Can I drive my DD13 8 miles to meet her friend for walk in park?

[bathsh3ba]

I'm confused about the rules now after reading about two women being fined in Derbyshire.

We live in a rural village, my DDs go to school in the next town, 8 miles away, where most of their friends live. My DD has been invited to go for a socially distanced walk with her friend at the park by her friend's house. I'll have to drive her there, then walk separately with my younger DD elsewhere in the park.

Can someone clarify if that's allowed please?

I believe that it is allowed

The guidance is to stay within your village, town or part of the city so not really within that. Plenty will be along soon to point out that it’s guidance not law though.

Indeed, it's guidance not law. So yes, hope she enjoys her walk.

@SingANewSongChickenTikka

The guidance is to stay within your village, town or part of the city so not really within that. Plenty will be along soon to point out that it’s guidance not law though.

@SingANewSongChickenTikka

No it doesn't, don't make things up,

Yes OP it's completely allowed, poor kids need to see other kids! Hope your DD enjoys her walk.

Yes, I would totally do that. Enjoy.

If it’s in your local area it’s fine.

Yes, of course.

In Wales this is definitely not allowed. So I guess it may depend on where in the country you live.

No. You don't do that as you need to stay local. It is a complete and utter joke that many of the same posters who are calling for further economic restrictions that will see the collapse of the NHS due to a lack of funding cannot tolerate the existing social restrictions that are far less damaging in the long run.

Just because it’s ‘allowed’ doesn’t mean you should! No wonder it’s spreading

Sounds dodgy to me

I would do that.

www.gov.uk/guidance/national-lockdown-stay-at-home#meeting-other-people

Meeting other people
It is against the law to meet socially with family or friends unless they are part of your household or support bubble. You cannot leave home for recreational or leisure purposes (such as for a picnic or a social meeting).

Exercising
You should minimise time spent outside your home, but you can leave your home to exercise. This should be limited to once per day, and you should not travel outside your local area.

You can exercise in a public outdoor place:

by yourself
with the people you live with
with your support bubble (if you are legally permitted to form one)
in a childcare bubble where providing childcare
or, when on your own, with 1 person from another household
This includes but is not limited to running, cycling, walking, and swimming. Personal training can continue one-on-one unless everyone is within the same household or support bubble.

So, no your DD cannot meet up to socialise with her friend. However, she can, within her local area, meet up with one person outside of her household for exercise. Please remember, this is meant to be socially distanced exercise.

I wouldn’t, not because it is not allowed but because I’m sure my teen and his friends will forget about social distances 5 minutes after drop off.

In theory yes you can do it, you are allowed to walk with one other person from a different household. I think the Govt tho, are trying to encourage people to stay close to home eg walk in your own village, or even stay at home where possible.

So clearly you can’t do that then.... no wonder people are saying there’s normal amount of traffic on the roads!

What if you have an accident? Need recovery? Hospital?

This is really sad - a 13 year old who has probably sat home alone all week & all she can do is a socially distanced walk in the park in January. It sounds fine. Whilst I think people are being silly, surely a 13 year old should be allowed this simple pleasure. It's outdoors - it's indoors that's the problem

everleigh I think it's unlikely that they will have an accident walking round a park. It's hardly a dangerous activity!

You can catch it outdoors. My CV relative did. They'd been indoors for weeks, no supermarket trips, no carers etc. They took a walk with a friend (their 1st). 2m distance, outdoors. Friend tested positive 2 days later, relative 5 days after that.

@converseandjeans
Walking round the park isn't the problem and that's why it's permitted to walk round a local part at a social distance from one other. The risk of the accident (or break down) is on the totally unnecessary 8 mile drive that goes completely against the guidance.

The guidance is to stay local. In many rural areas 8 miles is very local. The law doesn't define a distance so it is allowed provided they're exercising at a social distance. It is for the op and the other child's parents to decide whether that is reasonable in all their circumstances.

No

Guidance is clear, you should not leave your local area. Driving 8 miles is not local, even in rural areas. Common sense dictates local is where you can walk to, not get in a car and drive to

OP it may be within the rules, but against this of Stay at Home. If you do not have to, then do not.
Can you take your daughter for a walk around your area? Surely you can. So do that. Yes, it is boring to do this every single day. But it is more in the spirit of the rules and the situation we are in.
I would say yes if we were not in lockdown or tier 4.

"The risk of the accident (or break down) is on the totally unnecessary 8 mile drive that goes completely against the guidance."

Not a massive risk really in the grand scheme of things is it??

I’d do it - it may or may not be within the actual rules but it’s within the ‘common sense’ rules in my head

statistical yes I agree 8 miles seems a long way but in a rural area that is probably the nearest shop etc... I think it just seems so harsh on a young girl that this is deemed unacceptable. I'm all for sticking to the rules but I honestly think this sounds fine and might just make the difference to the wellbeing of that child.