While driving to exercise might be unwise it is not prohibited by emergency legislation--new guidance for police.

[BreathlessCommotion]

www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2020/mar/30/uk-police-guidelines-coronavirus-lockdown-enforcement-powers-following-criticism-lord-sumption?

Plus it's a behaviour thing. If you see everybody else doing it, you're more likely to make exceptions for yourself. It all starts to unravel. I get the feeling they're aware that will happen anyway but are just trying to keep it tight for a couple of weeks in the hope it makes enough of a difference.

That would be good @MrsMcGarry, but it seems that here many people have your idea, all in the same space.

How can common sense be enforced?

@bettybeans I think we’re trying to empty the Atlantic with a bucket here. Sadly.

Yeah. It’s lovely that you think “they” have considered anything of the sort. Govt is flying by seat of pants on this one.
They had only identified 7 of the listed reasonable excuses in the draft when Johnson gave his speech. The others were added when sensible people got their hands on it and went “but what about xxx?”

@MrsMcGarry Where do you live? My place is bad for walking but my family and I fancy a trip.

@Popsandevie shall we make it a field trip? My niece is coughing a little but it’s just a cold... her mum can bring cookies ...

I feel that for some elderly people or those with certain health issues, being able to drive to exercise is quite important. They are more vulnerable so if they feel safer exercising in a place where they can not be near anyone else, then that seems sensible. If they did see others parked up nearby they would turn back anyway. Also, they may not be able to exercise near their home if they have mobility issues and live on a hill etc. Finding somewhere flat to walk is important to many people.

They are also likely to be isolating harder and longer than many of us, often in single person households, and if a small, local change of scene boosts their spirits I am not going to begrudge them that. If they cannot exercise then a five or ten minute local drive may be what they need to keep going with it.

You don’t enforce common sense. We don’t live in a police state. There aren’t enough police to do anything but police by consent.

You educate. You engage.

Fortunately NPCC agree with me and will be writing to forces with guidelines

@OnceuponAmidnightberry I understand we are all invited. Where are we going MrsMcGarry

Brilliant, I’ll bring my 4 kids and 6 dogs, DGkids would like a day out to, and I’m sure our neighbours would love an outing, they’ve been stuck in for 5 days, bless them.

@MrsMcGarry

Under new legislation announced by the UK Government, no one should leave their home for any reason other than the following:
•Shopping for necessities like food and medicine as infrequently as possible.
•One form of exercise a day either alone or with people you live with only. This might include running, walking or cycling. You should not drive to get to the place you are planning to exercise.
•Medical needs of any kind
•To provide essential care to a vulnerable person.
•Travelling to and from work as long as you work for an essential service.
•Travelling to and from work for a non-essential service only if this work absolutely cannot be done at home and it is possible to maintain social distancing at all times.
•Fulfilling legal obligations.
•Accessing critical public services.
•To escape injury, illness or risk of harm.

*too jeez, autocorrect could at least let me be sarcastic in a grammatically correct manner

@MrsMcGarry but educating and engaging isn’t working is it? If it was, there would be no need for these threads

I do think that the further guidance is needed.

Legislation has been rushed through and Boris's own explanations were pretty vague and open to interpretation. I imagine many police officers have felt some confusion about what they are supposed to be doing.

That’s not the legislation.

The legislation as passed by Parliament is in the link I gave you. Boris Johnson’s announcements are not law.

Feel free to park in fields near me if you have a reasonable excuse that you feel you could argue to a judge pops. Though bringing people not in your household would be against the law. I can’t meet you I afraid - not only would such a gathering of more than2 people be illegal but I’ve got another 11 weeks at least of not leaving my house or being within 2m of another person because I’m listening to the sensible medical advice given to people in my situation.

I mean - Id probably be safer if everyone not directly involved in food production or health care joined me in complete isolation and didn’t touch their kids or partner as well . But I care about getting communities through this so accept that that level of draconian response would be overacting.

Though honestly I’m not so sure I care about helping those who have turned into the neighbour hood Stasi informant through this any more

TBF this is the bit you said which I was challenging

I have to admit it is alarming to see that when given an inch the police try to grab a mile (and try to grab it very quickly😳)

And my response

The police don't try and grab anything, they do are they have been instructed to do, its their job. They don't make the laws they make people abide by them.

It’s ok, my sister/cousin/nephews dog are not living with me. But we’ll keep 2 metres distance. And meet up accidentally.

So no problem, we’ll just come to wave at you from a safe space! After all, we need to exercise in an isolated space too right?

Ugh, silly bickering doesn’t help right now does it? @MrsMcGarry I’m sorry you’re having to isolate. 3 days to go here. Not particularly at risk but had symptoms while in a public facing job.

Back at work on Saturday and will be dealing with people coming in for an ‘essential’ one chocolate bar or paper. Some of them having travelled 5/10/15/30 minutes or more to get here. For a walk.

If you don’t NEED to travel please stay at home. Before the ‘guidelines’ have to become law.

Why not? I can wash my hands while out walking (hand sanitizer) and when I return to my vehicle (soap & a bottle of water)
You are not working with animals,soil, dirty machinery etc for 8-12 hrs a day when you are out on a walk though are you?
There is absolutely no comparison and where do you think they are going to get the gallons of sanitizer they would need for all the workers on a farm?
How many times a day do you think they would need to use sanitizer or water?

"The police don't try and grab anything, they do are they have been instructed to do, its their job. They don't make the laws they make people abide by them"

@Changename5000 as has been stated, what you posted does not accurately reflect the legislation. So if that is what the police are supposedly enforcing, they are not enforcing the law.

This is a huge relief. Exactly as the judge said, we do not thank god live in a country where the police enforce politicians suggestions.

The original guidance given is fine for those with common sense but is open to interpretation, which we see a lot of in MN posts not to mention the Police reaction.

Incidentally I’m not pleased because I want to drive to the Lake District, it’s because I’m a believe in the rule of law. In the same way I (broadly) follow the government guidance about drinking alcohol, eating vegetables and reading to my children. I can think advice is sensible without wanting it to be law or thinking the police should get involved in checking people are following advice.

@BreathlessCommotion you're largely wasting your breath on here. It's not just the police in various areas that have been making things up, it's people in general issuing their own rules and regulations on social media pages that they've made up to add to the existing ones.
I'm also following all the government advice and have been for weeks, but I'm still defending some people in certain situations who are using their brains, weighing up one risk against another, and making perfectly reasonable decisions based on logic, to drive a short distance to walk safely. Still up against "just don't do it!" brigade who have lost the power of critical thinking and would join the nazi party if they were told to by Boris.

Changename5000 you are exactly missing the point

Its not a dictatorship

The police don't enforce words they enforce laws. You are quoting words. We are quoting laws.

Sadly for you, you are not yet living in North Korea where whatever the Dear Leader said is the law. You live in a parliamentary democracy where parliament makes the laws, they are written down on pieces of paper in pretty exact format, then the police are supposed to read it and enforce it

I agree Inkpaperstars. All those things would come under care or helping a vulnerable person ( even though in some cases it may be self care) but that needs to be recognised.
The legislation says should not must to allow for reasonable adjustment.