COVID-19 potential restrictions on riding?

[nobbie48]

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A lot. Good reason to stay at home. Anything a rider can do to keep supplies of ppe in stock for those that need them, is worth doing. If that means not riding for a month, so be it.

We can't think about anything even close to the old normal for at least a year. I can't be bothered doing a graph but it would depict a rise in C-19 PPE and hospital equipment going up as cases come down. When the two lines cross we will have achieved some form of equilibrium, possibly in a month or two. Getting qualified staff is a third line on the chart and it takes a long time to manufacture a nurse. Possibly lesser trained people can do some grunt work to give the regulars a break. Where do you draw the legal ethical line? What if, what if, what if......

When supplies equal demand we can't let the whole thing slide backwards so responsible people will not let all of the horses out of the barn at once. Responsible people do not endanger others.

 

[AllistonGT]

Responsible people do not endanger others.

Non riders would say that we riders endanger ourselves and our passengers. We all justify the stuff we do.

 

[Clutt-225]

I get the negative feedback about riding in these difficult times.
I understand that it’s not my choice to put extra strain on the healthcare system.
Yes when you put it that way it seems selfish.
But I’m still torn, let’s face it. If you are presumed healthy.
We are being told to social distance not quarantine.
Some are being forced out of a job.
Some are being forced out of a job with no compensation, meaning when this is all over or at least subdued, I for one will be working 7 days a week trying to make up the lost days revenue and will not have any time to ride.

So yes I will ride.
i will ride alone, I will pack a snack and water. I will pee in a ditch and **** before I leave. I will ride with more caution and at a slower pace than normal.
until it’s against the law and not merely a suggestion
because at this point it’s a suggestion not a law
but do you know what is a law speed limits and we all break those without the guilt of the extra risk we are putting ourselves at. And we justify this by weighing the risks.

I have been riding and or racing motor sports since I was 5years old.
I have had to use the emergency room once in 39 years. I’m ok with those odds

 

[Krime]

I get the negative feedback about riding in these difficult times.
I understand that it’s not my choice to put extra strain on the healthcare system.
Yes when you put it that way it seems selfish.
But I’m still torn, let’s face it. If you are presumed healthy.
We are being told to social distance not quarantine.
Some are being forced out of a job.
Some are being forced out of a job with no compensation, meaning when this is all over or at least subdued, I for one will be working 7 days a week trying to make up the lost days revenue and will not have any time to ride.

So yes I will ride.
i will ride alone, I will pack a snack and water. I will pee in a ditch and **** before I leave. I will ride with more caution and at a slower pace than normal.
until it’s against the law and not merely a suggestion
because at this point it’s a suggestion not a law
but do you know what is a law speed limits and we all break those without the guilt of the extra risk we are putting ourselves at. And we justify this by weighing the risks.

I have been riding and or racing motor sports since I was 5years old.
I have had to use the emergency room once in 29 years. I’m ok with those odds

Well said. Just be extra mindful of the other drivers out there. While there's less of them out there, I'm noticing more erratic or absent minded behaviour than ever in the few times I've been out (in the car, no bike yet). Yesterday I was driving behind a car with it's front driver side wheel wobbling violently. He was doing 80+ in a 60. Stayed well behind him and pulled up next to him at a red light before the highway he was heading for and honked to get his attention. He put down his cell phone so I could tell him his wheel was wobbling loose and while thankful, he looked completely shocked to hear it. I mean the guys car must have been vibrating like mad. He pulled to the side of the road to assess.

My guess is his lugs weren't torqued properly after changing his winters and were backing out. Could just imagine a rider or other driver passing by and getting a full wheel+tire combo barrelling into their lane out of nowhere. Hopefully crisis averted.

 

[MacDoc]

Good post Clutt...I'm also a little more cautious at intersections etc even tho there is less traffic. Wearing the full armor instead of riding jeans. Yeah I miss meeting up at the Forks but that's easy enough to forgo and lots of online chat makes up to a point. My staff has the van so I will doing the occasional shopping on the bike anyways....like those top load side cases. Watching spring emerge is a fav thing this time of year and since I can't head south I'll haunt the areas along the escarpment for photo opportunities and enjoying the very light traffic.

 

[r3r3r3]

I have had to do a lot of driving around the city the last few days. There is definitely a lot more absent minded driving going on, its like people think they are the only person left on the road. Just this morning I watched two different cars blow through the red on a major intersection, chatting away and completely oblivious the entire time despite people honking. average speed on the 400 series has to be close to 140km/h+ most times.

At least there seems to be a decent amount of police cruising around. I'm hesitant to take my bike out as I'd imagine you are much more likely to be a target and pulled over for minor speeding, etc. with the current situation.

 

[MacDoc]

If you are cop will you really pull over a potential Covid virus donor for minor speeding ?

 

[Brian P]

I took a bike out for a test-ride a couple of days ago. Twice I observed an OPP behind, catching up to me, at high speed, only to not do anything after they caught up and I turned at an intersection.

No idea what they were thinking, but them doing whatever they did to catch up, was more dangerous than me puttering along.

 

[Clutt-225]

I guess it’s also worth noting that I live in Clarington and heading towards Toronto is the last thing I would willingly do on my bike any time.
I’m thinking more like hwy2 heading east toward Kingston.
nothing to far of course but definitely not the city.
I also prefer the back roads that follow the hwy’s ie baseline or telephone rd, circle rice lake. Maybe head out to Campbellford, sterling area

Although at this point it’s all chit chat because my tires are balder then I.
Should be here by next week but I’m expecting them to be late.

 

[nobbie48]

Shaming and peer pressure are two different things. Peer pressure implies you know the offender and their situation. Shaming tends to be indiscriminate. We may have a feel for some members but I would guess most haven't met.

A bunch of guys go drinking and at tab time ones says he brought his car if anyone needs a lift. Criticism / peer pressure is appropriate. If the rest of the group disagrees maybe you're hanging with the wrong crowd.

Conversely a guy on a bike is shamed at an intersection by a stranger.

Maybe:

- He's a first responder on his way to work or a first responder trying to shake out of his head what he saw at work today.

- His only alternate transportation is a public bus.

- He or she has PTSD and riding keeps them sane. They are not obligated to divulge medical or personal information to everyone that asks. Not everyone with PTSD looks like a zombie, crack addict or space cadet

- A spouse or family member has PTSD and they need a break from the symptoms.

- They may be doing essential shopping. Due to personal differences (Vegan, religion, health status, meds) not everyone can shop the same stores.

- They live in a basement apartment or worse and need some sunshine.

- There was friction in the home before this mess but they worked and played separately so eight hours a day was bearable. 24/7 is not.

Of course there are those that just want to ride and to hell with C-19 and all of the "what ifs". Hopefully it will come to naught.

If curfews do come into play the ones that put their toys ahead of the well being of others will be behind in the adjustment curve.

We go through stages where we say we couldn't ever give up an activity and then years or decades later we have. If you really love something and give it up it will come back.

Ever since WWII we have been told to expect more and more. This is so ingrained in our brains that cutting back is incomprehensible.

Imagine our number system. We are so used to a base 10 math system we can't understand a base 8 one. I have the same number of fingers but I no longer have 10???? Do I have 13 or 82?

Having less than before can be mind boggling and we have just begun.

 

[Clutt-225]

I agree and if you are over 50 there is a good chance that you had it better than your parents and they had it better than theirs and so on.
I would say I was part of the last generation that could even dream to buy a house easily.
Have the luxury of a stay at home wife and a couple toys in the garage.
That is getting to be very very hard without assistance from parents either in education or help with large down payments or waiting for an inheritance.

Yes this covid19 is going to put pressure on the economy but I don’t think it’s going to be a fall out that is going to change our lives drastically, and if it is I’m going for a ride for sure before it’s to late and I never get that last ride in.

Being a struggling small business owner myself, I’m not going to just sit around all doom and gloom waiting for the end. Like I said before when health officials let us back to work it’s go time. Right now I’m supporting my business and a family of 4 on nothing more than savings and credit. So I’m going to have my work cut out for me when this is over. Who knows maybe someone is getting a good deal on a 2015 ktm 1190 but I’m going to get as many km on her as I can first.

sorry for the rant I’ve been cooped up to long already

 

[Krime]

I agree and if you are over 50 there is a good chance that you had it better than your parents and they had it better than theirs and so on.
I would say I was part of the last generation that could even dream to buy a house easily.
Have the luxury of a stay at home wife and a couple toys in the garage.
That is getting to be very very hard without assistance from parents either in education or help with large down payments or waiting for an inheritance.

Yes this covid19 is going to put pressure on the economy but I don’t think it’s going to be a fall out that is going to change our lives drastically, and if it is I’m going for a ride for sure before it’s to late and I never get that last ride in.

Being a struggling small business owner myself, I’m not going to just sit around all doom and gloom waiting for the end. Like I said before when health officials let us back to work it’s go time. Right now I’m supporting my business and a family of 4 on nothing more than savings and credit. So I’m going to have my work cut out for me when this is over. Who knows maybe someone is getting a good deal on a 2015 ktm 1190 but I’m going to get as many km on her as I can first.

sorry for the rant I’ve been cooped up to long already

If you can swing it don't sell the bike if you need the cash, as you won't get that much for it in the big picture. Better off using a temp loan worst case if possible and just repaying that when times improve without losing the bike.

 

[Klaatu]

Being a struggling small business owner myself, I’m not going to just sit around all doom and gloom waiting for the end. Like I said before when health officials let us back to work it’s go time.

I am also a small business owner waiting on health officials. But am I going to open up right away, or wait? I think I might wait a bit. Are we going to run into restaurants and bars as soon as they open? If I was a lot younger I might, but being older I will also wait a while.
So even after the restrictions are lifted some of us might wait a bit. It will be a while after restrictions are lifted that we will get back to normal.

 

[MacDoc]

We are essential service and are bumping along with some sales, lots of service and getting some gov largess at some point ( applied for without issue ....want to see it in the bank before I'm happy )
I think the depression is going to bite hard over the next few weeks especially for those on paycheque to paycheque but maybe the gov support will soften that. At least no evictions. Certainly have cut well back on spending as I have no idea how long this suspension of the economy will prevail and the US is a horror show so that will impact as well.
Would NOT want to be in Alberta just now. Riding is just such a sweet break from the uncertainty.

? ________

 

[J_F]

Alberta is really going to be a problem
not just the oil crash and mass layoffs

they are not a people that take direction from government well
particularly if you're named after a PM from the 70's
and their premier has an oil logged brain - no leadership there

was just reading that BC is looking to close the border so Albertans can't get in
Canada's version of the southern dumbass

 

[Clutt-225]

Oh I’m not selling the bike unless absolutely necessary. I have and will apply for any sort of loans or government assistance possible. But I’m not counting until it’s in my account. I have lot of projects in que when I’m allowed to go back to work.
If we are back to work sometime in April then no big deal I’ve been in worse situation. If the fall out carries on for years then we will see.
i made some choices over the winter that proved to be a lot bigger deal than I thought at the time.
Like one of my work vans that is driven by an employee needed about $2000 in repairs. I contemplated replacing with a new or newer vehicle and just financing over 5 years. My gmc 2500 van has 300,000km.
but I choose to fix it because it’s long since paid for and I’m glad I don’t have a new van payment now.
I also had a nice 40x20 storage unit/ shop space that I gave up in February. I miss the shop but that’s $800 a month that would be tough to justify now.
So all in all with my employees laid off and the trucks parked my overhead isn’t to bad.
I feel for the businesses out there with big overhead right now.
but yess I NEED to get out for a ride

 

[Wingboy]

Need..... Pay the grocery bill. Cannot be postponed.
Want.... Go for a ride. Can still do it tomorrow, next week or next year.

 

[Trials]

Tomorrow is looking pretty good.

 

[johnsazzr]

The financial numbers over the next 2 months alone are going to make the Great Depression look like a slow weekend at Walmart. We must also come to terms with the simple fact that our warm and fuzzy financial security in Canada is DONE for many years to come...The numbers are alarming. As of March 2019 our Federal Gov't total debt was $768 billion...we are only a couple of weeks into this and the known cost so far is over $300 billion....That puts our Federal Gov't debt at over ONE TRILLION$$ ....if this economic shut down goes longer than 2-3 months it will push 1.5 Trillion.. think about it...completely unprecedented..I have no doubt we will come out of this as a nation financially but it will be over a decade to recover from it..

 

[KWDRZ]

I'm an idiot and lost track of my m2 date and my 5th year will be in May... looks like I might be SOL at getting my M before it expires because the m2 exit courses are closed right now. That's I get for waiting for the last minute it looks like.

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