This topic has been archived, and won't accept reply postings.
Another report today on the BBC of someone driving from England to Wales for recreational reasons. As usual there's the obligatory 'gotcha' tweet from SWP Glamorgan complete with picture of the chap's car...
It's forbidden in Wales to drive any significant distance for recreation or exercise so this guy is bang to rights of course but thinking back to 2 other recent reports, both from NWP, of people from Liverpool and Manchester doing a similar thing and also caught and shamed, I was thinking that I can't remember seeing a case reported of someone driving from - say - Cardiff to Tenby
Do you think the Welsh themselves are better at obeying their own strict lockdown laws - or is it that the Welsh police seem to to take a particular delight in shaming the English?
Perhaps the difference in rules on each side of the border mean that the police feel the need to more forcibly 'remind' the English by issuing these high profile reports.
I'm so looking forward to being allowed to go to Wales again - I hope there's no residual bad blood when that day comes.
21
14
In reply to kaiser:
It appears to me that there's a lot of support for the Welsh approach and so people will follow it by and large. I suspect most of the English driving there are people who just don't understand that the rule is different.
14
3
In reply to kaiser:
In some respects the bad blood has been there a long time.
(And I'm not for a minute complaining about Welsh people speaking their own language in the presence of foreigners)
11
10
In reply to kaiser:
"Travelling a significant distance into or within Wales for exercise is not permitted."
from what i understand is the police have been pulling over cars that are registered from further away.
so it is more clear when a car is registered in say liverpool and is found in Pembroke that the person has not traveled down for a valid reason.
12
In reply to adam06:
> from what i understand is the police have been pulling over cars that are registered from further away.
Oh yes good point - must make sure my next car has a 'C' plate...
In reply to kaiser:
Most of these stories will be driven by a police press release, together with an example that fits their narrative. What they wont tell you is how many other vehicles were stopped and found to have legitimate reason, or the number of Welsh offenders ( although I'm sure that data will be used in a domestic pr) because the story is about English offenders ahead of the bank holiday.
A press release stating they stopped 74 cars today before they found a good example doesn't have the same impact, does it?
11
In reply to kaiser:
I strongly suspect that the number of English climbing Snowdon the week before the lockdown was less or equal to the number of Welsh people. It's just parochial attitude, foreigner blaming. Anyone who isn't parked at their home is tarred with the 'English' brush. Blindly people forget that hearing an English accent in a crowded car park doesn't mean everyone parked there is English.
15
21
In reply to Neil Williams:
> It appears to me that there's a lot of support for the Welsh approach and so people will follow it by and large. I suspect most of the English driving there are people who just don't understand that the rule is different.
I'm not hearing that from Welsh friends. Generally I'm hearing they think it has been overly draconian and that the lockdown was too strict and they are losing public support.
20
12
In reply to kaiser:
The Welsh travel restrictions are generally well supported by the population in this area- we are a fortnight/three weeks behind many other infected areas here in Gwynedd so there is much anxiety how things will develop. Being so heavily dependent on tourism, it is clear the area is taking a huge economic blow, but the feeling is that caution at this time is preferable to a possible "double peak".
Oh, and by the way, an "unfamiliar" car sticks out like a sore thumb in rural areas these days.
Post edited at 16:27
17
2
In reply to Roadrunner6:
> I'm not hearing that from Welsh friends. Generally I'm hearing they think it has been overly draconian and that the lockdown was too strict and they are losing public support.
https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/north-wales-continues-rec...
Take a look at the (worrying) graph in this article for the North Wales area (Betsi Cadwalader) why anyone would want to visit at the moment or why anyone would want to complain about the supposed 'overly draconian' measures is beyond me.
19
3
In reply to Sl@te Head:
Agree SH.
7
1
In reply to Sl@te Head:
I don't know, but this is just what I'm hearing from friends who live there.
But that's a massive area in that health board.
I'm more talking about restrictions on exercise for locals, rather than travel into the area. One local rider (from Wrexham), said police were stopping local cyclists so they were driving over the border to Shrewsbury and riding there.
1
In reply to Roadrunner6:
I live here (Wales) and generally everyone is following our rules. Local or not you will get stopped regardless of what the papers are saying.
Its only news because the media are picking up on it and thank god they are since some people seem incapable of understanding that Wales is closed.
Take a look at Devon and Cornwall to see the abject stupidity of people today.
14
10
In reply to Larefia:
> Take a look at Devon and Cornwall to see the abject stupidity of people today.
300 people on Perranporth beach doth not cause gridlock. On a sunny Saturday in September 2019 there were thousands of people on that beach, and it was still fine for social distancing etc. Given the number of people not currently working at the moment I'm surprised it's only 300!
This is pure propaganda from locals to keep out the grockles and emmets.
31
6
In reply to knighty:
It's the same here in Derbyshire Dales. The hysteria from the locals is really poor - really anti-visitor. Someone was smashing visitor's car windows in Thorpe at the weekend (I.e. Dovedale)
13
In reply to Sl@te Head:
That's rather concerning - R still very clearly above 1. I wonder why this is? Even with the loosened lockdown there's no sign of this happening all over England.
In reply to Larefia:
That beach looks quiet and easy to distance. And parked cars don't spread COVID in and of themselves.
9
In reply to knighty:
Are the car parks open?
Theres a few places by me that are refusing to open car parks then complaining when its gridlock or people park on the street.
That would the explain why it was gridlock with less people than normal
6
In reply to Danbow73:
From what I have read about North Devon, the car parks are open, but toilets are not. I can't believe that the car parks were at capacity on a Wednesday in May, but I could be wrong.
In reply to blurty:
Really? Not aware of either anti visitor hysteria or vigilante action at Dovedale (close to where I live).
Also travelled to Bala on the weekend (business) and did not see a police car.
In reply to Larefia:
In Swansea people seem to be doing whatever they like. There were massive street parties on VE day where the local pub was giving away free beer. The roads are significantly busier now than a few weeks back. People nearby were having a garden party a few nights ago where it was very obvious that many people attended who didn't live there. People are visiting their parents with the grandkids.
So not everyone in Wales is following the rules.
I'd also say that a significant number of people I know are losing patience with the assembly and annoyed by the severity of the restrictions in place when some of the rules have no or a very flimsy logical basis.
8
In reply to Toccata:
Friends from Stanshope told us about the smashing of Windows on cars on the road between Thorpe and the Isaac Walton. I’ve seen the messages on the stiles and gates myself, see photo of painted stone. (Based in Ashbourne).
Post edited at 22:27
In reply to blurty:
Missing apostrophe - f*cking morons!
9
1
In reply to Neil Williams:
> That's rather concerning - R still very clearly above 1. I wonder why this is? Even with the loosened lockdown there's no sign of this happening all over England.
Surely it's still too soon to have much idea of any impact the easing has had on R.
1
In reply to Roadrunner6:
There’s local locals( those that live in the villages) and locals ( those that drive minutes to an area to walk a dog).
Two nights ago, a local local put up some signs with not much substance, claiming do not park here please, and a pile of left over cable ties the same as those used to put up the signs.
Last night there were 2 cars in the parking area, a bit of a quarry, so I chose to park further into the woods.
Tonight there were no cars, no signs and no cable ties. Presumably another local local removed them?
In reply to Luke90:
Incubation period is about a week so we should be starting to see it now.
In reply to Roadrunner6:
I’ve been out and about all day today. Probably driven a couple of hundred miles. Roads are getting busier and busier by the day as people start getting on with life. I’ve seen very few if any police about and the road check points have all but disappeared despite what the press say.
There appears to be a much bigger divide forming now between the stay at home/shielders etc and the folk just getting on with stuff. How that will pan out long term I don’t know.
On a political note Drakeford has said very little about how the WG intends to support the tourist industry which had been brought to its knees. They’ve so far refused any business rates let up.
2
In reply to Neil Williams:
> It appears to me that there's a lot of support for the Welsh approach and so people will follow it by and large. I suspect most of the English driving there are people who just don't understand that the rule is different.
I’m not so sure about that. Maybe at the beginning but not now.
1
1
In reply to kaiser:
BBC News - Coronavirus: Maximum lockdown fines rise to £1,920 in Wales
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-politics-52737374
2
In reply to gezebo:
Here, we've really opened things up in time for memorial day (this coming Monday), it's the traditional start of summer. I suspect to give the seasonal towns a shot but also to not be also liable for another huge rescue package.
But I think the summer will naturally keep it down somewhat, it'll be the fall. I want to go back to school to teach - in some fashion - but think we'll be in and out as the virus ebbs and flows.
In reply to kaiser:
Tweets from the police? I thought grunts were more appropriate.
3
2
In reply to kaiser:
They've replied to a question on Twitter about driving through Chepstow in order to get to Gloucestershire crags (Wintours, Bany, etc), where you'd be in Wales for about 5 minutes without leaving your car, saying that it would be breaking the rules. Meaning people will have to double their journey up to Gloucester to get there.
Apparently they've been stopping people crossing the bridge to get to the Wye Valley crags & Forest of Dean.
Seems stupid to me.
7
1
In reply to gezebo:
with all the driving going on now I will miss the beautiful blue skies we have been having
I think we should be having a couple of days a month of "Blue Sky - drive as little as possible today - protect the air"
Post edited at 08:31
3
In reply to wercat:
I think it might have to wait - while more cycling and walking is good, with the best of intentions most people won't cycle 20 miles to work. Once public transport becomes viable again then we should have an almighty rethink, and I do strongly take the view that air travel should not go back to normal, and we should look to create alternative jobs for those who work there rather than getting it all back going as before again.
2
In reply to Neil Williams:
> I think it might have to wait - while more cycling and walking is good, with the best of intentions most people won't cycle 20 miles to work.
Most people don't have a 20 mile commute. The "average commute" is 9 miles I believe. There is plenty of scope for active travel options up to the 10 mile mark and especially up the 5 mile mark for most people.
Post edited at 09:27
In reply to kaiser:
> looking forward to being allowed to go to Wales again - I hope there's no residual bad blood when that day comes.
I blame that b*astard Edward 1st!
3
In reply to gezebo:
> On a political note Drakeford has said very little about how the WG intends to support the tourist industry which had been brought to its knees. They’ve so far refused any business rates let up.
I heard him say recently that any lifting of the lockdown would have to be with the agreement of the local community. I wonder when that might be for Snowdonia.
2
In reply to Neil Williams:
Nah mate, everyone in Wales just drives wherever they want. There’s loads of cars out and no way are they all on essential journeys, I suspect there’s a lot of propaganda posted by Welsh police to try and discourage English people from travelling.
5
4
In reply to kaiser:
Looks like the penalites for breaching 'lockdown' in Wales may be increasing. Ranging from £60 - £1920 for repeated breaches https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-politics-52737374
1
In reply to gethin_allen:
> In Swansea people seem to be doing whatever they like. There were massive street parties on VE day where the local pub was giving away free beer. The roads are significantly busier now than a few weeks back. People nearby were having a garden party a few nights ago where it was very obvious that many people attended who didn't live there. People are visiting their parents with the grandkids.
> So not everyone in Wales is following the rules.
> I'd also say that a significant number of people I know are losing patience with the assembly and annoyed by the severity of the restrictions in place when some of the rules have no or a very flimsy logical basis.
No doubt any sudden increase in CV-19 cases will be blamed on the English - even by the Welsh Police !!
6
2
In reply to PaulJepson:
I accidentally drove into wales to get to wintours last week. In my defence It was quite hard to turn around when I saw the wales sign and the border isnt even clearly marked on my sat nav. It was interesting because there was no difference in traffic either side or the border. Appreciate this is anecdotal but given the pretty extreme variations in restrictions you'd think there would be a noticable difference.
Does seem ridiculous that I can climb at wintours not coming within 2m of anyone all day but if I was across the river in wyndcliffe I'd be a massive transmission risk according to the welsh gov.
I'm not a fan of the uk gov but I bet drakeford is the first to complain when the financial support is scaled back and the welsh economy isnt moving...
7
1
In reply to Danbow73:
> I accidentally drove into wales to get to wintours last week. In my defence It was quite hard to turn around when I saw the wales sign and the border isnt even clearly marked on my sat nav. It was interesting because there was no difference in traffic either side or the border.
I thought they drove on the other side of the road in Wales so I'm surprised that you didn't notice that.
2
In reply to FactorXXX:
Only heavy goods vehicles.
2
In reply to Myfyr Tomos:
> Only heavy goods vehicles.
I'm confused now as I thought that was what they did in Ireland?
In reply to Danbow73:
You didn’t notice the large expanse of water the bridge passed over........😉
1
In reply to HighChilternRidge:
I intentionally avoided the seven bridge for that reason. Went down the a40 from Ross instead and you end up in wales for a couple of miles around Monmouth. 🙈
At least I noticed, I was having a chat with someone at the crag who went the same way who hadn't even realised they were in wales at all 😂
Kinda shows how ridiculous it is having a devolved approach to this is...
Post edited at 23:25
1
2
In reply to Danbow73:
To be fair, Wyndcliffe Quarry probably is a bigger transmission risk, since it's always rammed and there isn't much room to give people safe distance without falling down a cliff.
In reply to kaiser:
Ha! Nice to see SWP read these forums... This from today:
Pembrokeshire RPU @PembsRPU
Vehicle from Cardiff stop checked at Llanteg.
Occupants stated they were going to visit relatives in Tenby, whose address they didn’t know.
It was soon ascertained they were heading to the beach. Both reported re non essential travel, vehicle turned around.#StayHomeSaveLives
1
This topic has been archived, and won't accept reply postings.
Loading Notifications...