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You are saying "risk isn't being minimised elsewhere, so why should I minimise risk myself?"
That is not what I'm saying, in fact I specifically stated that "of course we want to mitigate risks". From a societal standpoint though, which is the one the government should take, it is about fighting the big sources of infection first.
I'm just drawing attention to the fact that what a lot of people here consider to be a normal amount of exercise does not appear normal to others right now
Honestly, that's the problem of those 'other people'. Also, how exactly are people judging how much exercise I'm doing when I'm out and about on my usual run? I'm not carrying a placard telling them which kilometre I'm on.
Indeed, but the government does not have the resources to go through every activity and say [...]
But I'm not asking them to. At all. I mean, all I'm really doing here is being frustrated and annoyed anyway, to be honest. But inasmuch as I'm trying to bring across any point, I'm just annoyed at how quickly some people support measures to curb a basic human right like going out for a walk or run or whatever, and how stupid that looks next to seemingly no measures being taken for the much bigger risks that still exist.
And it's not me asking for special permission for that one special thing that only I want to do, it's really not. Getting out for some fresh air is a basic human requirement, that's why people are punished with imprisonment. And while I'm out, it really doesn't matter whether I'm walking, jogging, nordic walking, cycling, recumbent cycling, or walking backwards on my hands, as long as I keep away from others and don't do it in a group of people I don't live with.
SwissChap-
that's why people are punished with imprisonment.
They still get out for a bit of air quite often
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From a societal standpoint though, which is the one the government should take, it is about fighting the big sources of infection first.
So people were asked to work from home; schools were shut; restaurant, clubs and pubs were shut; and now other non-essential shops were shut and people have been asked to stay home if possible. How much more needs to be done before we stop think that it's just business as usual from a cycling perspective? Why can't we do our bit to minimise risk around cycling before everything else is sorted first?
I'm just annoyed at how quickly some people support measures to curb a basic human right like going out for a walk or run or whatever,
I don't think that anyone here is suggesting that we do that (I'm not), just that we contribute to minimising the risk as much as we can in a way that's compatible with maintaining our mental and physical health.
And while I'm out, it really doesn't matter whether I'm walking, jogging, nordic walking, cycling, recumbent cycling, or walking backwards on my hands, as long as I keep away from others and don't do it in a group of people I don't live with.
"Well it's all people I've seen recently isn't it? And we're not going to be hugging one another, and the kids have all probably had it already anyway, and we'll all have separate drinks, so it's not like anyone's going to be catching it at a barbecue is it? And we all need to get together now and then to keep our spirits up", @Aroogah's neighbor (probably).
psg1ben
ffm
Then that is pretty much your argument. You are saying "risk isn't being minimised elsewhere, so why should I minimise risk myself?" The problem is that there is a positive feedback loop here. If people see us all lycra-ed up they will think, "well that blokes carrying on as usual, why shouldn't I do my usual thing of heading round to my mate's for a beer and chat." I think appearances are important now, as all the small additional risks add up over a country of 60 million people.
I agree that people should still be able to go out and exercise. I'm just drawing attention to the fact that what a lot of people here consider to be a normal amount of exercise does not appear normal to others right now, and is probably far more than the minimum required to just keep things ticking over for a couple of months.
Indeed, but the government does not have the resources to go through every activity and say "person X your common-sense idea of what you can do while minimising impact on others is fine but [person Y] your idea is not." The best they can do is offer guidance and ask us to do what we can.
TBH, I'm not that bothered about people cycling right now, it's a shitload better than other forms of exercise. I'm just irritated that people think "my risk assessment is fine, but we can't trust other people's".