Coronavirus: Private and Commercial transport

[Rambo]

This is interesting - detailed research shows that 'crazy selfish stockpilers' are only a small percentage of the population and the temporary shortages are mostly down to people responsibly adding a few extra items to their shop as a precaution:

https://www.warc.com/newsandopinion/opi ... seems/3483

I’ve been thinking this for a few weeks. All these sensationalist posts on social media showing empty shelves with 1000’s of comments from people saying ‘selfish pigs’ etc when actually the empty shelves are everybody's fault including them and even myself by adding one or two extra items to your shopping trolley. If everybody who shops in a supermarket does this then shelves will soon become bare as staff cannot replenish quickly enough. It’s not rocket science.

[RichardA626]

I ventured own for the first time since Monday to do some shopping for my parents.

My Dad is at risk & my Mum is a bit worried about going out on her own so they asked me to get some essentials for them.

I certainly noticed the roads were much quieter, & at least twice I noticed I was doing 40mph without realising it as the roads weren't so busy.

[KeithW]

This is interesting - detailed research shows that 'crazy selfish stockpilers' are only a small percentage of the population and the temporary shortages are mostly down to people responsibly adding a few extra items to their shop as a precaution:

https://www.warc.com/newsandopinion/opi ... seems/3483

I’ve been thinking this for a few weeks. All these sensationalist posts on social media showing empty shelves with 1000’s of comments from people saying ‘selfish pigs’ etc when actually the empty shelves are everybody's fault including them and even myself by adding one or two extra items to your shopping trolley. If everybody who shops in a supermarket does this then shelves will soon become bare as staff cannot replenish quickly enough. It’s not rocket science.

That's not what the staff in my local Tesco were telling me, they described the panic buyers as Locusts as a swarm would arrive and strip the shelves in a couple of hours. People routinely add 1 or 2 items at times such as Xmas, Easter and Bank Holidays without leaving the shelves empty. In fact now that the big supermarkets have imposed limits of 3 items of one type it has much improved. The fact is that by 11 AM last Saturday in the the large Tesco Extra at Coulby Newham there was not a loaf of bread left or tin of beans, soup or corned beef on the shelves or in the store room. Unlike fresh food tins and dried food are stored locally and those stocks were stripped right at the start and are still hard to find as the distribution centres are having to be restocked. This was true at all the supermarkets including Aldi, Lidl, Morrisons and Asda. In the first panic people were buying huge amounts. At the worst had it only been 1 or 2 extra items it would have been late afternoon before things ran out. I tried to go earlier but cars were queuing along Stainton Way just to get into the car park.

I got what I needed from a farm shop I often use. The locusts had flown by that one.

[Phil]

It would be all a bit depressing if it was'nt for the wonderful Spring weather with daffodils in full bloom everywhere.

Imagine how depressing this weather is for someone who is not supposed to leave their front door for three months.

I reckon they are looking at the blue sky out of their window and dreaming of being able to jump on their bike and heading off to Dorset.

Indeed - however just imagine if this pandemic occurred as the UK was heading into Autumn / Winter. Not only would the NHS be under even more pressure due to things like winter flu, but also its proven that a lack of sunlight + shorter days does make people feel down and more susceptible to mental health issues.

IF we do as the experts tell us, then there is still hope that the restrictions can be eased before the summer ends....

[roadtester]

This is interesting - detailed research shows that 'crazy selfish stockpilers' are only a small percentage of the population and the temporary shortages are mostly down to people responsibly adding a few extra items to their shop as a precaution:

https://www.warc.com/newsandopinion/opi ... seems/3483

I’ve been thinking this for a few weeks. All these sensationalist posts on social media showing empty shelves with 1000’s of comments from people saying ‘selfish pigs’ etc when actually the empty shelves are everybody's fault including them and even myself by adding one or two extra items to your shopping trolley. If everybody who shops in a supermarket does this then shelves will soon become bare as staff cannot replenish quickly enough. It’s not rocket science.

That's not what the staff in my local Tesco were telling me, they described the panic buyers as Locusts as a swarm would arrive and strip the shelves in a couple of hours. People routinely add 1 or 2 items at times such as Xmas, Easter and Bank Holidays without leaving the shelves empty. In fact now that the big supermarkets have imposed limits of 3 items of one type it has much improved. The fact is that by 11 AM last Saturday in the the large Tesco Extra at Coulby Newham there was not a loaf of bread left or tin of beans, soup or corned beef on the shelves or in the store room. Unlike fresh food tins and dried food are stored locally and those stocks were stripped right at the start and are still hard to find as the distribution centres are having to be restocked. This was true at all the supermarkets including Aldi, Lidl, Morrisons and Asda. In the first panic people were buying huge amounts. At the worst had it only been 1 or 2 extra items it would have been late afternoon before things ran out. I tried to go earlier but cars were queuing along Stainton Way just to get into the car park.

I got what I needed from a farm shop I often use. The locusts had flown by that one.

But that's anecdote, not data.

It's not a conclusion based on detailed analysis of a regularly tracked consumer panel of 100,000 as the Kantar conclusions are.

[someone]

Derbyshire Police are getting a mixed reception for tweeting drone footage of people who have driven to the Peak District for their exercise.

https://twitter.com/DerbysPolice/status ... 1503882241

North Yorkshire Police are setting up road blocks to ask people whether their journeys are essential.

https://northyorkshire.police.uk/news/c ... eckpoints/

Michael Gove on Sky News said you can go for a drive because: It is unlikely anybody will be pulled over by the police just for driving.

North Yorkshire Police who will be pulling people over said: Do not go out “just for a drive”

[JohnnyMo]

EasyJet looks like it is being helpful in that it is cancelled the re-booking fee it you want to change your flight, well I was booked to go to Madrid next month which at the moment has almost zero change of happening.
Well if for no other reason EasyJet aren’t flying there at the moment, 90% of their planes are parked up for the duration. What I would have liked is to do is cancel and take a credit note to use later in the year when I can go to Madrid. EasyJet isn’t offering that, all you can do is change your booking and either pay the difference (if more expensive) or lose the difference ( if cheaper).

Do I book a long way in the future, do I look to book flights as near the price I’ve already paid. I can see this becoming very messy and time consuming if I have to re-book many times until I can actually travel.

[Helvellyn]

Derbyshire Police are getting a mixed reception for tweeting drone footage of people who have driven to the Peak District for their exercise.

https://twitter.com/DerbysPolice/status ... 1503882241

North Yorkshire Police are setting up road blocks to ask people whether their journeys are essential.

https://northyorkshire.police.uk/news/c ... eckpoints/

Michael Gove on Sky News said you can go for a drive because: It is unlikely anybody will be pulled over by the police just for driving.

North Yorkshire Police who will be pulling people over said: Do not go out “just for a drive”

Classic case of certain people obsessed with the letter of the rules and demonstrating sod all reason about why they exist in the first place, exactly the sort of pettiness that brings them into disrepute, and unfortunately an attitude that's very common at the moment and risks killing off goodwill (other than from likeminded simpletons). Cue the usual suspects no doubt...

[nowster]

... EasyJet isn’t offering that, all you can do is change your booking and either pay the difference (if more expensive) or lose the difference ( if cheaper).

If you paid by credit card, investigate getting a chargeback.

[Fenlander]

A tale of 2 garden centres. 2 decent sized ones locally, both do plants, pet supplies, random stuff, coffee shop. Both were doing Argos style delivery or collection of all stuff rather than actual customers wandering around selecting themselves. They’ve taken different interpretations on what to actually do with the most recent rule changes, 1 is now pet supplies only, can’t even get the plants etc delivered as non-essential journey but the other is doing the full service still.
Now while the weather is good and we have time to do stuff I’d love to get cracking with planting the veg patch for the summer and my wife wants to do the hanging baskets etc but there doesn’t seem to be a ‘correct solution.

[the cheesecake man]

This is interesting - detailed research shows that 'crazy selfish stockpilers' are only a small percentage of the population and the temporary shortages are mostly down to people responsibly adding a few extra items to their shop as a precaution:

https://www.warc.com/newsandopinion/opi ... seems/3483

I’ve been thinking this for a few weeks. All these sensationalist posts on social media showing empty shelves with 1000’s of comments from people saying ‘selfish pigs’ etc when actually the empty shelves are everybody's fault including them and even myself by adding one or two extra items to your shopping trolley. If everybody who shops in a supermarket does this then shelves will soon become bare as staff cannot replenish quickly enough. It’s not rocket science.

It's a classic Prisoner's Dilemma. It's best for everyone if no one buys extra, but if you don't and everyone else does you'll be left without, so the sensible thing to do is buy extra to prevent that...

This is interesting - detailed research shows that 'crazy selfish stockpilers' are only a small percentage of the population and the temporary shortages are mostly down to people responsibly adding a few extra items to their shop as a precaution:

https://www.warc.com/newsandopinion/opi ... seems/3483

What's the difference? One person's "terrorist" is another's "freedom fighter". One person's "crazy selfish stockpiler" is another's "person responsibly adding a few extra items".

Derbyshire Police are getting a mixed reception for tweeting drone footage of people who have driven to the Peak District for their exercise.

https://twitter.com/DerbysPolice/status ... 1503882241

North Yorkshire Police are setting up road blocks to ask people whether their journeys are essential.

https://northyorkshire.police.uk/news/c ... eckpoints/

Michael Gove on Sky News said you can go for a drive because: It is unlikely anybody will be pulled over by the police just for driving.

North Yorkshire Police who will be pulling people over said: Do not go out “just for a drive”

Classic case of certain people obsessed with the letter of the rules and demonstrating sod all reason about why they exist in the first place, exactly the sort of pettiness that brings them into disrepute, and unfortunately an attitude that's very common at the moment and risks killing off goodwill (other than from likeminded simpletons). Cue the usual suspects no doubt...

What we need is the rules enforced firmly with common sense, dealing with the small number who ignore them and not persecuting those who are walking or shopping alone slightly more than an arbitrary fixed distance from home. Eg if I was questioned in a shop a mile away I don't expected to be fined simply because there's a shop only half a mile from home but if I was found shopping twenty miles away in a tourist hotspot I would.

I was looking at the Thameslink website yesterday. They are going to be switching to a Sunday timetable but say that rail services will start earlier and finish later than a standard Sunday timetable because key workers often work unsociable hours.

Similar proposals from South Yorkshire bus operators, but the buses will still be empty.

[roadtester]

This is interesting - detailed research shows that 'crazy selfish stockpilers' are only a small percentage of the population and the temporary shortages are mostly down to people responsibly adding a few extra items to their shop as a precaution:

https://www.warc.com/newsandopinion/opi ... seems/3483

What's the difference? One person's "terrorist" is another's "freedom fighter". One person's "crazy selfish stockpiler" is another's "person responsibly adding a few extra items".

That's simple. There's quite a big difference between people who bought one extra pair of bog rolls as a precaution against not being able to get to the shops for a bit and the few who were seen on the TV news with three trolleys full, which is the point the article was making.

[the cheesecake man]

What's the difference? One person's "terrorist" is another's "freedom fighter". One person's "crazy selfish stockpiler" is another's "person responsibly adding a few extra items".

That's simple. There's quite a big difference between people who bought one extra pair of bog rolls as a precaution against not being able to get to the shops for a bit and the few who were seen on the TV news with three trolleys full, which is the point the article was making.

Of course but there's a large grey area in between. Exactly how many loo rolls is still responsible but one more is selfish stockpiling?

[roadtester]

What's the difference? One person's "terrorist" is another's "freedom fighter". One person's "crazy selfish stockpiler" is another's "person responsibly adding a few extra items".

That's simple. There's quite a big difference between people who bought one extra pair of bog rolls as a precaution against not being able to get to the shops for a bit and the few who were seen on the TV news with three trolleys full, which is the point the article was making.

Of course but there's a large grey area in between. Exactly how many loo rolls is still responsible but one more is selfish stockpiling?

But that's the point the article was making - there wasn't much grey area, with most just buying a few things and a small minority going to extremes.

[trickstat]

What's the difference? One person's "terrorist" is another's "freedom fighter". One person's "crazy selfish stockpiler" is another's "person responsibly adding a few extra items".

That's simple. There's quite a big difference between people who bought one extra pair of bog rolls as a precaution against not being able to get to the shops for a bit and the few who were seen on the TV news with three trolleys full, which is the point the article was making.

Of course but there's a large grey area in between. Exactly how many loo rolls is still responsible but one more is selfish stockpiling?

If you think of the large multi-packs with 18, 24, 30 or whatever rolls in. I would say that buying more than one of those at a time is selfish stockpiling, unless you are buying for somewhere non-domestic.

[someone]

What we need is the rules enforced firmly with common sense, dealing with the small number who ignore them and not persecuting those who are walking or shopping alone slightly more than an arbitrary fixed distance from home. Eg if I was questioned in a shop a mile away I don't expected to be fined simply because there's a shop only half a mile from home but if I was found shopping twenty miles away in a tourist hotspot I would.

I generally think Derbyshire Police are in wrong here, though their argument for tweeting was that if a few people do it, then more and more will. That was the problem which saw record visitors to various "isolated" areas immediately before the lockdown, so it not entirely an unfair one.

However posting a video showing how few people are going into the countryside was probably counterproductive. Surely more people will think it isolated enough for them to go now too? It was practically an advertisement for where to go to isolate.

But I also have a problem with them deciding what is essential for other people's mental health. If there is an outright ban then they have to enforce it, but they have no basis to make psychological judgments on the individual needs of different people. They are essentially saying mental wellbeing is not essential, but when the measures are meant to protect the health system then everything which keeps people away form the N.H.S. matters, not just avoiding catching the virus.

As for shopping, my local Tesco Extra is only a half mile away, which is quite useful. But as a vegan I spread my shopping around all the chains because each carries different products. Only Asda sell the cheeses I like, and they are three miles away. Morrisons is seven miles away and also have unique items. Were I not quarantined I would still be travelling between them (though not by public transport) to maintain a varied diet.

[haymansafc]

I've also seen the actions of Derbyshire Police. All I'll say on the matter (not wanting to take this too far off-topic) is that I'm really not a fan of what I personally interpret to be borderline totalitarian actions. I don't find their actions or their message to be particularly helpful.

Okay – back on topic. The roads around here are now very quiet. On my way home yesterday evening, excluding the A494 and commercial vehicles, I don't think I counted a dozen other cars. Very eerie indeed and something I don't think I've ever experienced during daylight hours. I'm finding even though I'm staying a few minutes more in the office each day at the moment, I'm actually getting home at the same time, if not a few minutes earlier. What’s holding me up isn't rush-hour traffic at the moment, it's the usual sets of traffic lights which seem to default to red regardless.

At work, we're in the process of acquiring letters from essential services who we supply, stating the business we're in is an essential part of their supply chain. It's unlikely I'll end up with a copy, but the delivery drivers will be having one. At the moment, myself and a few others remaining in the office have a signed letter from the managing director basically stating we cannot do our work from home – should we get pulled over.

[rhyds]

Headed in to town for the first time in a few days for supplies rather than the local shop (I do this so that those without transport can use the supplies in the local shop) and while the traffic didn't feel much quieter in Bala there were a heck of a lot more parking spaces than you'd expect at 3pm on a Friday.

Also, the National Park Authority were out closing their car parks to discourage travel, and not with signs or barriers, but rather hulking great lumps of stone close-stacked across the entrances. They are not doing anything by halves!

[jervi]

This weekend's M23 SMP works are still going ahead.
https://m23j8to10smartmotorway.commonpl ... y-30-march
This is the last of the major closures scheduled to take place as part of the works.

[XC70]

EasyJet looks like it is being helpful in that it is cancelled the re-booking fee it you want to change your flight, well I was booked to go to Madrid next month which at the moment has almost zero change of happening.
Well if for no other reason EasyJet aren’t flying there at the moment, 90% of their planes are parked up for the duration. What I would have liked is to do is cancel and take a credit note to use later in the year when I can go to Madrid. EasyJet isn’t offering that, all you can do is change your booking and either pay the difference (if more expensive) or lose the difference ( if cheaper).

Do I book a long way in the future, do I look to book flights as near the price I’ve already paid. I can see this becoming very messy and time consuming if I have to re-book many times until I can actually travel.

Ryanair played that game. They send you an email suggesting that you rebook. The flight you are on will technically still be going, so they are technically still going to take you and therefore they are offering you to rebook out of the goodness of their heart. All they want to do is preserve their cash.

What they don't tell you is that they are shortly going to cancel the flight and when they do they have to offer to refund you. If they cancel the flight they have not provided the service and they have to offer you the money back. Now if EasyJet goes bust then sure you will have lost your money, but to me that is unlikely and at that point you go to either your credit card company or holiday insurance. Oh and if you have rebooked and they go bust then you have also lost your money......