Is it legal/responsible/morally OK to ride during pandemic?

[koko64]

We do social distancing at home and out although my wife says that is how I live normally.

 

[Charlie98]

I don't see a problem with it.

Where I'm at, we are not in total lockdown, and besides, I'm essential... I clean and service swimming pools, which is considered water treatment for public health reasons.  The only reason I'm not out riding on the weekends (or during the week...) is, like Mark suggests, our weather has sucked the past month or so, and because I'm in the middle of the spring run-up to swimming season... so I'm already working 7 days a week.  Yes, I'm out and about all day, every day... but I work by myself, in my truck, in my own little world.  Biggest problem is... everyone is now at home, so, hey!  There's the pool guy, let's go out and chat him up!  I would, quite literally, run into less people out on a motorcycle ride, than I would otherwise.

As far as the responsibility I have as a motorcyclist?  I don't ever leave the house with the mindset that 'Today is the Day!'  ...expecting to have a crash.  I find that concept ludicrous... unless you are all drunked up or have a death wish or something.  Accidents are accidents, they happen... but they are just as likely to happen driving an auto as riding a motorcycle.  I wear a seatbelt for the same reason I wear a motorcycle helmet... I don't expect to use it, but should an accident happen... etc, etc...

[ungeheuer]

I don't see a problem with it.

....... I'm essential... I clean and service swimming pools.....

No offence... but I'm laughing my arse off at this concept of 'essential' .  Having a swimming pool isn't exactly a life supporting..... essential IMHO....  I obviously live in a completely different world.

As far as the responsibility I have as a motorcyclist?  I don't ever leave the house with the mindset that 'Today is the Day!'  ...expecting to have a crash.  I find that concept ludicrous...

Totally agree 

Accidents are accidents, they happen... but they are just as likely to happen driving an auto as riding a motorcycle.  I wear a seatbelt for the same reason I wear a motorcycle helmet... I don't expect to use it, but should an accident happen... etc, etc...

Whilst not heading out expecting to crash..... as you say, accidents happen.  And we all choose our own level of risk. 

It's just that right now those who will have to take care of us.... if we're involved in an unforeseen accident.... are already up to their eyes in some other serious health emergency.   So right now when we choose our own level of risk it's worth considering whether we're also potentially increasing load on the already stretched efforts of those who would be required to take care of us, isn't it?

[Charlie98]

No offence... but I'm laughing my arse off at this concept of 'essential'...  Having a swimming pool isn't exactly a life supporting..... essential IMHO....  I obviously live in a completely different world.

You miss the point.  It's more about water treatment than a luxury.  Let 10000 swimming pools turn into turtle ponds from lack of maintenance and see what kind of public health hazard it creates.  And I'm being quite serious.

It's just that right now those who will have to take care of us.... if we're involved in an unforeseen accident.... are already up to their eyes in some other serious health emergency.   So right now when we choose our own level of risk it's worth considering whether we're also potentially increasing load on the already stretched efforts of those who would be required to take care of us, isn't it?

Again, you miss the point.  I'm just as likely (probably more likely) to be involved in an accident driving my pickup truck as my motorcycle.  Same-same.  Further, instead of being at work, many people around here are doing other things on their time off... household chores, home improvements (our Home Depots and Lowes are packed with people...) and other activities.  Ladders, power tools, hauling 12' lumber sticking out of a 6' pickup bed... all that stuff adds up to more risk of injury than setting in a office... and that's what everyone is doing right now.  Do you think all those people are evaluating the risk to themselves and the burden they would present at the hospital right now if they fell off the ladder or punched a nail through their hand?

[ungeheuer]

You miss the point.  It's more about water treatment than a luxury.  Let 10000 swimming pools turn into turtle ponds from lack of maintenance and see what kind of public health hazard it creates.  And I'm being quite serious.

Again, you miss the point.  I'm just as likely (probably more likely) to be involved in an accident driving my pickup truck as my motorcycle.  Same-same.  Further, instead of being at work, many people around here are doing other things on their time off... household chores, home improvements (our Home Depots and Lowes are packed with people...) and other activities.  Ladders, power tools, hauling 12' lumber sticking out of a 6' pickup bed... all that stuff adds up to more risk of injury than setting in a office... and that's what everyone is doing right now.  Do you think all those people are evaluating the risk to themselves and the burden they would present at the hospital right now if they fell off the ladder or punched a nail through their hand?

I miss no points.

The question was asked by the OP "Is it legal/responsible/morally OK to ride during pandemic?"

Opinions sought.

I propose we ought consider the potential impact (moral, legal, responsible) of any of our actions and advocate limiting our activities to only that which is absolutely necessary.

You propose a different view.  Go for it mate 

[Howie]

I miss no points.

The question was asked by the OP "Is it legal/responsible/morally OK to ride during pandemic?"

Opinions sought.

I propose we ought consider the potential impact (moral, legal, responsible) of any of our actions and advocate limiting our activities to only that which is absolutely necessary.

You propose a different view.  Go for it mate 

Couldn't agree more! 

Well, except for the pool.  We don't need back yard swamps.

[Punx Clever]

I'm gonna throw this out here, and I'm not sure whether is applies to me or not, but it rings true and jives with the 400 mile jaunt I took last weekend.

I hear a lot about how people are being selfish taking the quarantine time to do things like building a new deck, mulching the gardens, painting the living room, etc. because none of those items are essential to health and safety and them going out to the home-stores is contrary to the quarantine system that is being... imposed.

That being said, you have millions of people across the world who were suddenly thrown from having a purpose and task every, single, day to having nowhere to go, no release for pent up energy/thoughts, and all the frustrations that go along with the questionable financial state of the world.

How many of those people are, for example, recovering alcoholics who manage their condition by staying busy?  What happens when a recovering alcoholic suddenly finds himself useless and broke with nothing but time on his hands?  Maybe he finds the bottom of a bottle and next thing you know, the first responders are out prying him and his victims from a wreck.

Hyperbolic? Sure. But mental health is just as essential as physical health.

Maybe, just maybe, all these "non-essential" activities are the kinds of things that are keeping people sane after their entire world was stopped?

I went out for a ride last weekend because I've been stuck in the house for a month now with absolutely nothing better to do with my life.  Getting out on the road for an easy, risk-mitigated ride was far more about mental health and stability than getting my jollies off on the road.  It involved far less risk of spreading disease than ordering food delivered to my door or running down the walking/jogging trail that is seeing a thousand times more use now than ever before.

I don't know where everyone else's mind is at in all this.  I don't presume to either.  What I see as an "essential" activity isn't the same as what someone else does, and I have no way at all of knowing how or why they came to that decision.

Meanwhile, recreational pot stores are being kept open and grubhub is delivering gourmet meals door to door as "essential".  Not to mention, in many states, liquor stores to give the depressed a bottle to fall into.

I say that going out on a safe, responsible ride to keep your mind in the right place is not irresponsible.

[d3vi@nt]

Accidents are accidents, they happen... but they are just as likely to happen driving an auto as riding a motorcycle.

Just to throw more fuel onto the debate. 

There are a number of studies that counter that statement. One such is a NHTSA study from 2007 that found:

"Per vehicle mile traveled in 2006, motorcyclists were about 35 times more likely than passenger car occupants to die in a motor vehicle traffic crash and 8 times more likely to be injured."  Source: https://crashstats.nhtsa.dot.gov/Api/Public/ViewPublication/810990

...and from a different NHTSA study:
"When looking at all reported accidents regardless of injuries, the accident rate for motorcycles in the US in 2016 was 6.31 per million miles driven, significantly higher than the rate of 3.28 accidents per million miles driven for cars and similar vehicles"

These statistics reportedly hold true in other countries, as well.

I always find these studies both sobering and fascinating. And while the Hurt Report is dated by now, I still encourage folks to read it in the hopes it might bolster riders' efforts in self-preservation.