Coronavirus lockdown and exercising outdoors

[devocean]

Really don't see why we're not allowed to surf during the 3hrs of exercise. Beachfront this morning was packed, and lots of people walking along the beach (I don't see the problem), yet surfing is not allowed because the "beach is closed". If you're within your 5km, what difference does it make whether I'm walking around the block or swimming in the sea. Thousands of surfers signed a petition that was denied.

[Robbie Stewart]

Quite a few of them!

 

Yep - and that water is far too cold for the virus

 

As an ex-surfer myself, I can empathise with their plight. It's easy to be a runner or a cyclist and point fingers, but they have no inclusion in exercise rights, and that's just not fair to be honest. The chance of infection in the water is WAAAAY less than getting it on the beach (or promenade). Plus, the barrels being thrown out all along the Blouberg beachfront this morning were enough to have me reconsider starting to surf again after a 11 year hiatus.

 

Some stand-up, blowout barrels in morning glass-off were to be had if any takers were willing to chance it. 

 

Blouberg was a complete toss-up this morning. I went for a ride, and after an hour went home, bundled the wife and kid in the car and took a drive to a less crowded spot for a walk where we were not being bombarded by gazillions of people.

 

On returning home, my wife said she does not want to go back to the beachfront again, and will rather take our daughter for a stroll around the neighbourhood pedestrian pathways.

 

Today has got to be the most people I have ever seen out and about in the West Coast stretch between Blouberg and Melkbos.

 

On that note, I rode up the Melkos cyclepath to Kreefte baai, where my invisible 5km border disects the road. I turned back and headed in the opposite direction. Quite a number of riders just blew straight past me, even though the distance from Big Bay to Melkbos is around 7.5km....

 

Mask usage was at a thumbsuck 60% - 70% across all disciplines.

 

[Chris_]

I see #blacktwitter having a bit of a meltdown on the Sea Point mass participation fun run this morning - apparently a perfect example of #whiteprivilege ....

 

 

Um perhaps we shouldn't pursue this any further

[Stretch]

 

 

bundled the wife and kid in the car and took a drive to a less crowded spot for a walk where we were not being bombarded by gazillions of people.

 

.

P.s. not sure that's allowed. It defeats the object of the 5km radius. The radius is to prevent people congregating. So forcing a radius around a person's house does that. If people could drive then they would all drive to a local park or area that is congusive to walking or running and there would be undue congestion in that area

 

If those surfers drove to the beach then they are even more in the wrong they already are

[buchanan]

As an ex-surfer myself, I can empathise with their plight. It's easy to be a runner or a cyclist and point fingers, but they have no inclusion in exercise rights, and that's just not fair to be honest. The chance of infection in the water is WAAAAY less than getting it on the beach (or promenade). Plus, the barrels being thrown out all along the Blouberg beachfront this morning were enough to have me reconsider starting to surf again after a 11 year hiatus.

 

Some stand-up, blowout barrels in morning glass-off were to be had if any takers were willing to chance it. 

 

Blouberg was a complete toss-up this morning. I went for a ride, and after an hour went home, bundled the wife and kid in the car and took a drive to a less crowded spot for a walk where we were not being bombarded by gazillions of people.

 

On returning home, my wife said she does not want to go back to the beachfront again, and will rather take our daughter for a stroll around the neighbourhood pedestrian pathways.

 

Today has got to be the most people I have ever seen out and about in the West Coast stretch between Blouberg and Melkbos.

 

On that note, I rode up the Melkos cyclepath to Kreefte baai, where my invisible 5km border disects the road. I turned back and headed in the opposite direction. Quite a number of riders just blew straight past me, even though the distance from Big Bay to Melkbos is around 7.5km....

 

Mask usage was at a thumbsuck 60% - 70% across all disciplines.

I don't think you will find that many runners or cyclists are pointing fingers. In fact I would bet almost all of them have zero problem with people surfing.

[capediver]

As an ex-surfer myself, I can empathise with their plight. It's easy to be a runner or a cyclist and point fingers, but they have no inclusion in exercise rights, and that's just not fair to be honest. The chance of infection in the water is WAAAAY less than getting it on the beach (or promenade). Plus, the barrels being thrown out all along the Blouberg beachfront this morning were enough to have me reconsider starting to surf again after a 11 year hiatus.

 

Some stand-up, blowout barrels in morning glass-off were to be had if any takers were willing to chance it. 

 

Blouberg was a complete toss-up this morning. I went for a ride, and after an hour went home, bundled the wife and kid in the car and took a drive to a less crowded spot for a walk where we were not being bombarded by gazillions of people.

 

On returning home, my wife said she does not want to go back to the beachfront again, and will rather take our daughter for a stroll around the neighbourhood pedestrian pathways.

 

Today has got to be the most people I have ever seen out and about in the West Coast stretch between Blouberg and Melkbos.

 

On that note, I rode up the Melkos cyclepath to Kreefte baai, where my invisible 5km border disects the road. I turned back and headed in the opposite direction. Quite a number of riders just blew straight past me, even though the distance from Big Bay to Melkbos is around 7.5km....

 

Mask usage was at a thumbsuck 60% - 70% across all disciplines.

I still surf and although I agree that it sucks that you cannot get out there, opening the beach just for surfing would start an all out civil disobedience issue especially if the 5km radius was applied...every man and his dog would drive down to the beach and there would be no control over the spread of this virus. The cops have enough on their hands without having to be at the beach to chase people away...the guidelines were very clear about beaches, there is no ambiguity about it, they are CLOSED. Hopefully, these guys were just chased away and did not end up with a lifetime criminal record....

[dsw]

Did they really go for a surf[emoji2356]

 

 

Suppose they adhered to social distancing better than the lot at the beachfront [emoji6]

 

In Australia they opened the water area but not the beaches so it allows people to surf. Sunbathing, running and walking on the beaches are forbidden ( surfers are only allowed to cross it to get to the water).

 

Once in the line up social distancing will be problematic though as there is often a battle for the best position to catch a wave with everybody paddling furiously and very close to one another for that position. 

 

And if you drop in on someone then all hell breaks loose  

[Skubarra]

Um perhaps we shouldn't pursue this any further

 

You have a point - but the fallout of this is massive. I see MP's,councilors and police commenting as few people phoned the police to complain. Tomorrow might be an interesting morning on the Sea Point promenade...

[Noshow]

Part of the problem is the guidelines not being specific enough.  In Europe, Oz, SE Asia etc they are very clear i.e X km from your home, leaving directly from you home (no driving), max one other person from your household, face masks, dogs leashed etc, and spot fines for breaching.

 

This is the least of the problems for SA, as it's a very small minority of the population and not the ones the regulations are meant to protect, but many people are not helping the situation or themselves.  I can see this going back to no exercise allowed as the simplest way to manage it.  Clearly we are not Swedish, where they are relying on people being intelligent enough and public spirited enough to be sensible.

 

The virus hotspots in SA are the Atlantic seaboard and the Southern Suburbs, which seem to be the main places people think they know better.

[Chris_]

P.s. not sure that's allowed. It defeats the object of the 5km radius. The radius is to prevent people congregating. So forcing a radius around a person's house does that. If people could drive then they would all drive to a local park or area that is congusive to walking or running and there would be undue congestion in that area

 

If those surfers drove to the beach then they are even more in the wrong they already are

 

Indeed. Clear as you like.

 

walk, run or cycle between the hours of 06H00 to 09H00, within a five kilometre radius of

their place of residence:

[wessie12]

I see #blacktwitter having a bit of a meltdown on the Sea Point mass participation fun run this morning - apparently a perfect example of #whiteprivilege ....

 

 

Well to be honest most people will get a fit if they saw what is going on in informal areas. No lockdown! In fact due to nobody working the streets is full of people. Soccer matches, children playing in the street, people sitting in groups on every corner, informal traders operating until what time, illegal shebeens etc, etc. Although it is wrong what happened in Sea point it is unfair labeling it white privilege.

[Kranswurm]

P.s. not sure that's allowed. It defeats the object of the 5km radius. The radius is to prevent people congregating. So forcing a radius around a person's house does that. If people could drive then they would all drive to a local park or area that is congusive to walking or running and there would be undue congestion in that area

 

If those surfers drove to the beach then they are even more in the wrong they already are

The parking lot is empty except for the cop cars.They live in Long Beach and Kom

[Duane_Bosch]

. Hopefully, these guys were just chased away and did not end up with a lifetime criminal record....

If you're gonna take the piss don't do it at LONG BEACH on day 1 ffs. Go look for a little quiet peak around the corner.

[Duane_Bosch]

This is also true

And also be too stiff to move[emoji1787]

I haven't run since Feb and I did 100km on the IDT the other night. My legs are eina from this mornings little 5km right now.

[Frosty]

It didn’t take long for this to appear in circulation:

[ChrisF]

Seems we had a different experience in Bellville ....

 

I set the alarm, and was READY by 5:55 .... then I had to run around to get the extra remote that I use when I cycle.  So it was 6:00 when I started my ride.

 

Properly DARK.  My bike looked like a christmas tree with two wheels.  Few blocks and encountered a couple walking their dogs.  Mostly the road was deserted and quiet so early in the morning.  A few kilometers further three cyclists joined from the side, I hang back and gave them space ... knowing the road bikes will outpace me on the next downhill section.  These roadies kept some distance between themselves.

 

I did a nice circular route inside my 5km radius.  There were a number of people commuting and walking to work.  By the time I finished lap one the day started breaking, and people started going outside .... mostly people walking, and only a few bikes.  By the time I started lap 2, it suddenly got busy outside.

 

 

There was such a NICE vibe out there !!!  I have never seen so many bikers greeting each other.        Even the walkers and joggers were greeting the bikers.  All round just lekka !

 

 

 

Sadly very few people had masks or buffs .... the four bikers at Engen must have been a family, surely they would not abuse this opportunity to have a social meeting with others ....

 

 

Our neighbour walked their dog before 9 .... by then it was BUSY outside ... and even less masks ....

 

 

O-well, I had a LEKKA ride    Finally got to use the Survivor SA buff that I got as a gift many many years ago ...