Boats moving about

[DavidofMersea]

Apropos #30, according to my paper today, tennis is not permitted, since it is considered a social gathering, even with household members playing together.

Simples, change your paper

 

[Marmalade]

Hi Simon long time no see. The word sensible is the weak point. Stay safe , I'm having a mild dose of it and it's horrible I'd hate to get a serious dose
(Typed on an iPad from my cell)

Sorry you've been "got" - hope it is really a mild dose Roger - as the PM found it's no joke - and philosophy apart - we're staying at home and not going out other than in accordance with the guidance - but there are still points of vulnerability - shopping stands out as the obvious one...
Get well soon...

 

[Marmalade]

It isn't a blanket ban.

The medical staff are still being allowed into the hospitals to look after the sick and injured, risking their lives in doing so. The shop staff, bus drivers, taxi drivers, food and pet food industry workers, the transport staff etc etc are all allowed to go to work, risking their health and lives in doing so, so we all have the essentials we need, like food.

There is a blanket ban on leisure activities though, so no sailing for anyone. But how can it be any other ?

Would it be OK for the guy that keeps his boat at the bottom of his garden, on his personal mooring, to go out ?
Can't see why not

How about the guy that lives within walking distance, still OK ?
Yep - I'd say he's OK to sail - assuming he can access his boat without interacting with others

What about his mate, he only has to drive 5 miles ?
That's stretching the meaning of "local" although depending on where he lives it might be "reasonable" - so no (although borderline) also see above re interacting with others...

How about 15 miles ?
Nope - definitely not local - hard to see how it would be reasonable.

What about the guy that keeps his boat next to me, it's a three hour drive for him ? He might think it unfair if he's the only one excluded, just because of the three hour drive, he's a really careful driver and he won't stop and touch anyone on the way.
Again - not local/reasonable. And life's not fair.

Maybe a round of golf would be OK, easy to keep 2mtrs apart on a golf course, surely ?
Also easy to forget and come closer, in a way that's not possible on a boat vis a vis other boaters - so no. Golf is competitive - ie you compete against someone - doesn't lend itself to social distancing

A game of tennis is obviously no problem, plenty of social distancing there.
See above - although the idea had occured to me - I can walk to my local court; but hard to access wiithout going through communal areas - so on balance - no.

The friends and family of the 8000+ dead from the virus probably don't feel like sailing anyway.

If anyone is feeling really bored because of the lockdown, there are plenty of volunteer jobs out there, get you out of the house, legitimately.

The latest guidance for police is that people should not be censured for driving a reasonable distance to exercise. That suggests that the act of using one's car is, in and of itself, not against the guidelines. I've tried to suggest less draconian, yet still safe responses, all in the spirit of open debate, rather than as a suggestion for others. I'm personally in the 45 min drive to boat bracket - and I'm able to take the push-bike into the countryside within half a mile of home so a) no car needed and b) would be hard to justify driving to the boat as "need" or in other workds - non essential.

 

[ex-Gladys]

What's starting to annoy me is the number of cyclists on footpaths. Let's face it, the roads are EMPTY... please people stop breaking the law

 

[Tomahawk]

Cyclists out cycling ...
Why is cycling permitted but sailing not?
Why is gardening in your allotment permitted, but sittng on the grass not?

 

[AntarcticPilot]

Cyclists out cycling ...
Why is cycling permitted but sailing not?
Why is gardening in your allotment permitted, but sittng on the grass not?

At least one local village has signs out asking Cyclists not to go through their village. I think they're on a route used by a local cycling club, and get a lot of cyclists through, mostly visibly breathing hard as they've just come up a hill (it's a fen village, and hence on land that is higher than the surrounding area). The signs aren't official, but I think were put out by someone concerned for a vulnerable person. As the cyclists are visibly "panting" (the word on the notice!), I think that has raised concerns that they could spread the virus.

I'm afraid I have little sympathy for those whose regular pastime is disrupted (including myself - during the warm weather last week I was regularly daydreaming about being out on the boat!). I am a lay minister, and Churches have been closed since the lockdown started, and were voluntarily restricted for a couple of weeks before that. For many people - far more than either cycle for sport or sail - this is the most important weekly activity that they participate in. Churches up and down the country are working hard to provide other means to access services etc., but they can not fully replace being physically together. We're conducting services using Zoom, and emailing out daily reflections; others are webcasting services, and many other solutions are being found. Of course, church weddings and baptisms are all postponed, and funerals restricted to committals at the graveside or in the crematorium, with restricted numbers present.

If churches can accept the lockdown with good grace, disrupting an activity that a sizeable proportion of the community sees as important, why can't other activities?

By the way, yes, I know about the daft American churches that are refusing to curtail their activities because of their "faith in the Lord"! I'm afraid that many of them will find themselves explaining to God why they ignored all the advice and help that was out there...

 

[Dee Bee]

At least one local village has signs out asking Cyclists not to go through their village. I think they're on a route used by a local cycling club, and get a lot of cyclists through, mostly visibly breathing hard as they've just come up a hill (it's a fen village, and hence on land that is higher than the surrounding area). The signs aren't official, but I think were put out by someone concerned for a vulnerable person. As the cyclists are visibly "panting" (the word on the notice!), I think that has raised concerns that they could spread the virus.

I'm afraid I have little sympathy for those whose regular pastime is disrupted (including myself - during the warm weather last week I was regularly daydreaming about being out on the boat!). I am a lay minister, and Churches have been closed since the lockdown started, and were voluntarily restricted for a couple of weeks before that. For many people - far more than either cycle for sport or sail - this is the most important weekly activity that they participate in. Churches up and down the country are working hard to provide other means to access services etc., but they can not fully replace being physically together. We're conducting services using Zoom, and emailing out daily reflections; others are webcasting services, and many other solutions are being found. Of course, church weddings and baptisms are all postponed, and funerals restricted to committals at the graveside or in the crematorium, with restricted numbers present.

If churches can accept the lockdown with good grace, disrupting an activity that a sizeable proportion of the community sees as important, why can't other activities?

By the way, yes, I know about the daft American churches that are refusing to curtail their activities because of their "faith in the Lord"! I'm afraid that many of them will find themselves explaining to God why they ignored all the advice and help that was out there...

I hear from a friend in the states that one of the leading lights advocating the opening of churches in the US on social media and attacking those wanting closure as Democrats out to get Trump, has ironically died of the virus.

 

[Old Harry]

I hear from a friend in the states that one of the leading lights advocating the opening of churches in the US on social media and attacking those wanting closure as Democrats out to get Trump, has ironically died of the virus.

Well at least he wasnt shot in church, so mixed blessings i guess

 

[Dee Bee]

“I Am Essential . . . I Talk to God!”: Virginia Pastor Who Defied Lock Down Order Has Died From Coronavirus

 

[AntarcticPilot]

“I Am Essential . . . I Talk to God!”: Virginia Pastor Who Defied Lock Down Order Has Died From Coronavirus

Basic "FAIL" in theology there - anyone can talk to God; ministers are not essential. Useful, and helpful in keeping things on a steady course, but not essential. See 1 Peter 2:9

 

[Tomahawk]

Artic,
I take yor point about various past times being closed down.. The problem is that we are social animals. We act in groups. Indeed religion is one of the greatest examples of community cooperation. This present activity is contrary to everything that we as humans stand for.

 

[jimi]

I find it hard to understand why sailing is not permitted if done solo or with family members .. and done safely without 3rd party contact or proximity.I suspect the reason is the potential for abuse by crews who are not in the same household. Likewise with travel , the risk points are when 3rd parties are encountered. Ie service stations , accidents. The other factor is if taken ill whilst away from home perhaps putting pressure on a rural health service. Cycling is much more obvious, you can see if people are breaking rules by group riding. The aerosol transmission is of short duration and normal social distancing should cater for it. I cycled over 230 miles last week and only encounters of concern were passing 7 other cyclists when keeping clear by a lot more than 2 metres was easily done

 

[Old Harry]

I find it hard to understand why sailing is not permitted if done solo or with family members .. and done safely without 3rd party contact or proximity.I suspect the reason is the potential for abuse by crews who are not in the same household. Likewise with travel , the risk points are when 3rd parties are encountered. Ie service stations , accidents. The other factor is if taken ill whilst away from home perhaps putting pressure on a rural health service. Cycling is much more obvious, you can see if people are breaking rules by group riding. The aerosol transmission is of short duration and normal social distancing should cater for it. I cycled over 230 miles last week and only encounters of concern were passing 7 other cyclists when keeping clear by a lot more than 2 metres was easily done

Where you just "out for a bike ride" or "going for it"at speed & a possible fall, thus requiring the services of a medical team.
Joining Pelaton would be safer

 

[Biggles Wader]

It isnt really about individual activity, rather about reducing all movement across all activities as far as practical. So while we all tend to think "I could do this or that" without much risk the problem is if 67 million people start to think similarly. The only practical answer is to have blanket restrictions however daft they may seem to a given individual. Hopefully we can soon get back to some sort of normality.

 

[Kurrawong_Kid]

What's starting to annoy me is the number of cyclists on footpaths. Let's face it, the roads are EMPTY... please people stop breaking the law

Because the few cars about are driving like maniacs! I normally cycle on the road but have been petrified the last few days by the speed and closeness by which I have been passed, often by women drivers, despite the offside of the road being empty. Boy racer types dangerously are passing horse riders without slowing down. But yesterday an HGV, courteously waited behind me until he was happy to draw across to give the recommended Highway Code distance. I am a car driver myself normally doing 15000 miles a year so have no axe to grind but I have prudently been riding for short distances on the pavement at known pinch points.
Stay safe.

 

[ex-Gladys]

Because the few cars about are driving like maniacs! I normally cycle on the road but have been petrified the last few days by the speed and closeness by which I have been passed, often by women drivers, despite the offside of the road being empty. Boy racer types dangerously are passing horse riders without slowing down. But yesterday an HGV, courteously waited behind me until he was happy to draw across to give the recommended Highway Code distance. I am a car driver myself normally doing 15000 miles a year so have no axe to grind but I have prudently been riding for short distances on the pavement at known pinch points.
Stay safe.

But that DOESN'T give them the right to put pedestrians at risk!

 

[AntarcticPilot]

Because the few cars about are driving like maniacs! I normally cycle on the road but have been petrified the last few days by the speed and closeness by which I have been passed, often by women drivers, despite the offside of the road being empty. Boy racer types dangerously are passing horse riders without slowing down. But yesterday an HGV, courteously waited behind me until he was happy to draw across to give the recommended Highway Code distance. I am a car driver myself normally doing 15000 miles a year so have no axe to grind but I have prudently been riding for short distances on the pavement at known pinch points.
Stay safe.

Because of our location, I have to drive to get to large supermarkets, if the local store doesn't have what we need. It's only 3-4 miles! But I find that under the present conditions I am driving slower than I usually do, despite the empty roads. I also see fewer cyclists than usual, despite us being located in ideal cycling territory (the Fens are flat!)

One bonus of the lock-down is that we are saving a lot on fuel - my wife usually drives about 400 miles a week to get to work! So that's offsetting the 20% reduction in her salary quite nicely. But I am feeling very sorry for those who have lost their jobs or whose income is severely limited by the lock-down.

 

[Black Diamond]

I'm happy to say that I've found motorists unusually considerate when I've been out pedalling for exercise (alone) in the past three weeks, and also that as AP alludes to, I perceive most drivers to be more courteous than before and driving more slowly (apart from the inevitable teenage moron in their lowered-suspension comedy cars). I blithely hope that this rediscovery of our motoring manners will last well beyond our release.

 

[Kurrawong_Kid]

But that DOESN'T give them the right to put pedestrians at risk!

Agree wholeheartedly. I did write “prudently” and “for a short distance”and”at pinch points”. My point is that my experience is that those few motorists who are about are unusually cavalier: maybe expressing their frustrations of the lockdown by releasing their aggression through the accelerator.

 

[ex-Gladys]

I must agree, we have shopping to delivery to in-laws which involves a trip down the A12, and there have been some loons on that the last couple of weeks