Social Distancing? What Social Distancing?!

[ToraToraTora]

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/uknews/its-madness-like-everyones-forgotten-about-coronavirus-thousands-of-locked-down-brits-cram-onto-packed-beaches-as-temperatures-soar-to-82f-on-hottest-day-of-the-year/ar-BB14lR9K?li=BBoPWjQ&ocid=mailsignout#
We are doomed as a species!

[fiction-factory]

I noticed today that most of those who ignored social distancing and the direction arrows were wearing gloves and masks (although some kept lifting the masks on and off and some had them under their chins). They also seemed happy to block aisles with their trolleys

[Mozz71]

Social distancing's all gone to pot. There was a group of moped/scooter riders taking a breather near my flat earlier. Must've been about a dozen of them. Looked like a scene from Quadrophenia.

[andy-hughes]

TTT - // Spanish flu, SARS etc...but we are still here \\ - I was referring to general human stupidity, this won't wipe us out but something will and it'll be aided and abetted by us. //

I think not - the stupid people in any sort of position to act on their stupidity in a way that would seriously harm the human race are a tiny fraction - easily overruled by the sensible ones.

[Spicerack]

That really bugged you, didn't it. BM?

[Cloverjo]

Barmaid//Did you also know that social distancing doesnt apply if you mutter the very english "sorry" and then reach across someone in the supermarket?//

It also doesn’t apply to supermarket floor staff who will happily come right next to you to fill a shelf.

[Barmaid]

Yes, Spicerack. In fact coming into contact with most people is bugging me right now. I have learned that
A) a lot of people do not understand arrows
B) 2m only applies to other people
C) 2m is in fact a moveable goal post depending on how much of a hurry you are in
D) "sorry" prevents the spread
E) I'm the grumpiest person I know.

[Spicerack]

Thought you wanted to get back to normal, ttt?
These people may be doing you all a favour burning through the virus and killing it with herd immunity.

[Spicerack]

2 metres means nothing. It was plucked from the air by the Gov.
Seems, in America, the majority of new cases are coming from people and states that locked down.
Hard to know what's for the best, isn't it?

[Cloverjo]

‘The Public’ doesn’t make a mass decision to all go to the same park or beach. Each individual person or household sees the sun and wants to get out.

Like Sue Perkins on Twitter “Look at all these people on the heath. Madness!” Well, you’re one of them, Sue.

[Hopkirk]

As usual the Mail uses photos on telephoto lenses to make a reasonable scene look unreasonable.

[bednobs]

part of my work is in a shared facility with English/French. There are currently discussions on how the workplace is going to open when each nationality has different social distancing rules!

[Spicerack]

You'll end up on the wrong side of the dock, BM, if you don't chill out a bit. ;-)

[bednobs]

my hometown and a lot of my friends are on the coast. It really boils my p*** that they are all on FB moaning about the deluge of people coming to "their" beach. Like the people that live nearer it "own" it

[Spicerack]

Most countries use 1 metre don't they, bednobs?

[jno]

Bednobs is right, people seem well apart in most of those photos - look at the Bournemouth one. But when you get your camera down low and use a zoom lens it makes them look closer than they really are, so the Mail can express its outrage. Magic!

[bednobs]

interestingly, the French SD rules are less than ours, but they apply them much more rigorously

[New Judge]

I think the fable of “social distancing” needs to be laid bare.

First of all, it is frequently referred to as a “rule”. It is not a rule; it is nowhere to be found in any legislation; it is not enforceable. If you are out and about with the one person you have chosen from another household in a “….public open space for the purposes of open-air recreation to promote your physical or mental health or emotional wellbeing” you can give them a hug, give them a kiss, sit on their lap. There is nothing anybody can do about it. You can then split up and take up with another person and do the same.

The government keeps on publishing guidance which sets out what we can do. Much of it is accompanied by the proviso “subject to social distancing rules”. For example this:

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-guidance-on-spending-time-outdoors

“Details on a range of outdoor activities which will be allowed in England from 13 May 2020 subject to social distancing rules”. This is totally misleading. The Coronavirus Regulations and the recent amendments are not subject to social distancing “rules”.

So to the practicalities. Even with the limited range of activities currently permitted, maintaining a 2m gap between every person is totally impractical and often impossible. Everybody religiously queues 2m apart to get into a shop. Once they are in all bets are off. Many smaller shops - and even many of the larger ones - have aisles less than 2m wide and people will not hang about whilst somebody is studying the allergy warnings on a packet of Bisto. They have to pass by closer than 2m away. Many of the footpaths where I live are considerably less than 2m wide. If social distancing is to be maintained buses must be taken out of service. They are only 2.4m wide with a gangway down the middle.

So what of future proposals?

- The idea that school pupils – especially younger ones – will maintain a 2m gap is pure fantasy and the notion that teachers will be able to enforce it is equally risible.

- Aviation? No chance. All we hear about is how far apart passengers will sit on the aircraft. That’s the least of the problems. There’s checking in, embarkation, using the toilet, refreshments on board, disembarkation, the luggage carousel. None of this is possible whilst keeping 2m apart. Civil aviation and social distancing are mutually exclusive activities.

- Train and tube travel? The government is urging people to return to work. They are also urging them to avoid public transport. Unless tubes and trains are to be restricted to about 15% of their capacity social distancing is impossible. If they are to be so restricted 85% of the population who work in the large cities – especially London – will not get to work.

It’s coming to make-your-mind-up-time for the government. Either they keep these “rules” in place and see the economy totally destroyed and children’s education slaughtered. Or they find another way, save their education and restrict the economic damage to merely catastrophic.

[Cloverjo]

Everyone should wear masks when outside their own household.

Wouldn’t that help? Then we could all get back to some kind of normal.

[Barmaid]

I know, Spicerack. My husband waits with baited breath when I go on a provisions trip as to whether I shall be coming home with the goodies or banged up in a cell after losing my rag in the cat food aisle at Tescos.

[jno]

isn't "normal" where people are outraged at Muslims covering their face>