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Original poster

AIBU to think that people should legally be required to stick to a certain travel zone around their house?

129 replies

chomalungma · 30/12/2020 15:52

It won't stop Covid.
But it will reduce the number of people from an infected area going to another area with lower infections.
Maybe say a 10 mile zone - unless you have a really good reason (such as it's the nearest food shop, hospital, GP - or caring for someone)

It should stop people going to pubs etc, shops from areas of high infection.

Our Tier 2 city has just gone to Tier 3. We had a lot of people from other cities come to our city over December.

OP posts:
bellagogosdead · 30/12/2020 16:27

Don't be daft

BunsyGirl · 30/12/2020 16:28

12 miles to work for me and 14 miles to school for my DCs. Our nearest supermarket is 8 miles away but it’s too expensive so we go to our nearest Aldi 12 miles away. I take it that you’ve never lived in a rural area OP!

DaysAreGettingLongerNow · 30/12/2020 16:28

@chomalungma

People do realise that the best way to stop a disease spreading in the country is to reduce the number of opportunities for people from different areas to meet?
Well, sure. This is why I, and many others, have been living like virtual hermits and following all the rules.

Others (also following the rules I hasten to add) are in occupations that make it impossible for them to completely avoid the risk of getting covid.

And still others couldn’t give a shit about the rules. That’s where the problem lies.

TheSilentStars · 30/12/2020 16:30

@chomalungma

You’re the one that wants to go to the pub! Some of us haven’t been anywhere social in months! Some people have been in a higher tier most of the year

I know. So stop people coming to an area from outside that area, get the R rate down, and allow that area to open up but just for people from that area.

That's what was done here and what we all think should have continued. This region had 0 new cases from mid- May onwards. Regions opened up and now we're worse than March. And everyone is saying they should have allowed freedom of well, everything, within regions, once those regions were at 0. We are now back to closed schools and needing the self certs anyway.
BritWifeinUSA · 30/12/2020 16:30

“Legally required”??? Absolutely not. What a ridiculous suggestion. How on earth could it be enforced? Micro chips in everyone? Electronic tagging? Even police road blocks would cause unnecessary contact between the officers and the public - if the idea is to stop the spread that’s the last thing you need. And it’s not what the police are for.

DurhamDurham · 30/12/2020 16:32

We're in Durham and have to travel into Tyne and Wear to go to work, daughter is a nurse at a busy Newcastle hospital and I work for a MH Charity. I know so many other people in similar circumstances as us. I rely on public transport, it's vital I'm allowed to travel out of area to get to work. I'm been asked once why I was travelling from County Durham to Tyne and Wear, this was during the local lockdown we had a few months back. I said I was going to work for a MH Charity, I was asked for proof but didn't have any. The PCSO wasn't sure what to do next so just wandered off to the next passenger in the bus Hmm

Underhisi · 30/12/2020 16:34

We manage to go out for walks without 'meeting' anyone. We go miles away to avoid meeting anyone.

FuzzyPuffling · 30/12/2020 16:36

Really handy in our rural area (not) where the town (including GP surgery for many people) is 12 miles away and the nearest hospital 46 miles away. It would be impossible to police.

Fine (as ever) if you live in a large town or city and have it all on your doorstep but utterly impossible in the sticks.

Original poster
chomalungma · 30/12/2020 16:38

Really handy in our rural area (not) where the town (including GP surgery for many people) is 12 miles away and the nearest hospital 46 miles away. It would be impossible to police

I was going to say 20 miles but then that would have included Leeds.

Really my AIBU should have been - don't come to York unless you live here or unless you really need to come here.

OP posts:
EileenGC · 30/12/2020 16:41

It's enforceable in France, they had a 1km limit at one point, not sure how it is now.

I live in Germany and during the first lockdown in spring, we were told to carry a copy of our city council registration (which states your address) when going for a walk. I was never stopped but in very busy areas of my city, friends reported being checked. That was so people wouldn't all rush to the bigger parks in the centre, you were allowed to leave your house for exercise but not go on what would look like a day trip, 5 miles away.

MiddleClassProblem · 30/12/2020 16:45

@EileenGC

It's enforceable in France, they had a 1km limit at one point, not sure how it is now.

I live in Germany and during the first lockdown in spring, we were told to carry a copy of our city council registration (which states your address) when going for a walk. I was never stopped but in very busy areas of my city, friends reported being checked. That was so people wouldn't all rush to the bigger parks in the centre, you were allowed to leave your house for exercise but not go on what would look like a day trip, 5 miles away.

But France didn’t have pubs, bars and restaurants etc open either
Palavah · 30/12/2020 16:46

@chomalungma

It won't stop Covid. But it will reduce the number of people from an infected area going to another area with lower infections. Maybe say a 10 mile zone - unless you have a really good reason (such as it's the nearest food shop, hospital, GP - or caring for someone)

It should stop people going to pubs etc, shops from areas of high infection.

Our Tier 2 city has just gone to Tier 3. We had a lot of people from other cities come to our city over December.

You've already seen people ignoring the rule against travelling to lower - tier areas so why would they pay attention to a distance restriction?
TheGreatWave · 30/12/2020 16:49

@BritWifeinUSA

“Legally required”??? Absolutely not. What a ridiculous suggestion. How on earth could it be enforced? Micro chips in everyone? Electronic tagging? Even police road blocks would cause unnecessary contact between the officers and the public - if the idea is to stop the spread that’s the last thing you need. And it’s not what the police are for.
It's ok, mass vaccination starts next week, perfect timing for the injection of those micro chips. Wink
EileenGC · 30/12/2020 16:52

@MiddleClassProblem the UK hasn't ever enforced anything, even when pubs and restaurants were closed. The point was, it is doable. I'm not sure about the other countries, but I can tell you that England hasn't even tried to police anything that way.

sweetchristmastime · 30/12/2020 16:53

We still can't get the bastards to pull their masks over their noses so I,can't see this working

MiddleClassProblem · 30/12/2020 16:54

[quote EileenGC]@MiddleClassProblem the UK hasn't ever enforced anything, even when pubs and restaurants were closed. The point was, it is doable. I'm not sure about the other countries, but I can tell you that England hasn't even tried to police anything that way. [/quote]
I never said they did. I’ve been talking about in context of the OP.

OP wants it all open but with zones.

Funkypolar · 30/12/2020 16:56

Fortunately, random Mumsnetters aren’t in charge of government policies.

Florelei · 30/12/2020 16:58

People don’t want this, as they don’t think that their freedom to go wherever they please should be curtailed.

I for one am sick of living like this.

LakieLady · 30/12/2020 17:01

@Funkypolar

Fortunately, random Mumsnetters aren’t in charge of government policies.
I'm not convinced that random Mumsnetters would do any worse, tbh.
Original poster
chomalungma · 30/12/2020 17:01

OP wants it all open but with zones

OP would like it all open - once the R rate gets down.

Get the R rate down, keep people relatively local, reopen gradually, get the vaccine out.

OP posts:
Nanny0gg · 30/12/2020 17:04

@HilaryBriss

A good idea in theory but how would that be monitored? Electronically tag everyone?
It worked in Spain, and possibly France?

People had to print off a permit, if you were stopped and didn't have it you were fined.

ifonly4 · 30/12/2020 17:05

Isn't it stay local in tier 3, with village or town you live being mentioned? We're lucky in that we have a supermarket and plenty of walks around our village. Only reason we've left is for me to go to work in nearby town three miles away.

Chimeraforce · 30/12/2020 17:06

Nope.

ferretface · 30/12/2020 17:06

It doesn't work and the argument that you could keep things contained is flawed when it's spreading mainly through schools and workplaces. Like my area - very rural in Kent, no shops to speak of and only a very few pubs etc, which have mainly been closed for the last few months. There was no 'tier tourism' here because there's nothing to travel to yet our rate has still gone from so low as to be unreportable (fewer than 3 cases) to a rate of over 800 per 100k (70 odd case). This has all been driven by schools and workplaces as nothing else has been open 🤷🏼‍♀️

XenoBitch · 30/12/2020 17:07

How would this work with support/childcare bubbles? Not everyone that has formed one has been able to do it locally.