Mixed messages

[barge1914]

The carparks are still closed in the Peak District, but following the mixed messages of late the lay-bys that have been mostly empty for a month are filling up again, traffic is increasing and the sounds of fast motorbikes whizzing around are becoming more noticeable.

 

[Moped]

It is not a mixed message for motorhome users. Unfortunately.

 

[Tonybvi]

Went out for a 10mile bike ride from home yesterday. Only passed by three vehicles the whole way (1 log lorry, 1 tractor and 1 car) but the few lay-bys / pull ins that I passed all had cars parked up in them - clearly off walking in the forest.

 

[witzend]

Same in Cornwall car use on the up No Police Presence their getting paid for nothing when we went into lock down they where around the housing estates telling kids to stop playing an stay at home now not a sign

 

[antiquesam]

Went out for a 10mile bike ride from home yesterday. Only passed by three vehicles the whole way (1 log lorry, 1 tractor and 1 car) but the few lay-bys / pull ins that I passed all had cars parked up in them - clearly off walking in the forest.

Provided the walk takes much longer than the drive it is permitted, you can even take your lunch with you.

 

[Bonfireboy]

Down here on the South Coast a load of big vans parked along Meon Shore looking out over the Solent. Most have been there at least three weeks. This kind of behaviour reflects badly on motorhomes. The next step will be a total ban along this lovely stretch of shoreline stopping those of us who may stop only during the day. A couple of large motorhomes even parked side on taking up 4 or 5 parking spaces. Please move on.

 

[Tonybvi]

Provided the walk takes much longer than the drive it is permitted, you can even take your lunch with you.

Not in Scotland unfortunately. Police Scotland have not been given the same advice as the English forces and they do not expect you to drive at all to walk. Police Scotland advice is that if their officers suspect that somebody has driven to walk their officers should politely explain to them that they should not drive anywhere to walk but should walk from home if at all possible. Warnings then fines are only handed out if people refuse to listen or take no notice of such polite explanation.

 

[Fazerloz]

The carparks are still closed in the Peak District, but following the mixed messages of late the lay-bys that have been mostly empty for a month are filling up again, traffic is increasing and the sounds of fast motorbikes whizzing around are becoming more noticeable.View attachment 81072

Whats the mixed messages of late. The advice /rules have not changed have they.

 

[Snapster]

Same in Cornwall car use on the up No Police Presence their getting paid for nothing when we went into lock down they where around the housing estates telling kids to stop playing an stay at home now not a sign

I think the main problem is that the government haven’t really had a proper policy or been positive with the Stay at Home messages.
They seem to have left people to interpret it how they like leaving the police with an unenviable job trying to enforce a policy that isn’t really there.

 

[yorkslass]

Whitby yesterday a couple were find for driving from Boston Spa cos they fancied smelling the sea......so do I.

 

[Minisorella]

I don't believe the policy, the guidelines, the rules or the message have been at all mixed. It's all as clear as a bell on the .gov website and repeated throughout the media. People just choose to stretch the limits a little bit and come up with reasons that blur the lines to justify their actions. Either that or they just don't agree with the logic behind the rules, so choose to ignore them.

 

[2cv]

I don't believe the policy, the guidelines, the rules or the message have been at all mixed. It's all as clear as a bell on the .gov website and repeated throughout the media. People just choose to stretch the limits a little bit and come up with reasons that blur the lines to justify their actions. Either that or they just don't agree with the logic behind the rules, so choose to ignore them.

The problem arises because different regions have different guidelines. I think that it should have been one rule for the whole of the UK.

 

[antiquesam]

I think the main problem is that the government haven’t really had a proper policy or been positive with the Stay at Home messages.
They seem to have left people to interpret it how they like leaving the police with an unenviable job trying to enforce a policy that isn’t really there.

It is the Chief Constables Council that put the walking policy in place. Individual forces don't have to follow the advice but the chief constable will have to buy a round at the next meeting.

 

[antiquesam]

Whitby yesterday a couple were find for driving from Boston Spa cos they fancied smelling the sea......so do I.

Strange really I want to smell the countryside. I'm going to as well this week. I'm going to drive seven miles onto the South Downs and do an eight mile walk in the woods, complete with sandwiches and a flask.

 

[Minisorella]

The problem arises because different regions have different guidelines. I think that it should have been one rule for the whole of the UK.

Gosh, I honestly thought it was Bill, so I'm puzzled now. I know each devolved leader will express decisions as their own but my understanding was that all the decisions and guidelines were UK-wide. I'm probably wrong but I don't see any regional variations on the government website.

Edit to say.... I've just thought - NHS Scotland and NHS England may be giving out different advice on symptoms and practice I guess.

 

[2cv]

I think that This constitutes the latest advice for England. Scottish rules Here. It does add to confusion, but I don’t think that you can drive to exercise in Scotland. Certainly I know people have been fined near here for it.

 

[QFour]

I had to take dog up to Dick Vet yesterday (Edinburgh University) While I was returning, which was heading east, viewed 2 motorhomes heading west, one was a Hymer (these Hymer owners obviously think they can flaunt the rules )

Motorbikes, I was actually thinking of buying another, judging by the amount (some in convoy) that pass here at weekends, they too, are exempt from lockdown, so I buy one, I will be exempt too?

If you stick it on a trailer the trailer will be exempt of course, so you could fasten it on the back of a MH and that will also become exempt.

 

[Minisorella]

I think that This constitutes the latest advice for England. Scottish rules Here. It does add to confusion, but I don’t think that you can drive to exercise in Scotland. Certainly I know people have been fined near here for it.

Having a quick skim through, it looks pretty identical Bill.
I must admit, the UK guidelines advise exercising, walking or cycling locally - where possible. People started early on saying that we weren't allowed to drive to exercise but the government debunked this fairly quickly at a briefing where they said if you don't have anywhere local, it's OK to drive somewhere to exercise, provided the walk/exercise is longer the drive... still with the proviso to walk locally if at all possible. They also encouraged local authorities to keep all parks open, although some of them decided not to I wonder if it's worth raising the point somewhere to see if it's the same for Scotland? The police also over-enforced a little at the beginning... remember the easter egg debacle?

 

[Deleted member 84132]

I take the dog out every morning around 7am, our walk takes us along the beach front and over the golf course, every weekend since lockdown started there has been 1 or 2 campervans/ Motorhomes parked up obviously flouting the regulations.

How do these people get away with it?

 

[barryd]

I saw the actual Durham County Police directive the other day and it clearly stated people were allowed to drive for exercise as long as the exercise was longer than the drive. There has been mixed messages. Some people are saying you must only make essential journeys in motor vehicles but according to that directive someone could drive from say fifty miles away up to the Dales and do a couple of hours walking.

They were a bit angry about it all in some of the tourist towns and villages as they expected a deluge of visitors once news got out but Im not sure its materialised. I was down at a popular touristy part of the upper tees over the weekend though and there were plenty of cars parked a fair few walkers. The main issue on a weekend though is cyclists. I dont have a problem with them but they need to start using their bells as there have been a couple of close calls with doddery old locals walking dogs etc.