Deaths

[JohnfromUK]

Just now, TRINITY said:

In the first weeks of lockdown all was quiet and beautiful and our country was looking as nice as anywhere on earth. However in the last couple of weeks some nice little spots I visit have become busier than I have ever seen them, even before lockdown. I went to one place yesterday evening and it looked trashed, full of rubbish discarded beer cans ,drinks bottles and other trash.

Totally agree. One of my regular (a few times a week) walks from my home is to the local river.  It is about half a mile and I have to cross a (pre Covid) fairly busy) B road.  Initially - in the lockdown - I never used to see a vehicle.  Now it is busy busy busy - every bit as much as pre Covid.  Further up the river there is a car park; it was taped off initially, but now is (apparently, I haven't been myself) packed with day trippers, picnickers, the bins are overflowing - and they say no 'social distancing'. 

Well - if this gentle relaxation all goes pear shaped - and we end up locked down even more severely - I know who to blame - and it isn't either me or those local to me - or the government.  People are simply ignoring the rules and guidelines.

[TRINITY]

22 minutes ago, JohnfromUK said:

 

Well - if this gentle relaxation all goes pear shaped - and we end up locked down even more severely - I know who to blame - and it isn't either me or those local to me - or the government.  People are simply ignoring the rules and guidelines.

Entirely correct. I dont know how things have gone all over the country but in my area the lockdown has been lifted by many on every sunny day since this started. It's a joke and has been so for weeks now. I now hear voices on the media and from the opposition warning against loosening restrictions. It sounds like they are secretly hoping for a second spike so the can blame the government. However the lock down has been a total sham for weeks,especially the younger generation. They have decided to ignore it and the only thing the government can do is sit back and watch it happen.

I believe the government have accepted the situation as it is and have decided to make the best of a bad job. If people are blatantly going around as if nothing has happened it may as well open things up again and try and save jobs and the economy.

[Mice!]

1 hour ago, JohnfromUK said:

have to cross a (pre Covid) fairly busy) B road.  Initially - in the lockdown - I never used to see a vehicle.  Now it is busy busy busy - every bit as much as pre Covid

I've noticed that the A roads are busy but the motorways are quiet at least where I am travelling, and like you say it's the past few weeks things have changed. 

46 minutes ago, TRINITY said:

believe the government have accepted the situation as it is and have decided to make the best of a bad job. If people are blatantly going around as if nothing has happened it may as well open things up again and try and save jobs and the economy

Totally agree, people seem to have largely decided it's not effecting them so let's go out and enjoy the sun, I've spoken to a few friends this week and all have said they've stuck to the rules, haven't gone where they know there will be loads of other people but since the travel restrictions were lifted what three weeks ago, a lot of folk are out and about, so crack on, get folk back to work, open the country up.

A lot have died but not enough to warrant the continued lockdown,  the way things are looking if there is a second wave it will be well on its way by now.

[JohnfromUK]

12 minutes ago, Mice! said:

but the motorways are quiet at least where I am travelling

I can just see the M5 (near the M50 exit) from my house with binos ...... but due to trees and greenery can only really see lorries/high sided vehicles.  Quite a few of those are travelling, but I would expect that.  Other than that I have only been out from the village once a fortnight ......... and only 4 miles to the supermarket then!

Smaller road local traffic has hugely increased since the start of the lockdown.  I think many people are going almost daily to the shops much as usual.

[Mice!]

I notice it when coming off the motorway, I normally don't travel on a Friday because its manic, but lately the motorway is just steady and nice mostly lorries like you say, as soon as you come off it's back to whacky races, why I don't know because most are rushing to go nowhere.

[Dave-G]

I took some cash with me yesterday to a small local plant nursery retailer for compost, farm yard manure, tomato plants, sweetcorn and swede starter packs. I'd got the seed spuds and carrot seeds weeks ago. Wanted Brussels too because I NEVER have any luck with them (or previous attempts with the sweetcorn) Seems its best to plant sweetcorn in a square grid so they pollinate better, I've always put them in a single line - and Brussels need packing down which I've usually done. If anyone has any other tips I'd be obliged, best via PM to avoid derailing this thread, or maybe start a veg planting thread. 

Went back today with the debit card. Bloke said card payment was mostly due to Covid caution but also that he doesn't want to have to bank the cash.  There were less than five customer cars there both times.

Edited May 30, 2020 by Dave-G

[enfieldspares]

I think that just as when the coalminers got their redundancy cash there will be people with money to spend. Particularly so as Sunak was too stjupid to means test aid for the self-employed. I know of two directly. Both have always honestly declared their tax and both will be getting the maximum payout form Sunak. One has had no work at all since March so welcomes the grant as it will pay his bills and the rent and etc on his workshop. The other has seen no tail off of his business...he sells and repairs bicycles...and in fact his business has increased and sees the grant as free money back on all the tax he has paid.

[norfolk dumpling]

I'm not sure what is happening with my pay - I'm furloughed in my p/t job and was told I would be paid '80% of my (variable) 2019/20 earnings' . Having just had my P60 this should have been an easy calculation but so far I've had 100% April and 110% May! I don't need the money - this is basically to keep me out of mischief in my retirement but if this is what is being recovered from the Government someone can't count.

[dead eye alan]

5 minutes ago, norfolk dumpling said:

I'm not sure what is happening with my pay - I'm furloughed in my p/t job and was told I would be paid '80% of my (variable) 2019/20 earnings' . Having just had my P60 this should have been an easy calculation but so far I've had 100% April and 110% May! I don't need the money - this is basically to keep me out of mischief in my retirement but if this is what is being recovered from the Government someone can't count.

It's the way its calculated, as you are part time thy will work it out by what you would get full time and pay you 80% of that.

[norfolk dumpling]

We are zero hours  - work when required and the hours are different every day so only way they could sensibly pay us is 80% of last full year which was how we were notified it would be calculated but as I said we seem to have been overpaid. I'm 100% certain this would not come out of our employers pocket - they are as tight as a ducks proverbial!