Doesn’t feel like a lockdown does it?
Driving up and down the country I’ve not really encountered much reduction in traffic and there’s loads of cars pit and about on the motorway that can’t all be going shopping for food and or doing the vastly reduced things we should be doing at the moment.
Work wise this is normally our busy period and it’s still busy. Everything is still open to receiving goods as far as I’ve come across.
How has it been from your cab?
Non essential industry etc remains open unlike the first lockdown
I don’t know we’re all this supposed traffic is.
I haven’t been in a volume related traffic jam since March.
our stores are ‘non essential’,but still open for click and collect.some folk are buying trivial items,such as in one case,rolls of sellotape 
anything to get out the house i suppose…
commonrail:
I don’t know we’re all this supposed traffic is.
I haven’t been in a volume related traffic jam since March.
Its not so much about the jams, say in rush hours etc, more generally people milling about.
I get the need to try and keep the economy going as far as possible but the reality is that its dragging on its backside anyway. Garden centres ive been to this week (which has been most of my drops!) that I was expecting to be rammed are actually empty, struggling and some are shutting up voluntarily because its not worth being open.
So are we better off shutting up shop, shutting those non essential businesses and industries, taking the hit to reduce transmission further in a shorter time frame?
toonsy:
commonrail:
I don’t know we’re all this supposed traffic is.
I haven’t been in a volume related traffic jam since March.Its not so much about the jams, say in rush hours etc, more generally people milling about.
I get the need to try and keep the economy going as far as possible but the reality is that its dragging on its backside anyway. Garden centres ive been to this week (which has been most of my drops!) that I was expecting to be rammed are actually empty, struggling and some are shutting up voluntarily because its not worth being open.
So are we better off shutting up shop, shutting those non essential businesses and industries, taking the hit to reduce transmission further in a shorter time frame?
garden centres and non essential (including ours),were shut down in the first lockdown,and we’re no better off now 
I think the Govt needs to bring in a law - non essential workers to stay at home
I doubt they will because that will affect the economy too much
ROG:
I think the Govt needs to bring in a law - non essential workers to stay at homeI doubt they will because that will affect the economy too much
I agree. This is also part of my point.
Nobody wants to be in lockdown, but at the moment things will be grinding lower for longer vs having sharper restrictions for a shorter period. The more that is open, the more people will find reason to go out. Close that loophole and it starts to sort itself out.
good idea.let’s lock down the entire Country…until there are zero deaths…could be a very long wait.
Yes lets lockdown till the end of time, all except for our bestest mates in the biggest companies who get carte blanche exemption, kerching.
‘‘oh and Henry, ‘yes?’, there’ll be a nice little sinecure for you when you’ve fulfilled all that was expected of you in the hallowed halls of westmonster, look at it as your well earned reward, something to subsidise that meagre ex minister’s gold plated pension, when the speech circuit dries up’’.
toonsy:
So are we better off shutting up shop, shutting those non essential businesses and industries, taking the hit to reduce transmission further in a shorter time frame?
Don’t know…tbh,I’ll let someone else worry about that.
I was just addressing your comment regarding traffic volumes,which are massively reduced imo
carryfast-yeti:
good idea.let’s lock down the entire Country…until there are zero deaths…could be a very long wait.
The other side of that argument is let’s not do much, loosen up, but sacrifice access to guaranteed health care when it’s needed or cancer care, or other procedures etc etc
toonsy:
So are we better off shutting up shop, shutting those non essential businesses and industries, taking the hit to reduce transmission further in a shorter time frame?
Sure, mate. Cause those people employed in “non essential businesses and industries”, they don’t need to you know…EAT or anything.
On topic I drive nights so don’t see much traffic anyway but there hasn’t been a reduction. I suppose people are still going to work although I see more cars over nighting in laybys. Homeless? Just want to get away from everybody? Who knows but they’re way too common now compared to before and it’s winter so hardly out for a night out picnic.
ETS:
toonsy:
I see more cars over nighting in laybys. Homeless? Just want to get away from everybody? Who knows but they’re way too common now compared to before and it’s winter so hardly out for a night out picnic.
Perhaps they are fudge nudgers or maybe doggers 
If so, could they be prosecuted for breaking the non essential travel rule ?
^^ don’t give the stazi any ideas, or they’ll be persecuting those poor sods as well.
I think the Govt should say that only those working in lockdown 1 can work in this current so called lockdown
SAGE are estimating that a third of kids are in school because so many are classing themselves as key/essential workers
ROG:
I think the Govt should say that only those working in lockdown 1 can work in this current so called lockdownSAGE are estimating that a third of kids are in school because so many are classing themselves as key/essential workers
I wouldnt say they’re classing themselves as key workers as such, more that there are now more places trading where people can be classed as key workers compared to first lockdown when it was new to all.
ETS:
toonsy:
Sure, mate. Cause those people employed in “non essential businesses and industries”, they don’t need to you know…EAT or anything.
I’m sure a bowl of compost from the local garden centre (now essential, not previously) would fill the gap nicely 
Did people starve between March and July or did I miss that?
Plenty of traffic around north Manchester this week on the M60/62/61/66. Not as much as a ‘normal’ day, but not far off. I see that once again, as soon as “lockdown” was announced everyone suddenly decides they need to go out exercising 10 times a day, despite never bothering with any under ‘normal’ times . Sick of walkers and cyclists clogging up all the rural N Lancs roads today, flipping tons of them. -5C out this morning and had one cyclist idiot coming down Jeffrey Hill near Longridge as I was going up, struggling like ■■■■ in the snow to keep some traction. He seemed to be under the illusion that I was going to come to a stop (single track road) so he could continue trying to beat his personal best. He wasn’t happy about having to dive for cover in the ditch when he realised I wasn’t stopping .
And then there’s all the blue rinse brigade clogging up the A6 north of Preston doing 25 mph in a 40/50 limit, all going to Barton Grange garden centre and tutting at everyone else not being at home as per government guidelines .
ROG:
because so many are classing themselves as key/essential workers
I take your point, but. (always a but aint there? :smiley: ) If a factory / shop / whatever is open then arent all those employed there key/essential workers?
I mean, it isn`t workers classing themselves as essential, but their employers?
Who decides what is an essential or key activity, and who polices that?
And that is a difficult call to balance the economy now and in the future, against immediate health concerns.
I daresay you and I might disagree with the “political*” choices being made, but…
(Posted along with previous two)
Franglais:
ROG:
because so many are classing themselves as key/essential workersAnd that is a difficult call to balance the economy now and in the future, against immediate health concerns.
I daresay you and I might disagree with the “political*” choices being made, but…(Posted along with previous two)
The Croydon money trees just might be on their last legs you mean? there’s hope for you yet 
Seriously though, yes, we cannot keep the country afloat on endless borrowing from the govts bestest mates nor from creating ever more fake credit plucked from the chancellors puckered ring piece.
Those calling for more paid time off doing bugger all won’t be quite so keen when the bill for this farce arrives in the form of massive tax rises, especially when in 12 months time they’re still social distancing and doing the dance of the seven facemasks at the monthly allowed visit to the last remaining pub in the town.