Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Covid

Mumsnet doesn't verify the qualifications of users. If you have medical concerns, please consult a healthcare professional.

Original poster

The whole 'tell on your neighbours' if they break the rules.

33 replies

LetsPlayAGame20 · 15/09/2020 17:06

Never would I. I have good neighbours and I belive if they were to break the rules they would have good reason and common sense.
It's not my business.
Was browsing on the local paper page. And the 1st 2 comments pages were this. 150 odd comments and saw very few saying they would. Surely that's just gonna stir up trouble

The whole 'tell on your neighbours' if they break the rules.
The whole 'tell on your neighbours' if they break the rules.
OP posts:
TheDailyCarbuncle · 15/09/2020 17:10

In Ireland the police stated publicly months ago that they're not enforcing covid restrictions. They just refused and said it's not their job to make people stand apart or to stop them from going to each others' houses. I think that's fair enough tbh. It's a bit different here as the 'rule of six' is law but it's so incredibly hard to enforce and there are so many massive loopholes that I imagine the police here will probably not bother for the most part. They have enough to do dealing with actual crime.

QueenStromba · 15/09/2020 17:12

If my neighbours have a huge, noisy party this weekend like they have the last two weekends then I'll quite happily dob them in.

Torvean32 · 15/09/2020 17:23

The police have started fining ppl. I know in 2 areas ppl received large fines.

OpenlyGayExOlympicFencer · 15/09/2020 17:25

If they were large fines I imagine it was big gatherings rather than 7 on the garden instead of 6?

AuntieStella · 15/09/2020 17:27

Maintaining distancing (inc reduced group sizes) is our only hope of keeping transmission low enough to have any sort of social life.

I don't think that turning a blind eye to breaches is in anyone's interest. It makes life shittier for all of us, risky for the vulnerable and dangerous for the extremely vulnerable

BogRollBOGOF · 15/09/2020 17:30

On Sunday, I'm running a race. My wave is broken down into 5 main waves by time, then socially distanced sub waves of 9 people at a time.

How is it then illegal to meet another family of 4 to go for a walk when the kids go running off ahead and we all space out in the fresh air???

My neighbours are safe from me to have their family over.

TheDailyCarbuncle · 15/09/2020 17:31

@AuntieStella

Maintaining distancing (inc reduced group sizes) is our only hope of keeping transmission low enough to have any sort of social life.

I don't think that turning a blind eye to breaches is in anyone's interest. It makes life shittier for all of us, risky for the vulnerable and dangerous for the extremely vulnerable

I and my two children can visit my sister, her partner and her child for the day and then my husband can swap with me and visit while I go home, but we can't all be in the house together. How is such a piece of nonsense going to make any difference to transmission rates?
PhilCornwall1 · 15/09/2020 17:35

@AuntieStella

Maintaining distancing (inc reduced group sizes) is our only hope of keeping transmission low enough to have any sort of social life.

I don't think that turning a blind eye to breaches is in anyone's interest. It makes life shittier for all of us, risky for the vulnerable and dangerous for the extremely vulnerable

If you report people and they find out it was you (which I hope they would), I think your life could turn out to be pretty shitty.
AuntieStella · 15/09/2020 17:38

It makes a difference by reminding people that you should not all be together, and that tactical swops to get round the rules on a technicality are selfish. And that if it is a widespread dodge, and rates continue to rise primarily through household contacts, to expect even stricter measures (back to household, or household+one singleton only)

Which is a really shitty outcome

So better to suspend visits (maybe wait until half term and see how things stand?) rather than have multiple gatherings on a single day.

AuntieStella · 15/09/2020 17:41

Thank you for that PhilCornwall

I'm more than happy to take the consequences of my decisions, here as well as in RL

We are heading up shit creek, I want to paddle out - not watch other people chucking the paddle away and do nothing about it

PhilCornwall1 · 15/09/2020 17:44

We are heading up shit creek, I want to paddle out - not watch other people chucking the paddle away and do nothing about it

Heading? We are there and have been for ages. This is going to make zero difference.

Spodge · 15/09/2020 17:46

I broadly support the distancing guidelines and will follow them. But the thought of living in a police state full of snitches and snoops is repellant to me. I might report a really obvious flout such as a big party but if Mum, Dad and their 3 kids want Granny and Grandpa over for tea there's no way in the world I would report.

TerribleCustomerCervix · 15/09/2020 17:53

I can’t speak for other parts of the U.K., but here in NI there is a HUGE stigma in going to the authorities about people. Like it’s unconscionable to most people, even for reasonably serious crimes.

If you live in an estate or housing association area there’s a very high chance you’d have your property graffitied or worst case, being “put out” of your home.

There’s not a chance I’d be touting on my neighbours for breaching Covid legislation.

BigSpringy · 15/09/2020 17:55

This isn't just watching others throw the paddle away. This is seeing the government allow pretty much anyone to do so under almost any pretence (ahem, shooting) but telling you to keep paddling.

If anyone thinks Boris and his goons are sticking to the rules, they are fools.

Original poster
LetsPlayAGame20 · 15/09/2020 18:17

My direct neighbour is fab.

The ones moved in behind are very rough and don't give a toss about anything.
Their own ndn asked them to keep the blue language to a min as no kidding all you hear is ffs child stop fucking doing that.
How many times do I have to call you for dinner you prick.. You get the drift. And they were threatened.
Throughout lockdown they had bbqs loud parties. Their ndn notified police. And there is now an assault charge going. The ' rough', neighbours attacked the ' grassing' neighbour.

Thankfully we have a high fence and they go out later in the day than we tend to.

So yes there are people who this would leave in a vulnerable situation

OP posts:
KillingEve20 · 15/09/2020 18:19

I will not be reporting anyone, I plan to have 7 friends over this week, we all work together, we can work together in the same area but not go to someone’s house for a spot of afternoon tea and a couple of drinks? The only people I imagine that will be reported is those who have loud parties with 20+ people there! It’s so frustrating, I could meet a different man every night on tinder but I can’t see my family and friends!?

SadSoVerySad · 15/09/2020 18:49

@KillingEve20

I will not be reporting anyone, I plan to have 7 friends over this week, we all work together, we can work together in the same area but not go to someone’s house for a spot of afternoon tea and a couple of drinks? The only people I imagine that will be reported is those who have loud parties with 20+ people there! It’s so frustrating, I could meet a different man every night on tinder but I can’t see my family and friends!?
Why stop at 7? Why not an extra two or three. That's how it happens, loosening/bending then full on trampling over the rules.

But who will it affect? You of course, or immediate family or your friends or work colleagues etc who may later have COVID-19.

This is the reason why we it won't be eradicatd or kept at a low enough level. Too many people don't want to be inconvenienced in any way, expect their needs to be prioritised no matter what the consequeces may be. And too many others let them get away with it.

cassgate · 15/09/2020 19:41

Because the majority of people are able to risk assess so in killing eves example the risk is low because they already all work together. I have continued to see family throughout lockdown in various group sizing. We are a family of 12 from 3 households. We do not hug/touch we maintain distance. This works for us. We know the risk but consider it worth it to continue with this arrangement. We haven’t met socially with anyone else since February. No going to the pub with 5 friends then for coffee with a different 5.

PerveenMistry · 15/09/2020 19:46

@AuntieStella

Maintaining distancing (inc reduced group sizes) is our only hope of keeping transmission low enough to have any sort of social life.

I don't think that turning a blind eye to breaches is in anyone's interest. It makes life shittier for all of us, risky for the vulnerable and dangerous for the extremely vulnerable

Very much agree.

Many people have shown they can't be trusted to do the responsible thing. Turn them in, I say.

ifonly4 · 15/09/2020 19:52

We're very boring in our road, other than a neighbour with dementia whose DD pops to help her DH, we really are still seeing people outside, up to four max for a birthday opposite, so I don't have to worry.

If I had a neighbour regularly breaking the rules, then I've got to the stage, where I would report them. We've managed to easily live in our bubble or the odd social event where we meet a friend outside. The restrictions are there to keep us as safe as possible, and if you care about your friends/family you'll do it for them

Ethelfleda · 15/09/2020 20:13

I will definitely not be reporting anyone for any such thing. No fucking chance I’m falling for the ‘divide and conquer’ rhetoric. It’s bullshit.

OpenlyGayExOlympicFencer · 15/09/2020 20:29

@Spodge

I broadly support the distancing guidelines and will follow them. But the thought of living in a police state full of snitches and snoops is repellant to me. I might report a really obvious flout such as a big party but if Mum, Dad and their 3 kids want Granny and Grandpa over for tea there's no way in the world I would report.
Yep. The potential impact of turning into a society where this kind of behaviour is encouraged and normalised, particularly when those in power don't bother with the rules and excuse breaches in each other, worries me infinitely more than the virus itself. I won't be complicit in this because I care too much about us all.
Jpnkard · 15/09/2020 20:38

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

CoronaBollox · 15/09/2020 21:05

I imagine the type that will want to report people for socialising, aren't very popular anyway. No one who's on friendly terms with their neighbours would do this, surely?

OpheliasCrayon · 15/09/2020 21:36

I've no intention of reporting anyone , ever.
This is becoming a very nosy police state if that's how it's going. Very unnerving and I wouldn't dream of it