AIBU for expecting people to use a bit of common sense in this Corona mad world?

[Mumz1]

At my local swimming pool I forgot my mask in the car but luckily had a coat that zipped right up to cover my mouth and nose. You only need a mask for the 5 meters past reception- after that everyone, including lifeguards, isn’t wearing one. The guy at reception, who was behind a Perspex screen insisted that I get a mask or buy one even though my mouth and nose were both covered. The irony is, he wouldn’t have even known that I wasn’t wearing a mask underneath all of that if I hadn’t apologetically mentioned it. It feels like people aren’t using common sense or maybe keen to exercise the little bit of power they have. I also wonder if he would have been so forceful had I been male....

Just trying to think what sort of coat you have that covers right up to above your nose. And surely if you had a coat covering your mouth and nose,, the receptionist wouldn’t have been able to hear you apologising? Just wondering if you are minimising, and the coat wasn’t actually covering your mouth and nose.

a coat is useless, but you know that op

why should customer service staff have to put up with this?

If a coat is useless, then so are many 'masks'. One I've got is a single layer of thin jersey, there is no way it is any more effective than any of my coats.

Besides. It is face covering needed, not just masks.

By that argument Live, no-one could hear you speak in a mask surely?

Why is a coat useless? It’s much thicker than a fabric mask unless the OP had a very flimsy coat - I’m guessing not in December!

@Lucindainthesky

I think you're the one lacking in common sense OP.

Why? Because I dared to question? I find this attitude of blind obedience without question quite disturbing. It brings to mind a quote from ‘Oi Frog’- “you don’t have to understand it, you just have to do it”

As several people have pointed out, the law is for face coverings.

99% of people who are able to wear face coverings will wear a regular face covering (like a mask, visor or maybe a headscarf).

Staff in businesses no doubt have policies they have to adhere to, are likely warned of the risks of non-compliance, and probably are unlikely to know, off hand, whether pulling your coat up over your nose and mouth will meet the legal definition of a 'face covering'

Just use your mask and dont be awkward.

Yes a coat is made of thicker material than a mask, but whose coat covers up the mouth and nose area! If you forgot your mask, common sense would be to go back and get it.

I think the difference between the mask and the coat is probably that the coat wouldn't be close fitting and your breath would go over the top - but I haven't seen the coat in question!
I'm not saying the laws aren't daft, in many ways they are, but I think common sense goes both ways - it is common sense to do what you can to prevent the virus spreading, it is common sense to expect that the receptionist would want you to follow the law, and I think it is common courtesy to not put somebody in a position where they have to ask you to follow the law