What's wrong with going out more than once?

[Oscarthegrouch47]

An expecting a flaming here but -

What's the issue with going for a walk twice a day? The government have said once for exercise but i like to take my dog for 20 minutes in the morning and a slightly longer route of half an hour in the evening. I live rurally and rarely see anyone at either time.

I am taking the rules about isolating and mixing between households very seriously and haven't seen anyone or been anywhere other than shopping or walking since this began, but taking two walks a day is something I really can't get het up over.

What is the actual reason that our exercise has been limited? Presumably because it increases the likelihood of contact in busier, more urban areas? I'm sure a few of my curtain twitching neighbours have noticed me going out more than once a day but I genuinely can't see the additional risk when I see nobody and come into contact with nothing (gates, stiles).

@ImaPinkToothbrush I'm not 'wilfully stupid' thanks.

I said driving to exercise. Not driving to a secluded place to exercise. People are driving to my already packed local park.

The driving to meet his girlfriend who is not part of his household go hand on hand. He doesn't need to do either. Not sure why you think I was focussed more on the driving than the actual meet.

Well it is where I live. You’re meant to exercise near your house and that’s it. The increased traffic will just cause a higher unnecessary risk of a collision

Is that outside England then four?

Yes, I’m not in England

Where I live, it is pretty densely populated and, despite being surrounded by farmland, has very few places to go for a walk. There is no right to roam law in NI. So everyone is pouring out onto the same roads. In normal circumstances, there's not a sinner in sight! So, I guess if everyone doubled the number of their walks around here, it'd be like some sort of bizarre walking marathon. If you live somewhere more isolated then I say take another walk and enjoy it.

I can walk from my house at certain times of the day and not see another person.
It's about understanding local circumstances and reducing risk. The guidelines are there to limit contact with other people, services etc.
I can do that, even if I go out twice a day. So I choose my times and routes to absolutely minimise the risk of coming into contact with other people.

Not speaking for whole of NI by the way, just the ridiculous sprawling suburban metropolis (with no facilities) where I live

@Giraffey1

Here's what happened. The Government made some legislation and gave the Police some increased powers.

They also issued some guidelines, assuming people understood that wasn't the law or 'the rules' and to use common sense. You know, like all the other Government guidelines about how much fruit and veg you should eat or how much alcohol you should drink. Which nobody ever thought were 'rules'.

Then it turns out lots of people (including some dim Police forces and half of MN) thought guidelines were 'the roolz' and did stupid things like tell people they couldn't buy an easter egg, couldn't sit down on a bench for a rest on a walk etc

On MN that led to people being called murderers because they went to the shop for a non-essential item and people coming up with their own idea of what is essential (which doesn't include milk apparently).

People told they shouldn't be given NHS treatment if they catch COVID because they take their toddlers for a walk once a dat and later go for a run for exercise. That kind of thing.

Despite the Government never having said you CAN'T buy non-essentials or go for 2 walks s day.

And people have been wasting Police time reporting this kind of thing. Which has been very much encouraged on MN.

So the Government have had to talk to the Police and the Police have had to issue these very common sense views about what is reasonable or not.

It's completely possible to live somewhere where you can walk for miles and barely see another human without this solely being because everyone else is hiding inside. I can, and while I'm rural I wouldn't even consider us all that isolated (edge of a commuter village).

Some of us have lived our lives prioritising living a bit further away from people because we like it that way!

If you can go for more than one walk a day, go for it.

Being cooped up inside all day will have a serious affect on anyone’s mental health. If you’re not around anyone at all times, you can’t spread covid (if you have it) and you can’t pick it up from somebody else.

Some of us have lived our lives prioritising living a bit further away from people because we like it that way!

Exactly this, and I’m glad of it now! I only wish we’d bought a house even further away from other people!

Some of us have lived our lives prioritising living a bit further away from people because we like it that way!

Exactly this. I've been told I should feel guilty because I am able to do things that people in cities cannot because they don't have the space that I have. But I chose to live where I do, and made sacrifices to be here. I can't go to the cinema, or shopping, or be close to an airport. But I do live in the countryside.

People on MN seem to want everyone in rural areas to walk around in fear as if they lived amongst a population of millions, in solidarity with those who do.

Tbh I’d love to live in the countryside. Lovely big fields and scenery. All the space would be great for dog walking

I wish we’d had this clarification at the beginning. Or maybe I was listening too much to people on here and taking it as the rules.

Have only been going out once to exercise . Then either husband or I have Brent among other in turns to taken dog out. Poor dog could have been having two walks (and I could have avoided arguing with husband about whose turn it is to run).

Also, remember the arguments about allotments? Loads of people on here are saying no you can’t go. Police say it’s fine.

We should have had this clarification weeks ago.

Oscarthegrouch47 the idea originally was to avoid contact and avoid the deaths of hundreds of thousands of people. It was expected that people would use common sense so yes you could walk twice if you lived in some remote area. The government thought it was dealing with grown ups.

Unfortunately if you tell people they can walk twice with their immediate family they are so stupid they rush out to meet up with all their relatives and friends twice a day and say it's within the rules. You say exercise is ok and they are driving across the country to a beach or park to have a walk and a picnic. You say of course you can buy non-essentials since you're in the shop anyway and they all go out browsing as many shops as they can fit in.

That is the reason for long lists of guidelines. We're dealing with extremely stupid people. Like overgrown toddlers who don't want to be told not to run in the road and so on.

A lot of people even spend their time trying to encourage people not to take any notice. Some compare it with advice to eat 5 fruits a day etc and others talk about their human rights. It was the same when seat belts were made compulsory and with drinking and driving rules.

Succinct 🙌🏻@Salmonpasta

Info from Police Scotland appears to be more strict (and we, as yet, have fewer cases and our Chief Medical Officer was made to resign after driving to another property and exercising from there)
shopping for basic necessities, for example food and medicine, which must be as infrequent as possible.
daily exercise, for example a run, walk, or cycle - alone or with members of your household.
any medical need, or to provide care or to help a vulnerable person.
travelling to and from work, but only where you cannot work from home.

Before we were told not to drive to exercise there were photos on Facebook of lines of cars next to local beauty spots. Everyone thinks it will be ok if it's just them who does it, but it never will be just one or two.

Some of us need to get the virus anyway don't we?

There is nothing wrong with it as long as you are able to social distance. I walk at 6.30 every morning. I see one or two other people in the 30 mins I am out because most people are not bothered enough about walking to get up that early to do it. If I went again as late as possible in the evening it would be the same.
It would be better social distancing than being out in the middle of the day when most people are out.

@Watertorture

Exactly.

Joystir I think the key workers are managing that just fine for the rest of us

People on MN seem to want everyone in rural areas to walk around in fear as if they lived amongst a population of millions, in solidarity with those who do.

See I think that many people on MN who live more rurally want those who live in cities to stay right there all cramped up together and not come cluttering up their view by trying to exercise and get a proper walk and fresh air.

Not at all YgritteSnow, I’ve always thought it was a shame that more people didn’t come and enjoy the countryside around us... in the 3.5 years I’ve lived here I’ve barely seen anyone walking here, even though we’re only 10 miles from the nearest city.

@Watertorture Those are 'guidelines' the same as in England. Which is not legislation or 'rules'. And the coronavirus bill Scotland on restrictions of movement is exactly the same as in England.

Which does not restrict exercise to once a day, or give a time limit or say you can't travel to exercise.

Scotland aren't 'being stricter'.

I'd imagine Police Scotland will soon issue a similar set of reasonable excuses as England has to clarify for those who don't understand 'guidelines' aren't law or 'rules'

Especially as it's come about a few days after this to twww.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=publications.parliament.uk/pa/jt5801/jtselect/jtrights/correspondence/Chairs-briefing-paper-regarding-Health-Protection-Coronavirus-Restrictions-England-Regulation-2020.pdf&ved=2ahUKEwjaquLUoO_oAhWGiVwKHcgXARoQFjADegQIBxAB&usg=AOvVaw1GYS79MWIelw-a0AAk1PQh