Do you think police where right to fine for this?

[TheFakePlantIsTheOnlyOneILike]

Family Member (FM) just called me about this and I couldn’t be sympathetic and wondering if I was in the wrong to not be.

FM was fined £200 by police for travelling out of area to go shopping. She travelled about 30 miles. FM lives in the same town as me, in our town we have a b+m with a small food department, an Aldi which is basically opposite b+m, a Morrisons (it’s not one of the small local ones, but it’s not a massive store either) plus an array of local butchers, greengrocers, and a shop that sells herbs and spices, all open for business (I know as I use them). I have never struggled to get anything foodwise.

FM is going to appeal against the fine for the following reasons, they say they’re only meant to go to one shop and:

• They can’t get everything they want in b+m
• Morrisons is too expensive
• They don’t like Aldi
• She’d have to go to more than 1 shop if she went to a butchers or the greengrocers (ignoring the fact that one of the butchers has teamed up with a greengrocer and they’re selling each others produce in boxes for purchase so you only have to go to one place)

So I know this isn’t AIBU but AIBU to think the police were right to fine her as she could easily get everything she needed in town?

What are everyones thoughts?

It is total bullshit as far as I know, and I am glad FM is appealing it. If you are out of your house for an essential purpose you can travel whatever distance you see fit. Well, you certainly can for exercise and I am not aware that the law specifies a distance you may travel to shop. The question of sticking to your local area is guidance, not law, and FM has no need to make all those rationalisations.

Welcome to our police state

If FM travelled 30 miles in their own car to go to one shop to get all they need, surely that's safer than going to multiple local shops?
Whether this is the law or not I have no idea. I've lost track.

Morrison’s is too expensive but they are using petrol to drive 30 miles to an alternative? And I presume 30 miles home again, so 60 miles to save a tenner at best
It’s hardly local, is it. They are right to fine.

Is there a law that says you have to stay local to shop?

I think there might be tighter restrictions in Wales and Scotland?

But if it's England the police have overreached themselves again. You are allowed to go out for essential shopping. There is nothing that says that you can only go to Tesco if it is your nearest and can't go to Sainsburys. OK 30 miles is quite a long way, but nothing in the law allows the police to fine.

During the first lockdown my mum didn't go to her local Sainsburys because the queues were too long and because it was busy. She went to smaller shops further away where she had to spend a bit more but she'd be the only one in there. Seems reasonable to me. However it was no further than 10 miles.

@Emmelina

Morrison’s is too expensive but they are using petrol to drive 30 miles to an alternative? And I presume 30 miles home again, so 60 miles to save a tenner at best It’s hardly local, is it. They are right to fine.

I do agree people always forget about the cost of petrol!

im so fed up of this judgemental attitude.... who gives a fuck where someone goes food shopping....why do you give a toss.

FFS

If they are in England, then this is ridiculous and I hope they appeals the fine. Everything mentioning 'local' is guidelines and is 'should', not 'must'.
Saying that, there is no rule saying you are only allowed to go to one shop either.

30 miles to do a food shop though, I could not be bothered.

It’s not illegal so the fine isn’t valid and wouldn’t stand up in court. There is nothing in the legislation that dictates a distance limit for any of the reasons you are “allowed” to leave the house for. The police need to learn the laws and stop interpreting them how they see fit and we need to know what is actually illegal so we can politely explain if we are stopped. Where do you live OP? Because we live about 10 miles from 3 county borders and haven’t seen a single police officer or car which ever direction I have traveled.

I travel further to go to aldi. About 15 miles each way.
I don't pay for fuel as dh works does. So I don't factor that in.
I will continue to do so.
Can't afford to shop locally. And I prefer aldi for baby items.

YANBU.

It’s about essential trips and I can’t see how it’s essential to travel that distance.

@ihatethecold

im so fed up of this judgemental attitude.... who gives a fuck where someone goes food shopping....why do you give a toss.

FFS

This.

30 miles is a bit far in my opinion, but my opinion is irrelevant. There's no limit, they've advised that you should stay local, but there's no actual law that tells you how far you can drive. I can't see how it would stand in court.

Mixed bag then, I do feel judgmental but only because I don't feel the need to drive 30 miles to do my shopping. FM asked my opinion so I gave it.

Where was she shopping though to have to travel 30 miles? Does she do that every week?

It’s unreasonable for them to say you have to use your nearest supermarket but I can’t believe there was nothing else closer than 30 miles. I would have two drive past multiple Asda, Tesco, Sainsbury’s etc to travel 30 miles.

How did she come into contact with the police during her journey?

What supermarket was worth travelling to, out of interest?!

I don't think police should be fining people on guidance to stay local (if you are in England where they haven't specified 10 miles etc)

If FM is going to 1 store, not 2 or 3, then isn't that better in terms of 'spreading Covid'?

She shops at Tesco usually, she drove passed the Morrisons in town, a Sainbury's and an Asda to get to the Tesco. She doesn;t like Asda at all and Sainbury's is even more expensive than Morrisons apparently

100% overturned on appeal. The law is was it reasonably necessary to leave the house to visit shops. As long as it was reasonably necessary ie not the 15th trip out that day it does not matter where the shop is or that there are closer ones.

I'm genuinely confused that there is only one suitable supermarket in a 30 mile radius? 30 miles?

So how did she come into contact with the police?

It does sound a long way to go for shopping to me, but that's irrelevant. It's not illegal and the police can't issue fines for things that aren't illegal. I'd be astonished if the fine was upheld and I think good on your relative for appealing it.

@Nicknacky

So how did she come into contact with the police?

They stopped her apparently as the road was empty