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Are cyclist just too superior to keep their masks/buffs on


Stefalbertyn

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Personally I'm feel strongly that I would rather not exercise than to cycle in close proximity to others i.e. distance away from other people, which is what the url communicate as well.

 

One can have a massive discussion about what is your close proximity vs my close proximity, but how long is a piece of string... (My string is very long in this case...)

 

I do the mask thing in suburbs, and try my best to do that while passing people along a route. (Not a lot of them here though)

 

Edit: Bottom line - to much trust is placed on masks.

This is in line with my protocol and I have adjusted my exercise times to avoid the rush. Unfortunately on the trails I can't always avoid coming into close proximity and that's where I want more consideration from fellow trail users. As I said to an idiot at Wolwespruit on Friday the correct distance is about that of a straight right, he got the point.
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There are arguments that in certain cases riding two abreast is safer than single file too. 

But its difficult to have this conversation when all other road user see is a bunch of people who clearly think the rules do not apply to them.

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This is in line with my protocol and I have adjusted my exercise times to avoid the rush. Unfortunately on the trails I can't always avoid coming into close proximity and that's where I want more consideration from fellow trail users. As I said to an idiot at Wolwespruit on Friday the correct distance is about that of a straight right, he got the point.

I packed the road bike, so it is easier for me (but frustrating with all the dirt road options here that I loose out on)

 

I would definitely prefer that someone is mask when I pass him or her on a single track. 

 

That said - if two people end up on a trail in close proximity with each other, then both dont follow WHO's advice to keep distance when exercising - if they are masked or not. - But masked is better when that happen.

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For sure but given that we were talking about masks I thought it went without saying that we were talking about respiratory fluids....perhaps I should have said MOUTH fluids ont BODY fluids....

 

1m is great for static or slow moving people but I would not like to be riding behind a cougher or sneezer. There have been various studies for and against slipstreams and distancing but logic tells me fair size drops could statistically go directly from their mouth to mine.

 

Over here masks have never been mandatory but then the Reff was only over 1 for a short period of time (during that time riding more than 2 side by side was illegal).

 

As for the asthma - riding bikes outside is voluntary. During the corona pandemic with SA posting record deaths per day I reckon Zwifting indoors without a mask or changing exercise mode for a few weeks/months is probably the right moral thing to do.

 

 

I think you've misunderstood. This is not people who do suffer form Asthma but people who don't have a history of asthma that are now showing symptoms of it. My GP told me at the start that this was a risk and that I need to consider how and when I use it while out riding. To date I'm not having any issues but I can feel how breathing in wet air through a sweat soaked mask is going to cause problems.

The fundamental issue is don't ride or run or surf or golf, or yoga in groups. If you fall into a high risk group think about how you lower your risk of exposure and thus your risk of transmitting it.

Asymptomatic transmission is proving to be rare (comments made by WHO head of Virology and other medical researchers and practitioners). 

Yes a mask is helpful in reducing transmission when you're in a confined space or around a lot of people. Its not helpful if using it in a manner that changes your own risk profile from low risk to high risk.

Other than that the rest is fear mongering. Morally the right thing to do is everyone stay home and lock yourselves away for 2 years.

However fortunately the authorities realise that risk management is the only viable course of action

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There are arguments that in certain cases riding two abreast is safer than single file too. 

But its difficult to have this conversation when all other road user see is a bunch of people who clearly think the rules do not apply to them.

This discussion has nothing to do with inconsiderate road use, nor does it relate to what other road users think about cyclists. 

 

Click here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/False_equivalence

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Is this is a real WHO statement or do you believe all graphics with a WHO logo slapped on it? A nice graphic with text does not make it fact

That graphic is posted by the WHO official facebook account.

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I packed the road bike, so it is easier for me (but frustrating with all the dirt road options here that I loose out on)

 

I would definitely prefer that someone is mask when I pass him or her on a single track. 

 

That said - if two people end up on a trail in close proximity with each other, then both dont follow WHO's advice to keep distance when exercising - if they are masked or not. - But masked is better when that happen.

 

 

Of course hence one should always have it with you or around your neck to be able to react to the situation at hand. 

Hence no one is advocating that masks are useless. Its just not healthy or safe to wear it when exercising  vigorously for the factors given in that WHO Q&A poster. And avoid groups. But have it handy (or around your neck to pull up when social distancing isn't possible

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It seems sit-down restaurants etc might be opening soon.

 

Looking ahead, 'should' (hypothetically!) the requirement to wear masks while exercising falls away, what are (some) of the participants on this this tread going do if it is not compulsory anymore?

 

Skip restaurants / hair cuts etc, as well as exercising outside eg?  (As risk management has suddenly take on a new dimension.) 

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Looking ahead, 'should' (hypothetically!) the requirement to wear masks while exercising falls away, what are (some) of the participants on this this tread going do if it is not compulsory anymore?

 

Yes.

 

But only during winter. The fact of warming and humidifying the air I breath in has for many, many years been beneficial. I'm not gonna let some bat virus stop me.

 

(beneficial to me - I'm doubtful about the efficacy of a mask for prevention of spread of anything both pre-covid and post-covid)

Edited by TNT1
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This discussion has nothing to do with inconsiderate road use, nor does it relate to what other road users think about cyclists. 

 

Click here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/False_equivalence

Some people do not need to Wiki "false equivalence" to know what it means.

 

The discussion is very much about people breaking rules that they justify as invalid to themselves.

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I packed the road bike, so it is easier for me (but frustrating with all the dirt road options here that I loose out on)

 

I would definitely prefer that someone is mask when I pass him or her on a single track. 

 

That said - if two people end up on a trail in close proximity with each other, then both dont follow WHO's advice to keep distance when exercising - if they are masked or not. - But masked is better when that happen.

 

On tar it is relatively easy to manage your safe distance to others.  The main exception being runners running on the opposite side of the road ....  Then I watch for a gap in the traffic and try to pass them as wide as possible.  In these cases it is nice when both parties pull up their buffs, thumbs-up, and then go their merry way as the buffs goes down again.

 

 

MTB on trails .... uhm ja .... B-Spot and the like is nice.  Here it is very easy to manage your social distancing.  It is along the Protea corridor type dual direction sections when things gets scary !!  There are parts that are so narrow now that one of the riders litterally has to ride into the new fields.  Other areas your are rubbing handle bars .....  Thanks to those that have the common decency to pull up their buffs in these situations.  :thumbup:

 

 

 

back on planet SA .... those that have used their buffs, will continue to do so near others .... the rest will continue to look for excuses, afterall, pulling up a buff for a few seconds is such a difficult task .... so out on the trails nothing will change.  Only real impact, this WHO notification will fuel this tread for a few more pages, and lets not confuse people with the fact that WHO indicated that "no masks" is to be read WITH "social distancing", which is not possible on dual direction trails .....

 

 

 

To those runners\walkers\cyclists that do pull up their buffs when passing others - THANK YOU  :thumbup:   :clap:

 

 

 

Just give me a second to get some fresh popcorn while "Hub friends" rip each other a new one just because .... 

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