You don't need to be an 'investor' to invest in Singletrack: 6 days left: 95% of target - Find out more
I know, I know.
Not sure which thread to put this in, so here goes.
As I understand the lockdown guidelines the fundamentals haven’t changed, we should still be staying and working from home, unless that is not at all possible or your employer can put in place safe social distancing. Exercise from home or you may drive to meet someone from outside your household or to take exercise? I hope I’ve got the gist here?
Is my compass way off kilter here and AIBU?
On the way home from work, food industry “key worker”, this morning I pass two camper vans parked in the entrance to a Forestry car park, Symonds Yat Rock for the FOD locals. The car park is closed and barreired off, no access. Both had thermal blinds in the front windows, one had the side door open, bed made up, occupant just woken up sat up in bed. Very obviously overnight camping.
Is lockdown unofficially over or are the complete pisstaking assholes going to cause second / third wave death counts that make the current numbers look like a small bump in the road?
Flame away!
Seeing as it's tucked well out of the way from regular traffic they probably thought they'd not be seen.
Either way it's against the spirit of the rules (is it against them in England?) and a dick move by them.
Perhaps they are people with no fixed abode who live in their vans full time and had been driven off their other secluded spots by outraged of keyworkerdom
Perhaps they are people with no fixed abode who live in their vans full time
Drip feeding, but in a VW T5? Both of them? Stretching van life to the limit.
Well who knows .you don't and i don't.
Nothing more than a whatiffery outrage thread.
Wgaf
Mehhhh, unlimited exercise, allowed to drive for exercise, not sure dossing in a van in the middle of nowhere is particulalry adding a huge risk to that.
Compared to the average person the rules are based arround protecting driving to a park with hundreds of other.
Virtue signalling at it's worst, honestly are they really causing a problem
I'm a bit of a sucker for van life videos on YouTube. This guy gives an interesting perspective on how pitchfork wielding locals treat live-in van dwellers during lockdown.
I think camping is still illegal in England, if so, they shouldn't be doing it.
How much of an additional risk are those two? Probably not much. If everyone in a van thinks "sod it, we're away this weekend" then we have a potential problem.
Saw the same thing in the car park at the local nature reserve. Don't really see anything wrong with it at all.
Were there a couple of dozen people having a big barbecue and party? No? So what’s the problem?
Camping is still illegal in England so, in theory, they shouldn't be there.
However, there are certainly folk of no fixed abode who have no other choice. There's a guy up near us who has been camping in a T5 in the area for over a year. Not sure that's quite right either but I doubt he has any other option at the moment.
Not many options for construction workers in many areas- b and b's closed and prob a bigger risk than staying in a van.
On the other hand, about half a godzillion (estimated figure) people have turned up at beaches in Devon and Cornwall in their T5's, putting immense strain on smaller local infrastructure ie RNLI/ coastguard, local hospitals, police (blocking roads cos car parks are full, limiting emergency access etc).
So yes it might be fine for one, but not every one.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-devon-5274251 9">BBC News article
How about you start using your brain?
Is a guy sleeping in van either contracting a virus, or passing it on to other people? Probably less than a *food industry key worker*, so why don't you wind your neck in and leave them alone, just because they're doing something you can't or wont do?
I am amazed at what this pandemic has done to people. Paranoid people everywhere. Glad I don't live in a van at this time.
@yourguitarhero - why don't you invite them to sleep on your drive? You could let them plug into your electric too as you're such a nice person.
@yourguitarhero – why don’t you invite them to sleep on your drive? You could let them plug into your electric too as you’re such a nice person
Straw man argument is manly and made of straw...
Interesting that I just posted in the main coronavirus thread about this situation bringing out the worst kind of nimbyism in some people. Some guy kipping in a van is not increasing anyone's risk of catching coronavirus.
In the interest of a little humanitarian balance, anyone passing by my gaffe who needs to grab some shut-eye is welcome to park up for the night, keep yourself to yourself, and stay safe. I might even donate you some leccy 🙂
Full time van living myself at the moment. House rented out was meant to be an epic year out round uk, Europe and Morocco but instead many paranoid feelings if we even venture out to get food or gas for the motorhome because of people like op. Not fun.
Yeah, we went out in the motorhome yesterday (it’s been sat for ages, so for the sake of the tyres, brakes etc etc etc I thought we should take it for a spin), lots of dirty looks, but you can Park it at a supermarket and get lots of shopping in it.
The reality is that the vast majority of campervan/motorhome/day van owners do not live in them. The rules are clear, you should not be doing non-essential journeys, nor staying out overnight. We've got a motorhome and although frustrated we can't use it, we accept that we have to follow the rules for the benefit of others in these strange times.
For the tiny percentage of genuine van "livers" it must be tricky at the moment.
The reality is that the vast majority of campervan/motorhome/day van owners do not live in them.
Agreed. But the op is getting frothed up without knowing if they are or not. That's not healthy.
Frothing is govt approved exercise nowadays
😜
On the other hand, about half a godzillion (estimated figure) people have turned up at beaches in Devon and Cornwall in their T5’s
To be fair, it wasn't just T5 owners. It was chumps in all kinds of vehicles. My T5 will be sitting outside the house gathering dust for some weeks yet.
My vans been a good office.
Thankfully it's warm now and I don't have to go get lpg for the heater.
Have seen the same "tutting" as towzer has had.
I would say something in the region of 50% of people aren't doing any social distancing or lockdown other than 'public'. Ie what they have to do in shops etc where other people might get the hump.
Out and about you would struggle to discern a difference in these people's behaviour.
Lockdown my arse. 50% of people are doing what the **** they like.
Where's the bit in the legislation about not being allowed to stay overnight somewhere? I've heard a few folk quote it but can't find the reference to it. Ta
Dannyh nails it, for many lock down is over and was just a paid jolly for 6 weeks.
There's been anything from 2 to about a dozen camper vans parked up in the big car park at the top of Blue John mines (Peak District) ever since lockdown. The road is closed but they've moved the signs, driven in and once around the bend, they can't be seen from the main road at all. Actually quite a nice secluded spot, looks out over Castleton and the Broken Road, it's got Mam Tor behind them.
God only knows how much human shit is in the bushes behind the camper set up now though!
One guy looks to be testing out some sort of overland safari set up! Could be travellers / people of no fixed address / van lifers. Could be people on basically a 6-week paid holiday. But not a lot anyone can do about it and from the brief cycle through on a couple of occasions when I've seen them, they didn't appear to be throwing a big party.
They're not gonna cause a "second wave" but they are still pisstaking arseholes, IMO.
We all want to be able to go back to having a night away somewhere, so why do some deserve it sooner than others?
We all want to be able to go back to having a night away somewhere, so why do some deserve it sooner than others?
How else can we come out of lockdown? If Boris says "July 1st, lockdown is over, everything is open, travel where you like" what do you think would happen? Its going to have to be piecemeal, it won't be possible for everybody to do it at once.
stumpyjon
Subscriber
Dashed
Advice here
Sorry - am I being dim - can't see anything relevant on that site?
I appreciate that campsites are shut etc, but is the principle of staying overnight (in a van, bivvy, tent, bus shelter) actually prohibited anywhere? Lots of people have told me that's the case but it seems to be driven more by the fact there's no where to stay (campsites, hotels, B&Bs etc are all shut) rather than any legislation that you have to sleep in your own bed each night.
I appreciate that campsites are shut etc, but is the principle of staying overnight (in a van, bivvy, tent, bus shelter) actually prohibited anywhere? Lots of people have told me that’s the case but it seems to be driven more by the fact there’s no where to stay (campsites, hotels, B&Bs etc are all shut) rather than any legislation that you have to sleep in your own bed each night.
I have heard it said in official statements but the closest I have found written down is: Leaving your home - the place you live - to stay at another home is not allowed.
from: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-outbreak-faqs
"1.7 Are there restrictions on how far I can travel for my exercise or outdoor activity?
No. You can travel to outdoor open space irrespective of distance. You shouldn’t travel with someone from outside your household unless you can practise social distancing - for example by cycling. Leaving your home - the place you live - to stay at another home is not allowed."
Some campers tried it last week
Can't find it right this minute but there was an article on BBC a few days ago saying that travellers were facing even more persecution than usual.
A lot rely on public amenities, leisure centres etc for showers & toilets but they're all closed.
Dannyh nails it, for many lock down is over and was just a paid jolly for 6 weeks.
that narrative didn’t take long to get started, all those workshy furloughed.
Well I have broke the rules 3 times in the last week.
I have stayed at a holiday home 2 miles from my primary residence. Very nice it was to.
In no way did my behaviour increase the risk of anyone contracting the virus, in fact it is more remote than my home, so it probably decreased any possibility.
I got slagged for it on a thread at the beginning of lockdown and no doubt will again.
Regarding the OP, why would anyone get upset at that? If I had a camper and drove out somewhere "nice" for a bike ride and when I was finished, the area was still really quiet, I would happily say "**** it" and spend the night. No harm done. In fact my stress levels and BP would drop nicely after weeks of lockdown.
In one respect I think the ambiguity over what we're not/supposed to do is quite good.
After all, this is the UK and everybody bends rules to their own preference.
We're all going to get the virus some day, all of us. It'll kill 5%, many will hardly, if at all, notice it. The point of the distancing is to get us going onto the ventilators in a steady stream, not all at once.
It won't kill 5% of us - that's over 3 Million people !!
I have stayed at a holiday home 2 miles from my primary residence. Very nice it was to.
It might not be a big deal or risk for you or the communities involved.
But bragging about it online, even jokingly, that should be a big fine, if not imprisonment.
How else can we come out of lockdown? If Boris says “July 1st, lockdown is over, everything is open, travel where you like” what do you think would happen? Its going to have to be piecemeal, it won’t be possible for everybody to do it at onc
It may have to be piecemeal, but should it be whoever thinks they are special enough gets to break the rules and do it first?
Same thing could be said about riding in bigger groups than two. I've seen plenty doing it, and plenty not doing it. I am not, but is it OK if I do because there are plenty of others who are sticking to the rules?
Also, the rules on day trips were not relaxed piecemeal in England - everyone could suddenly go to the beach or hills at the same time, and it was mostly OK actually.
It won’t kill 5% of us – that’s over 3 Million people !!
1% of 60% of 65m.
That's still nearly 400,000.
I think the problem isn't that the OP saw evil "CV19 spreaders", it's that the actions the people he saw taking are a clear indication that the lockdown is breaking down, there's definitely more traffic about (anecdotal of course).
The whole lockdown exercise really relies on the population participating by consent, in the interests of the common good.
Once individuals start with visible "minor transgressions" (even if they don't directly hurt anyone) the first step has been taken towards the public more widely disregarding lockdown and what it was intended to achieve.
It's not that they're a danger to all its simply that by dipping their toe back into #vanlife and doing something that's not really necessary just for the insta-likes, well it sends a signal to others. And thus the message of "do whatever the **** you fancy" is reinforced and normal activities resumed, helping CV19 to spread amongst the herd, thinning out the old and infirm...
The OP asked if lockdown was over, I think for many it has been pretty much since VE day...
The OP asked if lockdown was over, I think for many it has been pretty much since VE day…
Not many. A minority. Most people are still trying to do the right thing and stay within the rules, which is all that was required. And quite a few still haven't even gone that far.
A friend of mine lives in her van, a converted T5 panel van. Looks bog standard from the outside, she's quiet and respectful of her environment and has lived and worked in the area for years.
She was staying in a spot she's used before, nice rural location, not directly opposite houses or anything. Police had a chat as they were passing one day, she explained her situation, they were happy with it. A few days later Police came back to move her on as they'd had complaints from locals.
Luckily she's now house sitting for some friends with an empty holiday let but it was a stressful situation as anywhere she moved onto, the worry was that she would be asked to leave. Not easy to get a good night's sleep. Especially several(?) months of lockdown.