the slightest problem about me being there and gardening. I was further away from people there than on the pavements. Neither of them told me I shouldn't have driven there.

Police giving these out in Eccles, Salford too. Similar signs up in West Yorkshire

I went for a 25 minute walk. I stayed out of the park and didn’t go into the town centre. My town is very quiet - much quieter than usual. I still passed within less than 2m of 39 people (9 of them on my own road). I didn’t count anyone who I passed at a distance of 2m or more. This is the reality of where I live. This is why people are driving to quieter places.