Police are pulling over loads of cars in my local town

[VivaLeBeaver]

Stopping people and asking them where they’re going, is it essential, etc. Glad they’re taking it seriously.

And not local to me, but saw this “ticket” on fb. So police saying you can’t drive somewhere to exercise. I know that was being discussed earlier.

@adiposegirl2. The legislation does not specifically say people cannot drive to a remote area to exercise, if they have nowhere locally that is safe.

In fact I can’t see anything specific as such.

I am personally reducing car travel and don’t need to travel to exercise, but if people live in tower blocks and have nowhere safe, then I think they can.

They're giving them out in Eccles too, Salford.

Yes I think the police are out and about in Bath ATM. They have flown over with helicopters a few times too. They needed to be! There seem to be far too many people who think that they can ignore the rules because they have special circumstances. The over-70's seem to have lost the ability to count.
www.somersetlive.co.uk/news/somerset-news/gallery/pictures-police-patrol-eerily-empty-3982241

I also imagine they are also quite conspicuous because there are a lot of closed shops with a lot of stock in them and offices with fancy IT kit.

Some PCSOs even managed to catch somebody breaking into a church last night.

They'll be back to sorting out domestics soon.

I think if I was pulled over I would leap out of my car like a gazelle

DD could manage the gazelle thing - I'd have to lumber backwards like a startled hippopotamus . . .

Smell thank you. It’s very hard to be constantly seeing people being horrid to others, on here and fb, when most of us are just trying to do our best in this situation.

TrainspottingWelsh Good luck. Although if they keep rambling in large groups they'll probably wipe each other out soon anyway and then who will keep our footpaths clear of stinging nettles?!

I just find it quite extraordinary that the police cannot attend burglaries or robberies but now seemingly have the resources to monitor where people are walking

Perhaps that tells us just how serious the threat of infection is . . .

My local police force have put a very similar worded picture to that police flyer on their official fb feed.

Lots of people saying that yesterday a govt official when asked said it was fine to drive somewhere to do solitary exercise. Which does ring a bell now. It was breakfast news yesterday.

And I’ve seen footage of police using drones to follow walkers in the Peak District....looked like frogstt/curbAr edge.

This is the issue with giving more powers to individuals who are often power-hungry and aggressive as it is.

Are you bloody serious??? So you think your 'liberty' to go where you like to exercise trumps someone else's life? I hope the Police pull EVERYONE in cars over to check where they're going.

There seems to be no consistency.

Local police here confirm it is ok to drive somewhere to exercise. We live at the top of a hill and our neighbour cannot walk uphill for more than a few yards. He drives further into the country where it's flatter and he and hi wife have a short walk and some fresh air.

If the police can't agree on what is allowed no one on MN forum can have a clue.

StormyClouds really really doesn’t like public services...so here’s hoping she/he doesn’t require them in the next few months. This poster is all over these threads bitching about the NHS and other front line services. Apparently they are all badly run and full of power hungry folk.

Do is all a favour love and fuck off. We are not interested in your stupid bollocks.

Here’s a ball...go and play on the motorway with it.

Admittedly I have missed a lot of news recently as I'm an HCP, but can someone point me to the rule that we can't drive to go for a walk? I can't see this on the Government website here

I get not driving to beauty spots or long distances but, as an urgent care specialist, I know that the risk of injury from a short car ride is way less than from riding or cycling, both of which are still allowed. So the idea that driving short distances to walk somewhere that is free of other people will pose some immense strain on the health service, makes no sense. I'll comply if the Government says I have to, but where is this rule stated?

The problem with driving to exercise is that you run the risk of breaking down, car accident or a personal accident, and then you'll expect to put someone else at risk to come and help you. Maybe that's ok if someone in your household can help you in every circumstance, but unfair otherwise.

I wouldn't mind being stopped by the police. I haven't been into work yet, but my uniform clearly states were I work. I'm food shopping/picking up prescriptions for my Mum, so I've asked her to write a letter for me to keep in the car just in case.

Given that a lot of the general public have proven that they can't be trusted over this, it's no wonder that the police are clamping down.

Many of us want this over and done with as quickly as possible before our death rates look like Spain and Italy's. Spain had over 750 deaths yesterday. That's horrendous.

If the only way people will start doing as they are told is by being stopped by the police, then so be it.

Awaiting deletion but good to get that off my chest. That particular poster has been pissing me off for the past few days. What an arsehole.

Yes waspie that's certainly a possibility. Who would indignantly complain about difficult stiles, livestock, or randomly inform riders using perfectly legal rights of way that the path was only for walkers?

The document was on a Stroud facebook page saying it had been put on a local car - same picture. Stroud is in Gloucestershire.

So you think your 'liberty' to go where you like to exercise trumps someone else's life?

Genuine question - and open to anyone making this same argument, it's just that your post was the most recent.

I'm going to make a guess that you support industries all the time that cost people thier lives. The technology industry, for exmaple, has lots of blood on its hands but presumably you typed those words on some form of popular tech? The clothing industry. Coffee. Coal. Chocolate. And so on.

So my question is this - why is everyone so insulted at the thought that liberty might trump lives, but still seemingly ok to support industries where profit trumps lives?

Wish they were out here, I haven’t seen a single police officer since the ban has been in place. Pub near me had loads of people in the beer garden last night, I reported it but nothing came of it.

The problem with driving to exercise is that you run the risk of breaking down, car accident or a personal accident

Except that the risk of serious injury/fatality per mile travelled is 15 times greater for cyclists than drivers.

It would make sense to me to ban all exercise more than 50m from your home, because that is consistent. What we have at the moment is not.

I know that the risk of injury from a short car ride is way less than from riding or cycling

The problem atm is that the public have shown they can't be trusted to go a short car ride. People are still driving to the Peaks or Snowdonia or other popular walking or cycling places.

Aren't you also most likely to have a car accident closer to home? Major injury may not be likely, but even minor injuries, or using police time is an issue atm so they'll be wanted the roads to be empty apart from absolutely essential travel

@FeelingCrap54

You seem to have a lack of critical thinking ability. How can giving an organisation that has been shown to be institutionally racist by various of the government's own reports the power to stop citizens walking in the street not raise alarm bells.

I am not saying that every police officer is evil, but given that the existing stop and search powers are already shown to disproportionately affect minorities and that a significant proportion of the police are power-hungry to say the least as has been demonstrated in the U.S., there is significant potential for misuse, and that has to be prevented.

Good on the police, that's what I say. Hopefully the fuckwitted will get the message.
Then the police can get on with other pressing things.

"Bizarrely, despite living rurally, I do need to travel to exercise and to walk the dogs. There is no safe walking route from my house to the nearest footpath"

Bangingon - the same. I live on a rural road where national speed limit applies. That bit isn't actually too awful (despite 60 mph) because there is grass verge. A bit further up though there is a narrow road bridge over a stream with no verge or pavement and a 60mph limit. Currently I am taking my life in my hands and trying to negotiate that stretch of road with my dogs - but its risky. However driving less than 2 miles to the large open New Forest common would not be dangerous but isn't permitted.