Level 4 Query

[rsvp]

Afternoon all and hope you are keeping safe and well. I have googled, searched, asked and been on government websites but am unable to get a definite answer as to what 'remain in your local area when exercising' means - there doesn't seem to be a definite mileage limit if indeed I am allowed to drive to walk or must I only do it by leaving from home on foot. Very grateful for any help, thank you

[mushroom25]

// Just telling the police officer that you haven’t broken any rules is enough to get you fined £200. //

er, no. the policeman cannot fine you. only a court can do that.
The policeman can issue you a fixed penalty notice. you are quite within your rights to decline it, and demand your day in court. and I wonder what would appear on the charge sheet. "Dissing a Police Officer", possibly? It might be considered offensive, but is it actually an offence?

[New Judge]

Yes, mush. It's not usually too important to differentiate between a fine and a fixed penalty. To most people it amounts to one and the same - they end up shelling out. But I think it's becoming increasingly important for people to realise the difference if the police are beginning to exceed their powers as they did in Derbyshire.

[webbo3]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/explainers-52530518

[New Judge]

The BBC's guidance is incorrect in two respects. It says:

"Exercise allowed outdoors once a day, in your local area."

It is neither restricted to once a day nor is it restricted to your local area (whatever that might mean).

It also says they allow:

"Shopping for essentials such as food and medicine"

Shopping is not restricted to essentials. It is restricted to goods and services provided by the shops or businesses that are allowed to open under the legislation. This led to another abuse of police powers in the earlier lockdown where police, for a short while before they were admonished for it, began rifling through shoppers baskets to see if they had purchased "non-essential" goods.

So now we have the BBC adding to the confusion.

[MartinMillar]

In Northern Ireland local is 10 miles

[Atheist]

Why can't people walk to the gym or to the open ground or park or moor, and then walk home again? Free exercise without breaking any rules.

[MartinMillar]

Well for me to walk to the park is 7 miles on open roads no footpath where there have been 4 accident in 10 days

[bednobs]

our police have been driving round slowly (presumably looking for people to as about why they are out?) my husband was passed 3 times out on his dog walk yesterday

[New Judge]

//...my husband was passed 3 times out on his dog walk yesterday//

They're obviously rushed off their feet.

[Sunk]

Matt Hancock is applauding innocent people being fined.

Well he would wouldn’t he.

[New Judge]

//Matt Hancock is applauding innocent people being fined.//

I've far greater worries about the police persecuting innocent people than have about the government threatening to tear up part of the Brexit Withdrawal Agreement (and so "break international law"). What a fuss was raised over that).

Instead of applauding unlawful activities by the police, Mr Hancock should produce one of his "Statutory Instruments" (of which he's very fond) to bring in the restrictions he craves.

[Paigntonian]

Get over yourself. Go out to do vital things and stay in as much as you can. What's hard?

[teacake44]

^^ Exercise is vital, but yet again the government and police throw confusion into the pan, so you now have people wondering whats going to happen should they take their daily exercise, or put it another way, should they be unlucky enough to bump into an over excited police officer, can they afford it.

[New Judge]

Do you enjoy the idea that people are facing penalties for indulging in lawful activities, Paigntonian?

What's next? Speeding fines for doing 69mph as it's not "in the spirit of the law"? I don't mind the government giving me advice. I do mind being threatened with criminal sanctions for not acting on it.