Going for a walk

[ilkleymoorbartat]

Just confused about the current guidance which says you're allowed to exercise with one other person, including a walk. However you're not allowed to socialise with other people.

How are the two different?

Well I guess if you just meet your mate, sit on a bench and have a gossip, that would be construed as socialising. If you meet up and actually go for a walk, talking at the same time, that's exercising.

The first means you can exercise e.g. walk and talk which is both good for mental and physical health and being outside it is low risk and easy to keep apart.

The second means you can't go and sit with someone else for a chat/coffee/watch tv etc.

It is confusing. According to the rules, you CAN meet socially if they are part of your household/bubble. So you are allowed to sit on a bench or eat food together?

This is from the Gov wesite.... "It is against the law to meet socially with family or friends unless they are part of your household or support bubble."

So I could go for a socially distanced walk in some woods with one friend?

Yes as long as you both stay in your local area.

Yes you can do that! I've been meeting one friend for a walk.

It’s fine to do that. I have 6 people inc DH who I go for walks with, see them one at a time so virtually every day I see one of them for a 2 hour walk.
Luckily we have miles of beautiful walks straight from the garden.

It’s the only thing keeping me sane.

You can meet someone for the purpose of exercise. You cannot meet someone for the purpose of socialising. When we were in tier 4 I would meet my friend for a nice walk and chat. I was definitely socialising. Now we are in lock down I am not going to meet her. I am capable of walking on my own and therefore cannot justify needing another person to walk with me. It is actually quite difficult it go for a walk and chat and stay 2m apart. I guess you have to work out..... if you or your friend tested positive the day afterwards, would you be worried/need to self isolate? If the answer is yes, you probably shouldn’t do it.

Of course you would be safer if you could take your walk alone. These are the times we need to avoid other people as much as possible, not look for ways to meet up with them.

I've only done it once. I met my brother for a walk through the woods thinking that was ok, but then wondered. I felt nervous doing it.

The new lockdown rules explicitly removed the ability to meet a person from one other household for the purposes of socialising. So many people have now interpreted that to mean if they want to socialise they will just go for a leisurely walk at the same time. I don't think this was the purpose of the guidelines change (which were, I suspect more aimed at e.g. going jogging with another person for safety's sake).

Also see other current thread about a poster who went for a walk with a friend who has now tested positive.

Toilenstripes - I completely agree. The law is their to give a degree of flexibility those who need it. If you don’t need to walk with someone (because you don’t have mental or physical health issues), you shouldn’t. Not everyone can do the same, but if everyone makes social sacrifices wherever they personally can we may get to the end of this a bit quicker.

Well I guess that's why I was asking @beckypv becuase it doesn't explicitly say that anywhere.
And whilst obviously it'd be best if no one left there house at all unless absolutely necessary.

I won't be doing it again, but I do think the guidance should be clearer

Redskyatnight - I agree with you. I also initially interpreted the rule as saying I can continue to meet my friend for a walk - and I guess technically I can. But when I thought about it, and have listened to people on the news I have decided I shouldn’t. I was twisting a law to enable me to do something I wanted to. Rather than think what is the best/right thing to do. I walk with friends to have a catch up - the exercise element is an added bonus. Therefore it is number 1 socialising and number 2 exercise...... therefore I shouldn’t do it.

@Ilkleymoorbartat I agree the guidance is not very clear. I imagine it will be one of the things that is addressed if they feel the current measures are ‘not enough’.

You have to be exercising or you will get nicked

@XenoBitch

It is confusing. According to the rules, you CAN meet socially if they are part of your household/bubble. So you are allowed to sit on a bench or eat food together?

This is from the Gov wesite.... "It is against the law to meet socially with family or friends unless they are part of your household or support bubble."

You can leave home to visit your support bubble, and you can exercise with your bubble. Sitting on a bench and eating food together might break the rules, the same as if it was a single person or a household doing it.

I would think that walk and talk is safer that sit or stand and talk because of the way the air particles will be disturbed as you move.

@Mumblechum0
🤯
“ It’s fine to do that. I have 6 people inc DH who I go for walks with, see them one at a time so virtually every day I see one of them for a 2 hour walk.”

So if one of you 6 has CV you have a ‘good’ chance of all of you contracting it.

It is confusing. According to the rules, you CAN meet socially if they are part of your household/bubble. So you are allowed to sit on a bench or eat food together?

No, because that wouldn’t be one of the permitted reasons for leaving the house. Must stay at home unless, etc, etc.

But if they’re your bubble you can go round each other’s houses and sit on the sofa and eat, not sit on a park bench together. 🤷‍♀️

@covidiotmil, not really, 3 of us have had it, the other 3 have had the jab and anyway we do social distance and wear masks even outside. I'm comfortable with that.

I think if they did completely ban exercising with one other person, then this would mean that some people couldn't exercise outside at all due to either a real or perceived risk. It would particular impact women.
The days are so short at the moment, that it gets dark by 4 where I am. If I want to go for a jog I have to wait until dh has finished work (to watch dc). So I jog in the dark. I am fine with this, as I feel safe in my local area and can stick to safe, well lit streets.
This is not the case for everyone though and there is no doubt that in terms of personal safety it is safer jogging or walking with another person.

@SquishySquirmy

I think if they did completely ban exercising with one other person, then this would mean that some people couldn't exercise outside at all due to either a real or perceived risk. It would particular impact women. The days are so short at the moment, that it gets dark by 4 where I am. If I want to go for a jog I have to wait until dh has finished work (to watch dc). So I jog in the dark. I am fine with this, as I feel safe in my local area and can stick to safe, well lit streets. This is not the case for everyone though and there is no doubt that in terms of personal safety it is safer jogging or walking with another person.

Agree

So many people have now interpreted that to mean if they want to socialise they will just go for a leisurely walk at the same time. I don't think this was the purpose of the guidelines change (which were, I suspect more aimed at e.g. going jogging with another person for safety's sake).

No, you are allowed to go for a walk with another person. Walking is exercise. You can 'suspect' it's aimed at jogging and safety all you like, but that's not what it says at all, it's just you deciding to interpret the rules the way you've decided to, which is pretty ironic considering that you're accusing other people of using their own interpretation when they are actually following what the guidance says!