I'm approaching 70 years old, and I work 3 days a week in a seaside town 15 miles away. 20 minute train ride from almost my doorstep, to my place of work. Hop off the train, 3 minute walk. It's a branch line, so not much used on rainy, cold, or winter days. Often have a carriage to myself. But flaming Norah, if it's school hols or a hot sunny day, the carriage is heaving!
And that's fine as well. Except nobody is wearing masks any more, even though they're mandated on trains. Notices and announcements everywhere. £200 fine for not wearing a mask. I hopped on the train yesterday, and there was no spare seat that didn't involve sitting amongst maskless teen-agers. Even their 40 + ish parents, some of whom were present, were maskless.
When the conductor came along to take fares, as soon as they all heard "tickets please" they all pulled up their chin masks or fumbled in their pockets to assure that they were being good citizens and abiding by the rules. As soon as he'd gone, of course, they dumped the masks and continued chattering and laughing and doing what teenagers do. Nothing wrong with that obviously, under normal circumstances. I will and I do just suck it up. I was young once! But I do wish we could find a way to stop this carelessness of others in this unprecedented situation. In my personal situation, it's at most, a 20 minute train journey. Is it that hard for young healthy teens (and their 40ish healthy parents) to just obey the rules of the rail service they are using?
I realise that they are also risking their own chances of catching covid as well as mine. But for the sake of 20 minutes mask wearing, they might avoid passing on a virus that likely won't kill them, but might kill me.