Travel for exercise?

[Chris152]

Can anyone help me think this one through? Apparently,

'A document published by the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) and the professional standards body the College of Policing says [...] Driving to the countryside and walking – where more time is spent doing the latter than the former – is among a list of reasonable excuses for Britons leaving their home during the coronavirus lockdown'.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/ ... SltRczoAgw

The shortest drive we can do to a beach is 30 minutes round trip, more usually we do 50 mins round trip, and spend about 120 minutes in the sea surfing. So technically we can do that and call it reasonable. But do you think that's in the spirit of lockdown? Given that til lockdown it was our primary form of exercise, and that we can easily keep 2m from anyone else, is it 'right' for us to go surfing?

I'm trying to get my head round this before discussing it with my son. Thanks for any thoughts.

ps I'm talking only going out in small waves and less chance of harming ourselves than using a bandsaw, at least in my hands!

 

[banjerbill]

You know you shouldn't do it. I'm surprised you even considered it. Lockdown doesn't include trips to the beach.

 

[steve1001]

Hmmm.

Surfing = exercise. Maybe that is a border line case. Common sense tells me it should be ok, as long as you maintain distance.

Golf. In the same vain. Is it ok to go out on a golf course for exercise. Would the authorities frown on that? Golf courses in England are closed, so I believe.

Steve

 

[Chris152]

You know you shouldn't do it. I'm surprised you even considered it. Lockdown doesn't include trips to the beach.

According to that account, it does - at least, it clearly includes walking on the beach. So my question is, should we consider it to include surfing at that beach?

Or are you saying people shouldn't drive to walk, either?

 

[steve1001]

Reading some surfing websites. It's still not clear. Though some local police have stated NO.

What if you get in trouble while in the sea. The RNLI might not be fully manned due to Covid-19. Letting the population swim and surf could overstretch the service. If you get in trouble you are then putting the lives of others at risk, because they have to get close to you to attend to you.

Workers at sea depend on the RNLI. Fishermen need that service more than you do.

Thinking about it, surfing does not seem to be in the spirit of things.

Steve

 

[Trevanion]

There are police checkpoints at our local beach area and they're turning anyone around that doesn't live there. Might not be the case down your way but it wouldn't surprise me if some plod pulls you over upon seeing your boards and tells you to go home and possibly slap you with a fine.

It's probably not worth the risk. Then there's the possibility of you running into trouble out on the water and then the RNLI has to come out and save you and I'm sure they'd be very glad to see you.

 

[Chris152]

Good answers fellas, and i think i'm persuaded. Tho in 30+ years of surfing I've only once had to go to a&e and that was me being silly, trying something i wasn't good enough to do.
In fact, I am persuaded - if we go and others go, someone's going to get in a pickle and the scenarios you describe will become real.

 

[lurker]

I want to go fishing. Unless you fish you will not understand the desperate need.
The place I fish is 15 minutes drive.
I would not get more than 40 metres closer to another soul the whole time.

But we can’t go and that’s all there is to it.
As we saw before the lock down, there are too many idiots who given an inch will take a mile.

 

[Rorschach]

Surfing? I would say no, not because it isn't exercise but the lack of people around make it more dangerous if you get into trouble.

Other exercise though? Yeah crack on, cycling, running, walking etc.

We have been going out regularly for long walks, usually taking a sandwich with us. Doing up to 10 miles at a time. Yes we are driving to do that but we can be at our destination in 20minutes or less and we are walking for 3 hours+.

Went for a good walk this past weekend, saw lots of cyclists (some of it was on a National Cycle route) but very few walkers, went several miles where we were the only people in sight.

If the weather holds we will do the same again this weekend.

 

[Chris152]

Surfing? I would say no, not because it isn't exercise but the lack of people around make it more dangerous if you get into trouble.

Other exercise though? Yeah crack on, cycling, running, walking etc.

That danger's always there with surfing, Rorschach - not really more an issue in lockdown.
As for cycling and running, well there's plenty of concern about cycling and accidents, and apparently
'A Belgian study has shown that, due to associated wind speed and heavy breathing, runners should stay a minimum of 4 to 5 meters away from other people in order to prevent the spread of COVID-19. For cyclists, it’s a minimum of 10 meters, and up to 20 meters if you are going fast'
https://magicseaweed.com/news/surf-bans ... 8zaH8Xi3dU
and
https://medium.com/@jurgenthoelen/belgi ... df19c77d08
- something i see compromised dayly (how do you spell that?) on my dog walk.
At least in the sea you don't find yourself bumping into and breathing heavily over unsuspecting people out for a stroll!

 

[Lons]

IMO you've made the right choice Chris even though it doesn't make sense as unfortunately the only way you can police the rule is to make it for everyone as the idiots out there will abuse it and it will get out of control.

Like Lurker I'm a fisherman, fly fishing for trout and can easily avoid others, I'm also a golfer and though my club is officially closed would have no problems being on to the course, it's only minutes away which makes it worse but I won't do either because it doesn't feel right to do so.
It's all very frustrating for those of us who without question would fully comply for safety.

Apart from putting out the bins I've been out of the front gates only twice in nearly almost weeks, to collect a prescription and Tesco click and collect, I'm lucky as we have loads of space but I really feel for those living in apartments.

 

[Chris152]

Apart from putting out the bins I've been out of the front gates only twice in nearly almost weeks, to collect a prescription and Tesco click and collect, I'm lucky as we have loads of space but I really feel for those living in apartments.

Likewise, I've been to the shops twice in the last 5 weeks and keep reminding myself and the kids how lucky we are to have a garden to mess about in. I used to cycle most days but not now, we use a bike on a trainer which works fine (tho very boring) and I built a weight bench from scraps which is getting occasional use.

 

[Lons]

I finally got around to doing some major outdoor work I've been putting off for years as the thought of no exercise and too many biscuits didn't appeal much.
We have a very wild area of hedge, mostly blackthorn jungle a good 20 metres long x 3 metres deep and a natural pond behind it, it's on a slope into the field and in the corner there's also a culvert of sorts with stone walls, concrete slope down to an animal drinking trough. I've cleared out more than half the blackthorn but stuck 'cos birds are nesting, formed steps down to the pond and built a bridge over and just finished clearing the silt out of the culvert. It was 150mm thick at the top and at least 600 at the bottom but then it hasn't been touched for 20 years.

The bonfire is absolutely huge but there was a warning on the news today that they shouldn't be lit so it will have to wait until bonfire night.

Result is I'm knackered every night, back and knees are painful but I've lost 3/4 stone in 4 weeks.

 

[Rorschach]

Surfing? I would say no, not because it isn't exercise but the lack of people around make it more dangerous if you get into trouble.

Other exercise though? Yeah crack on, cycling, running, walking etc.

That danger's always there with surfing, Rorschach - not really more an issue in lockdown.
As for cycling and running, well there's plenty of concern about cycling and accidents, and apparently
'A Belgian study has shown that, due to associated wind speed and heavy breathing, runners should stay a minimum of 4 to 5 meters away from other people in order to prevent the spread of COVID-19. For cyclists, it’s a minimum of 10 meters, and up to 20 meters if you are going fast'
https://magicseaweed.com/news/surf-bans ... 8zaH8Xi3dU
and
https://medium.com/@jurgenthoelen/belgi ... df19c77d08
- something i see compromised dayly (how do you spell that?) on my dog walk.
At least in the sea you don't find yourself bumping into and breathing heavily over unsuspecting people out for a stroll!

Well normally there would be more people on the beach to sound the alarm, and in times like these you don't want to be calling out the RNLI.

 

[ScaredyCat]

You might need to convince a copper that surfing isn't a leisure activity but that it's an exercise one.

.

 

[Trainee neophyte]

I live 3km from my beach, which is 100km long, and almost entirely deserted. There would be zero chance of meeting anyone, let alone catching diseases from them, but it is still verboten. €300 fine as incentive - all beaches are closed. I get the point - if one beach is open then so are all the others, and then so are the cafés and sunbeds etc, but I can see it from my window!

At least I don't have to worry about bothering the local air-sea rescue - there's no such thing. If you get into trouble, you drown. Half a dozen people manage it every year.

 

[Chris152]

You might need to convince a copper that surfing isn't a leisure activity but that it's an exercise one.

I think there may be a lot of truth in that - the media tends to portray it as a hedonistic activity/ lifestyle. The truth's that it's like most other sports except that you can get very cold during the winter months if you don't wrap up well. I'd think there's more chance of ending up in a&e riding a bike even with the roads relatively empty, but cycling is perceived very much as a sport now? (eta - nothing against cycling, so long as people keep a good distance.)

At least I don't have to worry about bothering the local air-sea rescue - there's no such thing. If you get into trouble, you drown. Half a dozen people manage it every year.

We're really lucky to have RNLI - on days when there's more water moving it's reassuring to see them out and about, tho the truth is a lot of the time you're in the water when absolutely nobody's there (land or sea) except maybe others surfing.

Anyway, we'll be staying home til it's clear it's ok to do otherwise. Really appreciate all the replies.

 

[Rorschach]

I am sure you are right that a lot more cyclists and runners end up injured each than surfers. But I would argue that many times more people run or cycle than surf (it's a popular but niche) sport. If you get into trouble at sea you need a boat/helicopter to rescue you, if you get injured on a road then it is much easier for someone to attend to you.

 

[Chris152]

Yep - I was just making up the surf/ cycle accident rates, I've really no idea. I think the point's that they're perceived differently whereas the reality (both sports good for body and mind) isn't so remote.

 

[--Tom--]

Don’t forget that the guidance you mention is for England, don’t think Wales has issued anything similar and is free to impose different rules. So far they’ve largely been stricter than England though.