Family drive 30 miles for walk in country
Golfers and teens also flout lockdown rules across region
A taxi owner was left furious when he took an emergency fare - only to discover a family of five plus a dog had broken down after driving 30 miles for a walk in the country.
David McDougall, owner of Aberfeldy Taxis, was asked to pick up an older couple, a younger couple and a small child, as well as the pet, from Griffin Forest car park near Aberfeldy.
The family told David their car had broken down and they had to get back to Perth. He then had to make two trips to take them into town to get a bus.
David was speaking as other reports of people ignoring the lockdown came to light.
People were spotted playing on the North Inch Golf course at the weekend while Councillor Angus Forbes has asked the council to take equipment away from a playpark in Inchture because teens are congregating there.
David told the PA: “What part of ‘stay at home’ don’t folk get?
“These people had come from Perth all the way to Aberfeldy just to get a nice walk with the dog. But their car broke down.
“It’s not just an expensive mistake, they put others at risk by their selfish behaviour.
“It was bizarre. The man told me on the phone his car had broken down and they were stranded. He wanted to get down into town to find a bus to get back to Perth. So, understanding they were stuck up there, I agreed to collect them.
“I went to meet them at Griffin car park, only to find this was five people and a dog which is too many for the taxi as I need everybody to sit in the back due to coronavirus.
“As it was, because they had a young child, I took the gran, the mum and the son in one trip and went back for the men and the dog.
“My blood pressure went through the roof when the man who’d called me admitted that they had come from Perth for a walk in the wood as they ‘fancied somewhere different’ to walk the dog.
“Lord knows how they got back to Perth. They were pretty put out to realise that there wasn’t a bus till later. All that time they were mixing with locals around Aberfeldy.
“What were they thinking (or not thinking) - a 60-odd-mile round trip just to walk the dog.
“It’s more than a bit excessive and with the clear restrictions for coronavirus we all observe, unnecessary.”
Meanwhile, a group of intruders have been lambasted for sneaking onto the North Inch Golf Course and teeingup during the lockdown.
The trio were spotted by a shocked bystander in broad daylight with their golf clubs and bags on the seventh hole at the closed Perth course.
All four Perth City Centre councillors have hit out at the three individuals, who were labelled by one councillor as “selfish numpties”.
Cllr Chris Ahern said: “I cannot understand people’s stupidity in putting themselves and others at risk.
“Whilst the majority of people are staying at home, following the rules and struggling day by day to get through this, you have idiots that think they are above it all.
“The more people break the rules, the longer this will go on.”
Cllr Peter Barrett added: “Playing golf isn’t compatible with government policy and what these three men have done is stupid and irresponsible.
“Golf is for sportsmen and women, abiding by rules and etiquette - these selfish numpties clearly haven’t grasped the basics of the game and have angered the majority of players who have sacrificed their enjoyment of the sport during lockdown.”
Cllr Eric Drysdale added: “While the vast majority of citizens are complying with the lockdown for the benefit of everyone, a few individuals just seem to think the rules apply to everyone except themselves.
“It’s so irresponsible and reckless.”
Cllr Andrew Parrott said “If they are choosing to break