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Original poster

To ask for ideas to encourage people on buses to wear masks

78 replies

Jayfee · 08/08/2020 17:19

Ok..every time I go on a bus there are people not wearing masks, and it is highly unlikely they all have a genuine reason not to wear a mask e.g. a group of 3 girls aged about 16-18, a youngish mid twenties couple. The bus drivers let them on, no question. Since 80% of people testing positive for coronovirus show no symptoms, it would seem a likely cause of spreading the virus. I don't want to say anything to the non mask wearers and I assume other mask wearing bus passengers feel the same. Like most people I don't want to cause embarrassment or confrontation. This is an issue on buses and apparently trains and underground and some shops. During a pandemic, aibu to think there must be a way to solve this.

OP posts:
TaxTheRatFarms · 08/08/2020 23:06

Gently lick their cheek. It’s the only way.

BamboozledandBefuddled · 09/08/2020 07:11

@TaxTheRatFarms

Gently lick their cheek. It’s the only way.
GrinGrinGrin
Amber0685 · 09/08/2020 07:21

I caught the bus the other day and the driver told people getting on to put their mask on.

QueenofmyPrinces · 09/08/2020 07:27

Easy... if they don't wear a mask they don't get on the bus.... unless of course they have a medical exemption.

Which anyone can say whether they actually have a medical exemption or not.

I imagine a lot of people who don’t want to wear masks will trot out the line “I’m medically exempt” - because why wouldn’t they?

Yellowbutterfly1 · 09/08/2020 07:40

Please don’t be one of the awful self appointed mask police

Prokupatuscrakedatus · 09/08/2020 07:47

A 'medical exemption' is given by a 'medical' , for ex. you GP or other HCP.
You don't just identify as exempt.

QueenofmyPrinces · 09/08/2020 07:53

A 'medical exemption' is given by a 'medical' , for ex. you GP or other HCP. You don't just identify as exempt.

Well seeing as lanyards can be bought online or in shops by anyone who wants one, I don’t see how?

And seeing as nobody is supposed to even question you on why you’re not wearing a mask, and not allowed to question you even if you say you’re medically exempt, and not allowed to ask for proof of it, then yes, anyone can just claim to be exempt.

I‘m not saying people do it, I’m just saying they can do it if they want to.

Prokupatuscrakedatus · 09/08/2020 08:05

Sorry, I forgot that I am not in the UK.
Here you can't just claim to be exempt, you have to be - which includes a visit to you HCP, to get an attestation you carry with you and show on demand.

DdraigGoch · 09/08/2020 08:11

Provide them with strong scientific evidence that the use of masks works. Oh wait. There isn't any... guess you're just gonna have to let people make their own decisions like it's a free country still.
@epythymy there's plenty of evidence. Look at the State of Utah where Salt Lake City (masks obligatory) has a far lower rate of transmission than the rest of the state (masks optional).

QueenofmyPrinces · 09/08/2020 08:13

Sorry, I forgot that I am not in the UK.
Here you can't just claim to be exempt, you have to be - which includes a visit to you HCP, to get an attestation you carry with you and show on demand.

Then you’ve got a better system than us.

Where do you live??

ThisCharmingPenisHaver · 09/08/2020 08:39

@Prokupatuscrakedatus

A 'medical exemption' is given by a 'medical' , for ex. you GP or other HCP. You don't just identify as exempt.
No it's not.

You can either wear a mask or you can't. If you can't, you're exempt. GPs aren't deciding who's exempt or not and they're not providing proof of exemption, either. Conditions vary between those who suffer from them - for example one person with asthma may be fine with a mask, another night not be. There isn't a 'list' of exempt conditions.

OP, hundreds of thousands of people are exempt. Don't tar everyone with the same 'selfish' brush and don't be so judgemental. And for heaven's sake don't try to educate the people you see who aren't wearing a mask - imagine having PTSD as a result of being raped, or a rare medical condition, and some busybody thrusts infographics in your face in public. Just leave it and, in the nicest possible way, mind your own business.

MaudesMum · 09/08/2020 09:40

Can you not just sit as far away from them as possible?? And then get on with your day. That way your personal risk is mitigated.

Anecdotally, those trains which have conductors on have a much higher rate of compliance than those which just have drivers. Unfortunately, due to cost-cutting over the years, there aren't as many of them as there used to be, and there aren't any conductors on buses any more. So, the poor bloody bus driver has to do everything - and they probably just want to get on and drive their bus, and not be shouted at by customers and/or their bosses for being late because they've had an argument with someone about not wearing a mask.

Prokupatuscrakedatus · 09/08/2020 09:42

Thischarmin
You may find that I apologized for forgetting that I am not in the UK.

OchonAgusOchonO · 09/08/2020 10:08

It's odd that the UK has so many more people who claim they can't wear masks/face covering than other countries. I live in Ireland. Face coverings are compulsory on public transport and pretty much everyone seems to be complying. They are advised in shops (compulsory from tomorrow) and most are wearing them. I expect once they become compulsory the rate of compliance will become much higher.

I really can't imagine that we have much lower rates of people with conditions that mean they can't wear face coverings.

We also seem to have a load of tourists from GB here at the moment, most of whom are obviously not complying with the 14 days isolation when arriving in the country. I was in a tourist attraction this weekend. Loads of English, none of them wearing masks. People here are getting very pissed off with them.

DeepTreacle · 09/08/2020 10:32

OchonAgusOchonO I suspect what is happening is you are reading MN posts from the few people who either live in the few places where people aren’t so compliant or who are less tolerant of people complaining about the discomfort, and you’re extrapolating that to the whole of the U.K.

Posts here and on other social media are not going to be about areas where people are mostly wearing facemasks because that is not a story

ThisCharmingPenisHaver · 09/08/2020 10:36

It's odd that the UK has so many more people who claim they can't wear masks/face covering than other countries

Where I am there's pretty much blanket compliance. I'm usually the only person on a bus or in a shop without a mask.

And you can't really speak for all the 'other countries' based in what you see where you live. Whatever people say on MN there are exemptions almost everywhere.

OchonAgusOchonO · 09/08/2020 10:39

@DeepTreacle - you're right. I am making assumptions based on what I am reading here. However, I am also seeing British tourists over here who are flouting the rules. Maybe there are some who are complying and isolating for 14 days when they arrive but I doubt it. Who's going to go on holidays and isolate for the first 14 days?

And yes, I accept that those coming here are the same ones who presumably don't give a rat's ass when at home either but most of us here wish they would stay the hell out of our country.

OchonAgusOchonO · 09/08/2020 10:43

And you can't really speak for all the 'other countries' based in what you see where you live. Whatever people say on MN there are exemptions almost everywhere.*

I never claimed to speak for all the other countries. I said other countries. I know what it is like where I live. I also have siblings living in other European counties so know what the situation is where they live. That is 3 "other countries" so justifies the use of the plural.

DeepTreacle · 09/08/2020 10:51

I’m afraid that a number of Irish nationals I know who live in London and who have gone home to see family have also not been observing the quarantine in Ireland, but they are less identifiable of course

OchonAgusOchonO · 09/08/2020 11:05

I’m afraid that a number of Irish nationals I know who live in London and who have gone home to see family have also not been observing the quarantine in Ireland, but they are less identifiable of course

If anything, they are more identifiable as locals will know they are living in London.

Sockwomble · 09/08/2020 11:28

"I know what it is like where I live. I also have siblings living in other European counties so know what the situation is where they live. That is 3 "other countries" so justifies the use of the plural."

There was someone the other day claiming there were no exemptions in her country. A quick Google found that there were. A country that gives no exemptions will be a country with poor treatment of people with disabilities generally particularly things like autism and learning disability. Not something I think the UK should aspire to.

OchonAgusOchonO · 09/08/2020 11:39

Of course there are exemptions in Ireland. However, people are not claiming exemptions when they don't have a good reason to have one.

I think a country that requires masks unless you have a valid reason not to wear one is showing a lot more concern for its disabled and vulnerable population than one that allows a free for all where people just decide they couldn't be arsed and claim exemption for no good reason.

Sockwomble · 09/08/2020 11:52

I don't have an issue with an exemption system. It's people stating there are no exemptions and thinking that is something to be proud of.

DeepTreacle · 09/08/2020 12:06

“ I think a country that requires masks unless you have a valid reason not to wear one is showing a lot more concern for its disabled and vulnerable population than one that allows a free for all where people just decide they couldn't be arsed and claim exemption for no good reason.”

I have plenty to criticise our govt for but I think categorising Ireland’s population as the one and England’s (I assume only England and not the whole U.K.) as the other is not really fair if you are doing so based on social media and the tourists you have identified.

OchonAgusOchonO · 09/08/2020 12:10

I don't have an issue with an exemption system. It's people stating there are no exemptions and thinking that is something to be proud of.

Nobody has suggested that in this thread. However, a system that allows people to just decide they are exempt for whatever reason they choose is not an exemption system. It is a voluntary system.