36654
New member
Wouldn't a LEO be a bit annoyed that you made him interact with you (i.e., risk infection) to verify that you have a license plate?
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Riding Motorcycles During the COVID-19 Pandemic
- Thread starter moshe_levy
- Start date
Wouldn't a LEO be a bit annoyed that you made him interact with you (i.e., risk infection) to verify that you have a license plate?
I'll get a James Bond switcheroo plate- NY on one side and New Jersey on the other...yeah that'll work! lol
Looks like things will open up a bit after May 15- unless those in power continue to confuse "flatten the curve" with "do whatever so that no one gets sick ever; if it saves one diabetic, 80 year old with respiratory problems and heart disease it's worth it."
Looks like things will open up a bit after May 15- unless those in power continue to confuse "flatten the curve" with "do whatever so that no one gets sick ever; if it saves one diabetic, 80 year old with respiratory problems and heart disease it's worth it."
Some restrictions may be lifted by the 15th, but realize this will only be in limited ways in many jurisdictions. Also realize that if you are cavalier about the virus, you’ll get a less than warm welcome any place you travel. If the situation were reversed, and retirees had much less to fear while younger people were especially vulnerable, would you be among those objecting to retirees demanding the right to travel around the country at will?
Sorry, but I’ve heard too many people copping a selfish attitude. This virus has already killed about 80,000 people in the US alone, despite extraordinary measures to contain it. Bad as that already is, without those measures, the death toll would be truly staggering and there likely wouldn't be a single one of us who hadn’t lost a close friend or relative. As it is, there are plenty enough and for those who have, reading callous comments like yours above must be quite painful.
I’m sorry if I sounded cavalier about the actual virus and it’s potential impact- as a high risk (by age) person I’m careful to observe all precautions, hence my original questions about traveling. I do stand by my observation that there is a difference between flattening the curve and draconian fear mongering. Again, if my clever comments seemed callous to you I apologize- sincerely. For me this is a thread about safe travel, sorry if I appeared to stray outside the lines.
pglaves
#13338
After there are treatments that work better than ventilators and induced comas, and after there is a PROVEN vaccine (which may not be the first concoction to market) then I will again stay at a motel/hotel. In the good times even the better hotels could barely keep the toilet clean, let alone the carpet or the bedspreads. If cruise ships are the floating petri dishes, then hotels and motels are the land based petri dishes.
36654
New member
Sadly, the person cleaning the hotel room could be aspiring to a job at the meat packing plant...
A lively discussion about riding in a Pandemic here:
https://www.cake.co/conversations/W...utm_campaign=editorial&utm_content=05_12_2020
I was very surprised to read AMA's President says go for it. . .
Voni
sMiling later
https://www.cake.co/conversations/W...utm_campaign=editorial&utm_content=05_12_2020
I was very surprised to read AMA's President says go for it. . .
Voni
sMiling later
36654
New member
The AMA President's myopic response is what I've come to expect from that organization.
We got an email to our club members from a member who was in SATX ICU unit since Saturday with broken ribs, punctured lung and other issues. Had a bike- deer encounter on a favorite backroad west of
SATX.
It made me do a reality check of when and where to ride... an ICU unit in one of the country’s largest cities isn’t my ideal location should the need arise.
Yes, we enjoy a risky at times lifestyle... times are a bit different.
SATX.
It made me do a reality check of when and where to ride... an ICU unit in one of the country’s largest cities isn’t my ideal location should the need arise.
Yes, we enjoy a risky at times lifestyle... times are a bit different.
gregfeeler
Dances With Sheep
I have to state my position very carefully to reduce the chances of someone misinterpreting. I'm in the high risk age demographic like many here, and I've been and am being very cautious when leaving the house: mask, gloves, disinfecting wipes, etc. And, I completely understand that "flattening the curve" is only about COVID-19 treatment capacity management, and that the danger won't really abate until we have vaccines and treatments. So - I get it.
Having said all that, I'm troubled by some of what I hear from motorcyclists saying essentially that riding is too dangerous to do during these times. The argument is you don't want to take a hospital bed from a COVID-19 patient, or be in a hospital yourself to be potentially exposed to the virus. There is some merit to both of these concerns. IF your area is near or above hospital capacity, then competition for a hospital bed is valid - but overwhelmingly most of the US never got close. I live in Idaho and we've had less than 70 deaths and at no time was there any danger of a shortage of hospital beds and equipment. Also, hospitals have always been a mixed blessing between cure and opportunity to catch something worse. So, good places to avoid.
My concern is that when a rider says "riding is too dangerous now because of X", aren't they really saying that riding is just too dangerous - that it's foolish to do at any time, but usually it's "OK" because you can get a hospital bed when the inevitable accident happens? I've spent many years working to protect motorcycle rights, and I have seen too many times how your own words can be used against you. Some of the things I've seen and heard from within our own community are hard ammunition for those who would would like to see eliminated motorcycles.
Staying at home not only isolates you from people but from other risks, which should all be considered - but I personally don't put riding in a special "high risk" category. Otherwise, wouldn't I be stupid to do it at any time? To be very clear, I've had motorcycle accidents, and broken a bone or three, so my position is not that there is no risk to riding, but rather that given intelligent choices about roads and weather, it's a manageable and acceptable risk all the time. And, for anyone who lives in a area were they are presently allowed to ride and where this is normal hospital capacity, not personally or socially irresponsible. So, I get Rob Dingman's statement and have to say I support it overall.
Having said all that, I'm troubled by some of what I hear from motorcyclists saying essentially that riding is too dangerous to do during these times. The argument is you don't want to take a hospital bed from a COVID-19 patient, or be in a hospital yourself to be potentially exposed to the virus. There is some merit to both of these concerns. IF your area is near or above hospital capacity, then competition for a hospital bed is valid - but overwhelmingly most of the US never got close. I live in Idaho and we've had less than 70 deaths and at no time was there any danger of a shortage of hospital beds and equipment. Also, hospitals have always been a mixed blessing between cure and opportunity to catch something worse. So, good places to avoid.
My concern is that when a rider says "riding is too dangerous now because of X", aren't they really saying that riding is just too dangerous - that it's foolish to do at any time, but usually it's "OK" because you can get a hospital bed when the inevitable accident happens? I've spent many years working to protect motorcycle rights, and I have seen too many times how your own words can be used against you. Some of the things I've seen and heard from within our own community are hard ammunition for those who would would like to see eliminated motorcycles.
Staying at home not only isolates you from people but from other risks, which should all be considered - but I personally don't put riding in a special "high risk" category. Otherwise, wouldn't I be stupid to do it at any time? To be very clear, I've had motorcycle accidents, and broken a bone or three, so my position is not that there is no risk to riding, but rather that given intelligent choices about roads and weather, it's a manageable and acceptable risk all the time. And, for anyone who lives in a area were they are presently allowed to ride and where this is normal hospital capacity, not personally or socially irresponsible. So, I get Rob Dingman's statement and have to say I support it overall.
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I think that if one is going to do something that is “most likely” against the common good, be a sport and and don’t try to drag others onto it.
I’m going to be interested to see how all the beach goers make out rolling the “monkey see, monkey do” approach to beach use.
All these protests to “open up the country” would look a whole lot better to me if the protesters were wearing
and being careful.
The local clubs newsletter was titled “Corona Schmona.....Let’s Ride”.
You may think that but putting it in print indicates a number of poor choices.
Be safe......this virus is a curve you can’t see coming. The crash may take out those behind you.
OM
I’m going to be interested to see how all the beach goers make out rolling the “monkey see, monkey do” approach to beach use.
All these protests to “open up the country” would look a whole lot better to me if the protesters were wearing
and being careful. The local clubs newsletter was titled “Corona Schmona.....Let’s Ride”.
You may think that but putting it in print indicates a number of poor choices.
Be safe......this virus is a curve you can’t see coming. The crash may take out those behind you.
OM
36654
New member
Based on the source, motorcycling is 28 to 38 times higher risk than travelling in a car or truck. That's pretty much the starting point for most Basic Rider Course curriculums.
The MC is not self balancing and the rider is exposed (no steel cage). The risk level is higher. That's not opinion......it's Physics.
gregfeeler
Dances With Sheep
Then why do you even ride at all?
36654
New member
A knowledgeable rider does it knowing the risk and, hopefully, taking measures (equipment and training) to reduce the risk.
In my case Greg, I ride to travel to locations far from home. With limited accommodation (camping sites) and a lack of public bathroom facilities in my province, not riding is a no-brainer. If I could get out of the country or province, I'd have to self isolate for two weeks upon my return. This not what I had planned for this summer.
rich
#37829
I couldn't agree more with your statements. I would sleep on the roof of my car in a rainstorm before I'd bed down in a motel right now.
I've never been on a cruise ship. Ever. I will live the rest of my life on this earth without being on one.
To the topic of riding during the pandemic, ND is like Idaho and Montana. We are fortunately low in numbers of patients, and the last I heard we were only using 1% of the available hospital beds due to the virus. Being recently retired, I'm riding more than ever. Albeit locally.
akbeemer
SURVIVOR
Montana has recorded 462 total cases; 16 cases are currently active; three people are currently hospitalized; a total of 63 people have been hospitalized; 2.2% of the population has been tested; we have been getting 0-2 new cases a day for weeks with ten new cases in the past two weeks; 16 people have died; last death was on 29 April; 26 of Montana's 56 counties have zero cases recorded; my county, Lewis and Clark, recorded 16 cases with the last one on 9 April; five counties account for 337 cases (80% of total); 29 cases and seven deaths are in a small rural county (Toole) and related to a nursing home.
We are in the early stages of opening up with restaurants, bars and most other businesses able to open. Opening schools is left up to individual districts with most remaining closed (there are around three weeks left in the school year).
We ride as much as we can.
We are in the early stages of opening up with restaurants, bars and most other businesses able to open. Opening schools is left up to individual districts with most remaining closed (there are around three weeks left in the school year).
We ride as much as we can.
H is still commuting a few times a week by bike. I have made grocery runs as well. We both took a long loop on motors Sunday afternoon after a long bicycle ride. So, on two wheels a lot.
I will avoid both SanAntonio and Travis county (Austin) until things ease up. Our county had 6 reported, however, neighbor Travis Co. 2100 cases and 60 deaths... 40 miles away...SATX has 1900 and 57... also 40 miles away.
Neither is “ flattened” or slowing.
I am buying a bike in NC and want to go fly and ride home soon. Waiting on seeing a “ safest route/ timeline” to pull that off. Seeing the confusion with airlines, that may be longer Planned on camping as well but all the state/ nat’l parks on my route are not open yet or restricted to day use. Those same states are also not flattened either. Was avoiding hotels.
I will avoid both SanAntonio and Travis county (Austin) until things ease up. Our county had 6 reported, however, neighbor Travis Co. 2100 cases and 60 deaths... 40 miles away...SATX has 1900 and 57... also 40 miles away.
Neither is “ flattened” or slowing.
I am buying a bike in NC and want to go fly and ride home soon. Waiting on seeing a “ safest route/ timeline” to pull that off. Seeing the confusion with airlines, that may be longer
Planned on camping as well but all the state/ nat’l parks on my route are not open yet or restricted to day use. Those same states are also not flattened either. Was avoiding hotels.
