Corona Virus

[grendel]

44 minutes ago, Broads01 said:

No boating for anybody now is my interpretation, unless your boat is also your home. 

or your exercise?

[Broads01]

Waveney River Centre phoned me today to cancel my boat booked for 6th April. I feel really pleased I'm rebooked for October. 

I'm glad about the measures the government has introduced tonight. In the long run, not only will it save many lives, it'll mean we get back to normal sooner than if the extra measures hadn't been taken.

[Broads01]

9 minutes ago, JennyMorgan said:

Even for those of living locally and using our own boats? 

Yes, unless you're able to argue that boating is your choice of exercise once a day.

[Meantime]

2 minutes ago, Chelsea14Ian said:

I wonder if BA will consider reducing some of our tolls.As of today as I said I will have to stay at home until at least the middle of June.The last time we used the boat was the end of October. 

I guess it will come down to one of two choices ultimately. We pay the full toll this year and swallow the shorter boating season, or they give us a refund and whack us with a big increase next year. Given the choice I would take the first one because if we take a big increase next year then all future increases will be compounded.

[JennyMorgan]

6 minutes ago, Broads01 said:

Yes, unless you're able to argue that boating is your choice of exercise once a day.

 I can just see Plod running along the river bank, puffing on his whistle. 

I'll have to get my oars out then!

[Chelsea14Ian]

I take you point, however theres talk of giving a refund  on rail season tickets .

[LizG]

I take you point, however theres talk of giving a refund  on rail season tickets .

My daughter has a massive £ season ticket to London which she isn't using. She transferred it to the cheapest ticket available to 2 stations in the west Midlands and got a refund. Previously it was 2 stations on the Isle of Wight. I believe Brundall gardens to Brundall would qualify. As of today she should be able to get a full refund for even this....

Sent from the Norfolk Broads Network mobile app

[YnysMon]

I had a message from my cousins yesterday evening. They had been visiting Chris’ daughter in New Zealand. Yesterday evening they were stuck in Singapore airport anticipating 36 hours wait for a flight back to old Blighty. This morning Graham read that New Zealand was locked down, so maybe they got out just in time.

[Vaughan]

Welcome back to Western Europe, folks!

What was Brexit like?

[grendel]

well my boss emailed me last night at 10.30pm to tell me not to come in this morning, and that he would be getting in touch later. just hoping that replacement windscreens are not considered frivolous, and that i will still be able to get a mot in a couple of weeks time, as without the car i wont be able to limit my shopping trips. unfortunately life doesnt just stop.

i am hoping the windscreen replacement later today is just the screen technician and myself, keeping appropriately distanced, at least i know he will be wearing gloves to handle the glass. if it wasnt for the upcoming MOT due i could wait for the windscreen.

then I may end up having to get into the office at some point to turn on my computer, so that i will be able to remote into it.

[Meantime]

2 hours ago, grendel said:

well my boss emailed me last night at 10.30pm to tell me not to come in this morning, and that he would be getting in touch later. just hoping that replacement windscreens are not considered frivolous, and that i will still be able to get a mot in a couple of weeks time, as without the car i wont be able to limit my shopping trips. unfortunately life doesnt just stop.

i am hoping the windscreen replacement later today is just the screen technician and myself, keeping appropriately distanced, at least i know he will be wearing gloves to handle the glass. if it wasnt for the upcoming MOT due i could wait for the windscreen.

then I may end up having to get into the office at some point to turn on my computer, so that i will be able to remote into it.

Not sure who is doing your repair but Autoglass are cancelling all appointments today. I was due to have my boiler serviced today and although I haven't been contacted yet, the message on the British Gas website suggests they will be cancelling.

Micheal Gove did however clarify that whilst there is a three month test exemption for HGV's this doesn't extend to car and garages can stay open and you are allowed to take your car for an MOT.

[grendel]

2 minutes ago, EastCoastIPA said:

garages can stay open and you are allowed to take your car for an MOT

not a lot of use if it will fail due to a cracked screen, as far as i can tell the windscreen place is a one man franchise, so fingers crossed.

So now everyone is on lockdown, what about all the people who normally park overnight in areas that are no parking during the day, are they now all going to get parking tickets, because they are locked down and not using their car, that normally goes with them to work.

all sorts of questions like that spring to mind.

[grendel]

just had a call from the windscreen company, its going ahead, but i have been given explicit instructions, to leave the car outside the unit with the keys in, and passenger window open, then go for a walk for an hour, it was checked first whether it was urgent, when i said about the upcoming mot, it was accepted that it needed doing.

 

[Meantime]

Most places that have no parking during the day are so that the road is clear for rush hour traffic. That shouldn't be a problem if everyone is following the advice. So I cannot see people getting a ticket. I would also argue that sending people out issuing tickets is not essential work, unless it is to keep access clear for emergency vehicles. Keeping access clear for emergency vehicles applies 24hrs a day not just to daytime parking restrictions.

There are so many grey areas though and the government is still sending out mixed messages. Sadiq Khan wants all construction sites to close down unless it is essential safety work, but Micheal Gove this morning clarified that construction sites can stay open as long as social distancing is observed.

[ExSurveyor]

Michael Gove has just repeated that construction sites can stay open.

Garages are on the list of exempt businesses along with hardware stores, all with social distancing.

[grendel]

if construction sites remain open, my company will be needed to connect them up, as the different branches of the parent company manage 7 different utilities, we do the electrical part. we also run an idno (an electricity supply company) with customers, so part of our priority will be keeping them on supply.

Offgem have indicated that it will be business as usual, whether that means we will still be held responsible for responding to things like street lighting faults within the set timescales we dont know, as a broken streetlight is hardly essential work, given a bit of time these things will be worked through.

unfortunately we will be exceeding regulated response times, i have as laid drawings that are required within 5 days of the cables being energised, i was off 3 days last week, and now cant work again today, and thats just for the ones that were sent to me on time.

[marshman]

Please do not get me wrong and I certainly do not want to incur the wrath of posters but I am at a loss to understand why I cannot, realistically, go down to the boat!

I live on my own and I have a car - all I have to do is to go out of my front door, drive about 5 miles, get out of my car and get on my boat. I don't stop, I don't see or talk to anyone else, and I work away quite happily on my own.

When I finish, I lock up , get in my car and drive home alone, go in and shut the front door. No one else has access, without me handing them the keys, to my home , my car or my boat. Even if I were to do a risk assessment I cannot see how by indulging in that activity, I am endangering my life, or that of others. (Other than by drivinig! )

I am far more of a menace on the computer and locking myself away, is endangering my mental health!!

[ExSurveyor]

A lot of computers are going to be left switched on in offices.

A lot of builders merchants are closed today to sort out procedures for access, sticky tape on the floor in most cases.

Places like B&Q and Wickes are opening tomorrow with measures including limited numbers instore at any time.

 

[ExSurveyor]

1 minute ago, marshman said:

Please do not get me wrong and I certainly do not want to incur the wrath of posters but I am at a loss to understand why I cannot, realistically, go down to the boat!

I live on my own and I have a car - all I have to do is to go out of my front door, drive about 5 miles, get out of my car and get on my boat. I don't stop, I don't see or talk to anyone else, and I work away quite happily on my own.

When I finish, I lock up , get in my car and drive home alone, go in and shut the front door. No one else has access, without me handing them the keys, to my home , my car or my boat. Even if I were to do a risk assessment I cannot see how by indulging in that activity, I am endangering my life, or that of others. (Other than by drivinig! )

I am far more of a menace on the computer and locking myself away, is endangering my mental health!!

MM, they say one period of exercise a day, In your example, i don't see a problem unless the marina ban you.

If I was to drive 140 miles to the boat, that would be wrong.

I do worry about all the new exercise and DIY converts causing themselves injury.

[grendel]

Marshman, I would act as your conscience dictates, similarly people will be moored at the bottom of their garden and could theoretically treat the boat as part of that, the issue will be services, pumpouts and fuel if you do take the boat out, i have work to do to the car to prep it for its MOT, and my work area is the roadside outside the house, as long as i am not congrgating in groups i think i should be fine.

[rightsaidfred]

24 minutes ago, marshman said:

Please do not get me wrong and I certainly do not want to incur the wrath of posters but I am at a loss to understand why I cannot, realistically, go down to the boat!

I live on my own and I have a car - all I have to do is to go out of my front door, drive about 5 miles, get out of my car and get on my boat. I don't stop, I don't see or talk to anyone else, and I work away quite happily on my own.

When I finish, I lock up , get in my car and drive home alone, go in and shut the front door. No one else has access, without me handing them the keys, to my home , my car or my boat. Even if I were to do a risk assessment I cannot see how by indulging in that activity, I am endangering my life, or that of others. (Other than by drivinig! )

I am far more of a menace on the computer and locking myself away, is endangering my mental health!!

Largely I quite agree with you, the problem is as always because of the irresponsible behaviour of a minority of people the majority have to suffer as well, if everyone had followed earlier requests this may or may not have happened sadly the only option now is a blanket ban.

Fred

[Meantime]

23 minutes ago, marshman said:

Please do not get me wrong and I certainly do not want to incur the wrath of posters but I am at a loss to understand why I cannot, realistically, go down to the boat!

I live on my own and I have a car - all I have to do is to go out of my front door, drive about 5 miles, get out of my car and get on my boat. I don't stop, I don't see or talk to anyone else, and I work away quite happily on my own.

When I finish, I lock up , get in my car and drive home alone, go in and shut the front door. No one else has access, without me handing them the keys, to my home , my car or my boat. Even if I were to do a risk assessment I cannot see how by indulging in that activity, I am endangering my life, or that of others. (Other than by drivinig! )

I am far more of a menace on the computer and locking myself away, is endangering my mental health!!

Michael Gove has already clarified on BBC news this morning that people who go to their allotment and dig it over or what ever they do, will be allowed to continue as this is a form of exercise. By their very nature they are reasonably separate but you should still obey the 2 metre social distancing if there are others on their allotment.

I see your situation with the boat as similar.

I think we all have to remember the basic principle of what the government are trying to achieve and not look too deeply into the semantics or legal points. There are not enough police to police or enforce every small transgression, what they are really trying to achieve is to stop the scenes witnessed over the weekend and make the idiots think twice.

[marshman]

Thanks guys - I'm off!!!!!!

Well actually not today as I just about finished the inside yesterday, apart from the berth cushions. I then have to start on the outside and I keep looking for reasons not to do that - it will require sometime due to the green growth overwinter!

[grendel]

1 hour ago, grendel said:

just had a call from the windscreen company, its going ahead, but i have been given explicit instructions, to leave the car outside the unit with the keys in, and passenger window open, then go for a walk for an hour, it was checked first whether it was urgent, when i said about the upcoming mot, it was accepted that it needed doing.

 

so close, within 10 minutes away from leaving for the appointment, i get a call, they have now (as of 5 minutes previously) shut all their bases, i have now been booked for a mobile fitting at home next tuesday - ho hum

[Paul]

I have to admit it is difficult not to support the government's crack down when you see the images on various news websites of people in places like Clapham Common and Snowdonia over the weekend. I don't even think that's people being excessively silly, just following advice to continue getting exercise and inevitably filling up our parks and open spaces. We must continue to get out and exercise but do it locally and away from other people.

What of course is needed is common sense, and as we all know that is not so common any more and it is very difficult to legislate without it. 

We will have to amend our shopping habits as we generally get a few fresh bits every day rather than one massive shop which is what we are being urged to do now, perhaps the stock pilers had it right all along. We will follow advice and try and restrict our shopping to one visit a week and hope that we can get what we need each time we go.