Arb Assoc now saying we can go back to work

[kevinjohnsonmbe]

1 hour ago, scraggs said:

Most of our trade customers have closed anyway, it's our private side that will hit us, but we will get through it financially, tbh if after nearly 40 years of trading we couldn't I would shut the business permanently anyway.
If you read what came out it was initially on Monday night and Tuesday "non essential" businesses.
For me the media places little bearing on my decision, my girlfriends background and knowledge in the subject however does.
If everyone had a grasp of contamination control I would feel a lot different to how I do but I am still amazed by the amount of builders and landscapers vans still going around with 2 or 3 people in the cab, and people I see still ignoring the distancing advice.

I understand that ‘some’ people will never be able to understand, or perhaps choose not to, implement recommended precautions. 
 

I fear the inability / unwillingness of the few, will manifest in punitive restrictions for the many. 
 

Ive seen builders vans & bin trucks (and police cars for that matter) with multiple occupants. But I don’t read that as meaning EVERYONE is stupid / incapable - just those few that I’ve seen. 
 

 

[TIMON]

Most of our trade customers have closed anyway, it's our private side that will hit us, but we will get through it financially, tbh if after nearly 40 years of trading we couldn't I would shut the business permanently anyway.
If you read what came out it was initially on Monday night and Tuesday "non essential" businesses.
For me the media places little bearing on my decision, my girlfriends background and knowledge in the subject however does.
If everyone had a grasp of contamination control I would feel a lot different to how I do but I am still amazed by the amount of builders and landscapers vans still going around with 2 or 3 people in the cab, and people I see still ignoring the distancing advice.

We are still ‘ticking over’ doing everything possible to comply. Our crew all share the same housing. So they travel to site in the same tippers, it would be very easy to drive past us and point the finger.
It’s easy to make assumptions.

[IronMike]

I’m still working, but doing 3 days a week to help out at home with the baby.

 

I am continuing to do so, as I don’t qualify for the governments helps schemes as my company hasn’t been established long enough. Doing 3 days a week is adequate to stop me from going under. I work alone using my compact forwarder, in privately owned woodlands with no public access or right of ways to worry about. I see the forestry manager of the estate infrequently and we adhere to all guidelines regarding social distancing when we do chat. When I’m finished work I go home, strip in the garage and then go straight for a shower. None of my work gear comes into the house, and all my bait box etc are washed in the dishwasher. I take what I feel to be all the correct precautions to prevent the virus coming into my house, whilst also maintaining a functioning business.

 

I can’t think of a better profession to practice social distancing and self isolation than forestry! I appreciate the points raised about accidents, and I am extra careful when using the machine normally anyway. However, I need to find a living from somewhere, and feel on balance me doing what I am doing is acceptable. 
 

Biomass/wood chip still needs supplying. I still need to earn. Some will disagree, but that’s life.

Edited April 6, 2020 by IronMike

[openspaceman]

5 hours ago, kevinjohnsonmbe said:

 bin trucks (and police cars for that matter) with multiple occupants.

The bin men are in a difficult position, they cannot walk all the way and often don't have driving licences to get close in their own cars

 

I'm still feeling we haven't been told how this virus is so deadly to people in constant contact with ill people, I'm thinking of medics but now also bus drivers, the level and intensity of exposure seems very significant.

 

BTW I was out of my home for the first time in 2 weeks today replacing a hose on one of my tractors that had burst when the chap borrowing was operating it. My most risky contact was picking the new hose up in the dealer's yard  where the fitter dropped it well away from me.

[kevinjohnsonmbe]

20 minutes ago, openspaceman said:

The bin men are in a difficult position, they cannot walk all the way and often don't have driving licences to get close in their own cars

 

I'm still feeling we haven't been told how this virus is so deadly to people in constant contact with ill people, I'm thinking of medics but now also bus drivers, the level and intensity of exposure seems very significant.

 

BTW I was out of my home for the first time in 2 weeks today replacing a hose on one of my tractors that had burst when the chap borrowing was operating it. My most risky contact was picking the new hose up in the dealer's yard  where the fitter dropped it well away from me.

I’m increasingly of the mind that a ‘one size fits all’ approach is Inherently flawed and unsustainable. 
 

Of course simplicity has its advantages, but that’s not to say simple is easy, it’s been hard enough for some to grasp as simple as it apparently is. 
 

And I don’t, by any measure, want to be seen as trivialising the potential significance of the challenges facing us all, but metropolitan problems have different solutions to rural problems. 
 

I think we’re going to have to move towards a zonal approach if we’re gonna be in this for the long haul. 

[drinksloe]

I think u just need to apply a bit ofcommon sense where u can.

 

But thats us just over 2 weeks in, god knows how long it's going to last. But it won't be over quickly, or not quickly enough. 

While I understand this need for isolation intially it is just not sustainable long term ( possibly if government had got its finger out months ago when it started spreading out off China, it might never have came in) but the government simply can't afford to pay 80% off the countries wage for that long.

 

The exit strategy most likely will be to encourage younger healthier people to catch it ( when hospitals are not full to bursting) so they build up some sort off immunity to it when the more vulnerable/higher risk folk emerge from there 3 month isolation.

There mibbee was a good chance they never started lockdown sooner was to let it spread about a bit, not a lot off point n folk in northern areas in lockdown when virus only really present in london.

Was speaking to a lad who's Mrs works at local hospital and said it's pretty empty so far, touch wood

 

My sites got shut down last Fri so had a week of work after the lock down, so better than many but had a week off now, can't see it opening very quickly even after this.

Lot of forestry workers/machines sitting idle the now despite being classed as a key industry.

Think I'm probably going to have to look elsewhere for work in the short term.

[Billhook]

Another angle on all of this which certainly needs to be discussed calmly.

I think that they have a point about discussion in general being shut down over contentious issues by the use of labels.

So people become, xenophobe, racist, transphobe, misogynist, homophobe snd now Covidphobe so everyone just withdraws from reasonable debate.

 

[leswold]

I've read this thread which has been interesting to see all your opinions & circumstances. We're a family only business doing mostly domestic, local work, with a good reputation. We called a halt to work on 27th Mar, when this first broke after getting some minor abuse from a passing jogger (little man syndrome) & being told via media stay indoors. Since then I've been reading the latest Govt website advice which seems to tell us to continue to work if the conditions (distancing, non contact with known carriers etc) can be complied with. However, it seems that theres conflict between the Govt advice & the police who I called yesterday to ask their view. I was told in no uncertain terms that if I was stopped while travelling re work, whether to quote or carry out normal (non essential) work, we be issued a fine. For now we can remain off work but the money is dwindling fast. 

[drinksloe]

He probably has a point, althou the fact he only has 1 person on his show and his guests views echo his own could be a tad hypocrical, as that's wot he's accusing main stream media/government off, rolling out pet experts.

Esp as the 'expert' isnae actually an expert but a journo, to be fair to him he does sound like he knew his stuff and had done his research but that is not normally the case.

 

I know I'm a shooter ( althou with a degree in conservation) but the amount of times u get a proper respected professor quoting scientific studies about managing ( culling/killing) 1 animal to protect other rare/vulnerable animals and end up debating with some numpty like brain badger  may who just comes out with a lot off emotional drivel but it's wot the public and media want to hear.

 

I do think UK has a massive problem with social media and tiny vocal minorites really pushing there agenda's.

Look at these vegans I think 5% of population but have somehow convinced a lot off folk and esp brainwashed media that it is somehow greener and better for the environment than eating meat. WTF!! I could understand it if they were living off tatties, carrots and neeps as there staples. But don't see many soya fields growing in Scotland. The carbon footprint on there 'green' environmentally friendly food must be horrendous. 

How much native habitat has been ploughed for fields of soya?

Be interesting to see how they get on now if imports are restricted?

 

My internet dropped out so missed the end but up till then he never offered any alternative methods of managing this virus, don't have a problem with folk critising but I do think u also need to have an alternative solution, not just poke holes in someone else's solution. 

 

But the debate should be heard in a reasonable way, and numpty's shaming other folk n Facebook snae that

[kevinjohnsonmbe]

2 minutes ago, leswold said:

I've read this thread which has been interesting to see all your opinions & circumstances. We're a family only business doing mostly domestic, local work, with a good reputation. We called a halt to work on 27th Mar, when this first broke after getting some minor abuse from a passing jogger (little man syndrome) & being told via media stay indoors. Since then I've been reading the latest Govt website advice which seems to tell us to continue to work if the conditions (distancing, non contact with known carriers etc) can be complied with. However, it seems that theres conflict between the Govt advice & the police who I called yesterday to ask their view. I was told in no uncertain terms that if I was stopped while travelling re work, whether to quote or carry out normal (non essential) work, we be issued a fine. For now we can remain off work but the money is dwindling fast. 

Listen to the podcast above it is bang on the money and the fact that discussions such as that are wholly absent from all the mainstream media platforms should give us all pause for thought.  

 

The speed, the enthusiasm, the willingness and the whole hearted embrace of the current deviations from civic, government and libertarian norms are truly staggering.

 

When did we start asking the police if we could go to work?