Coronavirus, gardens, 'sunbathing' etc.

[ShootsFruitAndLeaves]

You can legally sunbathe in your private garden all day long. But some people don't have gardens.

There are people complaining on social media to the police about people sunbathing on municipal land. Not large numbers of people, literally two people enjoying the sunshine and minding their own business. There are people replying that they will go out and assault them, etc.

There is in fact no law against sunbathing. It just seems to be bringing out the neighbourhood arseholes to try to enforce non-existent rules. Nobody is going to die because someone went out to the shop and decided to stop to sunbathe on a 16 acre meadow on the way home. Nobody. The 'but 1000 people died today' stuff is not related to that. Keep to your own household, don't mix with other people, don't leave home without a reasonable excuse.

[ShootsFruitAndLeaves]

Why is it ok to get upset about someone sunbathing, but not ok, say, for me to abuse motorists speeding through my town?

It's just such simple-mindedness. There are still millions of people meeting each other daily for legitimate reasons. Coronavirus is still being passed on, legally.

Meanwhile someone sunbathing on the grass on an irrelevant piece of grass is not going to pass any virus on.

But people are being such self righteous arseholes about it as if they never put people at risk through their own cleat law breaking.

It's such bollocks.

[ShootsFruitAndLeaves]

'clear' law breaking

[TiredofSM]

I’d report them.
Because as soon as 2 people do it, 2 other people see them and think it’s ok to do it. And then 2 people see them. And then they think it’s ok to do it.
And before you know it the police have shut the park to everyone. And now no one can use it to exercise.
Because 2 people were sunbathing in it.

[Frankiecandle]

It's easy to say you wouldn't do it if you have a garden. I'd go out and sit on a bench in the sun if I didn't have a garden.

[namechangemania]

There are still millions of people meeting each other daily for legitimate reasons. Coronavirus is still being passed on, legally.

The rules are there to reduce the spread wherever possible.

People have to go to work, go food shopping and meet others for ‘legitimate’ reasons.

People don’t have to sunbathe, go to the park/pub/beach which is why they’ve been curbed.

I don’t understand why people aren’t getting this

[GnomeDePlume]

The thing is that 2 people from the same household sunbathing poses no risk.

But

Another family sees sunbathers and thinks that it would be okay to take the kids to run around.

Then another family sees this and suggests to GPs that they meet at the park. Everyone will keep their distance. Except children see GPs and run up. GPs give a quick hug and send them back to their parents.

This has given the virus a chance to jump between households.

[Frankiecandle]

How many people ranting on this thread have a garden?

[midsomermurderess]

popodopollis, the regulations give examples of what are reasonable excuses to leave your home. Examples. It's not definitive. Sunbathing would, however, not seem like a reasonable excuse.

[SnoozyLou]

Yes, well done OP. Give yourself a big pat on the back for being the 500th person today to come on telling us all about this loophole you've found.

Sunbathing isn't exercise. It isn't essential shopping. It isn't work. It isn't a medical appointment.

Also, even in normal times, I wouldn't be in a hurry to lie on grass where others take their dogs to pee and shit, but hey, each to their own.

[littlemeitslyn]

Well I'm not a 'fucking' person so I'm ok

[Thighmageddon]

I have a garden yes but I'm not sitting out in it because all you can hear is screeching children, in all honesty they're just being kids but my nerves are in shreds due to not sleeping well.

So I stay in the house and leave the kids burning their energy off.

[7Days]

Its harmless for one or 2 people to do it. It's not harmless if we all do it.

[DeathByBoredom]

Hands up how many of you on this thread don't have a garden/private outdoors space?

[GrumpyHoonMain]

There are some nasty, dangerous scumbags out there. One guy locally was going around the local park shooting pellets at kids and parents who were just sitting on the grass (and respecting social distancing). Another was going around spitting at cyclists.

[1forsorrow]

The benches thing can be unfair, my husband is disabled and can only walk a short distance, then he sits on a bench for a few minutes and then gets up and walks a bit more.

[GrumpyHoonMain]

I have lived in an apartment without a garden and it was miserable in the summer - too hot indoors no matter what we did, so often dh and I would go outdoors just to work from home. I can’t imagine how uncomfortable It would be if you added a couple of kids in there. As long as we are sensible and respect social distancing then while going out into a garden is ok, then people without one should be able to use parks.

[Actionhasmagic]

Sunbathing is not an essential task though. Shopping is.

[WanderingLost167]

I think the the vitriol and tutting and hang ringing about other people's behaviour is in part because we all feel so out of control, and they think if they write a message on social media or leave a note through someone's door it will in some how mean they have made a difference, taken back some control over their own lives.

Shame it doesnt

[7Days]

What has that got to do with the spread of the virus deathbyboredom?

Obviously it's much much harder for people without outdoor space to stay at home. That shouldn't even need saying.
But it's not like the virus will have an attack of conscience and leave flat dwellers alone, and skip onto the next person.

It's just the way this thing works

[Parkermumma07]

The issues is its often not just 2 people in a field its more than that, and if one does it others think its OK and next thing you know there's people flocking to do the same!

[Deelish75]

Look the NHS NEEDS us to stay home. We are only meant to go out for essentials - food and medication. We are only meant to go out for exercise. To me exercise is moving your body, through walking, running, skating, scooting, cycling. If someone's has to stop fo 20-30 seconds to catch their breath that is fine but lying down for a half hour sunbathe is taking the piss. Once one person stops for a sunbathe then others start doing it and it gets to a point where 2 metre social distancing becomes difficult or even impossible and this is where the virus starts to spread from one person to another.

I feel for people who do not have gardens/outdoor space but I feel more for the NHS staff who are dying from this virus and their poor families who are going to have to pick up the pieces once this shit is over.

[ShootsFruitAndLeaves]

Yes, well done OP. Give yourself a big pat on the back for being the 500th person today to come on telling us all about this loophole you've found

I read the regulations before they legally commenced, shame the police didn't do the same tbh.

I'm not even bothered about loopholes or not. I'm just not understanding the sort of person who says 'there have been two people sunbathing in this fairly boring spot for two hours and I'm outraged'

I know they probably don't in fact have anything better to do than complain, but still.

[Coquohvan]

@ShootsFruitAndLeaves

We’re you not arrested recently for sitting on a bench exercising your mind?

[Figmentofmyimagination]

I agree with you OP. I’ve got a little garden so I can sit in it all day long. I really don’t get why someone without a garden can’t sit on the grass as long as there is plenty of space between them.

I appreciate that this is hard to police but if, as a matter of fact, you can see that someone is causing no harm to anybody because there is nobody anywhere near them, what would possess you to make a fuss about it.

Emily Maitlis is quite right that we are not all in it together. People with gardens are in a privileged position relative to those (usually younger people) without.

[ViciousJackdaw]

I'm saying that the people complaining about two people sunbathing on a nondescript piece of land of no interest to anyone beyond walking distance are by far the bigger dickheads here

I'm not sure they are...