Topic: Jockdown II: No Way Out West

[canadagoose]

For a lot of Scotland, Full Lockdown (level 4) is back, from this Friday.



Thankfully, Edinburgh has escaped the restrictions (for now...) but I'm still not sure what I'm allowed to do. I'm always encouraged to go out for the good of my own health, but if public transport is restricted to "essential" journeys... is going somewhere to clear your head essential? Can I get away with a quick trip to Queensferry (inside the City of Edinburgh area) or is that taking it too far?

[Clatty McCutcheon]

I don’t think public transport is restricted to essential journeys as long as you don’t go into another council area, but I’m not absolutely sure. So, it might just be a matter of whether you’re willing to go on public transport at the moment.  Are there any open spaces you can reach on foot?

Now in Level 4 here in the west, but since I haven’t been going to non-essential shops anyway, and am working at home for the foreseeable future, I don’t think it’ll make much difference to me. Anecdotally, some retailers seem to be  gearing up for another go at persuading the government that they are essential.

[Sebastian Cobb]

I don’t think public transport is restricted to essential journeys as long as you don’t go into another council area, but I’m not absolutely sure. So, it might just be a matter of whether you’re willing to go on public transport at the moment.  Are there any open spaces you can reach on foot?

Now in Level 4 here in the west, but since I haven’t been going to non-essential shops anyway, and am working at home for the foreseeable future, I don’t think it’ll make much difference to me. Anecdotally, some retailers seem to be  gearing up for another go at persuading the government that they are essential.

Same here, I can go almost a week without leaving my gaff (and only then for supplies). I'll need to go and pick up a couple of homebrew kits before Friday though I guess.

[canadagoose]

I don’t think public transport is restricted to essential journeys as long as you don’t go into another council area, but I’m not absolutely sure. So, it might just be a matter of whether you’re willing to go on public transport at the moment.  Are there any open spaces you can reach on foot?

Now in Level 4 here in the west, but since I haven’t been going to non-essential shops anyway, and am working at home for the foreseeable future, I don’t think it’ll make much difference to me. Anecdotally, some retailers seem to be  gearing up for another go at persuading the government that they are essential.

Leith Links is an open space, I suppose, but it can often get busy and that puts me off. Western Harbour is pretty open but a bit of a walk. Not that I'm in any kind of hurry these days.

[Purple Toupee]

The shops will be some laugh for the next few days then. Let's hope it is only for three weeks.

[Glebe]

Three weeks into Level 5 here in Ireland, numbers had gone way down but have now apparently shot back up again, ffs. Three more weeks to go but they may have to extend it... why can't people just be cautious for even a few weeks, fucking morons.

[jamiefairlie]

It's the schools, utter waste of time unless they close the schools.

[Blue Jam]

Bored out of my tiny wee mind here.

Come on The Sturge, my NHS app hasn't pinged once, let me go tae the pub FFS.

[mojo filters]

I've got a new appreciation for South Park's Pandemic Special.

When I visit the local shop for "essentials" every day, most customers are not wearing masks. The staff are either maskless, or wearing them as "chin diapers." Now I can't get that latter phrase out of my mind!

The local kids and teenagers are hanging around in close groups, just like the before times.

Ironically I've seen several careful drug dealers adopt cautious approaches - for example leaving a tupperware tub in the car trunk, where customers leave their cash and collect the goodies in a contactless transaction - these fine folks deserve some credit, but no one will bite on a story built around this contrary anomaly.

Earlier this year I saw no similar precautions taken by the friendly folks in West Virginia, where the uber Trumpists take their cues from the presidential twitter feed - even though they've reliably split the voting ticket to give (admittedly conservative Democrat and ex-governor) Joe "keep the filibuster, further fund police" Manchin his second senate term.

Any aspiring assignment eds can PM me for a quirky scoop...our news needs a sideways perspective, to distract from all the current doom and dreary gloom!

[Jumblegraws]

The widespread misuse of masks must surely be a big part of why the WHO were initially reluctant to make there use by the general public part of their official guidance. Every time I go out I see people wearing them as chin-diapers/nose cummerbunds and/or pinging them on and off to have conversations. Fuck knows how many of the people who at least wear them correctly don’t handle them properly when they get home. So many people are basically just wondering around with what effectively becomes a butterfly net for germs.

[dissolute ocelot]

The Scottish travel guidance seems deliberately vague. In level 4:

avoid any unnecessary travel out of the area
also keep journeys within the area to an absolute minimum
if you have to travel for essential purposes, follow the guidance on travelling safely below

In level 3 it says

avoid any unnecessary travel out of the area
if you have to travel for essential purposes, follow the guidance on travelling safely below

So if you fancy unnecessary travel for non-essential purposes inside your area that's allowed, but do it as safely as possible, and in level 4 you should keep it to a minimum.

They must know a travel ban is unenforceable, but discouraging travel as much as possible is sensible to combat COVID. Unfortunately travel restrictions are not great for mental health or for people who're worrying because the rules aren't clear.

[Dr Trouser]

fucking idiots have 'locusted' the bog paper aisle in Asda (Glasgow).

I'm still not sure if I can drive from a tier 4 to another tier 4 or what is essential or isn't. bunch of fannies

[Blinder Data]

Years of corrupt sticking plasters over the UK's governance and devolution arrangements have again revealed their deficiencies. You would think local authorities is the easiest way to define areas, except their size and capabilities vary hugely and it neglects the interconnectedness of the 'Glasgow City Region', which has no formal powers for itself.

Bring back the regional councils!

I'm happy for the Level 1 crew though and the fact it's still locally done. It doesn't make much sense for the people of Eigg to follow a national lockdown, for example.

[chveik]

the people of Eigg

no lockdown in clowne land!

[canadagoose]

no lockdown in clowne land!

Eigg and Muck are extremely boswegoish, aren't they?

[Clatty McCutcheon]

Years of corrupt sticking plasters over the UK's governance and devolution arrangements have again revealed their deficiencies. You would think local authorities is the easiest way to define areas, except their size and capabilities vary hugely and it neglects the interconnectedness of the 'Glasgow City Region', which has no formal powers for itself.

Bring back the regional councils!

I'm happy for the Level 1 crew though and the fact it's still locally done. It doesn't make much sense for the people of Eigg to follow a national lockdown, for example.

The creation of East Dunbartonshire and East Renfrewshire in the 1990s has always been a shitshow for Glasgow. An attempt by the Tories to retain influence by separating off affluent suburban areas into their own local authority areas, it must have denied vast amounts of council tax revenue from Glasgow over the years from taxpayers who use Glasgow facilities all the time.  Having South Lanarkshire extend to within a couple of miles of the city centre doesn’t make much sense in the modern era either.

[Clatty McCutcheon]

Eigg and Muck are extremely boswegoish, aren't they?

I’d nominate Muckle Flugga as the Scottish island which fits best in the Boswego Universe. Almost anywhere in Shetland, actually.

[Blue Jam]

East Lothian being dropped down to Tier 2. The rest of Scotland can get tae. Fucking cheers Sturge.

Will I get arrested if I cycle two miles to Musselburgh for a pint? On second thoughts it'd have to be an alcohol-free pint as I don't drink and cycle so there'd be no point.

[canadagoose]

East Lothian being dropped down to Tier 2. The rest of Scotland can get tae. Fucking cheers Sturge.

Will I get arrested if I cycle two miles to Musselburgh for a pint? On second thoughts it'd have to be an alcohol-free pint as I don't drink and cycle so there'd be no point.

Quite possibly. You could maybe get someone to sneak you across the Brunstane Burn in the back of their van, and print yourself off a fake East Lothian library card or something.

[Ballad of Ballard Berkley]

Zero sign of anyone taking Tier 4 lockdown seriously in my small corner of Glasgow. No one gives a fuck. We're all gonna die.

[MrMrs]

same in Renfrewshire

[Blinder Data]

This COVID-19 dashboard is a fun tool. You get to see how your neighbourhood is performing against others.

My little spot was an island of blue in a sea of orange and red for ages... but is now yellow :S

[Dr Trouser]

Ooh we're yellow - surrounded by RED RED RED!!

Not long now then sweet death's embrace

[Sebastian Cobb]

This COVID-19 dashboard is a fun tool. You get to see how your neighbourhood is performing against others.

My little spot was an island of blue in a sea of orange and red for ages... but is now yellow :S

Bet there's a massive correlation between this and the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation maps.

[dissolute ocelot]

East Lothian being dropped down to Tier 2. The rest of Scotland can get tae. Fucking cheers Sturge.

Will I get arrested if I cycle two miles to Musselburgh for a pint? On second thoughts it'd have to be an alcohol-free pint as I don't drink and cycle so there'd be no point.

It was on the Edinburgh Evening News website recently that it would be illegal to go to IKEA, as the Straiton Retail Park is in Midlothian, which was to be reduced to level 2. But Nicola changed her mind and now Midlothian is staying in level 3, hurray, lockdown and cheap furniture all round! Very suspicious.

[Zetetic]

Bet there's a massive correlation between this and the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation maps.

This probably wouldn't be that difficult to do, although the map presents "Intermediate Zones" while SIMD ranks "Data Zones" (which are smaller, but fit within Intermediate Zones)[1].

Producing a proper SIMD ranking of IZs a little bit involved[2], but you could just look at the proportion of the population in each in IZ living in the bottom 20% of DZs or something.

Or maybe you could probably just put the maps next to each.

1.	I think. Scotland's statistical geographical isn't the same as Wales and England's which would tend to use MSOAs and LSOAs here.
2.	I think you'd basically have population-weight each Data Zone's indicators and rank based on those

[jamiefairlie]

Just move Edinburgh to England, problem solved. It's what they've always longed for anyway.

[Blue Jam]

Awwww, 'mon Sturge, let us well-behaved non-spreaders of Embra go for a pint why don't you

What will the "five day relaxation of Covid restrictions" entail? Will I be able to pop to The Argyle for mullered wine and minced pies? I have a feeling most pubs just won't bother opening for five miserable pissing days even if they are allowed to.

[canadagoose]

Awwww, 'mon Sturge, let us well-behaved non-spreaders of Embra go for a pint why don't you

What will the "five day relaxation of Covid restrictions" entail? Will I be able to pop to The Argyle for mullered wine and minced pies? I have a feeling most pubs just won't bother opening for five miserable pissing days even if they are allowed to.

People around here have just been getting "takeaway" pints and standing around in groups outside pubs. I didn't think it was allowed, but loads of people are doing it anyway.

[Blue Jam]

Never did the takeaway pint thing, I always thought it looked a bit bleak, and I'm not doing it in this weather. Just want to sit in a nice warm pub being accosted by nice warm dogs.

Been going to cafes and drinking peppermint tea instead. To be fair that's healthier and I still get to feel a bit of normality and have a read of my book and watch daft dogs walking past. Would rather do that than get a nice cold pint in a plastic glass and have to stand outside shivering.