People STILL not wearing masks on London buses

[custard6543]

I had to take a journey by bus earlier. There were about 10 people on the bus, three of whom were not wearing masks. Drivers need to stop letting people on without masks - these selfish passengers are putting everyone else’s lives at risk!

I’m not really sure why you’re finding it so difficult to understand what I’m saying, and you’re making much more of this than it needed to be, I’m not sure why.

He could have said, as many experts have, something like “in indoor public spaces” or “in crowded public spaces” or “in all public spaces, indoor or out” or maybe he really does mean that people should be walking along country lanes alone wearing facemasks. As this thread and others show, many people are scared because they are vulnerable or because they know people who are, and others are unable to wear masks and many are anxious about going into spaces where masks are mandated. If experts are saying things that imply that being outside (not just in enclosed spaces, he didn’t say that) without a mask is putting others at risk then it increases the tensions between those two groups. Yes we can all use our “noggins” but when fines are being issued and people are scared to go out and messages from the government are unclear it makes it harder to pick apart where the real risks lie.

Oh, lord. He's not producing the guidelines. He's not even in the UK.

"Professor Alan Lopez from the University of Melbourne — a leading international expert on the burden of disease"... is merely giving his learned opinion on the official numbers, worldwide, and suggesting that we could reduce the death toll significantly by following the latest guidance, again worldwide, which now includes as well as social distancing wearing a mask where possible and applicable.

I cannot imagine why you are being so aggressive and defensive and so shrill, just because the poor man said 'when they go outside', or because I quoted that part, more fool me, but surely it is clear by now that when one cannot effectively socially distance, mask wearing is important, and that one usually can socially distance on a country lane. I certainly can and do.

I do apologise for putting this in the London buses mask thread. I thought it was worth noting and that as this was a thread about masks, worn or unworn, it was relevant. I should have put it on some other thread, where people are interested in such things.

If you find the time to reread my posts without your overlay of aggressive, defensive and shrill then you might see what I’m trying to say. But it doesn’t matter.

He could have said, as many experts have, something like “in indoor public spaces” or “in crowded public spaces” or “in all public spaces, indoor or out” or maybe he really does mean that people should be walking along country lanes alone wearing facemasks. As this thread and others show, many people are scared because they are vulnerable or because they know people who are, and others are unable to wear masks and many are anxious about going into spaces where masks are mandated. If experts are saying things that imply that being outside (not just in enclosed spaces, he didn’t say that) without a mask is putting others at risk then it increases the tensions between those two groups. Yes we can all use our “noggins” but when fines are being issued and people are scared to go out and messages from the government are unclear it makes it harder to pick apart where the real risks lie.

You mean this calm, measured bit?!

I agree, it doesn't matter. But you do seem to have missed the message that mask wearing is for the protection of the wearer, as much as anyone who might be unwell.

"I could understand originally making an exemption for those who couldn’t wear face masks, now there are plenty of visors available, it should be a simple, no face covering or visor, no service."

Some people can't wear visors either and think that is simple to understand too.

"So surely people who are exempt for medical reasons should wear a badge saying this ."

Perhaps everyone should wear a badge that states their risk to others. For example those who regularly socialise in pubs in groups of 6 or work on covid wards should have to wear badges saying this. Then you could have a more accurate understanding of other people's risk to others.

@Macaroni46

I'm with you OP. The amount of non-mask wearers I've seen on public transport or in the supermarket that are strapping young males is astonishing, some in gym gear. I doubt very much that they are all exempt! I also find it astonishing how many MN users believe all the non-mask wearers are exempt. Seriously? Get into the real world. And yes, it does bother me if lots of people aren't wearing masks near me. And people should be allowed to express that fear without being accused of disabilism. Because lots of non-mask wearers are not disabled!

Just want to say I spend 90% of my life in gym gear, guess what I'm exempt. Being young, fit and even male doesn't exempt you from something like autism. (I'm not young or male, but definitely think I'm fit in the exercise sense).

The whole point is you do not know whether the non-mask wearer is exempt just by looking, but your glares, snide comments (that yes we can hear) and actual confrontations could cause that autistic person (like me) a great deal of distress.

@MaxinesTaxi

I have no problem with that part of the quote, and you can see that I didn’t. It’s quite obviously this part

“ If 95 per cent of the world could be convinced to wear masks when they go outside then we could probably save 700,000 or 800,000 of those 2.5 million deaths."

Which really is not a useful thing to say. I know you think I’m pick pick picking but if he didn’t mean it literally then he should have said what he did mean literally. We are being bombarded with different instructions about how to behave to protect others and ourselves and if you’re going to pick out quotes then it’s helpful to use ones that are clear and meaningful.

I'm utterly unmoved by this calculation, given that 9 million people die of starvation every year. How much money has everyone on this thread sent to Action Against Hunger or similar?

8 billion people could wear masks to save 800,000 people (for how long, please?). This means for every 10,000 people who wear a mask, they'll theoretically save one person (who is quite likely to be very old and very infirm, as opposed to the mostly children who are dying of starvation).

There are all kinds of things that we could do to make the world a better place, to prevent a child from dying a pretty horrible and preventable death, to improve the air quality, to halt planetary degradation and so on. Most people don't do any of them. Why is this one so important?

Was on underground earlier this week very few people in zone 1 carriage (3-6 people) all women wore masks. Half the men didn't.

This isn't my experience of commuting on the tube. A majority if not all wore masks or coverings. Today about 3 out of about 30 in the carriage in Zone 1 had their mask below their nose. One woman politely challenged one of these people and the mask went on properly for a few minutes then was pulled down again.

You know, it's not an either/or proposition. People in poorer countries will be still dying of starvation and treatable diseases, along with Covid-19.

So much sulking over the suggestion people ought to social distance and wear a mask during a global pandemic.

@cbt944

You know, it's not an either/or proposition. People in poorer countries will be still dying of starvation and treatable diseases, along with Covid-19.

So much sulking over the suggestion people ought to social distance and wear a mask during a global pandemic.

I'm not sulking. I won't be on the bus without a mask.

My point is that everyone should bear in mind that there has always been much, much less that any one person could do than wear a mask to accomplish much, much more in the service of humanity.

But now, it's the definitive litmus test to being a thoughtful, considerate person. NBA/Hollywood celebrities still fly around on private jets, now not only lecturing us about global warming but also masks.

I like to think of myself a thoughtful person, I don't want to make vulnerable people feel uncomfortable but if I were to have a canid conversation with them, I would tell them that their assessment of their risk of C19 vis a vis other risks in their lives is almost certainly distorted. I would also tell them that their desire for me to wear a mask makes me uncomfortable, which translates into me not shopping or going to theatres and suchlike, which means a smaller tax base for the UK government. Maybe I'm in the minority, maybe I'm not. Time will tell.

I would also tell them that the single greatest risk they face right now is that their pensions are going to be decimated, and that they will live in penury for their remaining years.

I would tell them that their assessment of their risk of C19 vis a vis other risks in their lives is almost certainly distorted. I would also tell them that their desire for me to wear a mask makes me uncomfortable

Not sulking!

@BameChange123

Coach tours? Really? Didn’t realise they’d still be allowed in new rules! Average age probably 60+

I'm utterly unmoved by this calculation, given that 9 million people die of starvation every year.

That number die of the impact of malnutrition rather than actual starvation. Still, it’s still 9 million preventable deaths.

@Letsgetgoing123 yes there were 3 coach tours at the hotel I stayed at. They had been there since Monday 21st Sep and I arrived Thur 24th. They departed early on Friday 25th. They were in very small groups probably a total of 25 instead of 90-100 guests. Yes most were over 60 yo

I was on a south London bus last night. Nine passengers, of which two were wearing a mask correctly (I was one of them), two with their noses hanging over their mask, and five no masks at all.

Fucking hell.

My dd's colleague was assaulted for asking someone to put on a mask coming into their restaurant. Bad assault.

I went into my local Tesco tonight and it was full of people not wearing masks. In the end I had to go - I left the one thing i managed to pick up at the door and told the guy who worked there I wasn't prepared to wander around there with all those people not wearing masks.

They weren't fucking exempt just selfish. One looked very pleased with himself and was talking to security staff then wandering around like he owned the place one had a scarf casually over her mouth and another hadn't bothered at all. Probably 30% of the shoppers werent wearing them. I'm in a multicultural part of London (aren't they all?) and the non mask wearers were all from one culture. I'm sure wherever you are there's pockets of various cultures that have decided amongst themselves masks aren't necessary and I doubt this one has a monopoly on non mask wearing.

But ffs. It's becoming more common despite numbers climbing again. And I don't want to get it.

Well tfl according to the media needs more money and if its not given it in 2 weeks I think it said then no buses will run so you won't have to worry about people with no masks on, you'll have to worry about having no public transport..according to the reports in media

@Theworldisfullofgs

My dd's colleague was assaulted for asking someone to put on a mask coming into their restaurant. Bad assault.

That's awful! I hope they catch the attacker.

There's been a number of violent anti mask assaults. I posted a while back about an NHS worker who was attacked - simply for moving away from a mask less passenger on the bus. The victim didn't say a thing to the attacker, just politely moved away).

Meanwhile, on a more positive note. I'm currently mask shopping. Mine are too boring. First on my list is this.
www.zazzle.co.uk/funny_shark_mouth_cloth_face_mask-256768339377850862

Why is TfL skint for gods sake? Ridiculous. They charge like wounded bulls. They aren't fully staffed running full services. God that's just one inefficient business. An absolute joke. They pay their tube drivers silly money (more than most doctors make) too. £55k is their lowest and some earn £100k.

I'm seeing a fairly high level of compliance on the tubes, buses and Overground routes I take. No idea what the exact numbers are as I tend to keep my head down during journeys now. Fairly universal compliance in indoor places too - shops, soft play, museums. Not seen anyone being challenged about it. And lots of people wearing them out on the street too. This is in central/North London.

It doesn't bother me personally - I'm not particularly vulnerable or in contact with anyone who is. I just wear mine when it's legally required, but remove it immediately afterwards.

@Theworldisfullofgs Thats appalling. I hope they catch him. There have been mask assaults as well as anti mask ones. I hope they are ALL caught and punished.