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?

I imagine the point about safety in numbers @SquishySquirmy makes is why they left the exercise with one other person in. But the massive loophole it causes in enabling households to mix is a problem. I think they tried to cover it by differentiating between exercising and socialising, but it clearly hasn’t worked. It is a shame that leeway in rules that are created to help small specific sections in society, are exploited by others who don’t have the need. And this then means they have to increase restrictions which then harm everyone.

The thing that's weird about the wording, which I think makes it more open to interpretation, is it says something about kids under 5 not being included in the meeting up for exercise.

@lazylinguist

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!

What have I interpreted incorrectly? The guidelines say you can meet to exercise and you can't meet to socialise. Socialising while having a walk is still socialising.

Apparantly downing street have been asked today if its ok for people to get a take away coffee and drink it while walking and were unable to answer.

FFS. It's not a hard question. The answer is yes or no. They're in charge just make a bloody decision. And they wonder why people are confused and pissed off.

@RedskyAtnight “socialising while having a walk is still socialising” - such a good way of putting it.

You can socialise and exercise at the same time. How can you possible exercise with another person without it also being classed as socialising?

Oh ffs. Of course you can walk with one other person. It is very clear that you can.

Socialising is entirely different abs wouldn't include the EXERCISE element.

People are just making shit up again.

I was meeting friends for walk with or without coffees (1-2 x a week) up to last weekend but I won’t now I don’t think as it was more for socialising purposes. None are really near enough to meet without one of us driving and the rates are shooting up. I can’t keep 6ft apart as won’t be able to hear them.

And while walking is exercise, you are swapping meeting in a cafe for walking as it’s allowed. I normally wouldn’t walk with these friends!!
When cases go down I’ll carry on walking again.,

I meet a friend to run. Im poorly motivated to run by myself and o wouldn't go alone after dark etc. We talk. But not much as we aren't very fit!! It does us both a world of good though, physically and mentally. If the stats show it is a considerable risk of transmission then I would of course stop. But for now it is a lifeline.

Ask yourself if you would call what you are doing "exercise" this time last year? Personally, never before Covid did I describe "going for a walk with a friend to have a chat and a catch up" as exercise. So not sure why I would call it exercise now. What Notcoolmum is doing, on the other hand, is exercise, that she happens to be doing with someone else so they can motivate each other.

I'd imagine running and chatting with a mate is far worse for viral transmission if you're hugging and puffing all over each other. But I agree seems sensible to just not interpret the rule to include a walk with a mate, unless you're 70+ and that's the only exercise you get (although I suspect if you're that age you're shielding anyway).

Meeting one other person for exercise is my only meaningful contact beyond my household.
I don't work.
I'm not in a position to be eligible for any support bubbles.
I'm now stuck being an unpaid full-time TA for the majority of daylight hours or my DCs don't learn anything. Bang goes being able to go on longer trail runs.
Motivation is through the floor because running loops through my neighbourhood in the dark ie frankly dull.

March 2020, I was pretty fit having recently done a half marathon. The absence of reliable races, parkruns and outdoor fitness classes being stop-start means my fitness is down on usual through lack of consistency.

Running with a friend is keeping me clinging onbto sanity and one thing that is me for my life, not an appendage to my household. We're both based at home so minimal risk of having so much as a cold to pass on.