The Coronavirus Chronicles -Three Strikes You're Out

[pdedse]

Thought about staying out of this...but what the heck, why?

For the purpose of making a point, mc riding here means leaving home / riding / arriving home with zero contact with others, unless going to store to buy needed items, filling for gas (which others can do in their vehicles, at least where I live, Oregon).

As I read comments it appears to me that the main argument against riding a MC right now is not that you could contract CV, nor is it that you would pass it along to someone, but rather this:

A rider could have an accident requiring medical attention. Now 1) you could contract CV at the hospital, 2) you could be a carrier and pass CV along to others, and 3) in hospital, you would be taking up space, resources, placing demands on a system that is overloaded.

Summary: mc riding is particularly risky and is behavior that can be controlled
Conclusion: don't ride right now
Expanded conclusion: controllable behavior that is risky could send one to the hospital, and therefore must not be practiced.

How far do we take this? Question: are we to analyze other behaviors, choices, habits with similar scrutiny?

What other controllable, risky behaviors do people practice? How about those that smoke, drink excessively, don't exercise, don't eat well. They have been practicing controllable, risky behavior for years and now in the midst of the CV crisis, they have a health problem that needs emergency attention requiring hospitalization, where they are at risk or put others at risk or use resources that could be applied elsewhere. One could ask, where was their sense of "social responsibility" all the time leading up to their emergency?

Again, how far do we take this?

In OR, we're told we can still do hikes, walks, exercise where we don't come into contact with others. I like to hike rain or shine, am fortunate to live within walking distance of a forest. Some of the inclines are steep, yesterday I slipped a few times in the mud. I could have pierced my leg on a pointy branch, broken an ankle. Maybe I should just walk on the sidewalks for the next few weeks. I'm not being facetious with that.

But one more time, how far do we take this?