Has anyone else noticed or is it just me?

[Ted M]

Since the start of this lock down I've been fortunate enough to be flat out on fieldwork, carting muck and injecting slurry, drilling and spreading fertiliser.
We've fields to attend to around a few local villages but the one thing I've noticed is that when I meet people on the road either walking, biking or in their cars or gardens they all seem far more friendly than usual (even if I'm spreading muck right by their garden).
Is this just because no one is in a rush these days or because they're just happy to see something happening?
Or are people hopefully coming to realise the value of what we actually do?
Has anyone else noticed a change?

 

[Muddyroads]

Definitely. It will be interesting to see how long people’s memories are, but for now at least, the world seems to be a friendlier place.

 

[Dry Rot]

I think it is sharing emotional experiences. Get three people stuck in a lift and they will emerge as friends, probably long term. Same thing during the war, "We are all in this together".

 

[traineefarmer]

Hmmm. You could be right, but the quiet little footpath though our yard has become the dog walking equivalent of the M1 and I've had several mouthfuls of abuse from strokers when I ask them to put their dogs on leads or to keep to the path.

 

[Chopsy Varmint]

Since the start of this lock down I've been fortunate enough to be flat out on fieldwork, carting muck and injecting slurry, drilling and spreading fertiliser.
We've fields to attend to around a few local villages but the one thing I've noticed is that when I meet people on the road either walking, biking or in their cars or gardens they all seem far more friendly than usual (even if I'm spreading muck right by their garden).
Is this just because no one is in a rush these days or because they're just happy to see something happening?
Or are people hopefully coming to realise the value of what we actually do?
Has anyone else noticed a change?

Yes, I've noticed when driving that people are much more considerate and courteous. I don't think it'll last when the traffic builds up again though.

The other day I even saw a BMW indicating to pull out

 

[Muddyroads]

Yes, I've noticed when driving that people are much more considerate and courteous. I don't think it'll last when the traffic builds up again though.

The other day I even saw a BMW indicating to pull out

Must be one of the rare ones with indicators as an optional extra.

 

[Steevo]

People aren’t in a rush, and are therefore more relaxed, patient and polite.

Many seem to feel like it is a bit of a holiday and everyone is in a similar boat.

 

[Lofty1984]

Since the start of this lock down I've been fortunate enough to be flat out on fieldwork, carting muck and injecting slurry, drilling and spreading fertiliser.
We've fields to attend to around a few local villages but the one thing I've noticed is that when I meet people on the road either walking, biking or in their cars or gardens they all seem far more friendly than usual (even if I'm spreading muck right by their garden).
Is this just because no one is in a rush these days or because they're just happy to see something happening?
Or are people hopefully coming to realise the value of what we actually do?
Has anyone else noticed a change?

No
I’ve noticed far more people waving be it from their back gardens backing on to fields to people walking the lanes and even had police waving , and not to pull over ?

 

[MrNoo]

Yes, noticed this, most actually wave a "hello" I would imagine it is how it would have been back in the "good old days"

 

[Lofty1984]

Instead of the usual ??

 

[Chopsy Varmint]

Must be one of the rare ones with indicators as an optional extra.

I figured the driver had got so bored with the lockdown he'd been reduced to reading the manual.

 

[Al R]

Had someone walking past a gateway I was mending spook me and say “hello” my reply was “f off” but I had just been spooked and had never seen her before... unfortunately it was a natural reaction to being spooked

 

[Bill dog]

I’ve never seen a cheery cyclist, virus pandemic or not! Just sweaty , grumpy middle aged men as normal!

 

[Ted M]

I’ve never seen a cheery cyclist, virus pandemic or not! Just sweaty , grumpy middle aged men as normal!

Unbelievably I met one on the road with the slurry tanker the other day and he raised his arm with a big thumbs-up.
Absolutely unprecedented.... ?

 

[v8willy]

Unbelievably I met one on the road with the slurry tanker the other day and he raised his arm with a big thumbs-up.
Absolutely unprecedented.... ?

Didn't want covered in shyte...

Yeah, plenty waving on the roads, only it's like a slalom driving down the roads at the moment.

 

[ollie989898]

Hmmm. You could be right, but the quiet little footpath though our yard has become the dog walking equivalent of the M1 and I've had several mouthfuls of abuse from strokers when I ask them to put their dogs on leads or to keep to the path.

You need a large angry dog.

 

[Bill dog]

Blimey !
A couple of years ago my dad was moving a mob of ewes along our single track road towards me ( waiting to turn them in to the steading). They had all stopped, and up front were 3 Lycra Hero’s blocking the road .
Dad shouted to them to get to one side of the road, so the ewes would pass.
Why should we , we pay our taxes too they shouted back .
Well I was very proud of Dad that day. I heard words that would have made Roy Chubby Brown blush!
They moved !!

 

[Raider112]

Unbelievably I met one on the road with the slurry tanker the other day and he raised his arm with a big thumbs-up.
Absolutely unprecedented.... ?

Been a bloody good bike to pull a slurry tanker.

 

[Muddyroads]

Had someone walking past a gateway I was mending spook me and say “hello” my reply was “f off” but I had just been spooked and had never seen her before... unfortunately it was a natural reaction to being spooked

Isn’t that response part of the normal courtship rituals of west Wales?

 

[Goweresque]

I was pootling around between farms the other day in my old LR 90 (ie an archetypal 'farmer' vehicle) and was somewhat surprised to get a cheery wave from a random van driver, which I assumed was of a positive 'well done for working through the crisis' type.