Can we drive to an area for a walk?

[Swissrollypoly]

Or is it like last time when you had to walk/exercise in your local area.
I want to be able to take my toddler on a walk in the woods that’s a 15 min drive from us.

[borageforager]

Last time the police stopped a friend of ours who was walking from his house to ask where he lived & how he had got there...

[Spikeyball]

"Yet more justifications of why the rules don't apply!

FFS walk locally. Why is that so difficult for 28 days?! You're not under house arrest!"

The rules do apply. Lucky you that you don't have a child who requires access to familiar spaces for their mental health and can walk around safely locally without getting distressed and hurting themselves and potentially other people. We had a note for this during the last lockdown but I don't think the rules are as stringent this time anyway.

[BefuddledPerson]

I'm going to do this, I'm going to do that, my mental health is more essential than your mental health, my children are more essential than your children, my walks are more essential than your walks...

[lovelemoncurd]

Brother got questioned in the last lockdown why he had driven to the local park. They told him if he had cycled it would have been ok.

[Mudlark1ng]

My dc is under CAMHs for a significant illness. He plummeted during the last lockdown and it has taken until now to start getting him better. He is doing well. Him getting out to walk away from where we live is crucial for his recovery both physically and mentally.

Everywhere close by was shut last time but open iykwim. Wild spaces with open car parks.

Is there anyway of getting permission in these circumstances? CAMHs is on its knees. It is not in the NHS’s interest for him to go backwards. He won’t be alone.

[AnguaResurgam]

Basically they want people to stay local and stay away from each other.

Some people will choose not to do this (look,how previously quiet places filled up last time). And the busier the place, the riskier.

Just like the more cars on the road, the riskier.

Where you sit on this issue depends on whether you think the individual* wish (especially if you believe unlikely to be caught) outweighed the community need and intention

(*obviously I do not include those with exceptional medical or social reasons, but I do think those need to be backed up by a professional at lockdowns, at least to eg the level required by schools for admissions/adjustments or employers for adjustments)

[ChangingStates]

Isn't one of the reasons they don't want people to drive is to minimise the chances of road accidents and therefore put less strain on nhs, rather than COVID specific? Road accidents snd deaths fell dramatically in last lockdown. That's why PP brother would have been ok to cycle but not drive to the local park.

[Mudlark1ng]

My dc is too ill for school and under psychiatrist and clinical psychologist. Believe me we have the back up if anybody wanted to see it.

I don’t want him recorded by a vigilante and plastered all over the local news. There must be a way to get permission. Numbers struggling with mental illness have rocketed since last time.

[Orcus]

@lovelemoncurd

Brother got questioned in the last lockdown why he had driven to the local park. They told him if he had cycled it would have been ok.

If he's in England, there was never any legislation saying this. They were overreaching. He could complain.

[Spikeyball]

Is there anyway of getting permission in these circumstances? CAMHs is on its knees. It is not in the NHS’s interest for him to go backwards. He won’t be alone."

I have made a laminated card with ds's needs in brief and phone numbers of relevant professionals. I have a letter as well but the card is clearer. I have never been stopped but if we were I would think the card would be enough.

[Mudlark1ng]

It would be hugely damaging for those struggling with mental illness to be questioned.

[Mudlark1ng]

That’s a really good idea. I wonder if some of these services should provide lanyards so you wouldn’t even be stopped. Telling strangers his details would be mortifying for my son.

[dottiedodah]

We usually go about go about 10 or 15 mins drive from home ,once or twice a week to walk the dog .(Have managed to hurt my knee so am only really able to walk on a flat field with plenty of seats!) Will continue to do this .Last time only walked locally and hurt my ankle then!(I know I am falling apart!)Somewhat puzzled about this latest Lockdown though .How can we not go to Clothes Shops /Restaurants ,but OK to open Schools /Colleges and so on ? Doesnt make sense to me at all

[Mumofsend]

Just use your common sense. It's not like you are driving to Bernard castle to get your eyes tested.

People have got to use their common sense.

[Tfoot75]

The guidance has been published and it says you can still attend paid or unpaid gardens, countryside, playgrounds etc. It also says about the non essential travel. I would read into it that you can travel a reasonable distance to access these things as being outdoors is being encouraged.

Stop the nonsense about accidents and an overwhelmed NHS, it isn't overwhelmed and in many parts of the country isn't close to it. It was also nowhere close to being overwhelmed during April. The chances of a road accident requiring intensive care whilst travelling to woodland for exercise are vanishingly small, get a life.

[Mudlark1ng]

Using your common sense last time was not allowed.

[LillyBugg]

The new guidance has been published already and states...

'You can exercise or visit outdoor public places with the people you live with, your support bubble, or 1 person from another household.
Outdoor public places include:
• parks, beaches, countryside,
• public gardens (whether or not you pay to enter them), allotments
• playgrounds'

It seems it's much less strict than last time and we are allowed to go out to spend time outside. I'm also VERY grateful that playgrounds will stay open.

www.gov.uk/guidance/new-national-restrictions-from-5-november

[Mudlark1ng]

The mental health services are overwhelmed, A&E in our area not so much.

Would be nuts to pile on more to mental health services due to a mythical road accident epidemic. Didn’t see a road accident surge during the summer when it was deemed ok for our area to be flooded by tourists.

[Bambooble]

We're fine with locals being there

That's good of you!

I would apply common sense, if you have to drive along a road with a high incidence of accidents or your car often breaks down so you have reason to believe it's likely you will need assistance from emergency services or a recovery company then don't; if you are in a crowded area and it's a choice between walking with loads of other people about, or a short drive to somewhere you won't see many other people, seems a no brainer. I'm sure it will be clarified nearer the time (maybe).

[PleasantVille]

@Completmentfille

I would.

God the worst thing about this lockdown is going to be all the tedious frothing on here about minor things like this isn't it.

That is so true, every other thread this morning is along those lines

Who needs to know all the minute detail so soon after a weekend announcement, we've done it before people, you know the ropes

[Mudlark1ng]

Errr yes we do know the ropes hence the worry.

My dc becoming suicidal as he did during the last lockdown which the rules accelerated isn’t trivial in my eyes and something I worry about and wish to avoid this time.

Lucky you that lockdown rules are deemed trivial.

[KitKatastrophe]

@ChangingStates

Isn't one of the reasons they don't want people to drive is to minimise the chances of road accidents and therefore put less strain on nhs, rather than COVID specific? Road accidents snd deaths fell dramatically in last lockdown. That's why PP brother would have been ok to cycle but not drive to the local park.

A cycling accident would similarly put strain on the NHS so that logic doesnt work.

OP you're fine to drive for exercise. This was clarified in the spring lockdown.

[tootyfruitypickle]

Yes definitely, I'll be driving for walks! It's common sense, it's just not a risk. You could have a heart attack, fall down the stairs, not doing things to avoid having to involve emergency services is a ridiculous reason not too! If you can meet one person then obvs you can travel to meet them - I'll be going up to 30 mins which i think is reasonable distance - but won't be going out the county.

[KitKatastrophe]

@teenagetantrums

You were allowed to drive last time. My neighbor walks his dogs on the Moors about a 10 minute drive away.in the last lockdown the police were checking the car park. We're fine with locals being there not so much with people who had driven from out of the county for a day out

Well lucky you living locally to moors for a walk. Onviously people who live in crowded cities don't deserve a day out, how selfish of them.

[Completmentfille]

Lucky you that lockdown rules are deemed trivial.

I wasn't talking about the lockdown rules being trivial at all (I think that poster who quoted me misunderstood me), I was referring to pp on here frothing about obeying the rules.