Two Women fined for walking for Starbucks

[Superketchup]

What rule have they broken? I don’t understand. Two of them met - yes can meet one other person - they’d driven 5 miles - surely that’s ok?! - and they had a Starbucks each which the police said was a picnic?!
Why are they keeping takeaways open if it’s agaisnt the law to get one? I took my kids to the park, the coffee shop was open for takeaway. It was freezing. We got a hot chocolate each. I’m too scared to do so again!

I agree with the post by the police above - the law does not ban going further than local nor driving for your walk etc etc. In my view therefore they should be on the side of the law not pretend it is vague because the guidance is different from the law.

The sooner we can remove all CV19 restrictions the better. Now have vaccinated more people in the Uk than the whole of Europe has we are probably on track.

“My colleagues are between a rock and a hard place,” said Brian. “With a public which have polar opinions in regard to the Covid regulations. On one side you have those who think the regulations should not apply to them and will seek every opportunity twist the rules to suit their personal benefit, then you have those who are crying out for a strong enforcement line, because they are in fear of Covid spreading.

Fair point, but I don't think the local exercise thing is a clear dividing line between scared rule followers and selfish rule breakers/benders. There are people (like me) who have followed all the rules from day1,but who don't follow the 'stay within a mile of your home' and 'only go out for short exercise' rule is because there are no such bloody rules!!!

@EmmaGrundyForPM if you wrote anything on my car I'd charge you with criminal damage.
I live in the country miles from a footpath and Ds has cerebral palsy. Am I just supposed to not drive so you can somehow feel it's saving the nhs.
I'm all for saving the nhs as we can't afford D's treatment privately. That doesn't mean I am going to vandalise people's cars to make a point.
You're forgetting that none of this behaviour actually spreads covid. It's far more likely you'd get covid if you walked around your local city than if you drove to a quiet spot.

@TheBuffster how on earth is writing in lipstick on a car window criminal damage? you can just wipe it off.

I didn't say anything about people not being able to drive. What would you think I did? I was responding to the pp who said that people were parking illegally on her private land in order to walk. I'm all for people walking in the fresh air, but not for people trespassing.

It's vandalism. An actual crime not just a woolly not actually in law covid crime.
We have no parking near us so people have to park on a farmer's field oie. Physio to come to our house. Which is still allowed btw. Stop policing other people and mind your own business.

Not to mention if they can't get the lipstick off it could cause a crash.

@TheBuffster

if they can't get the lipstick off it could cause a crash

Ok, that's taking it a step too far

Why? It's a very real consequence. It's why we don't walk around smashing each others windshields because of a perceived wrong
You're advocating damaging people's property for going on others' property. If you think it's a real crime call the police. That's what they are for. Not for dining people on walks.

So, those that believe they are clever and are calling for rigid and granular rules, it should be clear 10 months on that this type of framework is not workable (think mask exemptions or people who have their nearest supermarket 10 miles away)

Oh you are so clever using the word granular instead of detailed. Sugar is granular.

Anyway, I suggested a 10 mile rule for exercise, not food shopping.

[quote Goingdooolally]@Fragileandcomposed of course it made a difference! Why would you think it didn’t? [/quote]
It did make a difference but not a long term one.

@ThatDamnKrampus

But meeting one other person (not in your household or bubble) is only supposed to be for exercise though isn't it? Amd driving for exercise; exercise must be longer than journey?

Is that in time or distance though?

5 mile drive, 10 minutes? They could easily have been in a walk for an hour

@TheBuffster

You're advocating damaging people's property for going on others' property

I'm not condoning vandalism.

However, I don't understand why some think it's ok to tresspass, for instance, and then they get all flustered when they later face (one may argue to be expected) retaliation.

Anyway, it's unlikely lipstick will not come off a car window

if you wrote anything on my car I'd charge you with criminal damage

So would I but not before I’d shoved your lipstick up your arse sideways.

To paraphrase JK Rowling in your haste to uphold the law you seem to have broken a few yourself.
This is literally why we have police so we don't have Twitty little vigilantes causing problems.

I will not be writing on cars. We looked into this issue a few years ago. There is no parking by anyone including residents on the roads on this estate. The law was changed to ban towing away cars on private land so that leaves us with signs. We have paper ones which we use (or did a few years ago when I was in charge) for persistent parkers which cause no damage. We had other yellow stick on ones but I think have never used them - i still have them here in my office - because of exactly that point raised above - potential damage to the windscreen if glue is left.

The trespassing is annoying me more than usual because there are many many more walkers, joggers, dog walkers etc and because we are in a difficult ime of CV19. I just suck it up and remember people are getting pleasure from the huge sums we have to pay to surface the roads and cut the verges ( £30k just to resurface the road for example, £12k to redo each drain). Let us give others pleasure, tolerate, be kind. 10 minutes ago when I was out with my bag and shovel cleaning up massive dog turds on my verge yet again two little girls with tiny dogs (thus not capable of that size of poo) were going by. I did at a distance talk to them and I did not mention the private road signs or trespass.

All this blame and neighbour reporting reminds me of what my mother told me about WWII. Her mother next breached rationing rules - your one egg a week etc but they knew people who did and it feels like the same situation now.

According to the BBC the police have rescinded the fines and apologised

apple.news/Az-WJ9TuJR3GwK0YwoqKs-g

[quote Sunshinegirl82]According to the BBC the police have rescinded the fines and apologised

apple.news/Az-WJ9TuJR3GwK0YwoqKs-g[/quote]
Well the have to now don't they?

After the Prime Minister was cycling 7 miles away from his home.

7 miles sounds reasonable to me and is within the law.

I will be driving into derbyshire today by about 9 miles to visit my friend who is on the verge of a severe mental health crisis.

I make no excuses for this, she needs support and has no one else who can help. I will be going over to supervise her kids homeschooling and helping with housework while she goes out for a long walk on her own. She needs this. I have checked and it is within the guidelines and I will be telling the police this if they stop me.

@CaptainMyCaptain

7 miles sounds reasonable to me and is within the law.

Have to agree here. If cycling is your exercise of choice, then what exactly are you meant to do - go round the block 20 times?!

7 miles is no distance at all for a cyclist. DH went out for a lunchtime cycle yesterday and did an 18-19 mile round trip in an hour!

A stroll around the streets isn't a cardio workout for anyone who exercises regularly.

I would have thought cycling on your own would be one of the least prone-to-infection exercise activities you can do?

May be I can print new signs - "Have you driven for your daily walk and chosen to walk on private roads in breach of the rules clearly started on the signs? Shame on you. Start your walk without using the car and walk from your own front door on public land only.

Oh look, Xenia hating poor people again.

Why should I have to trot round crowded pavements (when I literally can't take ten steps outside my front door without immediately being in a packed crowd of people) when I could go to the car park in the basement and drive 3 miles to a completely empty forest?

The part about not trespassing on private property is of course fine.

All over Mumsnet I see people saying they can't exercise near home because the pavements are crowded with people. Where are people living where this is the case? I'm in London and the streets certainly aren't crowded (maybe if you live in a flat above the shops in a high st there are more people). Yes, there are people about if I go for a walk from home but 'hundreds of people'. If anything the streets are quiet and it's the parks and countryside footpaths that are busy.

@Sunshinegirl82

"Sunshinegirl82
*According to the BBC the police have rescinded the fines and apologised

apple.news/Az-WJ9TuJR3GwK0YwoqKs-g"*

Well I have heard it all today. Chief Constable Rachel Swann of Derbyshire police has called for greater clarification of the rules.! Chief Constable the rules are totally clear and you don't even have to be a law student to read them. They are easily read and if you are unable to then it is sad you are in the position that you are. I just despair.

The law is clear so enforce it. Stop trying to hound walkers 5 miles from home and start dealing with people refusing to wear masks, organising parties and travelling in mini buses for organised activities as just outlined on the briefing at 5pm