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Original poster

Exercise could be banned - Matt Hancock

703 replies

LittleRen · 05/04/2020 10:44

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-52172035

"Matt Hancock told the BBC's Andrew Marr that the government would "take action" if further measures are needed to bring the coronavirus under control.

It comes after reports of groups of people gathering in parks during sunny weather this weekend."

So do we think this will happen - normally this is how it goes, the threat comes, and a week later it's reality. It's a shame that people still flouted the rules this weekend :(

I can't see a thread on this already but please let me know if there is one!!

OP posts:
cologne4711 · 05/04/2020 11:28

I don't think it will be banned completely, but I do think they'll say you have to stay within a certain distance of your home, the same as in France

I can't really see the point of that. It won't stop people in London going to a local park, but it will stop people living in rural areas being able to drive somewhere safe for a walk. I know there's a 2km limit in Ireland too - that would not affect me at all, I can do all my runs within a 2k radius of my home very easily, but I could see it being a real problem if you are in a rural area with no pavements (you can't rely on the roads being safer).

TwoCatsSleeping · 05/04/2020 11:28

Some of the comments on that bbc article Shock

fascinated · 05/04/2020 11:29

I’ll be livid if an exception is made for dog owners, livid. Amd then i will fight any fine.

TwoCatsSleeping · 05/04/2020 11:29

We are all f**ked!

1forsorrow · 05/04/2020 11:29

I’ve signed up to be a volunteer so will get my exercise in that way. I might be cynical but I have wondered if people will volunteer for that reason. If DH wasn't so ill I'd be really happy to deliver shopping or meds just to be out of the house.

TestBank · 05/04/2020 11:29

Ever noticed when you are in France how many more police you see? That's not an optical illusion. They have a lot more.

Puppywithattitude · 05/04/2020 11:29

@UYScuti on that note I will withdraw from this thread as anything I would add is likely to cause offence.

Delatron · 05/04/2020 11:30

I wish they’d just before the current measures with stronger penalties. High fines for example. Then move on to having to carry a paper to show why you’re out.
Last resort would be stay within 1k of your home for an hour like France.

TheFutureMrsHardy · 05/04/2020 11:31

We've got 2 crazy spaniels that have adjusted very well to one long walk a day, and thankfully we're rural so I've not seen a soul.

We've had to close our business down, we've got enough money saved to pay 2 months bills and wages. After that, we won't survive. Which means 8 people losing their jobs. It's making me absolutely furious that people are flouting the guidelines..... they are there for a good reason.

We have a large proportion of society with a very low IQ, sadly.

MilkTrayLimeBarrel · 05/04/2020 11:31

@UYScuti - What about those people (like me) who don't have kids but do have a dog? We probably love that dog just as much as a child, if not more, and yes I do care about my dog's happiness.

WeBuiltCisCityOnSexistRoles · 05/04/2020 11:31

I totally agree @echt, and it's so totally transparent. Distraction is one of their favourite techniques. See also "divide and conquer" (sub heading, footballers).

It's so blatant it's almost painful, especially when people take it and run with it. The divide and conquer strategy especially is doing very well when used in conjunction with woolly exercise recommendations and social media.

I really think... oh look a kitten!

SnoozyLou · 05/04/2020 11:32

A phone app could be a pretty effective method of identifying people who are taking the piss. It could automate the process and save police time enforcing it.

Crayfishforyou · 05/04/2020 11:33

I will be very sad if they scrap the exercise.
I'm hoping to go back to my running in a couple of weeks, I'd just bought new trainers when I came down with the virus.

florisandyoris · 05/04/2020 11:34

nellodee Sun 05-Apr-20 10:52:03
I think it depends on whether the government want to suppress this virus, or whether they actually still want to take the herd immunity path to some extent, but don't want to look culpable for the results. There may be some advantage to them saying, "We told you there would be lots of infections if you went out, and you all did it anyway," if it gemore people infected more quickly.

I believe this. I think the govt response is to carry on with the Herd Immunity strategy and half ass the response to the virus by not providing enough PPE and giving conflicting vague advice that is hard to interpret. While deflecting anger to “other people” who are not “following the rules”. Very Yes Minister

UYScuti · 05/04/2020 11:34

We need an antibody test, if everyone could be tested we could all have a certificate or some kind of confirmation app on our phone and parts of the country could get back to work.

vanillandhoney · 05/04/2020 11:34

I can't really see the point of that. It won't stop people in London going to a local park, but it will stop people living in rural areas being able to drive somewhere safe for a walk.

Well, driving to go for a walk isn't a necessity. People will just have to be creative - it's not forever.

Blondiney · 05/04/2020 11:34

I'll be a fucking basket case without access to my

Lookingforwardtomyeastereggs · 05/04/2020 11:35

It's so frustrating isn't it? I'm following the rules, it's been really really hard, I'm wfh with two dc. They've been great but are starting to get fed up now. Being able to go for a walk is good for clearing the head. I don't even go everyday, and when I do I stick to a certain route which is quiet.

I'll be mightily pissed off if even that is taken away. The whole subject is causing massive resentment because I've heard about several people who just aren't following the rules and think it's ok to just pop here and pop there. I'm talking about things like popping to a family members house to collect a book, but it's ok because they're not going in.

However, I do wonder if the plan was complete lockdown all along, and they've just been easing us in. It's the Easter hols now so people will be tempted to break the rules even more.

Kateg1982 · 05/04/2020 11:35

Wouldn’t it be better to just close parks and beaches? At least people could still exercise on pavements and footpaths, but it would discourage people from congregating. Have police patrols on high traffic areas that can’t be closed (such as riversides)

mencken · 05/04/2020 11:35

looks like the people on Primrose Hill are happy to help with the herd immunity strategy by doing their best to spread it.

such a pity it doesn't only attack the stupid.

Inkpaperstars · 05/04/2020 11:35

I know they could never do it, but on one level it feels like an appropriate penalty would be that you forfeit your right to NHS care of any kind, not just through this but through your lifetime.

I really don't know what I will do if this happens because we are in a small flat, no outside space at all and due to joint issues walking is pretty much the only kind of exercise I can do.

TestBank · 05/04/2020 11:35

It's all bloody Doris and her dogs fault. Testing? What testing? Early lockdown you say? Mixed messages?
Bloody Doris. Burn the witch.

waterlego · 05/04/2020 11:36

And what is wrong with sunbathing if they keep a 'safe distance'

COVID aside, sunbathing isn’t good for your health. There is no safe way to tan.

Bearbehind · 05/04/2020 11:37

But I will break the law intentionally for the first time in my life if going for a solitary run at 6am in a rural region, where I see no-one, is made unlawful.

This kind of attitude infuriated me

It’s no better than the people breaking the rules now which is what will cause further hardship

Most people don’t have this as an option - we can’t have differing sets of rules depending on how much land you have access to

Your need / desire to go for a run is no greater than the next persons

CarlottaValdez · 05/04/2020 11:38

What is this flouting that’s going on? Going to a park is not flouting any rules. If they want a tighter lock down they’ll go for it but can we drop the naughty school child narrative that some bad people spoiled it for the rest?