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.

Still laughing at 6 mini sausage rolls being a picnic.

A sandwich must be a banquet then!

Before this to do my exercise I used to go to the gym, I never took a packet of sausage rolls with me and ate them in the middle of body pump class though. OP you know you were being a dick. Just pushing the rules for the absolute sake of it. First bike ride and you can't cope without stopping for a picnic. Tedious.

We're not in a normal situation. Otherwise, this would be fine. We're supposed to be staying at home. Staying at home. Go out, do your exercise, come home. Anything else at the moment is just piss taking. Probably not illegal, but piss taking. And selfish.

How is pregnancy at excuse to snack halfway through exercise? You dont. Snack. During. Exercise.

@CoughKeepsOnComing for a start it's supposed to be an hours exercise!

for a start it's supposed to be an hours exercise! No, that was just made up on the hoof by Gove in a TV interview. There's nothing in either the legislation or the guidance to say you need to limit exercise to an hour.

What a horrid thread. I hope the OP has hidden it.

@Amymayapple speaks good sense.

@Glaceon Putting. Full. Stops. Between. Words. Doesn't. Make. You. Sound. Any. Kinder.

@LolaDarkdestroyer I am going to pretend I didn't read your ridiculous and semi-literate comment.

I meant to say stasi 'wannabe' for PP leaping in

Hear hear FOTTFSOFTFOASM

Oh not this hour of exercise thing again. Gove might have mentioned that in an interview but it doesn't trump the law which puts not time limit on it. Any more than you can only go shopping once a week.

@midsomermurderess You can go shopping every day if you want to. Who said you could only go once a week?

I’m more concerned about who had been on the benches before OP, or after them.

20-30 people today alone, in a few hours, on our 3 benches in a rural town. Individuals, groups, 3 or 4 at a time. The groups may be from one household, but what about the other people who’ve sat there? Or will sit there after?

We’re using our limited sanitiser on the petrol pumps, the pin pads, and on our hands because no one is listening to the pay by cards only recommendation. We can’t sanitise benches or tables.

You’re PG. Please look after yourself

I think if a pregnant woman needs to sit down, she needs to sit down. That is a basic human right.

Surely OP was already sitting down, on her bike.

It’s not about just you though. If everyone took snacks and sat on benches every time they went out to exercise daily, it would increase the risk of spreading the virus. If only you do it, it would be a minuscule increase in risk, but if hundreds of thousands of people do it- it’s a massive issue. Plus some of those people would sit and eat and snack in 5 minutes, others would extend it into a two hour picnic. So the rules have to be really clear and really simple.

@HeresToTheCrazyOnes she is not resting on her bike though.

Can people stop talking about the sausage rolls? I’m really hungry now.

OP, you were wrong, which you now know but on a serious note, don’t push yourself too hard with the exercise given your sickness.

Problem is you dont know how many people have st down on that bench before touching it coughing then puttin gtheir hands on it its too risky

Surely it’s okay to stop on a bench for food when you’ve been on a bike ride. I sat on a bench in a graveyard today when I went for a walk, am I not allowed to stop for a few minutes rest?

Surely it’s okay to stop on a bench for food when you’ve been on a bike ride. I sat on a bench in a graveyard today when I went for a walk, am I not allowed to stop for a few minutes rest?

Nope

@KatherineJaneway what if we disagree with the rules. What will they do, give fines? If I was in the UK, I would be sitting on a bloody benchZ

They can stick that rule up their arse

If you disagree with the rules you'll get fined or cautioned, that's what happens when the government makes a law and you don't follow it. Disliking the law is irrelevant.

Sadly we can't ensure that the people who break the rules will be the ones who get sick and those who don't break the rules won't, but it's certainly more likely.

am I not allowed to stop for a few minutes rest?

No.

@vangoghsdog. I think that I would take the fine.

I would look at what other countries are doing, and I would think that I am not going to be controlled like that.

If we are allowed to sit on benches in ireland, and our prime minister is a doctor, I have no idea why they won't let you sit on benches in England.

Do you ever question it?

Again, Amyapple is being sensible.

I, for one, question all of this.

I think some people are so unable to think or question anything that they just trot out the "Stay TF at home" and "People will die (if you sit on a bench)" tropes without wondering if they make any kind of sense or bear any relation to any sensible reality.

The bench is a transition point....stay safe op and don't sit on them!