Yes. Scotland is a “country” within the UK (a quasi-nation of its own) so it is a special case. And Edinburgh is quite nice, though the weather would prevent me from ever even considering living there.

If you lived and walked in the downtown of a major city, you would be “in close quarters” even outside. Happens to me at every corner where I find myself with 5 or 6 people at least waiting to cross. And midblock there are always people standing around, alone or in groups one has to pass around or sometimes even through.

I get tired of having to find my way past 2 people standing in an entryway or blocking a sidewalk, chatting away less than 6 feet apart and unmasked.

The best thing is just to put on a mask when you leave home and get used to wearing it—all the time and everywhere except perhaps in a park exercising or some other unusually uncrowded situation.

Yeah, that's not happening. I am vigilant about wearing it indoors but as soon as walk out of a business, I take it off.

I put it on and keep it on. Even on a bike...wasn't doing that initially. Turns out it's easy, though I've gotten a 5% boost by lowering it while going up major hills.

You're better than me if you can keep it on while exercising. That's where I draw the line. I've gotten used to walking around with it, but even the gyms that are opening now don't require you to keep it on during an exercise (which are appropriately spaced out stations).

yeah i take one, but i can't keep it on while running.

i just go out very early, run in the street a lot and no one is around.

but you have gyms open? and people dont mask in them?? no way i am doing that, even when we can. i'll keep with using those colored stretchy bands for now.

I find it very hard to keep a mask on while cycling.

But i'm sure a large part of that is the fact that 90% of my cycling these days involves towing my two kids + cooler + toys in a Burley for our frequent bike ride picnic adventures along the lakefront or through the forest preserves. All told, the loaded rig adds like an extra 125 pounds, plus two extra wheels for a 100% increase in rolling resistance, and I don't even know what percentage increase in air resistance.

On hot and humid summer afternoons, I'm huffing and puffing like a mofo. The mask is not a realistic option.

This is interesting. A lot of rules.

= = = = = =



N.J. gyms reopening today: Your guide to plan, rules on capacity, guidelines and coronavirus restrictions

=======================
https://www.nj.com/coronavirus/2020/...trictions.html

Meanwhile gyms have been open in Delaware with less restrictions, and I have not heard of any cases resulting in a visit to the gym. People are wiping down equipment after they use it, and an employee is basically continuously wiping down equipment as people move around. There is no temperature-checking and no giving name and phone number (but that is typically on file when scanning a keycard anyway).

Masks are also not as effective when they are wet. I'm not sure how useful a mask policy inside a gym can be to mitigate an outbreak if it's soaked with sweat.

I mostly don't wear a mask when I'm on my bike, but I do tie a scarf around my face if I'm on a narrow path near people.

I’m in Anchorage and the mask mandate has been kept since March. Some people still won’t wear them, but certain businesses have security checking for masks. All the gyms here are still closed. Yet the liquor stores seem to be thriving.

^ Why would you even do that?

Wearing a mask while doing intense exercise or bicycling outdoors isn't necessary anyhow.

Read the thread. Other people were talking about how they wear a mask 100% of the time whenever they are outside, even while exercising.

I was simply stating that I find that to be impractical in my particular circumstance of towing my kids in a fully loaded Burley when I'm cycling.

But walking through my city neighborhood, i have no issue with masking up.

I'm doing the same thing I've been doing since springtime. Masks in places like grocery stores, indoor public places like picking up a to go order at a restaurant, and airports. No masks otherwise.

I used to be a jogger when I was younger, now I walk. About 4 to 5 miles every other day. Very easy to make a wide berth around other people when I encounter them. No big deal.

I'm pretty sure we're close to less than 1,000 cases in the entire province now, so gyms were one of the last businesses able to reopen as part of phase 3.

You're basically required to wear a mask from entry until you reach a designated station. Through the lobby, narrow hallways, change room, etc. but the actual gym area is a large open room with a 30 person limit (you have to book in advance) and I've never come within 10 feet of someone else. It's also limited to an hour, when you're kicked out and they wipe the place down before the next group comes in.

With how we know now that transmission is more a function of proximity to someone expelling droplets than it is through surface contact, I'd be curious if the ~ 1 hour gap between groups is enough time to clear the air in the place and reduce transmission risk.

Schools in NJ/NYC: Today, 9-2-2020

https://aws1.discourse-cdn.com/busin...1ae157325.jpeg

https://aws1.discourse-cdn.com/busin...fa58c7618.jpeg

My cousin works for a marina on Grand Island in the Niagara River while he is going to school, and he said that he has talked to about 30 people who have been pulled over by the Canadian Coast Guard while enjoying the Niagara River between the US and Canada. The Canadian Coast Guard has been pulling the people over because the Canadian government is worried about the spread of the coronavirus from Americans to Canadians.

The difference I'm guessing is all the wealthy NJ districts where kids have internet and laptops already. Whereas NYC and a good number (albeit minority) number of NJ districts have huge populations of kids without the means to learn remotely.

This pandemic has really shown the difference between the haves and have nots. I like the MD model of county wide school districts for PA, but that won't happen.

First time I have been back to downtown Chicago since march. Illinois much more strict in indoor dining than Wisconsin but at least we could eat inside.
Just had to don the hood when the waitress showed up. But at least Chicago is doing some kind of indoor eating. Sadly some of my favorite boutique hotels and restaurants have totally closed their doors. Seems like there's 1/10th the number of people in tourist spots than it would be in normal times.




https://gellerreport.com/2020/09/nyc...ning-ban.html/


NYC Restaurants Sue Cuomo, De Blasio For $2 Billion Over Indoor Dining Ban

Geller Report ^ | September 4, 2020 | Staff

Political tyrants Mayor Bill de Blasio and Governor Andrew Cuomo must not be allowed to destroy the livelihoods of thousands of people in New York City. It is a disgrace that it has come to this, in what was once the worlds greatest city.
...
Restaurants in New York City filed a $2 billion class-action lawsuit against city and state officials on Thursday, alleging the indoor dining ban caused “irreparable harm” to the city’s food and beverage industry and pushing for the return to indoor dining — the lawsuit marks the latest attempt to normalize the city through legal action.
...

Il Bacco, an Italian restaurant in Queens, is spearheading a class-action lawsuit against Gov. Andrew Cuomo, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, and New York Attorneys General to force the state to allow indoor dining and for damages lost during Covid-19 guidelines.

Over 350 restaurants have signed on to the $2 billion lawsuit.
Il Bacco is only 500 feet from the Nassau County border, where restaurants have been able to serve indoors at 50% capacity since June 24.

New York City is the only city in the state where some form of indoor dining is still not allowed, despite a weeks-long statewide case positive rate below 1%.

In mid-August, 1,500 gym owners across New York filed a class-action lawsuit against the state which led to gyms, fitness centers, and yoga studios opening their doors at 33% capacity just a few weeks later.
In May, a Brooklyn nursing student who had been arrested twice for violating the state’s ban on nonessential gatherings while protesting outside City Hall in New York City, filed a federal lawsuit against Cuomo alleging the ban violated her First Amendment rights, which lead to the governor lifting the ban on protests

...

Miami is supposed to open indoor restaurants this week. Its not like there is a shortage of outdoor restaurants space. I haven't seen any outdoor space too crowded, its just that no one seems to interested in going to restaurants. Opening indoors wont help much. Especially if there is occupancy limits. Can a restaurant make a profit with a 50% max capacity? Hours are limited as well.

We went to Sanibel, FL in July and they had limited indoor seating but the restaurants were still ghost towns, nothing like the packed restaurants of all of our previous trips.