Travelling 90 mins to sit on a crowded beach - so silly right now

[Defenbaker]

On the news today they showed a beach down in Devon, which was crowded with people to the point where social distancing was almost impossible. They filmed people going up and down some steps which are the only access path to one beach, then interviewed a family who had driven 90 miles to get there. The mother said "It's ridiculous, some people aren't even trying to social distance... it's like Tescos!" I found myself laughing at her attitude - did she really imagine that they would have the beach to themselves?!?

I understand that people are restless after weeks of lockdown, and they want to enjoy the sunshine, but I'm wondering whether we'll get a nasty spike in the death rates in around 3 weeks, due to the rules being relaxed a bit too much. It's a shame, as the number of deaths has declined over the last few days, but I doubt it will last long. I know we can't stay in strict lockdown forever, but beaches and beauty spots might become virus transmission hotspots if people can't resist the urge to travel to them. Maybe it would be better to limit numbers in some way and/or only allow parking for cars which are registered locally - say within 20 miles? What do others think?

Durdledoor has a horrendous path down to the beach, it would be impossible not to pass people and keep 2 metres apart. Why not drive to a more accessible beach if you must?

We went to Ashridge today - abut 30 mins from where we live and they've shut the main car park so that people are parking really dangerously on verges and also means the NT are not getting their revenue for the car parks.

NB We didn't park dangerously on a verge and juts parked in our usual hidden spot as NT members.

They've closed all the toilets tho........which is why we've had people shitting in public in the lake District. 💁🏻‍♀️

Common sense to just stay in your own area.

Does anyone know Formby beach? It looks big enough for loads of people to spread out but are there any narrow access points?

We live 20 minutes drive from a beach, we went there for the first time today. The car park was busy but everyone was being sensible, I didn't see anyone get too close to others, we had such a lovely walk along and it did us the world of good. However if we had arrived and it was absolutely packed we would have gone home again.
Oh and we went in our camper van which has a toilet and sink!

"underneaththeash*

They don't charge at the Ashridge carpark though anyway.

Does anyone know Formby beach?

Form by beach is massive especially when the tide is out. There loads of sand dunes there. I haven't been for years but IIRC I think the boardwalk down to the beach is quite narrow.

Isoneedtorun - I thought you needed to pay to park down monument drive - it's donation only, but I think most people donate.

Beaches and outdoors are not the problem. Working inside is. Having the luxury to drive policy whilst working from home is the ultimate in privilege. That privilege will be taken when the economy collapses and your company doesn’t exist. There is no other way, except to protect the vulnerable.

“On the plus side, apparently sunshine helps kill the virus” @defenbaker do you have any scientific evidence for that? I would love to know the facts.

@Madhatterhouse No, I have no scientific evidence, I've just read various things about sunshine reducing the viability of a virus, so was putting that theory forward. I probably should have inserted the words "some people believe" before my comment about the sunshine theory.

WhatWouldYouDoWhatWouldJesusDo posted:

"They've closed all the toilets tho........which is why we've had people shitting in public in the lake District."

Yuck!!! Maybe some of them didn't realise the toilets were shut until it was too late. It must be awful to be in a situation like that. Reading all the comments about crowded car parks, busy roads and closed toilets makes me even more inclined to stay close to home for my walks.

On the plus side, apparently sunshine helps kill the virus

Anyone who listens to the garbage that comes out of President Trump's mouth really needs their head examined. He also claimed you could kill Coronavirus by drinking bleach.

I think there is some evidence that UV light kills coronavirus, but it would have to be fairly concentrated and you would have to sit on the beach for a long time. Like several days. I think the fairly cloudy days we get in the UK get in the way of that for the most part.

At a beach you can't wash your hands. Often the toilets are shut at the moment. If it is crowded, you might have difficulty maintaining 2m social distance, particularly if people are running after dogs or children and walking past you to get to an empty space. Someone also mentioned metal handrails. Even with having hand sanitiser with you, it's going to be an awfully long time before you get home and wash your hands again. In that time you've held a handrail touched by dozens of other people and probably several people who've coughed and sneezed on their hands, applied sun lotion, held a bottle of water, touched the handle of the car, the steering wheel, the stereo. Your face. Probably multiple times.

I won't be going to the beach anytime soon. I don't care if the risk is tiny. All the people saying it's ok to sit on the beach because the risk is tiny are doing that because they don't personally know anyone who has got sick or died so it can't happen to them. So far this month I have lost a colleague, my old Manager and a security guard I said hello to on my way into the office every day. I'm sorry but that's too many people.

www.latimes.com/science/story/2020-04-30/does-the-coronavirus-killing-power-of-sunlight-make-it-safe-to-go-to-the-beach

Just in case you think I'm talking bollocks

The mother said "It's ridiculous, some people aren't even trying to social distance...
This is hilarious. No recognition that she's part of the problem.

Defen must admit I didn't have much sympathy for the woman whose arse (( blurred arse )) appeared on the front page of one of the local rags. In a bloody case park as well.

I mean really. It isn't worth it. 😳

Transmission outside is lower not nil. If distancing from one person not lots in every direction!

Remember Mother’s Day weekend... when pubs and restaurants were closed and everyone went to parks and beaches...

... and it led to a spike.

As for sunlight. Yes there is some research to suggest it kills the virus but this would be about stopping it living as long on surfaces (where you pick it up via touch) Rather than making it impossible to catch it from other people coughing, breathing, talking etc.

So it is unlikely sunlight completely stops transmission especially via person to person.

@MysticMeghan Thanks for all the information, very useful.

For the record, I don't take anything President Trump says very seriously, the sunshine theory was something I'd already heard about before he came out with his classic remarks. If you fancy a laugh, take a look at Randy Rainbow's brilliant parody re Trump's bleach suggestion (I think it's called A Spoonful of Lysol?).

@Mumoftwo0357 I agree with everything you said.

Trying to be realistic, if a vaccine is not found in the next year or so, I guess this virus will work its way through the population until (hopefully) some sort of herd immunity is acquired. I'm in my 50s and reasonably fit so would probably survive the virus, but I'd rather avoid it. That doesn't mean I'll be staying indoors forever, but popular beaches are going to be a no-go zone for me, until/unless I know I have immunity, either through an antibody test revealing that I already had it (weird sore throat for most of Feb), or a vaccine.

Can't wait to go to the beach, we live a long way away though so until theres toilet access I'll not bother.
We were supposed to be going to St Ives next week. Not the end of the world but still pretty gutted.

Telegraph suggested today that government will push councils to open toilets for BH weekend

wonderstuff I salute your name and choice of holiday destination.

Imagine St Ives though if it gets heaving next week? It would be so hard to distance there.
No consolation, but we will return one day to eat chips from The Balancing Eel!

@MysticMeghan Here's the link re the parody about Trump and his bizarre suggestions to fight the virus:

It's called A Spoonful of Clorax.

At least you won't meet him on the beach ....

CBS News@CBSNews

Trump says he is taking hydroxychloroquine, a drug FDA has cautioned about using for COVID-19.

There was talk of that drug a few weeks back, but many scientists are saying that it is not a good drug to use, as it has not been proven effective and the side effects can make Covid symptoms worse. That doesn't stop some people being convinced that it's a ready made treatment though... if only it were that simple. On the plus side, Randy Rainbow and others will probably produce some more funny parodies about Trump - he gives them so much material!

I might be wrong but I suspect he's taking it as a prophylactic. There's evidence it might help prevent you from catching it. Perhaps he's been exposed to a confirmed case and is taking it as a precaution?