If you have broken Lockdown rules then what is your reason?

[beesthatbuzz]

I doubt I'll get a lot of responses as no one will admit but I'm getting a bit fed up of people around me clearly disregarding the rules. Having friends and family around mainly, not just dropping off shopping but going into the house, several barbeques, two families (sisters and OHs) with all their kids in their front garden in a paddling pool this afternoon). And it's not just one person, it's loads of people. Call me a curtain twitcher all you want but I'm genuinely interested in people's reasons and I'm too chicken to ask them in real life.

I am desperate to see my Mum who lives 150 miles away, My lovely Dad died 3 weeks before lockdown so she's grieving and depressed but we are sticking to the rules, even though it pains me to see her in tears on our daily messenger chats.

Many other people seem to be doing whatever the hell they want and I'm wondering if we are actually the stupid ones for sticking to it.

[Bigfishylittlefishy]

I’m close. First panic attack this morning (ever)... weighing up the pros and cons and mental health is important too.

I’m very close.

[Concerned7777]

My ds went to see his Grandma for a few hours this week and I went into my Mums house last week to take her some food as she was unwell ( not covid related)

[DownyBuds]

I feel for you OP. I so wish my mum was round the corner so I could pop round to deliver shopping etc like a lot of people round here. Like you she is so far away It’s not feasible without staying overnight which is impossible. Really not sure when I’ll see her again :(

[avroroad]

We started isolating 2 weeks before the lockdown started. Last week I almost had a break down over my Dad who is shielding as i am worried I will never see him again. I went to his house which is less than half a mile away and spoke to him in his garden for an hour. We were about 3 meters apart the whole time. Neither of us had been out for weeks before hand. DS is doing the shopping. He drops my dads off at the door on his way past. That's it. It did wonders for me mentally though.

[lljkk]

Main violation is going out > once/day for exercise. I do it bc I like exercise & can easily keep 2m+ away from anyone else. And often it's the only way to get teen DS out, to go on our own walk at weird unpredictable time.

2nd violation was a handful of walks with a specific friend. I did it for her mental health (loads of shit in her life).

3rd violation was driving maybe 3x for exercise (turns out local police enforce own policy that must not do that)

4th: a 'non-essential' trip to buy some paint. My walls won't fall down without repainting, so it's non-essential.

5th a few times have stood near doorstep of the friend with MH issues for a little chat

Why would someone share all over their social media or directly tell you that they are breaking the rules? They must trust you a huge amount, OP.

[WhiteChocTwix]

@beesthatbuzz and @Abraid2
I'm genuinely sorry for both of your losses Abriad I would have done exactly the same with the probate. It's caring for a vulnerable person.

My mum is on her own, DF in a care home. She's extremely down and lonely. Her washing machine died about a month ago. Ordering a new one for her is turning into a massive headache, logistically incredibly difficult atm.

She's been leaving her washing on my doorstep (socially distanced). I've been doing it and then taking it back, also leaving it at the door. I count it as care for a vulnerable person, I won't see her living in an unsanitary existence without clean undies or sheets virus or no virus!

She tends to cry when she sees me from the road and that's bloody crap 😢

[foamrolling]

I'm planning on breaking the rules this weekend. I'm in Wales where we're not allowed to drive for exercise. My eldest is struggling badly. We are going to drive up into the mountains for exercise - I think a change of scenery will do her the world of good. My parents are going to drive to the same mountain and we'll see them from a distance of at least 2m. I can't see how this is more risky (or even AS risky) as things that are now allowed here - driving to kfc for a drive through meal and going to b&q.

[BlueEggsAndSpam]

My Mother in Law popped by to drop something off earlier this week and the baby crawled over to the open door. Mother in law is starting chemo in the next couple of weeks so she picked the baby up. It was more of a risk to MiL than baby (or us) and meh, I’m not going to deny her having a cuddle with her grandchild when we don’t know how her immunity is going to be affected going forward.
I’d absolutely defend our decision.

[Misstheoutside1]

Driven across the country twice to collect DC from university, after lockdown began. Didn’t have an earlier opportunity before lockdown and wasn’t going to leave them (especially the youngest) stranded for nearing two months, particularly with mental health concerns.

[Misstheoutside1]

*on their own as well

[Lazypuppy]

My mum has come round to help do the front garden, i stand 6ft away. This last week we have probably stood a bit closer at points.

Its been 8 weeks, if i'm honest i'm bored of the lockdown, we need to start getting back to some normal.

People need to remember lockdown isn't to stop people getting covid, its to reduce the number of people who get it at once so nhs can cope. We are pretty much all expected to get it at some point.

[TheGreatWave]

And I can froth all I want!!

You can, your choice, but just because someone is going out or going into someone's house doesn't necessarily mean they are doing something against lockdown rules.

You can't control what others do, it is a waste of time and energy getting annoyed by them.

[PearPickingPorky]

We occasionally venture out for walks/exercise twice a day. I have a newborn and a very energetic toddler. My DH is a key worker and works long shifts.

I need to get fit again after having a baby (used to run a lot). I need to get my lungs working again. Sometimes I go out for a run first thing when it's quiet. I will also go out for a walk with the toddler and pram later on in the day. Occasionally I have gone out a third time.

I do not think it is fair that my children don't get to go out of the house just because I went for a 15 minute run that morning.

They can't come with me on my run. I can't get fit walking at toddler pace.

DH can't take them out separately because of his hours.

The baby needs to sleep, and often only sleeps in the pram. There is only so many times I can push the pram up and down our little driveway!

The toddler needs to burn off energy, and get out of the house.

Obviously DC can't go out themselves so I need to supervise their exercise.

The increased risk is zero: the virus doesn't care if your 1 hour outside your house is split into two (or three) separate periods of exercise.

I don't see how anyone could disagree.

[Misstheoutside1]

I’ve also babysat my friends baby a few times as she’s had complications with working but not an essential worker so childminder not open. Chatted to parents from a distance when doing their shopping and dropping it iff, if for a few minutes. Visited my friend in the middle of the night (same one I babysat for, again from two metres, apart from helping with baby) as she has PND, baby kept screaming and she needed some immediate help.

All of these not under guidelines technically, but I see no issue with it.

[Backtothenewme]

I visited my frontline icu nurse daughter to drop off shopping she was too tired to get for herself. I dropped it on her doorstep and stood on her driveway to chat for 10 minutes. 4 meter distance she didn't move from her doorstep. She is marked on her face fr ppe and exhausted. I cried my eyes out and still do all the time. I would drop her shopping off again in a heartbeat

[Allyg1185]

We have all stuck to the rules but today I broke them. My Mum lives alone and suffers with poor mental health which has taken a massive dip recently. She is not shielding and is perfectly healthy she lives a 5 min walk away so while I was out for a walk I called in past to speak to her. I was at the bottom of her path and she stood in her doorway. We spoke for ten minutes but it meant so much to her and she txt later to say it was a nice surprise

[Clutterbugsmum]

Yes, both me and my sister have popped in to see mum, as she is alone. And as much as she likes her own company going from me and her DGC everyday to seeing nobody was affecting her mental health. So a cup of tea and a half hour chat twice week with me and seeing my sister for a couple of hours in the last few weeks have done so much for her.

And should we have another lockdown again we seriously thinking of getting her to move into ours, especially if it next winter, because now she can at least potter about her garden and it will be far worse when it wet and cold.

[EmmaStone]

These chats at the bottom of drives etc, are they against the rules? Why if you're at least 2m apart is it any more dangerous than queuing at the supermarket or whatever? They're very frequent around my village (in fact we had a funny situation last week when out for a walk stopped to chat to friends who were gardening - keeping the requisite distance - and while chatting several various other friends from the village also walked past and stopped in road to chat (again at a distance). It was absolutely wonderful, and I don't feel any riskier than going to the local shop with the same number of people who are strangers? I also had a friend who was passing our house yesterday pop into the garden for a tour (I've got a fairly large garden and it's our first summer here, so new to everyone), we kept 2m distance throughout.

[MummyGoingItAlone]

I had a bath one night and the contents of it came through the living room ceiling 🤨 called my landlord who sent a plumber.
Plumber came the following evening. Turned out to be an old school friend I hadn’t seen in years. He was already in the house so we ordered a takeaway, watched Netflix and chilled 🤷‍♀️
I haven’t seen him since and don’t intend to until after lockdown

[HathorX]

I am in the same position as @PearPickingPorky. I often take my toddler out for a short walk at 7am or earlier. It is dead quiet at that time. We walk to the woods behind my house and listen to birds and blow dandelion clocks and walk along fallen logs. Or we just toddle 50m up the street and back, looking for squirrels and neighbourhood cats. It is a short walk as he can't walk for an hour but he desperately needs the stimulation of being out of the house. Then later in the day I take him out again when I take my DD for her daily bike ride (25 mins). Then sometimes I go out AGAIN and walk to my mum's house 2 minutes away and we say hi through the window, as she is shielding (aged over 70). She is alone and needs social contact, I do not feel guilty about going to see her.

In total I'm often out for more than an hour. But no one would have a clue as most people are still in bed when I'm clocking up munutes on my early walk.

[RememberTheSunnierDays]

I went out on a non essential shopping trip to buy wine. I’d ran out and with two small kids I really needed a drink after they’d gone to bed. It was amazing. I now make sure there’s a bottle in the shopping trolly every week 🍷🍷

[Curlyshabtree]

My terminally ill dad died 2 weeks ago. I lost my job due to Covid just before lockdown. I live 200 miles away but came down with my dts (12). Got to spend some time with my dad before he passed. I am still here helping my mum. Dts back home with DH. They are all coming to funeral next week. All door to door with no added interaction.
Would not have forgiven myself if I hadn’t come down.

[SeriouslySoDoneIn]

Because my mental health deteriorated so badly it was more likely to be that which killed me. I don’t care if anyone disagrees with me on it or not, my life was worth saving too.

[CupCupGoose]

I let my friend into my garden for a chat. I left the back gate open so she didn't have to touch anything and she Brought her own flask of coffee and a fold up chair. We sat about 3m apart. I did it because I think the risk was very small and I just needed to see someone.

[Chesneyhawkes1]

My Mum has been to visit me a few times.

She's driven me to some of my hospital appointments or just come over and walked my dogs whilst I'm at hospital.