Can someone explain to me why it’s ok for me to drive a mile into the city, park in a crowded supermarket carpark and do my shopping there, but it’s not ok for me to drive a mile in the other direction, park in a lay-by and walk for a couple of miles on country footpaths around fields where no one else is walking?
It doesn’t make sense and goes against the spirit and aim of social distancing.
We seem to have two sorts of people in the UK nowadays ... one sort will do anything to push a boundary. The others insist on making others keep to the letter of the law, even if it goes against the aims and spirit of the law.
Whither the common sense which we Brits used to pride ourself on?
You are right Dove. Just use your own common sense within the spirit and intent of the rules, be discreet and ignore the silliness.
"What is hateful to you, do not do to your neighbour".
There are still people interpreting the rules differently, which is understandable. Stay local doesn't have an exact meaning. Even when shopping for essentials, I have two options - walking to a local coop (7 minutes walk) or driving to a nearby town (15 minutes drive). Someone could argue that driving to the town in unnecessary travel and I should shop locally. For exercise, I don't see much difference between going for a walk from my house or driving 5 minutes to a footpath. The second could be actually safer because I would meet fewer people. And can I group activities? Go shopping to the town and stop somewhere on my way back, for a walk? Would it be local exercise? I agree with Dove and try to use common sense.
Actually it's been stated officially that it's fine to drive somewhere local to exercise if necessary. Some people don't live in a neighbourhood that is safe to walk in.
Can someone explain to me why it’s ok for me to drive a mile into the city, park in a crowded supermarket carpark and do my shopping there, but it’s not ok for me to drive a mile in the other direction, park in a lay-by and walk for a couple of miles on country footpaths around fields where no one else is walking?
I had a similar conversation with someone recently. Our local supermarket is Asda which is about 5 miles away. Should you be allowed at this time to drive an extra 20 miles to go to Waitrose just because the coffee and wine at Asda is crap? You can get all the 'essentials' at Asda so technically the answer should be no.
My wife has a relative who works for one of the mail order clothing companies. He's working from home but apparently they've employed people in the warehouses specifically to make sure staff are following all the rules in terms of social distancing and hygene etc. I imagine the lawsuits otherwise might cost them a lot more money in the long run.
If you can keep your head, while those around you are losing theirs, you may not have grasped the seriousness of the situation.
@pansyface You remind me of the time when I went to work in a Pharmacy in Heanor. It was 14 miles from where I was born and went to school. One of the old customers peered at me. "You're not from round 'ere , are ya?" was what I was asked. Towns in Derbyshire are very insular. Not quite as bad as Wales however. T'other half's family had a little holiday home in Blaenae Ffestiniog for the last 50 years. They are still classed as outsiders, even though his sister has bought and lives permanently in the village. They have a habit of speaking English in the local shop, until an outsider comes in, when they change to welsh. OH knows quite a lot of welsh, from when he did a stint in the local slate mine.
Can someone explain to me why it’s ok for me to drive a mile into the city, park in a crowded supermarket carpark and do my shopping there, but it’s not ok for me to drive a mile in the other direction, park in a lay-by and walk for a couple of miles on country footpaths around fields where no one else is walking?
I had a similar conversation with someone recently. Our local supermarket is Asda which is about 5 miles away. Should you be allowed at this time to drive an extra 20 miles to go to Waitrose just because the coffee and wine at Asda is crap? You can get all the 'essentials' at Asda so technically the answer should be no.
I agree ... but should I email an order to a farm shop, drive 5 miles to collect it where they’ll put it straight into the boot of my car and I can drive home again without having got out of the car or even speaking to anyone ... thus putting no one at risk?
Or should I go to the closer Waitrose, park in a busy car park, queue in the carpark and up the steps, do my shopping whilst trying but not totally succeeding to maintain social distancing, go through the checkout and back into the busy carpark ... there’s far more risk of spreading/contracting contagion there.
Which is the safest for me and others and therefore most fulfils the aim of social distancing?
I am not by nature a risk taker or boundary pusher ... I’m the most law-abiding person you could meet ... I don’t drive over the speed limit even if the roads are empty and if I’m driving I don’t even have half a glass of wine.
But I like logic ... 😊
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
My wife, who is English, moved with her family to N Wales when she was a young girl and is completely bilingual. She experienced that English/Welsh swap often. She sometimes got her own back - asked something in Welsh she would reply in French.
That "locals speaking English until an outsider comes in, then they change to Welsh" is actually a myth. They just mix it a lot. And they are the most friendly people I've ever met. If a newcomer tries to learn the language and appreciate the culture, he or she will be well accepted.
The extra people on the roads are probably trying to get shopping, as after three weeks we are all running out of things. The supermarkets are booked up and the local shops don't stock enough so off they go.
I was visiting wales once. Never went back. Went into a shop. They stopped speaking English when we entered and when the locals left , they turned the lights off. They didn't want my money so I didn't buy anything.
It was different on Skye. Outside our window, we could hear the locals chatter in Gaelic. My husband is irish so he could understand a bit. We went to the local pub regularly and the locals spoke their language. We were not offended. On our last night there, our very elderly landlord got stocious drunk. We couldn't leave him there and tried to assemble him for the trip up the hill. A local spoke to him in Gaelic and apologised to my husband for speaking gaelic to his exclusion. OH mustered up enough of the language to reply in kind. The pub went quiet as the locals tried to remember what they might have said. As it was our last njight, they never found out that their secrets were safe.
I totally respect people's right to keep their language alive, but not when they use it to be obnoxious.
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Even when shopping for essentials, I have two options - walking to a local coop (7 minutes walk) or driving to a nearby town (15 minutes drive). Someone could argue that driving to the town in unnecessary travel and I should shop locally.
For exercise, I don't see much difference between going for a walk from my house or driving 5 minutes to a footpath. The second could be actually safer because I would meet fewer people.
And can I group activities? Go shopping to the town and stop somewhere on my way back, for a walk? Would it be local exercise?
I agree with Dove and try to use common sense.
I agree ... but should I email an order to a farm shop, drive 5 miles to collect it where they’ll put it straight into the boot of my car and I can drive home again without having got out of the car or even speaking to anyone ... thus putting no one at risk?
Or should I go to the closer Waitrose, park in a busy car park, queue in the carpark and up the steps, do my shopping whilst trying but not totally succeeding to maintain social distancing, go through the checkout and back into the busy carpark ... there’s far more risk of spreading/contracting contagion there.
I am not by nature a risk taker or boundary pusher ... I’m the most law-abiding person you could meet ... I don’t drive over the speed limit even if the roads are empty and if I’m driving I don’t even have half a glass of wine.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
The supermarkets are booked up and the local shops don't stock enough so off they go.
It was different on Skye. Outside our window, we could hear the locals chatter in Gaelic. My husband is irish so he could understand a bit.
We went to the local pub regularly and the locals spoke their language. We were not offended. On our last night there, our very elderly landlord got stocious drunk. We couldn't leave him there and tried to assemble him for the trip up the hill. A local spoke to him in Gaelic and apologised to my husband for speaking gaelic to his exclusion. OH mustered up enough of the language to reply in kind. The pub went quiet as the locals tried to remember what they might have said.
As it was our last njight, they never found out that their secrets were safe.
I totally respect people's right to keep their language alive, but not when they use it to be obnoxious.