Lockdown - was I in the wrong?

[JigsawGirl11]

So today me and DH went out for a bike ride (I will admit straight away that we didn't ride at all before lockdown and bought bikes so we can take advantage of the daily exercise a little better)

We took a bottle of water and a little packet of 6 mini sausage rolls we had in the fridge. After around 45 mins we sat down at a bench had a drink and ate the sausage rolls, police drove past once, went about 200 yards to the next roundabout and came back and told us off.

The policeman was pretty polite and apologetic, he said that we need to move on as if his Sargent saw he would fine us on the spot.

Obviously we moved on, there's no point trying to push the boundaries and I know health and the general stay at home advice is important. Personally I am a bit put out by such an infringement of what's usually a basic human right and the common sense that it we didn't have sausage rolls we prob would have been able to have a break/drink of water whilst on the bike ride.

I hope no-one is going to jump on about scold me like a child, obviously I thought what we did was okay or we wouldn't have done it but I'm interested to hear other people's opinions.

I cannot find anything in the government guidance about not being allowed to sit down outside. In the guidance for use of green spaces it says go with other household members only, stay more than 2m away from other people. If my kids get tired during a walk across the quiet fields near by house and we sit down for 10 minutes (not on a bench obviously I think you were wrong in that regard op, coronavirus lives on surfaces awhile) will the MN police come after me? Sitting down away from pathways actually makes it easier to keep 2m away from other people. I agree we need to distance etc and a big part of that is no people from other households mixing. So obviously don't meet your friends in the park and sit together etc. I fail to see how sitting down briefly outside with members of my household spreads the virus, and minimising is the purpose of the rules. I think the wannabe stasi people might need reminding of this. The rules have a purpose and as soon as you police behaviour outside of the purpose of restrictions it's grim territory imo.

As far as I can see tighter restrictions might be needed for two reasons - there's evidence people from separate households are meeting so everyone needs to stay home to make this stop, and linked to this, it's simply easier to monitor/police what people are doing with blanket restrictions.

Someone/a household sitting down in a secluded spot for 10 mins on a walk won't spread the virus, nor will people having bbqs in their own gardens. The glee with which people leap to police others helps me understand how 1930s Germany or Soviet era Russia came to be.

www.gov.uk/government/news/coronavirus-guidance-on-access-to-green-spaces

If the OP was taking "potential risks" in sitting on the bench, then I'm not sure where that leaves me. I have rheumatoid arthritis, and was hoping that I could take a walk, where I know there are benches where I can stop to rest, as my knees and ankles will swell up and cause pain and stiffness.

I am trying my best to manage this. I used to have just about every joint affected to a greater degree. To the extent, historically I was significantly disabled by this disease. So whilst I appreciate the points that other posters have made about reducing contamination; the points of wash your hands immediately on return, and general awareness of how viruses are spread, should significantly reduce this impact. I would therefore welcome the advise of others who are telling the OP that she shouldn't stop. For a short break, as that would mean that I shouldn't go out further than I can walk, which is complicated for me, as I don't know that I definitely can walk a specific distance, I can only estimate. For the record, exercise, specifically weight bearing exercise is recommended for R.A.

I think you’re one sausage roll short of a picnic! What were you thinking?

babynewt can you use stick or a frame?

If not, then load bearing indoor exercise , to supplement much shorter (always within capability) walks might be the prudent course. Especially if you get the kind of bad patches which leave you unable to get out at all

Bike ride OK but not your picnic. The police were correct to move you on.

The Stasi arrested hundreds of thousands of political prisoners....most people here and in the country have a different view of OP action. Maybe ..just maybe you have a blind spot. Suggest you watch some footage of the consequences of these kind of actions from relatives of those who have died. My son has had it....you need to wake up! I am out of here as life is too short to waste lost causes.

You are allowed out to EXERCISE. Your body, not your gob.

I understand your medical reason for eating but its prob not a good idea to take up cycling right now in a pandemic when youre not used to it

babynewt

Are you on treatment for RA? Many people that I know have received shielding letters?

Apart from that, op didn't washed her hands did she? She touched a surface and then put her hands to get face by eating so she hasn't even minimised the risk by washing her hands and not touching her face.

I wouldn’t WANT to sit on a bench atm, I don’t touch anything when I go for my exercise.

If you really must stop for a snack it’s a bit daft to sit in full view of where the police can drive past (find a deserted field or something next time!)

You're not meant to eat when you're exercising. People trying g to bend the rules to breaking point are causing problems so they were right.

I'm not saying you're purposely doing that but come on. Even when my partner was bulking up to nearly 20 stone mostly muscle he wouldnt eat while exercising.

He did once and said never again.

So you can see why the police have to be hard on everyone.

I'm more surprised that you've taken up cycling for the first time in lockdown and early pregnancy than having a sausage roll to be fair.

My partner is a regular cycler, does long distances for fun and to stay mentally well and he's totally given up since the measures were imposed in order to minimise the risks to him and to other people if he were to have an accident and end up needing to go to hospital.

they have been moving people on who sit down anywhere grass benches walls its not classed as exercise @Jenala

dont know if anyone saw my thread the other day of the woman sitting on the bench

My boys and I pass a bench on one of our regular cycle routes through our village. We are currently referring to it as the 'Bench of Death', because every time we cycle past it there are different people sitting on it, couples young and old, singletons on their phones, families with toddlers... varies every time we go by by there they sit. Bonkers.

The issue is the sitting down I think. It's going out for exercise.

People with severe RA are in the shield group hooves but not everyone with RA has it that severely (or is on the strong immune suppressant drugs)

I've seen it referred to separately on the assessment sheets released by hospitals. There's separate advice if someone has RA.

Clearly I'm cavalier about this, but I think there HAS to be a bit of balance... go out, get your fresh air/exercise, if you need to sit down because you're old or snack if you're pregnant then I'm sure it's fine. But then I live on the coast, where we have a constant howling bloody gales, so doubt any virus could survive for long here.

Why can't grown adults to an hour without a snack?

Good god no! Especially if pregnant.

Just stand up and eat!
Ds and I cycle and we and others we pass (we take a route through an old railway line) just stop and stand in the trees to the side!
But tbh I don't worry about those who do decide to sit on a bench or a log!

This is a pisstake, surely.
Why do people keep posting these ridiculous questions?

Work in a petrol station. The amount of people who have stopped to buy an ice cream, sit on the benches, enjoy the sun, is ridiculous. People just don’t think ☹️

I'm finding it funny that you were out getting exercise...yet we're ramming 6 sausage rolls down ya trap 😆 you were in the wrong you know you were and thank god the police are actually doing their job for once. I mean come on did you really need to take a snack...my 3 year old walked a couple a mile or so over the fields yesterday and didn't stop for a fecking snack, eat before you leave it ain't a jolly.

If i'm honest,, when me and DH go out cycling we often have to stop so i can have a drink of water and catch my breath every few miles, (DH also cycles at a quick pace and not a causal pace) but i have very mild exercise induced asthma (but not serious enough to need shielding according to docs) and always find the initial half a hour/15 minutes of exercise the hardest as my body and lungs adapt!.

But i can also understand why the police may move people on who have stopped and sat down to eat, as I imagine there are lots of people who have taken picnics or have cycled/walked to nice places to sit, and used 'daily exercise' as a loop hole to attempt to sit in the sun or have a picnic in public spaces.

Why do people find the rules so hard to understand? You are supposed to avoid going out and keep trips out to the minimum for essential reasons. You can go out for exercise - that means you go out, exercise and then come home - if you need a snack, a loo stop whatever you go home. Why are people looking for excuses to bend the rules? Start on the basis that you should be staying in. Ask yourself if your outing is essential, then keep it as brief as possible. If you need to take supplies with you then you are going to out too long. Just stay in - stop finding reasons to stay out. I think the police are being too reasonable - if you lived in France you would have to pay a €135 fine.