Getting Exercise in Lockdown

Thats very helpful. Yup try to stand your ground. But I would react differently. I would say dont antagonise them. Give then id if asked. However much you resent this over policing. Yes we got stopped at nearly midnight after 8 hours in a and e. Politeness and cooperation and respect does no harm and can only defuse any police encounter.

Did you manage to explain that you were diagnosed on the spectrum. When speaking to police to speak very slowly and clearly. I live in an isolated rural area as well. I recently read that some lawyers had won some leniency for autistic and or vulnerable people. I am in isolation myself with broken ribs. if I were you I would stick at it. If you have a letter of a diagnosis for asd take that with you. Try to be polite but firm. If they send you back just comply. They are just doing a difficult job. So try to relate to their situation as well.

Yes I relate to your situation. I recently fell down stairs. Yes autism caused me to be clumsy often. So lots of broken bones. So I have to build a new life around self isolation. Three weeks on still cant sleep properly. I cant drive anywhere yet. So I am married but independent. Not any more she has to buy all my food now. Just try to build new routines and habits as quickly as you can. This will assist your mental health as well. good luck with it all. 

It concerns the spread of the virus from any particular area. So in theory if you travel anywhere from your given living space then you can spread any risk where you go. All measures come from the desire to reduce infection risk. So it is particularly harsh on those with young children and social distancing by definition not intent. So you can only go anywhere on your own or one person in your household. i hope this helps.

Thanks for sharing this :)

I read an article in the daily mail the other day which explained what the law actually is, but I can't find it now. If I remember correctly, the law says you must only leave the house to exercise, go shopping, for health care needs (yours or someone else's) or to go to work if you really have to. It doesn't say you can't drive anywhere, it doesn't say how many times you can go out, but public meetings of more than 2 people are banned and the police have the right to disperse groups of people hanging around. They can ask people why they are out and advise them to go home if they think they are not outside for one of those 4 reasons. But the law doesn't allow them to force someone who is out for exercise to go home. 

it's ironic that the police cannot catch real criminals and won't even bother investigating burglaries but are now trying to make people into "criminals". It's fine for them to stop people from different households mixing to prevent people getting ill, but trying to stop people getting out for fresh air and exercise while not mixing with others is criminal in itself in my opinion.

Hello,

I do understand how you must feel as I am a keen cyclist and have been struggling to understand the guidelines but I had a safety check from my local Police and was advised that I could ride for a hour. ie half and hour out and half and hour back so I hope this advice allows you to plot a walking route for that duration. It is a difficult situation for all but for us on the spectrum it is worse when your routines have been turned upside down but we need to keep safe.

Indeed quite correct. Although you could argue what harm are you doing driving but maybe it's to do with the fact that you could have an accident while driving?

The de facto interpretation of 'local area' seems to be 'somewhere you can get to without needing to use public or private transport'

i.e. walking out your front door with your dogs and then walking them for 10 miles would be 'local area' but putting them in the car to drive a couple of miles to preferred walking spot wouldn't be.

Unfortunately, driving to an area for exercise is not deemed "essential travel". You just have to accept that I'm afraid and therefore, the Police do have the powers to stop you.

There is a list of essential businesses open that you can drive to eg Supermarkets, Pharmacies, GP, Garage repairs, vets etc etc. And if you have to travel to work (Because you can't work from home) that is also deemed essential travel - your employer should give you a letter to take with you in case you are stopped.

Similarly, my wife's nephew & wife, were stopped on their way to the Supermarket and told "only one of you need to go". It says something similar at our local Tesco, only one person per trolley and only one person per household (I assume if you walk in with your partner and children for example, all but one will be told to sit in the car)

The police are grossly overstepping their power - the powers only allow them to disperse crowds - they have no right whatsoever to stop you going about your business as long as you deem it essential.     Ideally you should be using the local area, but if you have to drive to open space, they can't stop you.

Here's a youtube of a person in similar circumstances holding their ground against an ignorant plod.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bP9VCGghzOg

Hi, although I can’t give any advice about rules for staying ‘local’ I just wanted to say I’m in a very similar position and I thought it might help you to know you’re not alone. My anxiety/stress levels are way up there even with lorazepam. I tried a few walks at different times of day but still came back from each feeling utterly overloaded, I’ve since given up. Going out is becoming a huge issue and as my parents are in the vulnerable category it’s starting to make me realise that I’m going to have to get supplies. I can’t even get to the pharmacy to pick up the ant-anxiety medication, let alone going into a sensory nightmare of a supermarket. So although it’s not an answer I’m totally with you in your mindset. Good luck!