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Interesting short read on riding during the Corona virus times

Good post Ron.
Irene and I are waiting for decent weather so we can take out first ride of 2020.
She's in high-risk because of respiratory issues, so we're being extra-cautious. The point about the gas nozzle came to light today when I fueled up. Finished fueling (using one hand) then used hand sanitizer (holding bottle with other hand). It's so easy to touch something, then absentmindedly grab our phone... or the door handle...or whatever...
We need to stay conscious of what we do with our hands.

Stay safe friend!
 
Also important to not take advantage of the empty roads and see if you can take that road any faster than usual.
If you end up in hospital on a ventilator, that's one more Covid-19 victim who's gonna die because you took their ventilator.
Personally I won't be riding at all during all this as it's too risky, to me and to others.
 
Jorge said:
Good post Ron.
Irene and I are waiting for decent weather so we can take out first ride of 2020.
She's in high-risk because of respiratory issues, so we're being extra-cautious. The point about the gas nozzle came to light today when I fueled up. Finished fueling (using one hand) then used hand sanitizer (holding bottle with other hand). It's so easy to touch something, then absentmindedly grab our phone... or the door handle...or whatever...
We need to stay conscious of what we do with our hands.

Stay safe friend!
Click to expand...

Saw a cute video of a guy in a bathroom trying to wash his hands and the "last thing he touched" and it reminded me of the "Br'er Rabbit and the Tar Baby" tale from long ago. He washed one item, then the last one before that, then the last one before THAT, etc." He finally just sat in the corner. I know how he feels. Take care pal.
 
The wife and I took a real nice ride last Saturday on a short 50 mile jaunt down to Wabaso on US1 and back up A1A to Melbourne. Every boat ramp along US1 was overloaded with boat trailers. Everyone was out on the river because it was such a beautiful day. We didn't see people gathering around the islands as usual, mostly anchoring alone and enjoying the day. Pretty much the same along the beach. All park entrances closed but people still going to the beach in small numbers. Everyone is following the social distancing but not hiding under a rock. We never stopped on the ride as everything is closed up anyway. Still, we enjoyed getting out of the house for a nice ride.
 
That sounds like a fun day Tom.
Irene and I are thinking we may do the same thing; don't worry Boomer, we'll be taking it easy IF we do it.
Currently, Indiana has declared a "stay at home" by the governor. A ride, just the two of us, would not violate any social distancing guidelines, and I'm not sure just how much legal authority they have to tell us to stay home, but we may abide by it just to avoid hassles.
We're pretty much just doing the bare minimum in going out.
Crazy times.
 
Always Young said:
The wife and I took a real nice ride last Saturday on a short 50 mile jaunt down to Wabaso on US1 and back up A1A to Melbourne. Every boat ramp along US1 was overloaded with boat trailers. Everyone was out on the river because it was such a beautiful day. We didn't see people gathering around the islands as usual, mostly anchoring alone and enjoying the day. Pretty much the same along the beach. All park entrances closed but people still going to the beach in small numbers. Everyone is following the social distancing but not hiding under a rock. We never stopped on the ride as everything is closed up anyway. Still, we enjoyed getting out of the house for a nice ride.
Click to expand...
Born and raised in Eau Gallie. Can only imagine the traffic down there nowadays. Moved in '94 and haven't been back since '14.
When I worked at the Cape I used to love to go out on the weekends and take my my KZ1000J out on the curves around the pads. At least until Security would flash me :) :))
Thanks for the memories
Sorry for the hijack :great:
 
Jorge said:
Good post Ron.
Irene and I are waiting for decent weather so we can take out first ride of 2020.
She's in high-risk because of respiratory issues, so we're being extra-cautious. The point about the gas nozzle came to light today when I fueled up. Finished fueling (using one hand) then used hand sanitizer (holding bottle with other hand). It's so easy to touch something, then absentmindedly grab our phone... or the door handle...or whatever...
We need to stay conscious of what we do with our hands.

Stay safe friend!
Click to expand...

now, did you wipe the charge card down, after jamming it in the pump?
sounds silly, but think about that a second.
:-[ :-[ :-[ :-X

been super aware of this, and as a "state mandate" since January, all out food stores stopped using the "handle plastic bags", because of the eco friendly mindset... we always just stuffed them all in one bag, till it was stuffed,and tossed them in a closet pile, which we used for kitchen scraps and such, to reduce the "garbage bag contents"...so I have like 1000 plastic bags... almost dumped them a couple months ago..  now, I pull 4 out, stuff them in my pocket, and use them as gloves... for everything.. then I toss them.. funny how something like that, that somebody made me feel guilty because I used plastic bags, comes full circle.. and now... the grocery stores won't let us bring in all the "costly" owner bags, to use while shopping... amazing what transpires in 3 silly months

funny thing to relate, when I did some spark plug changes a year ago, my pal was in the garage, and asked "why would you ever save the old plugs?"... I held them up to him, and asked him "what's wrong with these plugs?"... he shrugged shoulders, and said.. meh, they look ok... I had to tell him, when you need one, and can't drive the vehicle to the parts store, because you broke one on installation... you'll get it....

folks have to understand, ya can't slip up.. it's a never ending struggle right now.. next yar hopefully we can all drink from the same glass, without worry.
 
I like Man of Blues bag idea. I have a diesel and the dirtiest pumps are always when you don't have a mitt. I never really thought about that solution.

It does seem like gasoline could kill most things. If you have E85 in your area, a few drops of that would do it I would think.

I love saying "The Corona virus times" BTW
 
Jorge said:
That sounds like a fun day Tom.
Irene and I are thinking we may do the same thing; don't worry Boomer, we'll be taking it easy IF we do it.
Currently, Indiana has declared a "stay at home" by the governor. A ride, just the two of us, would not violate any social distancing guidelines, and I'm not sure just how much legal authority they have to tell us to stay home, but we may abide by it just to avoid hassles.
We're pretty much just doing the bare minimum in going out.
Crazy times.
Click to expand...
I texted a local leo this morning about taking the bikes out on the county roads where I normally ride.  Not much traffic or places to stop out there.  His response was:
"I think by the letter of it, no.  But, if you're riding to a place to exercise, that should be ok."

My response to that was: ;) ;) :rotflmao:
 
ron203 said:
Jorge said:
Good post Ron.
Irene and I are waiting for decent weather so we can take out first ride of 2020.
She's in high-risk because of respiratory issues, so we're being extra-cautious. The point about the gas nozzle came to light today when I fueled up. Finished fueling (using one hand) then used hand sanitizer (holding bottle with other hand). It's so easy to touch something, then absentmindedly grab our phone... or the door handle...or whatever...
We need to stay conscious of what we do with our hands.

Stay safe friend!
Click to expand...

Saw a cute video of a guy in a bathroom trying to wash his hands and the "last thing he touched" and it reminded me of the "Br'er Rabbit and the Tar Baby" tale from long ago. He washed one item, then the last one before that, then the last one before THAT, etc." He finally just sat in the corner. I know how he feels. Take care pal.
Click to expand...
I had those thoughts yesterday.  Ok I had gloves on, now I don't.  I'm just doing my best to avoid touching my face.  That right there is HARD.
 
Rich,
We also have so many bags...great idea!
oh, and yes, I did wipe the card before I put it back in my wallet. I was pretty pleased with myself for having thought of it... before the fact!
 
Being a postal machine guy and not a biology guy I would like to use some logic in the form of a question, but I'm not a language guy either so here's something anyway:
They say the virus spreads by droplets.
I expect the droplets contain cells or sub-cellular virus units that have to stay alive to reproduce.
I expect that when droplets dry up the cells or virus units die.
So in humid areas it could take longer for droplets to dry up and that would make humid areas more vulnerable than deserts.
Washington state, I expect the breakout was in the rainy parts.
New York City, and island on the edge of an ocean.
New Orleans, below sea level with lots of water nearby, I think.
So riding on rainy or foggy days could be worse than the same road on a dry sunny day.

Another issue:  Let's say you're riding at a mile a minute and somebody a quarter mile ahead sneezes.
Wherever that sneeze and its droplets go, you're going to be riding through that air in 15 seconds.
Some cars & trucks these days have cabin filters, other vehicles I never really learned where the air comes from and goes to with the windows closed.  You have seen leaves and maybe an escaped plastic disposable bag blowing around randomly behind a car or truck, they don't just fall to the ground like Gallileo said they should.  I'm thinking that droplets could do the same thing, even if some fine mist exited a vehicle through a drain in the floorboards it could still gain altitude and enter another vehicle or a helmet.
What I'm sure I don't know is how many virus units or infected cells can exist in a droplet of mist.
The bigger the droplet the more it behaves like a rock.

A buddy showed me a glass of Corona beer with half a lime hanging on the rim and some golf tees stuck in it to represent the virus.
I think a lot depends if the tees can blow off and infect whatever they touch or do they need to stay attached to a living cell until they touch the wall of another living cell.  Especially do they need a lung cell or a blood cell or do they just merge into any cell at all, like living skin or a mucous membrane (lips, eyes, inside nose & throat)?

I'm 63 and employed at an "essential" package delivery job, somebody else is going to have to answer the questions, if anybody ever does.
 
First the disclaimer: I'm no biology guy.

From what I've read (on the internet, so has to be true - right?), we're used to thinking about bacteria, not viruses.
Bacteria like warm humid places to have their parties. Apparently, some viruses (normal flu for one) are the opposite. Warmth and humidity make the live less time, so as the weather warms and humidity goes up (as in spring and summer), virus risks drop. This is why viruses can live for some time on solid surfaces (counters, door handles, hand rails, etc.). This is a "novel" virus, and they are hoping it will behave like the "normal" flu virus, but it's too early to tell.

As for the airflow in a car with windows closed, there is normally a vent open in the cowl area, and there is typically a exhaust vent located in towards the rear of the cabin; you may have seen an area with flexible louvers somewhere in the rear seat area, usually hidden away. Air enters at the cowl and exits towards the rear; unless recirculate is enabled, in which case there is very little air flow into/out of the cabin.

I don't know how long the sneeze droplets are likely to stay suspended, but I expect it is more than a few seconds. Your example about someone sneezing ahead of you assumes no breeze is blowing. I do plan that as soon as the weather is nice enough, and I'm not working (form home for now), we will go for a ride.

Thanks for sticking it out delivering, making life a little more tolerable for the rest of us! be careful and stay healthy.
 
I would say the spread of the virus as opposed to the outbreak has much more to do with the closeness and the sheer amount of people and where they came from in those areas than with their relation to the ocean.
 
Also has to do with many people making NO effort to protect themselves and others. Too many people are still having parties, etc.
 
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