No one obeyed the rules!

The rules are confusing, but all my friends did their best to observe them, visiting one child/family in their bubble for Christmas Day; those with family in tier 4 did not go.
As for my cul-de-sac I have very little idea what my neighbours have done; some are away, some are here, but as we are in tier 2 I imagine they are with local family. There are no large family gatherings.

Nothing wrong with looking out the window. It's the reason I love living on a busy street.

How many threads like this have there been over the past year with posters coming on here complaining bitterly about neighbours comings and goings without being completely aware of individual circumstances?

We have all made different plans for this Christmas.

Some people have decided to continue to isolate themselves, whilst others, like us, maybe for a variety of reasons and family circumstances, planned to spend at least part of the holiday with their loved ones.

Both decisions should be respected.

Nothing wrong with looking out of the window and knowing what’s going on, but the title of the thread is No one obeyed the rules!.

Until I read the last words of the OP, I’d assumed you were in Tier 4, 4xGranny. In Tier 3 in England, everything you described could have been within the rules.

And within the rules everyone is free to make their own decisions.

I live in a cul-de-sac of 21 dwellings. It was very, very much quieter than normal. I only saw one additional car draw up, and that because they parked opposite my window. One smartly dressed couple of Grandparent age got out and went off to visit round the corner. An hour later they came back and drove off.

Like most people, I'm not being nosy. My wee bungalow is tiny. Unless I go to bed or to stand in the shower all day, I can't help but see out the front window, and motion catches my eye.

Ditto Witzend and GrannyGravy.

Very quiet round our way but then I haven’t really been looking. So fed up with Covid...we had lovely walks on Xmas eve and 25th and have just quietly been reading, watching tv, eating Xmas food, and generally not thought much about it. I do know many people are out and about in London but that’s nothing new.I also heard pre Xmas, a woman saying she wasn’t in contact with anyone....but in the next breath, said she went out to work one day a week and had the odd visitor at home. I wonder if some people just don’t realise what they’re doing... Just hoping most had a quiet Xmas though.

My daughter, a secondary school teacher, rang me last night wanting to have a rant. Her social media was full of people she knew who had taken selfies with friends in groups, etc and clearly not following the rules.

In less than 2 weeks she will have to teach the children of these people who may well infect her and also my grandchildren. Her boyfriend's mum died of Covid 2 weeks ago, and 3 of her friends have lost a parent to Covid.

She has every right to be furious .... as do we all, because we want to get out of this mess.

Our house overlooks the main footpath in the village, we love watching everyone walking up and down with children dogs etc etc. I have just turned my head to look and a runner and dog have just gone past.

I cannot really see my neighbours, but I am sure I would watch them too if I could see them.

I have DD staying, she is in our bubble. She is staying a fornight.

Sparklefizz I really feel for your daughter. Teachers are in a terrible situation.

Can someone please explain the Dr Seuss reference? Thank you.

Witzend I do not peer at my neighbours but when going for a walk I can see if houses are in darkness with no cars on the drives.
The rules said no overnight stays and only mixing for Christmas Day.
My point was that extra mixing increases the risk of contracting the virus which may mean we remain in Tier 3 for longer. Therefore I am still penalised even though I’ve mixed with nobody!

We notice people passing by the end of the garden-we’d have to keep the curtains shut to avoid it. Neighbours glance over and wave, some folk point at our garden and wave if they see us.
We live at the top of a steep hill, so a lot of people pause when they get to our house just to catch their breath. A lot more people have walked past since lockdown started and some of them have become friends via distanced conversations.

No, the rules didn’t say no overnight stays for tier 3, 4xGranny.

Between 24 and 26 December you can stay in private rented accommodation, a hotel, hostel or B&B in England over Christmas, in line with the social gathering and travel rules in your tier, as long as you are staying by yourself, or with other members of your household and support bubble, and it is necessary for seeing your Christmas bubble on Christmas Day. This includes in a Tier 3: Very High alert area.

Some might not have approved, but it was allowed.

My mum used to say "never you mind what others are doing it's none of your beeswax, you do whats right for you"

https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202012/medium-915869-d0b90371-42b1-4759-ad10-5122594d424e.png https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202012/medium-669681-3e69cd5a-e25c-4f9b-b8cb-38e7fde2b9e5.png https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202012/medium-617154-295bcc83-25f7-422e-bdcc-d2364aadcfb1.png

I do wonder what use Tier 3 is in the light of people mixing outside the home, crowds of shoppers “hitting the sales” etc.
I was interested by the Boxing Day pics from Newcastle and Birmingham (Tier 3) and one of Oxford St (Tier 4 where all non- essential shops remained shut )
Not hard to spot the difference.

Young couples and old lady could possibly be in a bubble so legal? But who knows!

anniebach what an assumption I do live completely alone thanks for telling me how I live
I absolutely think it’s great to look out of your window as much as people want that’s not what I inferred but no one can assume they know who every visitor is or why there are there or see more than a few houses whilst sitting watching the world go by
If I sit at my window I can see at least four houses opposite I can’t see next door or others on my side so to know how the whole of the cul de sac which 4xGranny said is acting calls for more than sitting watching the world go by

I don’t object to people watching I object to people bashing that’s all

I've been out and about this morning and the traffic is definitely heavy. I'm guessing a lot of people are heading home today. It is after all 27th and in many people's minds this was the initial date given for Christmas festivities to end. So yes, realistically I think a bit of rule flouting probably happened, along with genuine reasons too.

My Mum used to say 'only perfect people may judge others'. I've a long way to go if that's the case,

Maggiemaybe
I don’t know where you read that but Boris definitely said no overnight stays when he retracted the 5 day Christmas bubble.

*Maggiemaybe

A survey said 85% obeyed the rules at Xmas. Could be rubbish of course! I think we should look after ourselves to keep ourselves safe. So Christmas rules and tier 4 were a relief to me because I can follow the rules. The next thing we need to do is get the vaccine ASAP. Then when idiots around us are idiots, we will survive.

I live in a culdesac 15 homes approx and I wouldn’t have a clue what anyone is doing outside, but I know for a fact all my family are abiding by the rules to keep safe,I presume the neighbours are doing their bit too, seen very few dog walkers go by either, it’s so quiet here

I certainly obeyed the rules, but wasn't happy at all .