The “I just had a sit down in the park with crisps” brigade

[Candodad]

You are the problem. The rules are simple. Go out and exercise and then go home. Just that, nothing more than that.

To be fair then problem is actually bigger than that and has been brewing for years as we increasingly become a country with rules but almost everyone has an excuse for why that rule shouldn’t apply to them/their child/family.

genuine question, how do you think you’re going to cope when lockdown is lifted and the virus is still in circulation?

I doubt those of us who are shielding are going to be let out for a very long time.

No one is advocating going out for a picnic,

Some people are though. Several on here have said they are taking picnics out.

ChardonnaysPetDragon

But then the onus should be on everyone to make that risk as small as possible, so stick to the guidelines and minimise the chance of getting infected. That means not touching your face and washing your hands and maintaining social distancing.

I don't see what is so hard about that?

But then the onus should be on everyone to make that risk as small as possible, so stick to the guidelines and minimise the chance of getting infected. That means not touching your face and washing your hands and maintaining social distancing.

Of course it isn't hard. I have been doing it for the last weeks, along it seems with all the other posters here.

I doubt those of us who are shielding are going to be let out for a very long time

That wasn’t my point really. Your DH will still presumably be out working, at a time when people are permitted to shop/socialise/have picnics/sit in parks etc. How will you cope mentally with that?

@Hearhoovesthinkzebras I'm shielding too and I get your concerns, really I do. Most people are doing and will continue to do all they can in terms of keeping themselves and other people safe. Some are not and they never will. I'm worried about how this is all going to pan out. I'm worried about how lots of people (me included) will cope when lockdown ends. BUT I also know that I can only control what I do and how I respond, there are so many other things that are out of our control. I think it's about trying to keep perspective, although it's hard sometimes.

I'm sorry you feel jumped on on this thread, it's not nice to feel like that when you're anxious about a situation. I think there are sensible points on both sides of the argument really.

Shitsgettingcrazy

Who is saying anything about smearing your hands over a bench?

When I started posting on this thread most people were saying that there is no risk in sitting on a bench and eating. That's what I was objecting to. Now, some of you are saying that it's ok if you don't touch the bench and use hand sanitizer - none of you were saying that initially though. Everyone was saying that it's fine and no risk.

Clearly, you agree that there is a risk and you try to mitigate that by not touching the bench and using hand sanitizer. So, why am.i being mocked for saying that there is a risk in doing this? Clearly you agree that it's a risk.

I doubt those of us who are shielding are going to be let out for a very long time.

You're not actually compelled to stay in - language like 'let out' isn't really appropriate. People will work out what they think their risks are and behave accordingly. Some may misjudge that in one direction or the other.

Several on here have said they are taking picnics out.

Taking some food (whether you're call it a 'picnic' or not) to eat during a long walk isn't the same thing as 'going out for a picnic'. Sure, there may be a grey area somewhere in the middle but I reckon people can work out if they're taking the piss or not, whether the balance of exercise v eating time is likely or not likely to be reasonable.

Your DH will still presumably be out working, at a time when people are permitted to shop/socialise/have picnics/sit in parks etc. How will you cope mentally with that?

I don't know because as the risk of him catching it goes up so does the risk of me catching it.

How would you cope if the government told you to shut yourself away because there is an illness circulating that poses a severe risk to your life but you knew that you were still being exposed to it?

WilburIsSomePig

Thank you. I hope you stay safe.

driving yes of course, that must be another rule that I hope the virus knows. Person inside of own house eating burgers and sausages (preferably in silence looking glum) is good,do not infect. Person in own back garden eating burgers and SAUSAGES cooked inside, possibly bad, infect with mild illness. Person in own back garden eating burgers and sausages cooked on own Bbq with music playing, clearly evil. Infect with most virulent strain ASAP.

Random capitals sorry!

No your husband moving out won't eliminate his risk HearHooves but you seem to think that everyone else in the country should do what YOU think to minimise the risk to you.

And that's not very practical or reasonable is it? You've been doing this for weeks, telling people something isn't 'allowed' and then when it's clarified that it is, you still try and come up with some very tiny, extremely unlikely unconfirmed possible risk and bring it back to how it's a direct risk to YOU in some way.

You are going to combust in a few weeks when they start to lift some restrictions.

How would you cope if the government told you to shut yourself away because there is an illness circulating that poses a severe risk to your life but you knew that you were still being exposed to it?

Pretty shit. But not half as bitter and full of hate for my fellow man as you seem to be.

Who is saying anything about smearing your hands over a bench?

The poster said if you are going out and smearing your hands on benches, its stupid. You said you agreed but were being jumped on for saying the same.

No one has jumped on you for saying you shouldn't smear your hands all over things when you are out. No one jumped on you for saying it.

When I started posting on this thread most people were saying that there is no risk in sitting on a bench and eating. That's what I was objecting to. Now, some of you are saying that it's ok if you don't touch the bench and use hand sanitizer - none of you were saying that initially though. Everyone was saying that it's fine and no risk.

None of us? I wasn't on the thread at the beginning. So that's incorrect.

The people who weren't saying that probably, quite rightly, presumes that people sat on a bench eating crisps are not smearimg their hands on the bench. And neither is the person that come across later.

Why would you assume they were? Did people regularly rub benches before covid? Maybe it was and I am not aware.

Sitting on a bench, eating crisps isn't a risk....as long as you follow good hygiene and don't rub your hands all over it. The vast majority of people, crisp eaters or not, are following hygiene and not rubbing random surfaces while they are out.

You're not actually compelled to stay in - language like 'let out' isn't really appropriate. People will work out what they think their risks are and behave accordingly. Some may misjudge that in one direction or the other.

I know I don't have to stay in but strangely enough I'm not that keen to die just now. Contrary to popular opinion on MN about those of us who are shielding, I don't have one foot in the grave.

As I've said before, it is extremely hard to work out risk when the instructions given to us who are shielding don't seem to tie up with advice given to everyone else.

What risk are we being shielded from when told not to go outside? What is the risk that they are perceiving? No one seems to be willing to explain it so how do I work out the risk?

Why do people keep starting threads about the same bloody issues...

Walking whilst eating a packet of crisps is no different to sitting down for a second to finish your packet or crisps. It’s not illegal. People need to start using common sense.

Everyone is full aware of the virus and of course you have to be careful but it’s not forbidden to leave your house, kick a ball in your own garden or leave the house. If people are keeping a social distance and minding their own business why does it bother you so much ?

And please don’t start spouting in about “I pay taxes blah blah blah” because like a lot of other people in this country - so do I; and I don’t feel the obsessive need to monitor strangers comings and goings

How would you cope if the government told you to shut yourself away because there is an illness circulating that poses a severe risk to your life but you knew that you were still being exposed to it?

Absolutely shit, and I really feel for you. But unfortunately that time is going to come, and then you won’t be able to berate people on here for doing things that are permitted within the official guidance but that you perceive to be too high a risk.

I'm never sitting on a bench again, for the rest of my entire life. They have become an entirely different entity to me after this thread.

From this day forward I’ll be on the alert for someone scaring the shit out of me with a random box jump, while I’m trying to relax with a bag of quavers.

Life is changed utterly.

I'm genuinely sorry about your situation hooves but I think the truth is no one can tell you how to calibrate the risks because no one really knows for sure. Scientists - correctly - talk in terms of probabilities and evidence.

What risk are we being shielded from when told not to go outside? What is the risk that they are perceiving? No one seems to be willing to explain it so how do I work out the risk?

You work it out like the rest of us adult do. You seem to have reverted to child like behaviour.

If I am taking the kids out for a walk, I have to weigh it up. Where are we going. If its a walk by the river, is the path wide enough to pass people and still social distancing. If its to the field, what do we do if its packed. What time is it likely to be quietest. I know the field is busiest between 12 and 1.30. Presumably because home workers are taking their lunch break.

If I am going to the supermarket, you can Google average queue time. Look at when its quietest. Take sanitiser with you, don't rub benches, don't let the kids rub benches.

Minimising our close interaction with other people.

We are all measuring our own risk. You need to do the same. No one can tell you exactly what your risk is leaving the house, because they don't know the variables

No your husband moving out won't eliminate his risk HearHooves but you seem to think that everyone else in the country should do what YOU think to minimise the risk to you.

I'm not telling anyone to do what I think. I'm telling people to do what the government think. It's people on here who seem to think that they can do what they think, rather than follow government advice. So, if anyone is making up rules it's those people.

The advice is very clear - stay at home other than for one of the four very clear reasons, wash your hands and don't touch your face.

Somehow though, that's been taken to mean go out for a picnic and don't worry about hand washing or touching your face.

Shitsgettingcrazy

You don't have to be smearing your hands over the bench. That's just hyperbole. If you touch the bench and then touch your face that is a risk. Touching, not smearing. If everyone is sitting on a bench without touching it and is using hand gel when out then fair enough. But I don't believe that everyone is doing that.

I think most people took “don’t touch the bench and use hand sanitiser before eating” for granted, so didn’t see the need to spell it out. Which, okay, there’s an element of casual ableism in assuming everyone can stand without needing to hold onto things, but I’m sure the posters advocating to be able to have a snack if needed while exercising are using common sense and not running their hands on benches before eating.

Upthread you kept talking about elderly people not using hand sanitiser and not embracing good hygiene, thus being at greater risk. The risk of contracting COVID from a bench is still incredibly tiny, but really this is where personal responsibility comes into it.

I believe that I am not at risk of contracting or spreading the virus, because I am careful and obeying the rules. Me sitting on a bench not touching anything doesn’t increase the risk to myself or others. If an infected elderly person puts their hands on a bench then eats via putting their dirty hands in their mouth, and 2 mins later another elderly person does the same, well the problem there is two elderly people acting like reckless idiots. Nothing to do with me, nothing to do with anyone maintaining good hygiene, nothing to do with anyone taking care not to touch the bench.

And yes it’s a shame if (hypothetical) elderly people are being that reckless, but other than information campaigns I’m not sure what the solution is.

HearHooves : please point me to the advice telling people not to sit on benches. Or eat on benches.

I mean, I did post upthread a DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC HEALTH saying how important it is that people have access to benches.

And nowhere on this thread has anyone said you don't need to wash your hands.

You work it out like the rest of us adult do. You seem to have reverted to child like behaviour.

Great. Good for you. But you have been told the things to do and you can do them or not. So, you've been told to maintain a two metre distance.

I've been told to stay indoors. Why? If there is only risk by getting less than two metres from another person then why tell us to stay indoors? How can I guage the risk if I haven't been told what the risk is? If they said that they aren't sure about two metres and possibly a safe distance is ten metres, then fine, I can account for that but being told to not go.out at all - why? The only conclusion that I can reach is that there's a possibility that it's airborne or at least remains in the air after someone has passed by.

So, it's easy to say guage your own risk, but without having the facts it's impossible to do.

please point me to the advice telling people not to sit on benches. Or eat on benches.

The advice is to stay at home unless going out for one of four reasons.

The advice is to wash your hands and to not touch your face.

Sitting on a bench eating, or having a picnic does not fit in to any of that advice.

Why do I need sanitiser to eat crisps on a bench?

I leave the house, I don't touch a thing, I arrive at my bench destination, I sit, I take packet of crisps, open, eat, only touching the crisps, I linger for bit, looking at the fit blokes doing some fitness thing at the other end of the park, I get up, I leave. At no stage did I need to touch the bench or my face.

I think I've reached my lockdown tipping point now.

Okay hear this question again ...

Are you ok with an able bodied person who can sit down without using their hands to eat crisps on the bench? Yes or no?