Why do so many people think exercise is the problem?

[Lookingforwardtomyeastereggs]

I'm so sick of people on here calling for complete lockdown. So hear me out.

My dh is still going out to work (non essential) and mixing with others, his employer have been slow to put measures in place. Yet they're still being allowed to operate.

The road round here are so busy again, all these cars can't be going on essential journeys. Neighbours are breaking the rules by going on car journeys with non household members. These are just a few examples.

Now I've completely stuck to the rules, haven't so much as been to a shop in weeks, I'm wfh with two dc, and the only time I leave the house is to walk, every other day, around where I live. I rarely see anyone, the streets are quiet.

Now how am I causing the problem here?

People "popping" places is the problem. "Popping" always seems to involve being too close to someone from another household. "Popping" to the shop on some pretext every day instead of getting everything at once and therefore dividing the number of contacts by 7, "popping" over to see someone...

Lots of people on MN saying that someone going for two walks a day (in a rural area where they encounter nobody) is horrendous, killing people and that we should have a full lockdown to stop it.

Nobody saying that going to non essential work is horrendous or killing people, although the chances of passing it in that situation is far far higher

There was a motorcycle crash on a rural lane about a mile from us at the weekend - the rider is being prosecuted because he had no reason to be there! (We're abroad - he's also being prosecuted for tbh as he had a 14 year old on the back who's in hospital with non life threatening injuries).

Doing anything high risk clogs up the emergency services/ hospital beds, but going for a walk doesn't!

For GBH not tbh

I haven't seen any packed parks at all. Everyone by me is being very good.
I don't think there's anything wrong with sitting on the grass for a bit as long as no one is near you. Especially if you have no garden. I don't live in London though maybe it's just too crowded there.
I have seen plenty of people out almost marching their kids round the block, like they are paranoid someone might think they're enjoying themselves! I'm not surprised though, some people have gone full on Colonel Kurtz lately.
You are right OP, your daily excercise is not what's spreading Coronavirus.

So glad there are still some sane people out there.

Rhymingrabbit this is it exactly, moaning about the genuine exercisers but ignoring more risky things still going on.

There seems to be a correlation between the people who are not going out for exercise at all or often enough, and who are completely lost down the rabbit hole of obsessing what their neighbours are getting up to. It is a loss of perspective, a loss of normality

Exactly this.

I agree op. They are the easy target for the government, like benefit cheats etc.

I've had to leave my job as my boss is expecting everyone to come into the office like normal and won't let anyone work from home.

Exercise isn’t the problem, it’s people using the excuse of “I’m doing my exercise” and then going to meet friends in the park, sun bathing, playing football with friends, staying out all day in local parks. Exercise should be one hour, walking, cycling or running without stopping for a picnic and should be on your own or with the people you live with. People are not sticking to the advice which is why this could be taken away from us.

Exercise isn’t the problem, it’s people using the excuse of “I’m doing my exercise” and then going to meet friends in the park, sun bathing, playing football with friends, staying out all day in local parks

Who is doing this?

It's not exercising - it's all the people that think they're special and that rules don't apply to them.
^
So much this

I have seen a lot of cars on the roads doing deliveries. That accounts for a large proportion. Some people will be going to and from work. Some people will be going to and from the shops. The world hasn't stopped. And people in cars aren't really a problem. It's what they are doing at the end of their journey that might be.

It's the revenge of the couch potato. At LAST a reason to feel smug about their poor life choices.

I haven't read the full thread, so apologies if I'm repeating what others have said.

I do think the UK press is pushing this narrative- I think they are subtly encouraging us to blame those who get sick, rather than looking too critically at the government narrative. I agree that it's very clear that new infections are more likely to come from those still having to work than those who are following the rules.

I do think some people are breaking/bending the rules around exercise, which makes it easy to push the blame onto them, and I have definitely seen more cars around recently than I did at the start of lockdown.

However, if I lived in London and was still having to commute to work on the tube because I couldn't work from home, I would definitely struggle to see the problem with sunbathing in the park- especially if I had no outside space at home.

I would definitely be very resistant to further restrictions on leisure if non-essential workers were still having to go into work.

It's the revenge of the couch potato. At LAST a reason to feel smug about their poor life choices

So true, it's pathetic.

Perhaps parks need patrolling... prove you live in a high rise flat etc and you can go in the park. Fine those who can't prove they have no outdoor space.
I don't think the personnel are available but it could be considered. It may be impractical though.

tinytemper66 the levels on which that idea is ridiculous are too numerous to mention.

The only reason to patrol parks is to break up large gatherings.

tinytemper66 the levels on which that idea is ridiculous are too numerous to mention.

There's always one isn't there

People sitting in the park with a bottle of wine - not shopping or going to a medical appointment, not working. So that has to be ‘exercise’! That is the issue, not people actually exercising.

Because people are lazy thinkers.

Lookingforwardtomyeastereggs seriously?

Police approaching individuals exercising in parks and asking for proof they have no outside space? You think anyone capable of writing a sentence on MN should need the multiple reasons that's a completely and utterly stupid idea spelling out?

Anothernotherone haha sorry I wasn't directing that at you, but at the person who posted it. I was agreeing with you!

Why do people keep citing that exercise should be one hour?

I have seen plenty of people out almost marching their kids round the block, like they are paranoid someone might think they're enjoying themselves!I'm not surprised though, some people have gone full on Colonel Kurtz lately.

I think this might've been me on my way back from our walk today. Someone was flying a drone near us and I got a bit paranoid.

Lookingforwardtomyeastereggs ah, sorry!