Where on earth did this 1 hour 'rule' come from?

[YappityYapYap]

Just having a rant here, sorry. Ok so I have followed all the guidelines to a tee. I regularly look up the government guidelines (well maybe once a week) and I stick to them. So here is what has annoyed me today.

I hadn't left the house in 5 weeks. I was working from home then I got furloughed. DH is working from home and he does the shopping alone. Because he's working at home, when he finishes at 4pm, he likes to take DS for a walk. So I don't take DS on one, I leave that to DH. I get that time to clean and whatever. I take DS in the garden and we get plenty of exercise there through the day while DH works. Today though, because I hadn't left the house for so long, I decided to take DS for a walk. I took him out for just short of 2 hours then came home. Once we were home, DH said he'd take DS into the garden for a while since he'd had a walk already. So I joined them and my next door neighbour (over the wall) was like I saw you went out, do you feel better for it? I was like yes I do thanks. Then she made a comment and said you better watch if you do it again that you don't get stopped because you're only meant to go for 1 hour. I just sort of looked at her and said ah ok, I'll bare that in mind.

I cannot find any 'rule' that says you can only go out for a walk for 1 hour!! It's made up isn't it? I get on really well with my neighbour but I did overhear her on the phone the other day telling her friend she thinks China did this all on purpose so I'm taking what she says with a pinch of salt now!

I'm not really fond of walking regularly. I have a nice routine going with DS on weekdays where we get up quite early, have breakfast, get dressed, play games then spend the rest of the day in the garden looking for insects and just having fun. DH likes a walk so he has that routine with DS. However, I would probably like to get out once a week and do what I did today and have a big long walk with DS, just to blow the cobwebs off and be in the outside world and see different faces. It's a bit awkward though if my neighbour comments on how long I was away for though!

It's also worth pointing out that the same neighbour had her friend round the other day. The friend came in through the back gate and they sat miles apart in the garden so no skin off my nose. I didn't even notice, she told me over the wall. It's not something I would have anything to say about but seriously, why would me and DS having a walk for more than 1 hour be something we would be spoken to about by the police when she let someone outwith her household onto her property? Now I know that is against the guidelines but I wouldn't get my knickers in a twist about it. She pointed out that they are fining people for 'breaking the rules' but I haven't broken any as the 1 hour thing is not a rule or even a guideline. If either of us have gone against anything it's her but like I say, I don't think she really did anything 'wrong'.

She is older, almost 70 and we get on. I just think she shouldn't have said what she said

It is not a law as such but a senior cabinet minister has indicated it as guidance. There has been no contradictory statement since so it remains the best rules to follow.

Some of the frothers on here who celebrate their unadulterated individualism like to hang onto the fact there is no blanket law stipulating exercise duration to justify their actions. If you want to be a considerate citizen I'd stick to the hour rule.

Same place as the "rule" saying that only essential worker should be going into work.

Or the rule that said you're not allowed to buy chocolate or wine.

Or the "rule" that bans sitting on park benches and eating crisps.

Totally invented and made up, in other words.

Ah, the lockdown gestapo. Proudly spying on their neighbours since 23rd March.

I have barely been out. We’ve got a little garden and that will do me. But I’ll be buggered if I’ll spend my days spying on everyone else, getting my knickers in a twist over what the are or aren’t doing.

I don’t understand the mentality - and no shame telling you she’s been watching you either!

Good god do not take anything from the sun as gospel @lljkk

If you want to be a considerate citizen I'd stick to the hour rule.
Again no common sense , the op hasn't left the house in 5 weeks . The first walk in 5 weeks for 2 hours is hardly going to affect the spread of coronavirus .

I went for a 3 hour cycle today -my husband is working at home and I’m furloughed - our flat is tiny and we have no outside space - I can’t bare to be in the house constantly while he is on work calls and I have to sit in the bedroom watching tv on my laptop with headphones on! So I get out and about a few times a week!!

They have said up to one hour in Scotland and no driving to exercise, the different guidelines between England and Scotland are confusing

At one point NHS very clearly said "one hour" as a guideline.
I can't find it, but I don't think I hallucinated that written in black and white

The nhs don’t tell us what to do. The rules of lockdown come from our government and are available to view on on gov web page. The guide lines on that page is what people follow.

And ffs please don’t quote shit from the sun as truth.

Made up by rabid Mumsnetters.

Loving this image of Michael Gove.

We shouldn't need any rules at all. Originally people were expected to act like adults and avoid other people as much as possible. That way everyone could tailor it to fit their situation. Obviously if you live somewhere remote there's no point in limiting your walks at all, but if you are in a dense residential area keeping it short stops the street being packed with walkers.

We only have rules because people won't apply common sense and immediately look for ways to do the opposite.

"The nhs don’t tell us what to do." quite right P1nkHeartLovesCake so no need to wash your hands at all ever as that isn't a law.

Well unless your a manky person you should of always been washing your hands anyway! The manky that wasn’t washing hands before probably aren’t now either 🤷🏻‍♀️

Washing hands is basic good hygiene and should be taught by parents to a child from a young age.

The rules for lockdown don’t come from the nhs they come from government so not sure wtf your on about with the hand washing remark tbh. The one hour “rule” is not on the government web page therefore it is not the rule 🤷🏻‍♀️

Michael Gove made a comment with his opinion on an amount of time that would be reasonable and that where the 1 hour has come from. It is an opinion not a law

There is no law in Scotland saying 1 hour either.

Michael Gove on Marr

The info from Professor Jason Leitch on gov.scot website said up to an hour so many people are going off that.

Its an opinion people have ran with it instead of remembering opinions are like arseholes

But personally I think an hour is about right but only because I live right slap bang in the middle of three (possibly four) plscesmr and the kids can go to for a ramble about and get back within an hour

Places myself and the kids

Can you link to actual guidance that says there is a limit of 1 hour in Scotland from an official source as I can only find newspaper reports

It’s mentioned in the news article on gov.scot here
www.gov.scot/news/public-urged-to-stay-at-home/

Apparently this is what the spokesperson for police Scotland referred to when asked about people exercising outdoors and obviously all the papers have picked up on this. It’s no surprise people are confused about what they can and can’t do.

@Floatyboat but there isn't an 'hour rule'.

Sounds like it's also Professor Leitch's opinion and is not actually in the guidance at all

1 hour heuristic is probably more precise @self

He's probably just mirroring what Gove said tbh but a time limit is not actually stated in the guidance anywhere.

Not that I'm exercising for more than an hour anyway, but that's not the point

There does seem to be a lit of confusion about the exercise rules. Trouble is some people get their info second hand.