Social distancing in England

Going off at a tangent here but we saw someone on the beach last night playing with his dog by throwing sand at it. If it wasn’t for social distancing I’d’ve gone over to him and told him what I thought. We were quite a distance from him anyway so couldn’t have shouted to him: he didn’t just do it once but over and over again. I just hope the poor dog doesn’t have sore eyes today.

Yesterday we saw a real benefit of social distancing in action.

A chap left his three dogs in the car in the heat whilst he went shopping in Asda. A young man took a photo of the car went into Asda and returned to his car. The original chap came out and things got very heated to the point where the dog chap threatened to punch the young man.

What stopped him?

The young man who was standing his ground put his hand up and said “social distancing”

The dog chap stopped in his tracts.

It was a delight to watch.???

The score walking to the beach is now. @ 15/4 (4 being the number of people that have acknowledged or thanked us for moving out of their way. We diverted to another path to avoid people walking towards us only to meet a lady walking a dog on the adjacent path.We walked back to the start of the path and stood to one side but she actually made a point of looking away from us. I really don’t know why people are so lacking in manners these days. Of the 4 that were nice one couple were Polish and another couple were American.

£100 pound fine might encourage people, and to make sure the fine is delivered.

If there are folk who are for certain reasons deemed exempt then this is up to the government to get their asses together and sort it.

I’m all in favour of making it compulsory in shops or other enclosed spaces, but I don’t see how it’s going to be enforced when so many people have become very complacent - or maybe always were.

The other day in my local Asda only about 25% of customers were wearing masks, and I went in behind a young-ish couple who not only wore no masks, but also ignored the hand sanitiser right outside the entrance. And I dare say that if I’d stayed and kept count, I’d have seen many more the same.

On MN and elsewhere I’ve seen a lot of people saying, ‘Oh, but I/my dc should be exempt from wearing a mask, because of asthma/autism/sensory issues/feeling claustrophobic. If anyone really would be exempt, because of e.g. asthma, how would they prove it? Produce their inhaler? Because anyone could say they’re exempt, if no official proof is provided.

maybe I absolutely agree. We are on holiday this week and that is exactly what we are doing, although tbh I don’t behave any different at home? but I am aware that our bugs are being brought to this area if you know what I mean.

I think young people are, as far as their risk levels are concerned behaving rationally. But what the government has singularly failed to do is educate the young. The daily droning we had at 5pm won’t cut it with the young, and there should have been better more imaginative ways for the information that they are responsible citizens living in a country where people are dependent on their good behaviour.

I notice that the government has finally caught up with the science and making face masks compulsory in shops.

Why on Earth are they so slow! They appear terribly dim.

Masks should be worn everywhere in confined spaces where the aerosol is confined with limited chance to dissipate.

That information has been available for some time now and anyone with more than a couple of brain cells will have been aware of this information, particularly if you are running a country.

Since lockdown has eased I have never gone anywhere without a mask - courtesy towards fellow citizens- except when out walking in the countryside.

Where I am it is the young twenty-somethings, mainly men but women as well, who are not observing social distancing. They go around in groups of about five, blocking pavements and supermarket aisles, spilling out of pubs and on to the beaches with no regard for anyone but themselves, in fact behaving as they do when they go on holiday abroad.

I can see the virus raising its head again.young people mostly aged 20 to 35 are not social distancing.they laugh when i say but you can pass it on to me or other vunerable people. One told me to get over it the virus has gone..tod her she being stupid and that she could easily pass it on to her grandparents or friends.

I read a Facebook comment by someone in Alnwick who said that last week everyone was social distancing but now all the tourists have arrived social distancing is totally ignored. imo people should be even more respectful if they’re away from home.

I agree. Its awful . My daughter has pressurised me into having the kids again whilst she's back in work despite having rheumatoid. She'll lose her job if I say no and she doesn't seem in the slightest bit concerned about social distancing! Just got to hope and pray it works out. But I see old and young ignoring the rules. It's been too vague. The government just haven't put enough emphasis on it. No they're saying masks will be compulsory after saying only yesterday that they wouldn't be

Wheniwasyourage it’s a tourist area in NE Scotland though I don’t know if that made a difference. Maybe if people are in holiday mood, they’re being less careful?

That really made me laugh, it is so easy to make a mistake when typing on the phone. ❤️ ?

Interesting to read all your views. For the Surrey dwellers I visited Reigate and Surbiton, but the worst lack of social distancing was up at Leith Hill.

OK here in Derbyshire though lockdown and now. Also fine in North Cornwall just been away for a week - seem to be following guidelines = went for a pub meal when we got home on Sunday and seem to be following all guidelines so will be going again next week.

Goodness, SueDonim, that doesn't sound like the part of Scotland I'm in! Social distancing is certainly happening and I've seen a lot of people in face-coverings. Maybe we've not been going out at the same time of day. Hope you have a better experience the next time you go out.

Crafty cat do you live near Godstone I am quite close by

I’ve just been out for my first post-lockdown lunch, here in Scotland. Hardly anyone had face-coverings (it doesn’t have to be a mask) and they weren’t observing social distancing. I spent more time crossing the road to avoid people than walking on the pavement, I reckon.

Bigger parties queued outside shops, even though only one or two people are allowed in at a time and these big parties were spread all over the pavement, so you had no choice but to walk in the road.

As for dogs - I like dogs but people seem to think their pooches have right of way! Their owners made no effort to keep them at heel on narrow pavements so you had to do a square dance to get past them and then a fight broke out between a Labrador and an Afghan hound right in front of me and people were milling about inches away from me with no masks as they tried to calm things down.

It really wasn’t a very comfortable experience.

polnan

Masks do not protect the wearer.

right? or not?

I found this helpful.

It certainly doesn’t hurt to wear a mask

This is the guidance we are getting in Scotland:

Face coverings in enclosed spaces
Avoid crowded places
Clean hands and surfaces regularly
Two metre spacing
Self-isolate and book a test if you have symptoms

Seems to me that it is easy enough to remember (hope I've quoted it correctly then!)

Most people in most places are now wearing face coverings in shops because it is compulsory, and the aim is to make it become as much part of life as wearing a seatbelt in a car. You will always get some half-wits who think that they are above the law though

Lucca I think it’s rubbish too, but many people use the media to get their ‘true’ information so if they see it, that’s what they believe.

I have worked through the lockdown and it’s was the over 70 s who carried on as normal during the first few weeks, now it’s the younger generation that are just acting normally . I work in a post office and general store and we only allow three people in at a time

“Wish Nicola was in charge down south.”

Oh so do I !
Clear instructions, no backbiting.

I needed to catch a bus this morning. An older woman got on wearing a mask and proceeded to talk non stop on her phone for the whole of her 20 minute journey. While she was getting off (still talking) I noticed that the mask had been pushed down under her chin.

Going to the supermarket now is a mission. I have worn a face covering since they reduced the social distancing to protect myself and others especially as most people seem to think that social distancing is no longer necessary. For me the worst culprits are the older generation!!! The guidance from the government has been woeful, no wonder we are all confused. Wish Nicola was in charge down south.