# Woman arrested for sitting on a bench



## hollydolly (Jan 10, 2021)

Now I know we don't know the whole story but if you watch the video here, it appears a woman has been arrested for merely sitting on a bench, and another couple are being severely warned and fined £200 for being seen walking on a second road in the same area.. . The Lockdown rules here are that we can leave the house for shopping, for medical purposes, to escape domestic abuse, to take an animal to the vet ,  and for a period of exercise  within our local areas.. .. we're permitted to be with only family in our own bubble, and to stay 6 feet  away from anyone else.. we do  not as yet have to wear face coverings in public..

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/ar...id-rule-breakers-just-ONE-verbal-warning.html


----------



## Furryanimal (Jan 10, 2021)

I’ve seen a story that Derbyshire police fined two women who took a flask of peppermint tea on their walk.
They said it was an illegal picnic.
i can’t see a video on your link.
I shall be eating a Greggs breakfast bap tomorrow..think that is legal here.


----------



## hollydolly (Jan 10, 2021)

@Furryanimal , sorry.. I've corrected the link...

Yes I saw that story about the Picnic malarkey... apparently the local plod were wrapped over the knuckles for that and the ladies are to get their fines rescinded..and too right, although picnics have been made unlawful currently there's no law that says you can't walk with a drink or even a greggs steak bake... in fact what's the difference between walking with a can of coke and chocolate bar.. and walking with a cup of peppermint coffee, and a sandwich... nothing!!... especially as the 2 women had gone to great pains to social distance  not only arriving in separate cars but even parking in parking spaces 2 spaces apart......


----------



## Furryanimal (Jan 10, 2021)

hollydolly said:


> @Furryanimal , sorry.. I've corrected the link...
> 
> Yes I saw that story about the Picnic malarkey... apparently the local plod were wrapped over the knuckles for that and the ladies are to get their fines rescinded..and too right, although picnics have been made unlwful currently there's no law that says you can't walk with a drink or even a greggs steak bake... in fact what's the difference between walking with a can of cxoke and chcolate bar.. and walking with a cup of peepermint coffee, and a sandwich... nothing!!... especially as the 2 women had gone to great pains to social distance  not only arriving in separate cars bu even parking in spaces 2 spaces apart...


Now I can’t get off the thread


----------



## StarSong (Jan 10, 2021)

@hollydolly, the link is to this very thread.  It just refreshes this page.


----------



## Jules (Jan 10, 2021)

I can’t view it either.


----------



## Pinky (Jan 10, 2021)

Jules said:


> I can’t view it either.


Ditto


----------



## RadishRose (Jan 10, 2021)

https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/13699433/cop-england-fine-lockdown-flouters-first-time/


----------



## hollydolly (Jan 10, 2021)

Well I have no idea how that happened, hopefully you can all see it on this link


https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/ar...id-rule-breakers-just-ONE-verbal-warning.html


----------



## OneEyedDiva (Jan 10, 2021)

The link doesn't open for me either.  But I wonder if the woman was walking and just got tired. Don't know her age but if that was the case, I understand needing to do that.


----------



## hollydolly (Jan 10, 2021)

I just put a new link OED


----------



## StarSong (Jan 10, 2021)

hollydolly said:


> Well I have no idea how that happened, hopefully you can all see it on this link
> 
> 
> https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/ar...id-rule-breakers-just-ONE-verbal-warning.html


Success on the link.  Third time's the charm, right?    

What's your perspective on this, Holly?  It sure seems heavy-handed to me.


----------



## hollydolly (Jan 10, 2021)

StarSong said:


> Success on the link.  Third time's the charm, right?
> 
> What's your perspective on this, Holly?  It sure seems heavy-handed to me.


yes absolutely heavy handed at first sight... and as we're permitted to exercise she was exercising that right.. although how sitting on a bench would spread C-19 I have no idea, but in their wisdom the govt has ruled we cannot.. and on further investigation it transpired she was arrested for denying the existence of the pandemic, and refused to move from the bench unless the police could show proof.. there's always a back story *sigh*


----------



## Pinky (Jan 10, 2021)

They're serious about the new restrictions, that's for certain. Perhaps this is what it takes to control the spreading of the virus. Some would consider it overkill.


----------



## StarSong (Jan 10, 2021)

hollydolly said:


> and refused to move from the bench unless the police could show proof..


I wondered if there was more to this story...


----------



## rgp (Jan 10, 2021)

I opened in new tab, no problem.


----------



## hollydolly (Jan 10, 2021)

StarSong said:


> I wondered if there was more to this story...


it still doesn't explain the second story where the couple have been stopped for being seen in one street and then a second road close by...


----------



## StarSong (Jan 10, 2021)

I'm surprised about restricting people to one outing per, but not requiring masks.  

The police and the people they were talking to were closer than 6 feet apart. While the police were masked, members of the public were not. 

What's up with that?


----------



## hollydolly (Jan 10, 2021)

StarSong said:


> I'm surprised about restricting people to one outing per, but not requiring masks.
> 
> The police and the people they were talking to were closer than 6 feet apart. While the police were masked, members of the public were not.
> 
> What's up with that?


 beggared if I know, but it's mighty annoying to those of us who are abiding by the rules


----------



## Warrigal (Jan 10, 2021)

hollydolly said:


> yes absolutely heavy handed at first sight... and as we're permitted to exercise she was exercising that right.. although how sitting on a bench would spread C-19 I have no idea, but in their wisdom the govt has ruled we cannot.. and on further investigation it transpired she was arrested for denying the existence of the pandemic, and refused to move from the bench unless the police could show proof.. there's always a back story *sigh*


Yes, there always is. She thinks she is special and can interpret the rules to suit herself. When called out she argues the toss with the police. Never a good strategy.


----------



## Furryanimal (Jan 10, 2021)

Firstly,why are the police filming people when they are in town?
But I think we would all agree that sitting on a bench,at the seaside,drinking a coffee,nowhere near anyone else is absolutely disgusting.Anyone who does it should be put away for a very long time.It’s not as if the police have anything better to do-like catching actual criminals.
And if I said that on another seniors forum it would be removed and i’d get a warning from a moderator for highlighting the absurdity of it all.Think Bees....
Reminds me of when they reopened the cafe at my local lake.We were told we were not to sit down to eat the food we bought.We had to eat it standing up while walking around said lake.Couldn’t stand still.I regret I did sit on a bench to eat my burger.I’m a criminal.
This time around we are allowed to sit on a bench in the park..as far as I’m aware.Back in March our parks were closed.


----------



## Furryanimal (Jan 10, 2021)

StarSong said:


> I'm surprised about restricting people to one outing per, but not requiring masks.
> 
> The police and the people they were talking to were closer than 6 feet apart. While the police were masked, members of the public were not.
> 
> What's up with that?


You do not have to wear a mask when in the open air...but if you are on a Stagecoach bus you must travel in silence as the company have decided talking from behind your mask spreads the virus.I did ask them about this-and I got told off for questioning their logic.
The other two bus companies in my area do not have this silly rule.


----------



## hollydolly (Jan 10, 2021)

Furryanimal said:


> Firstly,why are the police filming people when they are in town?
> But I think we would all agree that sitting on a bench,at the seaside,drinking a coffee,nowhere near anyone else is absolutely disgusting.Anyone who does it should be put away for a very long time.It’s not as if the police have anything better to do-like catching actual criminals.
> And if I said that on another seniors forum it would be removed and i’d get a warning from a moderator for highlighting the absurdity of it all.Think Bees....
> Reminds me of when they reopened the cafe at my local lake.We were told we not to sit down to eat the food we bought.We had to eat it standing up while walking around said lake.Couldn’t stand still.I regret I did sit on a bench to eat my burger.I’m a criminal.
> This time around we are allowed to sit on a bench in the park..as far as I’m aware.Back in March our parks were closed.


yep back in the summer we had all the benches taped off, and apparently many  the benches nhere have been taped off again... but  when I was in the park in the summer, I sat down on the Bench with the tape over it, because I have lower back problems and I can't just stand still, I need to either walk or rest for a few minutes. There was no-one anywhere near me, but I got the ''looks'' from joggers and cyclists  about 50 yards away as they passed by


----------



## hollydolly (Jan 10, 2021)

Furryanimal said:


> You do not have to wear a mask when in the open air...but if you are on a Stagecoach bus you must travel in silence as the company have decided talking from behind your mask spreads the virus.I did ask them about this-and I got told off for questioning their logic.
> The other two bus companies in my area do not have this silly rule.


I don't travel by bus but I'm told every other seat is taped off, is that correct ?


----------



## Furryanimal (Jan 10, 2021)

hollydolly said:


> I don't travel by bus but I'm told every other seat is taped off, is that correct ?


Depends....I have three companies in my area.
Seats immediately next to the driverare taped off.Otherwise no.
But they all have different seating arrangements!
Newport Transport you must only sit in a window seat,Stagecoach alternately window seat ,aisle seat,Phil Anslow sit how you like(only have small buses).


----------



## Sunny (Jan 10, 2021)

I can never understand these rules that say going out for "shopping"  or medical appointments is OK, but not for any other reason. Can't anyone just say they were on the way to the market to get groceries?


----------



## tbeltrans (Jan 10, 2021)

If these little COVIDs only knew how much trouble they are causing...

Tony


----------



## hollydolly (Jan 10, 2021)

Sunny said:


> I can never understand these rules that say going out for "shopping"  or medical appointments is OK, but not for any other reason. Can't anyone just say they were on the way to the market to get groceries?


yes , they could but they're expected to show ID or proof of address  , and then we're supposed to shop at our nearest grocery store to that , so if we're further away  then that's when the fine is likely


----------



## tbeltrans (Jan 10, 2021)

hollydolly said:


> yes , they could but they're expected to show ID or proof of address  , and then we're supposed to shop at our nearest grocery store to that , so if we're further away  then that's when the fine is likely


Isn't it a consideration that the closest store might not have what the shopper needs?  It is not unusual to need something that one has to travel farther to obtain.

Tony


----------



## hollydolly (Jan 10, 2021)

tbeltrans said:


> Isn't it a consideration that the closest store might not have what the shopper needs?  It is not unusual to need something that one has to travel farther to obtain.
> 
> Tony


yes it's true that is the case but no exceptions are made if they do stop you, except if you need medications and the pharmacy is further than the grocery store for example...


----------



## tbeltrans (Jan 10, 2021)

hollydolly said:


> yes it's true that is the case but no exceptions are made if they do stop you, except if you need medications and the pharmacy is further than the grocery store for example...


I suppose that to enforce a rule, there has to be boundaries.  I am sorry that you folks have to be that locked down.  Here in Minnesota (USA), the governor is opening things up a bit.  Sever restrictions on how many customers can be in a restaurant or bar, but he is under severe pressure to get things moving as businesses die on the vine from being locked down.  It will be interesting to see what (if any) effect this has on the COVID-19 score card.

One thing I am grateful for is that I am not the one making these decisions.  To me, it seems to be a "between a rock and a hard place" in which nobody comes out ahead.

Tony


----------



## Jules (Jan 10, 2021)

Sure wish they‘d send some of those tough police to Canada.  Talk’s cheap and we sure don’t have many being fined.  There’ll be a major party and only the host gets a fine after they’ve returned 2 to 3 times to warn him.  $2300. Some hosts build a fee into the party so if the police come, the fine is no problem.


----------



## Ruthanne (Jan 10, 2021)

hollydolly said:


> Now I know we don't know the whole story but if you watch the video here, it appears a woman has been arrested for merely sitting on a bench, and another couple are being severely warned and fined £200 for being seen walking on a second road in the same area.. . The Lockdown rules here are that we can leave the house for shopping, for medical purposes, to escape domestic abuse, to take an animal to the vet ,  and for a period of exercise  within our local areas.. .. we're permitted to be with only family in our own bubble, and to stay 6 feet  away from anyone else.. we do  not as yet have to wear face coverings in public..
> 
> https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/ar...id-rule-breakers-just-ONE-verbal-warning.html


Wow, that seems to be getting ridiculous there!  People need to get out sometimes for fresh air and sunshine, if there is any.


----------



## Rosemarie (Jan 11, 2021)

tbeltrans said:


> Isn't it a consideration that the closest store might not have what the shopper needs?  It is not unusual to need something that one has to travel farther to obtain.
> 
> Tony


Yes, I'm running out of hay for my guinea pigs and the pet store is right on the other side of town. The last time I went out, a police man stopped his car and watched me. He didn't drive off until he saw me go into the grocery store. Made me feel I was under surveillance for needing a loaf of bread!


----------



## Warrigal (Jan 11, 2021)

Better watch out, Rosemarie, or you might find yourself sentenced to transportation to Botany Bay. 

 That is how some some of my ancestors arrived here.


----------



## hollydolly (Jan 11, 2021)

Warrigal said:


> Better watch out, Rosemarie, or you might find yourself sentenced to transportation to Botany Bay.
> 
> That is how some some of my ancestors arrived here.


well if that's going to be the punishment I'm going out to sit on as many benches as I can....


----------



## hollydolly (Jan 11, 2021)

Jules said:


> Sure wish they‘d send some of those tough police to Canada.  Talk’s cheap and we sure don’t have many being fined.  There’ll be a major party and only the host gets a fine after they’ve returned 2 to 3 times to warn him.  $2300. Some hosts build a fee into the party so if the police come, the fine is no problem.


that's still happening here in some place tbh...


----------



## hollydolly (Jan 11, 2021)

tbeltrans said:


> I suppose that to enforce a rule, there has to be boundaries.  I am sorry that you folks have to be that locked down.  Here in Minnesota (USA), the governor is opening things up a bit.  Sever restrictions on how many customers can be in a restaurant or bar, but he is under severe pressure to get things moving as businesses die on the vine from being locked down.  It will be interesting to see what (if any) effect this has on the COVID-19 score card.
> 
> One thing I am grateful for is that I am not the one making these decisions.  To me, it seems to be a "between a rock and a hard place" in which nobody comes out ahead.
> 
> Tony


well we re-opened pretty much like you say after the spring/ summer  3 month lockdown,  but there was a HUGE surge of people packed on the beaches and in the streets partying, and not taking the care that was asked of them.. and we knew that we'd end up being locked down again... Sure enough at the beginning of November they locked us down and didn't re-open until the first week of December, where they promised us we'd all get a Christmas to spend with families  , and people could finally get to see their relatives in cares homes etc, whom they'd not been able to touch or hug in months  except through glass from outside . 
The pubs re-opened..that's the ones who were still able to open and hadn't gone into bankruptcy... we lasted 2 weeks ..and we were locked down with 4 hours notice... No family christmases etc.. pubs and restaurants and all hospitality  were staggered, they were relying on the very busy Christmas season to claw back all the money they'd lost during Summer and November lockdown .

We were told we'd not re-open until the children were due back to school on the 4th of January.. and most people were due to return to work after the Christmas break. On the evening of the 3rd of January without warning we were told the children could not return to school... the teachers union was in revolt..  and therefore only people who could not possibly work from home must go, and the rest remain at home... This is the situation we're in now...  Our children have had next to no education in almost 12 months...
 The latest is that the teachers are refusing to home school via zoom because it ''breaches their privacy''... depsite being able to choose any blank canvas as a background ...or in fact retruning to the classrom and giving lessons to home schoolers from there..  you couldn't make it up....


----------



## CarolfromTX (Jan 11, 2021)

Oh my God. Personal freedom has gone right out the window. It’s crazy.


----------



## tbeltrans (Jan 11, 2021)

I have posted this here in other threads, however I feel it bears repeating...

An analogy I draw regarding these cycles of locking down, opening up, locking down, ...

It is like a kid who gets bullied in school.  He runs to the safety of his home, but the bullies are waiting for him outside.  If he stays inside forever, he probably won't get bullied again.  If he goes out, there they are just waiting to beat him up again.

To me, that is what this locking down and opening up repetitive cycle is. 

I have heard all the arguments about not wanting to overrun medical facilities with COVID patients, so locking down to allow things to simmer down for a while and then reopening tends to "flatten the curve".  However, every time we open up even a little, the whole thing starts to surge all over again.  All the news outlets constantly publish the scores as if it were a sports event (new cases, deaths), so we can all see the numbers, though how the numbers are arrived at, and therefore how to interpret them, is certainly controversial.  Meanwhile, businesses are shriveling and blowing away and large numbers of people are losing their livelihoods.  All hope at this point is on the effectiveness of the vaccine - assuming that everybody is willing to get it and that it can be produced and distributed in a timely manner.  I sincerely hope the day comes when all this will be a distant memory, as have similar events faded into history.

Tony


----------



## CarolfromTX (Jan 13, 2021)

Oh. My. God. I think the politicians are seeing how far they can go in curtailing our freedom. Not talking? Unauthorized picnic? Geez.


----------



## tbeltrans (Jan 13, 2021)

CarolfromTX said:


> Oh. My. God. I think the politicians are seeing how far they can go in curtailing our freedom. Not talking? Unauthorized picnic? Geez.


The thought has crossed my mind that there just might be some experimentation along the lines of pushing the envelope to see how far they can go in all this.  I just wasn't sure if anybody else caught on to that too.    

Tony


----------



## hollydolly (Jan 13, 2021)

tbeltrans said:


> The thought has crossed my mind that there just might be some experimentation along the lines of pushing the envelope to see how far they can go in all this.  I just wasn't sure if anybody else caught on to that too.
> 
> Tony


yes we're all saying it here in England, well many people are asking that very question. Trouble is the English are known for their tolerance, but push it just one little touch too far and there will be explosions...


----------



## AnnieA (Jan 13, 2021)

CarolfromTX said:


> Oh. My. God. I think the politicians are seeing how far they can go in curtailing our freedom. Not talking? Unauthorized picnic? Geez.





tbeltrans said:


> The thought has crossed my mind that there just might be some experimentation along the lines of pushing the envelope to see how far they can go in all this.  I just wasn't sure if anybody else caught on to that too.
> 
> Tony





hollydolly said:


> yes we're all saying it here in England, well many people are asking that very question. Trouble is the English are known for their tolerance, but push it just one little touch too far and there will be explosions...



Same thoughts here.  There's been such a press from certain quarters for groupthink for years that's also been accelerated recently.  Just ask J. K. Rowling.   The extreme left and extreme right both want totalitarianism, and I'm not sure they aren't encouraged, funded and used by kingmaker oligarchs who want it to even a greater degree.   A pandemic is an opportune time to test the waters for extreme surveillance and seems to be a likely explanation for some of the more absurd citations such as the 'picnic' incident.


----------



## Tish (Jan 13, 2021)

I guess the police are just following orders, I don't know.
There sure were enough of them out there.
Couldn't they let her off with a warning or a fine? It seems a bit extreme to arrest her.


----------

