I COMPLETELY GET SOCIAL DISTANCING AND WHAT THE GOVERNMENT IS TRYING TO DO BUT CAN'T BE DOING WITH EXAGGERATIONS THAT CAN LEAD YOU TO DOUBT OTHER FACTS.
The Brighton Argus published a photo a week or so ago to show how the people of Brighton were not taking social distancing seriously. Like many others the Photo bothered me as it had obviously been taken with a very long lens that foreshortened the view.
21st March: Hundreds flock to Brighton beach despite coronavirus distancing measures
23rd March: Coronavirus: Calls to close Brighton beach amid Covid-19
Worse it was picked up by the BBC and has been reused on numerous occasions.
EDIT 28th March: BRIGHTON residents observed social distancing as they enjoyed a stroll along the seafront today. Now claiming victory for numbers reducing by presumably drawing comparisons to the first photo.
It looks like the peace statue is close behind the toilet block. and the i360 not that far away.
So, I blew it up, drew a box round a sample area and counted.
Tricky but about 60/70 people between this side of the public conveniences to the cafe on the right of the prom in the distance.
The distance is 700m (using Google maps measure) and width 25m.
On average lets say everyone's in pairs so 35 pairs. 35 pairs over 700m is a pair every 20m and that ignores the width!!
They won't be equally spaced out but difficult to imagine they would have difficulty maintaining a 2m separation.
Then I had the opportunity to take the same (or similar) view using my phone
Put the original Argus photo into the corner and drew highlights round the same features to show how far they really are . . .
. . . then zoomed in further to show the cafe in the distance, remember the distance from public convenience to cafe is 700m
As I said, don't get me wrong, we need to clamp down on the idiots that are not taking this seriously but do we really have to do it by exaggerating the truth to the extent that Brighton seafront authorities were being compelled by public opinion to consider shutting it down. The Argus' own poll running with the original article asking should it be closed was majority in favour of "yes" when I last looked.