Mister Bump UK

Share (some more of) Your World

A couple days ago I posted a photo near my home. Sunday, my wife and I went for a walk in the other direction, out into open countryside. Typically, between the time we decided to go for a walk, and the time we actually got out, the weather had clouded over a bit, but it has stayed generally pretty bright all day. Temperature was pretty good for the time of year, approaching 20C (that’s 70F). The breeze at this time of year is cooling, and I still wore my winter jacket.

It’s a quiet road anyway, but at the moment even moreso. We walked for about a half hour (as much as I can manage) and were passed by only about a half-dozen bicycles, and even fewer cars.

I’m a bit concerned here to see footage on tv of police admonishing people for having a barbeque on a beach. As far as I could tell, the two participants were observing social distancing, except with each other. I was a bit more concerned to hear the Health Minister justifying this by saying that people need to obey the rules, without giving a plausible medical explanation. So, I didn’t see the problem with what they were doing. I think that the way through this is through mutual trust, and it was really quite laughable to hear a minister talk in terms of enforcement, when he spent the last ten years firing all the enforcers! In any case, my wife and I enjoyed our fresh air – together.

  • 2 minutes south of our home, viewing south
  • viewing west, towards the river which runs through the village
  • view towards the river again
  • viewing east
  • looking north, back towards home
  • arty-farty!
  • time to turn back (viewing south)

Published by Mister Bump UK

Separated with a grown/flown daughter. In life, I designed IT systems, taking a career break as a bicycle mechanic, until interrupted by a stroke in 2016, aged 48. On my way back into full-time work, I developed health-related apps and performed voluntary work. I enjoy composing limericks and flash fiction in my spare time.

17 comments

  1. I saw that clip of the two people having a BBQ. There did not seem to be anyone close to them. I guess it’s just that it might set a bad example for others.
    Because I am at work so many hours I am not picking up on everything in the news. but I picked up the impression that if you leave the house you need to be on the move….either to buy food, pick up medication or for your “government mandated” exercise – and all local to your home. I don’t think sitting or laying down in the park or on the beach are being encouraged. Once one or two do…others will. At the moment there is tape all over the floor of the supermarkets…can you imagine them doing that on the beach or in the park?

    I do feel sorry for people who probably would love to be outdoors more. But it seems in a few other countries, lockdown has been much much stricter than it has here in the UK.

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      • I think it’s only because of what happened two weeks ago. Everyone seemed to have the same idea – they flocked to Snowdonia and the beach. It worked out with very crowded countryside.

        I have no idea how they could handle letting people enjoy they beach and beauty spots safely? Assign people a time to go to limit numbers?

        All I know is what I have seen this virus do to people who are vulnerable. It might seem over the top – but if it goes a long way to preventing that kind of suffering and grief for the family and friends of those lost…I think most are willing to give up all sorts of freedoms and do whatever it takes.

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        • I think to say “keep your distance from other people” is absolutely reasonable. To morph that somehow into “you may not have a barbeque” is not. We need to be clear what we’re trying to achieve here.
          Your last para hangs on one word – if. If there are medical reasons, Hancock should be prepared to say what they are.

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  4. What a beautiful surrounding! And beautiful pictures too of course. We had a BBQ in the garden yesterday as it was a warm and sunny day. We’re also not allowed to go to the beach, we need to stay on the move once out. Well, I like living inside so I don’t mind. I just think that when we all follow the rules, things will look brighter sooner. But then again, nature!

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    • I like to understand why we are told to do things. I am concerned that people want us to do things “because they say so”, without good reason. What reasons are you given there for not visiting the beach? I am fortunate here that I can go for a walk and still be isolated.

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      • Aha! The reason reason we weren’t given beside the containing-argument. Here there are health experts that advice our parliament and then our PM gives an exposé. So it is second-hand info at that point. We are then filled in by virologists and scientist (on the news I mean).
        What they are trying to do here is to isolate the virus that much that they have control (over the virus, LOL) and than it would become possible to isolate only the contaminated people and their ‘bubble’. That is the reason we were given and everybody needs to stay in their ‘bubble’ which is the home.
        On the other hand they can’t wait to let the economy flourish again, so they evaluate every 2 weeks which is becoming a frustrating approach (to me at least).
        I do understand your concern (and rightfully so!) to ‘do as you are told’.

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        • There was an odd case here at the weekend. The Scottish Chief Medical Officer was forced to resign. Her offence? She has a second house out in the country, and she has been spending weekends there. This was discovered by a tabloid newspaper.
          Here is somebody who will know intimately about the virus, to the point where she is the person briefing the politicians. And she decided that the risk was so slight that she travelled between the two. So she knew the risk and travelled anyway. And yet the politician forced her out.
          The reason I think this is significant is that it is the first case, far as I know, where the politician knows better than the scientist.

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