Interpretation of travel and exercise

[Doctorwho9]

I’ve got a slot at a National Trust property, intending to have a nice long walk outside.

It’s about 10 miles away (I live in the suburbs of a City).

It’s within my Local Authority area, I don’t have to pass through another.

I feel safer at a place that caps attendance, there is a small park where I live but it’s about the same size as a football pitch, it’s a free for all.

Reasonable to go to this NT place?

This from gov website-

You must not leave your home unless you have a reasonable excuse (for example, for work or education purposes). If you need to travel you should stay local – meaning avoiding travelling outside of your village, town or the part of a city where you live – and look to reduce the number of journeys you make overall

Travelling 10 miles would definitely be against that guidance.

However, on a risk basis I dont think it would increase the risk. I'd be very surprised if they are letting appointments go ahead for people outside the area though - didn't you have to give your address when you booked?

The guidance on not travelling for exercise is should not must

You can travel to access open spaces for exercise

Is it just me who's bothered by the use of the word 'excuse' in the latest guidelines? I've always interpreted that word as being a more dishonest version of a 'reason' - so 'you should have a good reason', rather than 'a reasonable excuse' would be a more appropriate phrase?

(sorry, didn't mean to derail!)

However, on a risk basis I dont think it would increase the risk.

If the car breaks down then rescue services would be needed. If involved in a car crash then emergency services might be needed and a trip to hospital.

It's these risks that people need to carefully consider, 10 miles from home isn't really walkable is it?

I think the risk once you are there is fine providing the NT has all the precautions in place, it's the travelling bit. It came up in the first lockdown. You are making a 20 mile round trip that will most likely be uneventful and nobody will be any the wiser, but there's the possibility of a car accident/breakdown and that's where things get complicated.

Only you can decide whether it's worth it.

@Oneofthosedreadfulparents

Is it just me who's bothered by the use of the word 'excuse' in the latest guidelines? I've always interpreted that word as being a more dishonest version of a 'reason' - so 'you should have a good reason', rather than 'a reasonable excuse' would be a more appropriate phrase?

(sorry, didn't mean to derail!)

Oh I took it as a sort of excusing yourself from the rule of not going out.

Law not published yet

Also when is it and what do they say?

@midgebabe

The guidance on not travelling for exercise is should not must

You can travel to access open spaces for exercise

10 miles is a bit much unless that's to literally the only place you could exercise which is unlikely.

You could be going to the NT property to just have a cup of tea on a bench with a friend-not exercise at all. It's all very grey isn't it.

Oh I’m so glad we’re back to the ‘what if your car broke down’ shite. OP don’t you know that if you want to do anything beyond trudging round a yard for your exercise you are personally responsible for many deaths and are a selfish selfish human being. FFS what have we all become?

I googled this last night and I couldn't find a legal definition of "local".

The reason I think there isn't one is there was a thread a couple of weeks ago where someone was arguing for a 10-mile radius on where people could go from their house.

Some posters from rural areas pointed out that they didn't have a supermarket within 10 miles, while other posters in cities particularly London pointed out within their 10 miles there are a couple of million people.

I would say seeing as they managed tiers etc on a county level, providing you’re within your county it’s fair game.

@Doctorwho9 are you in Scotland or England?

In Scotland you cannot travel more than 5 miles out with the border of your local authority for exercise so under that rule you are ok

@Hiphopopotamus

Oh I’m so glad we’re back to the ‘what if your car broke down’ shite. OP don’t you know that if you want to do anything beyond trudging round a yard for your exercise you are personally responsible for many deaths and are a selfish selfish human being. FFS what have we all become?

But it's not shite though is it. It's another potential contact that could've been avoided had they just walked the streets.

It's boring, we get it, fuck knows I'm bored ridged but I'm not getting in the car to go for a walk because I'm trying to reduce every contact possible.

@Hiphopopotamus

Oh I’m so glad we’re back to the ‘what if your car broke down’ shite. OP don’t you know that if you want to do anything beyond trudging round a yard for your exercise you are personally responsible for many deaths and are a selfish selfish human being. FFS what have we all become?

It's not 'shite' though, it's just a consideration. Cars can and do break down, it's icy here, an accident could happen. People have to make a decision for themselves just like they always did.

If OP wants to make the trip so be it-they were asking the question.

Oh I’m so glad we’re back to the ‘what if your car broke down’ shite. OP don’t you know that if you want to do anything beyond trudging round a yard for your exercise you are personally responsible for many deaths and are a selfish selfish human being. FFS what have we all become?

Oh god I totally agree, so bloody depressing isn't it

I feel safer at a place that caps attendance.

Hmm. We were at a NT property on Sunday (before lockdown) and there were NO staff on site. We had booked a slot. Place was pretty busy. You can also access it from footpaths outside, but there was no way of stopping anyone who liked from visiting. Have never seen it with no staff before.

I love the way everyone seems to be able to distinguish between the law and guidance when the legislation hasn’t even been published yet, just the guidance.

@Grandtheft

Oh I’m so glad we’re back to the ‘what if your car broke down’ shite. OP don’t you know that if you want to do anything beyond trudging round a yard for your exercise you are personally responsible for many deaths and are a selfish selfish human being. FFS what have we all become?

Oh god I totally agree, so bloody depressing isn't it

The whole lockdown is depressing TBF. But there's a balance between driving 10 miles for exercise and not doing any exercise.

Here we go again, let's hear it for the I Want to go out wherever I Like brigade, then we have the You'll kill the grannies, if you move more than 10 feet away from your house lot.
Don't forget the "milk and bread are not essential" idiots, and a special mention for the Put Cheese in your coffee twat.

@mummyoneboy19

I would say seeing as they managed tiers etc on a county level, providing you’re within your county it’s fair game.

So I can travel 70 miles to the other end of my county? That's pretty obviously not in the spirit of these rules.

@mummyoneboy19

I would say seeing as they managed tiers etc on a county level, providing you’re within your county it’s fair game.

Greater Manchester was continually treated as one area, regardless of what was happening in the various boroughs, so we may adopt the same approach

@Fuckingcrustybread

Here we go again, let's hear it for the I Want to go out wherever I Like brigade, then we have the You'll kill the grannies, if you move more than 10 feet away from your house lot. Don't forget the "milk and bread are not essential" idiots, and a special mention for the Put Cheese in your coffee twat.

My understanding from lockdown v.10 is that the exercise should be longer than the travel. So driving10 minutes to the beach then walk for an hour is fine, but driving 2 hours for 20 minutes walk is not.

OP, just go. It's fine. 10 miles is fine. You won't break down if your car is properly maintained and accidents aren't that common.

Don't let people goldplate the rules for you.