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Riding Motorcycles During the COVID-19 Pandemic

In Iowa barber shops and hair salons opened a couple days ago.
Bars, casinos, and theaters are still closed.
 
I did get the bike inspected, but I was not allowed to enter the bike shop at all. Ridiculous - the local Walmart is open, why isn't the local bike shop?
Harry

The bike shop does not sell food and necessary disinfecting supplies. Not unless you count WD40 or IsoHeet.
 
I hit a 300 mile radius hauling seed, all truck stops are open, so fuel and rest rooms are available. Some are as you would expect of a truck stop, but some are kept up really well. A prior job sent me to Japan 3 times. Sparrow on a stick induced diarrhea gives you a whole new appreciation for western style toilets and limodal.
 
For toilet Nirvana, I'd recommend Japan. Even in the (relative) middle of nowhere public toilets commonly have heated seats, built-in warmed water jets (let your imagination run free) and heated blowers.

I've also been to Morocco, and those who've been there know a hole with two foot placement pads is common.
 
The bike shop does not sell food and necessary disinfecting supplies. Not unless you count WD40 or IsoHeet.

And only a minority of Walmart shoppers go home with those items.

And besides that, one reason I went there was to buy a bandana to use as a face mask.
 
For toilet Nirvana, I'd recommend Japan. Even in the (relative) middle of nowhere public toilets commonly have heated seats, built-in warmed water jets (let your imagination run free) and heated blowers.

I've also been to Morocco, and those who've been there know a hole with two foot placement pads is common.

That's the French influence for you!:hungover
 
Majority not buying food? Really?

I went this morning during geezer hour and the grocery side was the busiest part of the store. It was nice to see the disinfecting and cleaning sections were well stocked.
Our two other grocery stores carry very little cleaning and paper products so we were lucky to have a Walmart in our town.
Maybe because we live in a small town but our Walmart does a big grocery business.
 
I work in NJ but live now in Kentucky (work remote). My co-worker who lives in NJ rides a BMW and says this has been the best time to ride there since the roads are less congested than ever.

Look I get it the virus is contagious and some will face serious consequences but if it is a life or death situation then shut it all down. Why should Timmy at the supermarket be in such danger to sell you beer and groceries? Let's just say it is like radiation dangerous, would nurses and doctors come out to be exposed? The fact is it is highly recoverable for most of the population and my stupid company in Union County NJ has been open the whole time making conveyors (as if they were really essential) and we had 3 cases and all just had a fever and recovered including a 67 year old person. Sure wear a mask and 6 feet or whatever you want but when this is over there will be tons of divorces, foreclosures, drug addictions, suicides, poverty and so forth which will lead to a lot more deaths. Those of you who are in poor health, get in shape if that is your issue for being in a high risk group otherwise just quarantine your selves as that is your freedom to do so but for Gods sake open it up for the rest of us. Waiting a few more weeks is not changing anything anymore, the virus will still be there and there will still not be any vaccine or absolute cure. Here in Kentucky we had a very low rate yet our stupid governor maintains a shut down following the lead of Mayor De'Blasio and Cuomo as if they know best (let's put contagious old feeble people with healthy feeble people and Trump is an idiot and Tony Fauci says don't wear a mask oops now wear a mask and the flu is worse oops no corona is worse and we should shut down another year and...blah blah blah and I'm the only expert and the science is absolute and hydroxychloroquine will kill you and give you pimples and who wants that...enough) while across the river in Indiana we are all going out to eat there instead in restaurants and now are living again with no issues and masks are not required for customers.

The initial shut-down was justified to understand this virus and now we know that the healthy population will be fine and the ER rooms are no longer overwhelmed. Open it up or face dire consequences that are a lot longer lasting or you will be joining the have-nots complaining about the rich and so forth. Look this is a motorcycle forum so we all are considered stupid idiots for taking such risks and on such a stupid endeavor as riding a motorcycle, yet we know the risks and know life is a risk as is. You want to live in a bubble of safety then; lower the speed limit to 10 mph, outlaw red meat, sugar, liquor, beer, milk, wheat products, pasta, bacon, lawn mowers, ladders, bicycles, skiing, roller skates, trampolines, swimming pools, pot, peanuts, potato chips, airplanes, boats, rockets, fertilizers,... and all are constrained to stay at home and eat Michelle Obama approved meals of veggies only and it will be mandatory that all will pass the presidents fitness test or go to mandatory boot camp to get there and only allowed 1.3 hours of TV so we can get our next mandated updates of marching orders.

This event with the overreaction will be a milestone moment in our lives like 911 and I fear not for the better of this country. We will look back at malls, Macy's, Sears, JC Penny's, Best Buys, Best Baths and Beyond, local Pizza parlor, local shops, and ...as things of the past and look at last year as the good old days before the huge decline in America. Germany, China, Japan, Korea and other countries around the world are opening up so we stand at a crossroads of leading and keeping up or fading away like the British in the last century.
 
I work in NJ but live now in Kentucky (work remote). My co-worker who lives in NJ rides a BMW and says this has been the best time to ride there since the roads are less congested than ever.

Look I get it the virus is contagious and some will face serious consequences but if it is a life or death situation then shut it all down. Why should Timmy at the supermarket be in such danger to sell you beer and groceries? Let's just say it is like radiation dangerous, would nurses and doctors come out to be exposed? The fact is it is highly recoverable for most of the population and my stupid company in Union County NJ has been open the whole time making conveyors (as if they were really essential) and we had 3 cases and all just had a fever and recovered including a 67 year old person. Sure wear a mask and 6 feet or whatever you want but when this is over there will be tons of divorces, foreclosures, drug addictions, suicides, poverty and so forth which will lead to a lot more deaths. Those of you who are in poor health, get in shape if that is your issue for being in a high risk group otherwise just quarantine your selves as that is your freedom to do so but for Gods sake open it up for the rest of us. Waiting a few more weeks is not changing anything anymore, the virus will still be there and there will still not be any vaccine or absolute cure. Here in Kentucky we had a very low rate yet our stupid governor maintains a shut down following the lead of Mayor De'Blasio and Cuomo as if they know best (let's put contagious old feeble people with healthy feeble people and Trump is an idiot and Tony Fauci says don't wear a mask oops now wear a mask and the flu is worse oops no corona is worse and we should shut down another year and...blah blah blah and I'm the only expert and the science is absolute and hydroxychloroquine will kill you and give you pimples and who wants that...enough) while across the river in Indiana we are all going out to eat there instead in restaurants and now are living again with no issues and masks are not required for customers.

The initial shut-down was justified to understand this virus and now we know that the healthy population will be fine and the ER rooms are no longer overwhelmed. Open it up or face dire consequences that are a lot longer lasting or you will be joining the have-nots complaining about the rich and so forth. Look this is a motorcycle forum so we all are considered stupid idiots for taking such risks and on such a stupid endeavor as riding a motorcycle, yet we know the risks and know life is a risk as is. You want to live in a bubble of safety then; lower the speed limit to 10 mph, outlaw red meat, sugar, liquor, beer, milk, wheat products, pasta, bacon, lawn mowers, ladders, bicycles, skiing, roller skates, trampolines, swimming pools, pot, peanuts, potato chips, airplanes, boats, rockets, fertilizers,... and all are constrained to stay at home and eat Michelle Obama approved meals of veggies only and it will be mandatory that all will pass the presidents fitness test or go to mandatory boot camp to get there and only allowed 1.3 hours of TV so we can get our next mandated updates of marching orders.

This event with the overreaction will be a milestone moment in our lives like 911 and I fear not for the better of this country. We will look back at malls, Macy's, Sears, JC Penny's, Best Buys, Best Baths and Beyond, local Pizza parlor, local shops, and ...as things of the past and look at last year as the good old days before the huge decline in America. Germany, China, Japan, Korea and other countries around the world are opening up so we stand at a crossroads of leading and keeping up or fading away like the British in the last century.
Interesting to see if your guess is correct. I think it will take 5 weeks to see if things are on the right track.
It’s ok to ease off on the political aspect. Things go down hill fast.
Thanks.
OM
 
Many good points of info in this discussion. I just pulled the cover of the bike. Last fall I treated "Woosh" to new tires and pads. With 4 twisty mountain over the top passes with in 45 minutes from home it becomes a mental puzzle. Off season traffic. But as I turn 74 I question my safety. When riding its a 360* awareness for me being ADHD helps to. Weather its Moose or Turkeys or a dead man branch about to fall. But to put our awesome fire and rescue at risk makes me pause. What ever our decisions keep yourself healthy and safe. The pic was a ride north along the Gulf of Maine maraitimes.View attachment 77912

Damn that pic reminds me of my 2018 Nova Scotia run:

red_boat1.jpg

Easier times to enjoy our passion...
 
Headed towards Savannah from Mohawk Valley NY. Got a campsite reserved in Gettysburg Pa. A cousin in Virginia and a good hotel booked in Savannah. Route home TBD. Gas and pee should be one stop shopping. Carrying sanitizer and nitrile gloves as well as obligatory face mask. Also over-loaded on backpacker meals incase food is an issue. I'll miss museums and small store shopping- but riding and vistas should ease the pain! Leaving 26th and that was a plus for reservations...
 
A knowledgeable rider does it knowing the risk and, hopefully, taking measures (equipment and training) to reduce the risk.

Sorry for the delayed reply. I think you are making my point that riding, as in all things, is about risk management and assessment of potential consequences. If one were to take the motorcycle accident statistics from the Insurance Information Institute (https://www.iii.org/fact-statistic/facts-statistics-motorcycle-crashes) at face value, it would be irrational to even straddle a bike - at any time. However, in my experience those numbers are highly deceiving as they don't provide analysis of bike type, rider experience, age, rider training, rider impairment (alcohol, etc.), and so on. I find the NHTSA (https://crashstats.nhtsa.dot.gov/Api/Public/ViewPublication/812148) data far more useful. My reading of their reporting allows me to filter for a lot of conditions and behaviors to better fit the BMW riders I know in the MOA, ourselves included. I think that filtering helps explain why I, and so many I know, are still alive and riding after several hundred thousand motorcycle miles.

So, whatever your assessment of your personal risk of riding, that is what it is, and apparently we all have accepted that risk if we continue to ride. Now, putting that into the context of the present coronavirus situation, what has changed from before? I see that as access to medical care. In *most* places of the U.S. medical facilities were never at or near capacity during the worst of the peak. Even New York City did not exceed their hospital and care capacity. For those areas that did experience high hospitalization rates, then due to specific local conditions I would agree that eliminating *any* activity which might cause you to require a hospital bed would be prudent for several reasons. For me, that would include unnecessarily going out in public, and driving a car the same as riding a bike. However, for the vast majority of areas there was then, and certainly is now, no hospital resource shortage, so we are back to the baseline risk management of riding. Said another way, I don't disagree with those who chose, or still choose, not to ride because they are concerned about overtaxing the medical facilities in their area if those resources are in short supply. However, I do disagree with the tone expressed by some on this forum that riding is so inherently dangerous that you should only do it when an EMT is only minutes away, or that everyone everywhere should not be riding despite their local circumstances just because some in other areas should not be. As I said in my original post on this topic, I am trying to make a comment with a very fine point, and fine points by their nature are hard to stay on top of without sliding to one or the other side of the argument. :brow
 
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