People bored of social distancing

[AsMuchUseAsAMarzipanDildo]

Just a moan really. My household is adhering to lockdown. When we were “all in it together”, it feels okay. Necessary and a small thing I can do to help in this horror story.

But yesterday and today, my neighbours on all 3 sides have independently had friends round to visit. It’s so infuriating to think that this will drag on a whole lot longer if people break the rules. One of these neighbours is a cardiac nurse FFS. It just all feels so helpless, so pointless to be the 1 in 4 who stays in, if 3 in 4 aren’t. Add to that today I go to my local park for a run (and yes, I stay at least 2m away and don’t spit!), and there’s a group of 6-8 teenage friends sat sharing a spliff.

Anyway, rant over.

@SouthsideOwl Or maybe I'm just having a rant because I'd love us to have gone out today in the sunshine (and I'm feeling a little guilty I chose to stay in the city when I had the option of the house with the garden.......) The schools, nurseries and work were the pull for me to stay city, all brilliant, all irrelevant right now, I'd give up our lovely flat for that private outside space in a heartbeat.

All the local parks and play areas here are wonderful, but there obviously closed off-

It's not the 'walking through the car park' really, it's just the congregations of people, visitors, families- we're a bit hidden away here so they can meet up- but it just makes me feel like I'm doing the wrong thing by not joining in!? Should I be inviting my friends round too??

Agreed Southside.

10 flats isn't that many. I lived in a block of 100+ once and still barely saw anyone!!

You need to get off MN and get a sense of reality. You are judging the world based on a few people round your front door. It's not like there's crowds of them. Just ask people to move if you're that fussed.

Most people are distancing. Even flitting between 2 houses you are only seeing 2 groups of people. 3 weeks ago I have to was seeing hundreds of people a week.

You need to get off MN and get a sense of reality. You are judging the world based on a few people round your front door. It's not like there's crowds of them. Just ask people to move if you're that fussed.

Er, I'm not judging the world....I'm trying to go for a walk, and yes, there are congregations who sit right on the doorstep, in the sun, chatting to their visitors and families with the kids running around the car park....

I'm not explaining the logistics of getting us out again-

Thanks for your 'advice'

I find the later you go to the better the crowd is.

I've just returned from shopping at a large Tesco in Manchester not long before closing.

No queue to get in, trolley washed as you go in, everyone keeping their distance and following the directions. Most people were wearing masks and gloves like myself.

The staff now have those glass screens too which is a good sign. They weren't there when I went 2 weeks ago.

So. Ask them to move.

Kids are allowed to run. I'm letting my child out to run along the pavement.

You're being ridiculous.

Herc I think I love you. You are saying all the things that I am thinking before I get a chance to say them.

Are they allowed to all mix together from separate households and congregate in one small space?

If that's the case they should reopen the schools and nurseries....

*SophieGiroux” I’m in Bristol too...

@Taddda
Regards this 'It's not the 'walking through the car park' really, it's just the congregations of people, visitors, families- we're a bit hidden away here so they can meet up'

Since we obviously cannot see the situation, and you feel so strongly about it..is there the possibility that when you want to go out you could nicely ask the group's to give you some space?

I'm sure most people would happily oblige.

Was just thinking today what does it take to get through to people? Same as you I saw the neighbour opposite my house have three different cars in her drive today !! Next door to me has had several callers the last few days and her boyfriend is there every few days.
Neighbour other side has her friends and family calling every day!!
Baffles me and pisses me off tbh we have stayed in due to all having asthma and obeyed the rules, I haven't seen my family for four months ( they are in U.K. I'm not) was due to go last weekend to visit them for Easter but obviously can't and don't know when I'll see them again.
Thing is when people see someone else break the rules they follow and think it's ok!!!

@SouthsideOwl It is difficult to explain, it's an enclosed space, one car in/out, surrounded by four sides of houses/flats with garages/parking spaces underneath-

I'd have to ask people to stay at the bottom of the stairs while I bring the buggy down, then I have to bring down Dd1, then Dd2 while locking up- this is usually safe to do as theres hardly ever anyone here in the days, now its packed with no-one at work and the (older) kids off - I'd love to let them run around outside and play also, but not with other households!? If that was okay I'd have them back at Nursery!?

If that makes me a ridiculous and 'bonkers' Daily Mail reader then what am I failing to understand here?

@FannyFernackerpan I could've written this post myself! It wasn't a Tesco in Bristol was it?! I went there myself around 5pm and it was horrendous!! Like you say, people not following the arrows and just getting way too close for comfort. To be honest, I think people are more at risk in these supermarkets than people sunbathing in parks who are socially distancing. Get the police in the supermarkets, the risk is far higher as far as I can see - not out in the open air and people coughing and spluttering all over the place. The next person is inevitably going to walk into that cloud of sputum droplets, just vile. I'm not setting foot in another supermarket for some time as some people just don't give a shit!

Not Bristol - south east. I've been on here telling people to stop moaning and calling people idiots etc. Well I was wrong. They ARE idiots. It was like playing dodge the idiot in Tesco today, and I won't be going back. I'll stick to my small local shops.

I can't blame Tesco. They had the signs up, the arrows, the 2m tapes, but they might as well not have bothered, for all the notice anyone was taking. The two people I spoke to just gave me a mouthful of abuse. Without someone there to enforce these rules then there's no point in having them.

And for another poster - it wasn't that busy. I walked straight in - no queues and it was pretty quiet so I was hopeful it would be ok. But it was still like an assault course trying to manoeuvre amongst the oblivious who seem not to give a shit if they catch it, pass it on, put themselves or anyone else at risk.

Just to clarify, I was not saying that it would be a good thing to get this all over with as quickly as possible, because obviously that would mean more deaths in the long run (from the virus at least). In my country as well as the UK we are all trying to slow things down. I support this plan and am complying completely with all instructions, though our restrictions aren't as draconian as yours.

I don't really believe that better compliance would mean restrictions lifted any sooner. The limiting factor on these restrictions is going to be the point when they start doing more damage than good - when those scales will tip is a matter of conjecture and different governments will make different judgements.

@Taddda apparently wanting to keep yourself/your family SS safe as you can is now considered 'bonkers' by some here. God forbid should you listen to virologists rather than the 'palatable basics' being spouted by the '3 wise men' (the ones that keep changing because they're unwell)

Can you not put the youngest in a sling and just hold the older ones hand instead of all the faffing with a buggy?

Some people are twats -we just have to hope it's the minority, rather than the majority.

I've not seen the 'rules' broken where I live - apart from in the supermarket where it seems impossible to socially distance.

@AmelieTaylor Thank you, keeping us safe and following the advice (which I'm apparently 'insane' to do) is the only reason we're not out everyday, as we always are.

There are so many threads on here of people complaining about children in their own gardens next door 'getting too close to their fence' in terms of the '2m distancing', plus the dreaded 'children in my shop today!'.

I did think 'times that by 10/15 people plus kids and have to walk past them downstairs and through that just to get out of your front door, and back in'.....

I don't want to be having to tell people to 'move back', 'stay downstairs while I get my Dd's down/up' - then 'please move away from the door'....I also can't stop the kids wanting to run up and say hello to my Dds, which is usually lovely- but not right now, or am I mad for distancing that too? In which case my nursery should reopen....I'm sure they'd be over the moon!

Your right about the sling, that was the plan before she was born but she never took to them, plus I was left with some complications after EMCS (adhesions) so they put too much pressure on my site- I have 3, kangaroo, Bjorn and front facing- I'd love to bin the buggy!!!

Having a moan, yes I am, we're missing our family and friends, watching people who are bending (ignoring) the rules just makes it seem like we're going through all of this for no reason. These are the ones who will inflict further restrictions where I'm just wanting to keep the safe distancing and visit our family.

Well, the government are getting anonymised movement data from Google. So we’ll know pretty soon if they think people are adhering to lockdown or not.

The longer these people ignore what's been asked of them, the longer this virus will take to go.
Then they'll be the ones moaning when lockdown gets tougher or is extended
It's really really ignorant

Anonymous movement data will only show those people as being near their house and government will assume they are in a garden. Which they kind of are if the car park is their only outside space.

You're being a bit martyrish refusing to go out.

Lockdown can't get much tougher. They can't ban people going outside.

*Which they kind of are if the car park is their only outside space.

You're being a bit martyrish refusing to go out.*

I'm not refusing to go out, quite the opposite, I'm also not repeating myself.

This is also my only outside space, but as I'm not up for using it as a makeshift meet and greet playground with varying visitors I can't (won't) use it.

If trying to keep us safe in terms of social distancing makes me a martyr right now then thats fine, I'd rather that than the other option.

Still, I'm allowed to be a bit pissed off by it all....

@Taddda it's a tough one.
Apologies if I came on too strong, it's very frustrating for everyone at the moment I think.
If this is happening on a regular basis, is there a community officer/non emergency police you could call to warn them/break it up?

The fact is you SHOULD be able to go outside. If the group's are disregarding the restrictions and making it literally impossible for you to safely pass...I'd phone them and hope a warning was enough.

I'm not a 'call the po for every little thing' kind of person, but I think people are just a bit frustrated that you are essentially trapped in your home when there should be an easy solution.

@SouthsideOwl The solution is I take my chances and keep 'peeping' for a sweet spot...but that's the same as everyone who lives in a flat right now who's trying to stick to the distancing. It's just difficult, but it is what it is.

Today is actually quite quiet out there so we're ready and off.

Yesterday was relentlessly busy, plus I really wanted to get us out for some air, so venting a little perhaps on the situation, I dont think I'm alone in that.

No, I'm not the person to make the phone calls of complaint- I'm hoping common sense will kick in a little before that would ever have to be a consideration, or finding an easier option for us to get out for a walk!

Anyway, ready and off