What is considered a picnic?

[xatcat]

Does it mean you can't walk and eat something outside?

Or is it when your sat down outside eating?

Just trying to clarify the rules.

FFS! Do we need to find ways to circumvent the guidelines or the laws?

Walk for exercise. Don't stop to take in the view, eat your banana etc. Keep moving. Your aim was exercise....

Why try and find an excuse to do something you do to have to?

Use your common sense, be honest, don’t take any risks at all with yours or anyone else’s health just because you want to or it is ‘within the rules’. The problem is that common sense means everyone will make a slightly different decision. OK if it's guidance, and the policeman who makes a slightly different decision tells you he thinks you've got it wrong. Not OK if he treats guidance as law and issues a fixed penalty. And that's what has happened in a couple of well publicised cases. So people are saying "well, the law is clear enough. And i think this is what the guidance means .... but if I've got it wrong, I might be fined!" It's not trying to find loopholes, it's trying to find out what you can and can't actually do.

@HOS8595 it's outside my window mate, literally across the road from where I sit to work. Can't really avoid it tbh, unless I close my blinds. While my 7 year old sits at the side of me trying to do his school work and my 16 year old is in her bedroom doing her work.

Dunno if you've got kids at home again, but if you have you will know how fucking devastating that is for them. So cunts taking piss and going for a coffee and a chat and spreading this virus even more, putting more pressure on the NHS, meaning the lockdown lasts longer means I spend even more time sat at my desk watching what's happening outside while I try and get shit done with my 7 year old jabbering away at me.

People being selfish and manipulating them roolz is affecting everyone. Everyone furloughed is at risk of losing their jobs, the economy is fucked, the NHS is on its knees, kids off school again. Whether you believe in the measures or not, whether you are at personal risk from covid or not the impact of it affects everyone, some more than others. I like to see people exercising, means I will go the more secluded walks near me as I feel safer because more people are around.

But Joanna (28) meeting her mum Sue (59), both getting a coffee and walking up the road to the trails behind me, parking their arses on the bench there, supping their coffee til they get cold then walking back down the road to continue their conversation in their cars is not fucking exercising. It's meeting for a coffee.

@Sparklingbrook

But that could be seen as 'intent to picnic' *@RedRiverShore1* and could be used as Exhibit A in a court of law.

Yes that is why I haven't been out but I used it in the less severe lockdowns, maybe ignore my suggestion for now as I could be inciting picnicking - so only use when allowed.

At the moment it seems to be anything that would turn exercise into a hanging/sitting around experience and turns it away from the point of exercise. A lot of us wouldn't normally have a takeaway coffee with a strenuous walk - adding it makes it a more social occasion and could involve hanging around if it's a takeaway. However, if you'd normally grab a banana to eat on your walk to work to keep you going for 4/6 hours before your break, that's something you'd normally do on your own, no hanging around

Really hard times I know, but just for now needs to be done until we can turn this around.

This is why my son and I ended up sneaking bits of food while we were waiting for a train it was past lunch time we had been for a permitted hospital visit and were starving he is 7 with no clue why he wasn't allowed to eat (yes I've explained yes he has sen) everywhere is closed and we can't eat in the streets we are hiding out in a waiting room sneaking food under our masks

I read on the gov site it was eating or drinking anything while sitting/standing/stopped, so you can drink or eat while you are walking but if you stop to take a break you can’t eat or drink then as it is considered a picnic.

I’ll see if I can find where I read it.

[quote Frouby]@HOS8595 it's outside my window mate, literally across the road from where I sit to work. Can't really avoid it tbh, unless I close my blinds. While my 7 year old sits at the side of me trying to do his school work and my 16 year old is in her bedroom doing her work.

Dunno if you've got kids at home again, but if you have you will know how fucking devastating that is for them. So cunts taking piss and going for a coffee and a chat and spreading this virus even more, putting more pressure on the NHS, meaning the lockdown lasts longer means I spend even more time sat at my desk watching what's happening outside while I try and get shit done with my 7 year old jabbering away at me.

People being selfish and manipulating them roolz is affecting everyone. Everyone furloughed is at risk of losing their jobs, the economy is fucked, the NHS is on its knees, kids off school again. Whether you believe in the measures or not, whether you are at personal risk from covid or not the impact of it affects everyone, some more than others. I like to see people exercising, means I will go the more secluded walks near me as I feel safer because more people are around.

But Joanna (28) meeting her mum Sue (59), both getting a coffee and walking up the road to the trails behind me, parking their arses on the bench there, supping their coffee til they get cold then walking back down the road to continue their conversation in their cars is not fucking exercising. It's meeting for a coffee.[/quote]
👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽

@Sparklingbrook - as long as I could have my “Daily Mail sad face” photo included. Possibly holding the offending empty wrapper for all to see. Maybe with a sob back story. Honestly, world’s gone mad.

OP - a picnic is probably considered travelling somewhere with the main purpose being to set up a “meal” outdoors. A snack is having something to eat ad hoc. And I think picnic is usually meeting with others and a social event hence it being frowned upon.

Christ we’re back to this.

FML 🤦‍♀️

@Frouby I agree not exercising. Hence my wish that the restrictions were such that you had to walk or cycle to exercise (or run, horse ride), not travel in a car.

When I last suggested this I had responses which were full of excuses or reasons why such an idea should not apply to everyone.

You can absolutely sit on a bench and have a banana. Not at all sure why people are getting het up about dawdling and taking in the view. There is nothing in law to say that you can't do these things and any fines given out for anything this petty will be reviewed and thrown out. I can't believe anyone would suggest that sitting for a wee bit with a banana or looking at the view might be contributing in any way to infection rates!

Mountain Rescue advise walkers to take food and drinks with them while walking for safety.

I'm fairly sure that advice was for those who are climbing Kinder Scout or similar, not those going to the local park with their 3 year old.

Sitting down on a bench isn't exercise so don't understand why you would want to do it.

@QualityRoads - tell you what, I’ll hold myself in a squat position hovering just over the bench. That’s exercise. And it gives others the thrill of anticipating if I’m about to sit down and be a rule breaker. You’re welcome.

Sitting down on a bench isn't exercise so don't understand why you would want to do it.

I, for one, am BAFFLED.

I have the fun of a medical appointment lunchtime today, so I will walk briskly to get there, may need to sit down on a bench and have water before going in.

Then walking to local shops to get food. I will pass many takeaway shops (Greg's etc) but seems like I can only eat my lunch whilst walking along. Not ideal for digestion! Think I'll have to wait until home.

@TheKeatingFive

@TheKeatingFive / that was supposed to be

@10storeylovesong

Ffs this is the problem. I'm not one of those saying lock everything down. I am praying for the schools and nurseries to stay open. I am going for a walk with my friend this week. I mind my own business and am not obsessed with what my neighbours are doing. But here are a group of reasonably intelligent human beings arguing that their human right to sit on a bench and eat a banana, or a packet of crisps, or anything else, outweighs everyone else's human right to try and stop the virus spreading as quickly as it is. Eat before you go out; eat when you get home. Its not difficult really, is it? I have 2 young kids - when I took them out for recreation I took hundreds of snacks. Now I take them out for exercise and I give them a snack when we get home. They are 3 and 7 and they understand and can accept that. Why are you wasting time and mental energy arguing whether you can eat a banana on a bench?

This, 100% this

I often sit in benches mid-exercise. I take my baby for a walk in her pram most days, and sometimes she needs feeding during the walk. I don’t think this is a picnic (well, maybe for her), and is essential. I’m not going to stop that!

human beings arguing that their human right to sit on a bench and eat a banana, or a packet of crisps, or anything else, outweighs everyone else's human right to try and stop the virus spreading as quickly as it is.

Sorry, I had to come back to this. It's utter madness. What on earth about sitting on a bench to eat a banana is contributing to this virus spreading? You meeting a friend is far more likely to be a problem, it's household mixing (or workplaces mostly) that is spreading this, not family groups or individuals taking a break during exercise, sitting on benches, dawdling to look at the view. That's not a problem.

pendants anon in full flight/fight here
the one thing that covid has given us is the opportunity to try and analyse exactly what politicians mean when they say something & experience in researching & finding the printed source. & debate about it. Endlessly.

Pendants?

I walk a lot in remote areas and would never go out without something to eat whilst sitting on a rock somewhere. And then get up and carry on walking.
I guess such a long period outside so as to need something to eat may not be what is envisaged by the guidance.
Certainly goin out with the specific and sole aim of sitting and eating doesn’t seem to be except use to me.
As for drinks I can’t envisage any circs where a drink during a walk (seated or not) would be a picnic. Even if thermos and actually drinking soup etc.