BMW Driver Stopped By Police After Driving To Take A Break From Wife And Kids

Being cooped up at home during the coronavirus lockdown can be painfully frustrating, but it's something we all need to be doing to keep safe and help this difficult situation end sooner. However, one person in Cornwall, the UK, just couldn't wait.

A BMW driver was stopped by police on the A30 near Launceston, Cornwall, on Easter Sunday having embarked on a 170-mile round trip. The reason? To get away from his wife and kids for a little bit.

While his actions are somewhat understandable, they do go against current government guidelines that stipulate that you should only hit the road if your journey is absolutely essential – such as driving to buy food or medication, or driving to work if you're unable to work from home.

Local police reminded the driver of the rules, and later tweeted about the incident.

"Taking your BMW out for a spin on a 170-mile round trip to have a break from the wife and three kids is also not an essential journey," they said. "The roads are much quieter but there are still people who don't get it."

Close to nearby Bodmin, another driver was caught embarking on another non-essential journey, only this time the driver's van broke down, turning the problem into a much bigger one.

The same force later reported an incident in which a motorist drove across the country to pick up a boat, and then broke down on a hill.

"Driving across the county (and then breaking down on a hill) to collect the second hand boat you just bought is not an essential journey either," said another police tweet. "Driver reported near Bodmin."

Both of these incidents come after a driver was caught driving at 130 mph on the M25 motorway near London last week. Upon being stopped the driver said that he was trying to avoid catching coronavirus, telling police, "I thought the faster I went the less chance I would catch coronavirus."