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!

@MarriedtoDaveGrohl Is the mask meant to be David Beckham?

Agree with you OP, surely the number who are actually considered exempt is very small. The rest are just twats, who no doubt spend their time moaning about lockdown etc. Twats.

I have zero sympathy with the special snowflakes who don't wear masks. Here in Italy, the rule is "wear a fucking mask or stay at home". And guess what? Everyone wears a fucking mask, even the six year olds. Get over yourselves and wear one. Asthma is a shit excuse, past trauma is a shit excuse. In real life, most people think you are being a selfish piece of shit, and they're right.

That said, I don't think she was aiming it at the tiny number of genuine exemptions.

Oh my god I am so sick of you people. For FUCKS sake NO ONE ever called people who have actual, real, factual reasons for not wear masks 'pieces of shit'.

Erm. This is definitely whats known as gaslighting. The poster above specifically DID say what you are saying has not been said, and even went to the extra measures of stating that 2 'real factual reasons for not wearing one' were a 'shit excuse' so that there was no room for doubt!

I mean, I get that its not a good look to be saying this about people with genuine exemptions, but it has been said, not sure what on earth is the point in denying this. Also accepting that some do think this, does not mean that YOU think this. But denying its ever said, or that its just been said..is bizarre.

I do agree that many who do not wear them are not exempt. I do not believe at all that everyone who doesn't wear one is exempt, and don't think anyone would say they did think all were exempt (and if they did, they are extremely naive at best and lying at worst tbh). And I do wear one myself also.

The blanket denial that anyone posts to say that basically, even those with genuine exemptions should just stay in the house is quite baffling. There have been other examples, which you would have to be trying to miss them to miss really, its not exactly rare. Even the OP of this very thread originally just said about drivers should stop letting people without masks on (though did say posts later that of course not exemptions ).

And then someone outright posts in no uncertain terms that everyone should stay in if they don't wear a mask, AND even helpfully adds on that 2 valid exemptions (unless its being claimed that both asthma and past trauma are indeed NOT 'good enough' reasons for exemptions? If so, I would question this tbh. Though of course not ALL asthma sufferers would have issues, nor all people with trauma) are shit excuses to make sure the point is driven home, and its denied, again that anyone ever says this.

This place is hilarious sometimes

But the masks posted are indeed quite decent and I actually purchased one of them the other day when it was posted here. So while the thread is a bit of a shitshow now, I may conitnue to lurk for the links

Gaslighting would be intentional malice.

I originally skim read her post - but like to think the best of people and still think she was just a bit upset and didn't mean to aim it at the small number of genuinely exempt people. Perhaps I'm wrong.

When you quoted my response to that post, you left out that I stated that no-one should be calling anyone a piece of shit.

Rightly or wrongly I nterpreted her post as not really aimed at the minority of genuinely exempt people. It was meant for those who claim severe asthma or rape trauma, but in actual fact just don't want to wear a mask (either because of conspiracy theory beliefs or just out of sheer contrariness). These people do exist. Quite a lot, unless the UK has a worryingly unusual number of severe asthmatics and very specifically traumatised rape victims - significantly more than anywhere else.

The mask exempt campaigners (who very importantly remind us about genuine exemptions) point out that we need to give people the benefit of the doubt. We should remember empathy works both ways. Millions of people are extra vulnerable to Covid. There will be a lot of scared and anxious and emotional people - concerned for themselves or their vulnerable children or other loved ones.

I think your idea is brilliant. It would be great if people stopped so getting heated on here, and instead focused on posting good mask links. My newish discovery is unicorns.🦄

It's Gary Barlow. gary Barlow. Nope, I can't see it either.

For children but I've seen similar adult sized ones around.

www.thetoyshop.com/dress-up/dressing-up-heroes/Plush-Unicorn-Head-Mask/p/536143

I went on the tube today.... 6 people in the carriage and 3 not wearing a mask!

Ah! He looked familiar at least.
I prefer the unicorn though.

When you quoted my response to that post, you left out that I stated that no-one should be calling anyone a piece of shit.

I did this as that bit was not relevant, it was that it was being denied it had been said that I was replying to. Apologies if you feel this was me trying to make you out to look bad or something, I didn't quote the whole thing as the rest wasn't relevant and its a space issue too tbh. Yes, you did say that. Apologies. And leaving now anyway as I think this thread has ran its course for sure now, and cannot see anything to be gained from staying (except, possibly the mask links before they turned creepy.. )

@MadameBlobby
I love your mask!

As a more gentle alternative, here's some pretty unicorns.
www.monsoon.co.uk/unicorn-face-covering-set-9106292900.html

Do stay @NRatched!
You made some good points and I think hopefully made us all realise we need to think before we post.

I've found some really uncreepy pretty pastel unicorn masks.

There's sequinned ones too.
www.monsoon.co.uk/sequin-unicorn-face-mask-9106722000.html

@MadameBlobby I don’t live in London but there are other densely populated cities outside London with high Covid cases. I live the vicinity of one of those. I wasn’t aware not living in London meant your views and experiences weren’t valid

They are less relevant on a thread about London buses. London is a very international city and that does change who is and isn't wearing masks. The sheer volume of people getting around the city (which is not small) is huge. I take an hour to drive less than 6 miles. And that's all in Zone 2. So no it's probably not the same at all.

There's 9 million people here (metropolitan area). It is a magnet for criminals as well as the wealthy. There are some parts where everyone wears them and there are some parts where almost no one does. But the risk here is different. It's a lot less easy to be complacent when several people you know have had relatives die.

430,000 people per day go through Clapham Junction station. 2000 trains a day. And Clapham junction is not a station you can avoid if that's your route. If I lived in a village somewhere would I even think about this? No. This is not pearl clutching hypochondria. Or paranoia. I don't read every post on Covid, far from. So if someone somewhere said something I'm not likely to be able to speak to that. When h yuh oh live and work in central London this is concerning because there's a lot of people and a lot are quite transient/don't give a shit.

Unless you've seen if you won't know what that looks like. I went for a Covid test on Monday and there was all kinds of randoms hanging around. One guy came up while I was in the queue less than a foot away in my face without a mask just because he wanted to know what the queue was for. Ffs.

By the way, I am typing on a phone and the WiFi drops for a nano second and I get an odd autocorrect. That does not mean I am stupid or can't spell. Fucking Apple.

And for face masks that are good for your skin look no further than these.. plus silk is great at filtering Covid
mayfairsilk.com/collections/silk-face-masks

Haven’t RTFT

Not wearing a mask is incredibly selfish and entitled: the few with a genuine exemption aside

I don’t feel safe at all on public transport so have bought a car despite living in a v well connected part of London so not bothering for last 15 years not everyone has that choice (and it’s a disaster ecologically)

My local B&Q Earlier was staff with masks hanging around chin, same for customers: so incredibly stupid & selfish. Now I can’t safely shop in person either ...

Those look so lovely and soft!

It's more difficult (and stressful) being in a large city because of the sheer numbers of people. It also sounds like, from your post (and anecdotes from friends), that some people simply don't understand what's going on re masks or even Covid full stop. The government message needs to be clearer on everything. There's too much confusion, and different rules for every area doesn't help. There should also be easy access to masks for people on lower incomes.

I've just had an image of Matt Hancock wearing a unicorn mask flash through my head. I hope I don't dream about it tonight.

Or worse. Donald trump. I'll see what I can knock up on photoshop tomorrow 😁.

I do have a micro crush on Rishi Sunak though. Although his last mask didn't fit at all.

@DespairingHomeowner a lot of supermarkets and shops are no go zones for me now. My Tesco local is a disaster waiting to happen. I'm not even thinking about Aldi or lidl. I was thinking about going to Homebase this weekend for a possible pre lockdown garden shop. Maybe not a good idea - perhaps mid week evening is better. Marks is always pretty good. Waitrose ditto.

I'd got used to my train commute (with dog!) Used to drive, then decided to switch for the exercise. But Willesden Junction? No way. Not in a million years. Such fun with sixty million badly managed pieces of roadworks, all the new cyclists and 40,000 ubers. Not to mention the electric scooters. Not sure if you pay for parking if so Bolt is super cheap. Cheaper than driving and parking for a day probably.

I see people every day not wearing them and 90% are male. Like fuck are they disabled or rape victims. Or victims of an incredibly rare condition. They are just selfish cunts

Well done for writing one of the most ignorant, ableist posts I've ever seen on MN.

If I was exempt and couldn't wear a mask you wouldn't get me on public transport or in a shop for love nor money. I would do anything and I do mean anything to avoid that. Not wearing a mask isn't a lovely freedom. A perk. It's risking your life and that of others

Unfortunately we still need to earn money/get to medical appointments/take DC to school and so on. We don't get on the bus for fun. How would you avoid having to earn a living, precisely?

I have zero sympathy with the special snowflakes who don't wear masks. Here in Italy, the rule is "wear a fucking mask or stay at home". And guess what? Everyone wears a fucking mask, even the six year olds. Get over yourselves and wear one. Asthma is a shit excuse, past trauma is a shit excuse. In real life, most people think you are being a selfish piece of shit, and they're right

Thanks for calling me a selfish piece of shit. Most people don't think that, incidentally, because most people have a modicum of decency and empathy. As usual, though, it's the ignorant, nasty pieces of work who shout the loudest, and that's why I get so much abuse when out and about.

Oh, and Italy absolutely do have exemptions, so that's your ridiculous argument fucked.

"Not wearing a mask isn't a lovely freedom."

I agree.I am glad that you can see how difficult life is at the moment for those that cannot wear masks and how much they would rather have the ability to wear one and not be looked at suspiciously and risk being verbally abused or physically attacked.

I think if you can't wear a mask it would be hell on Earth. Getting on a bus or train without one or going into a shop without one must be so incredibly stressful. There's the thought that someone aggressive might do or say something. That's one thing. We know that happens.

But then there's knowingly risking your life. If you're having to live a normal life without that protection looking around she seeing other people doing so who don't have to, who can bear a mask but choose not to, must be so incredibly stressful. You can never really be 100% sure.

But when it's groups of certain people you know haven't been raped and statistics would suggest don't have an incredibly rare nerve condition and do not appear to have ASD then you know they are choosing to risk your life.

If you are not heathy to start with, and even in some cases if you are, you know this could potentially be fatal or life changing. It's people like you that I worry about, believe it or not. I'm not ablist I just detest the selfish cunts who don't care. I wear a mask. Avoid public transport. So I'm maybe/possibly ok though maybe not thanks to being in London.

People who don't have the financial means to get to work in other ways, people who don't have the freedom to work at home. Because statistically and practically and logically there's no way that even 50% of the people I see are exempt. Not logically possible.

There's no way that large swathes of men (and a number of women sadly, often in headscarves) from the Middle East/South Asia are unable to wear masks or have been raped with someone putting a hand over their mouth. Or dozens of teenagers. If you live on an estate the local petty criminals won't be wearing them. All have asthma? I doubt it.

You can't speak for all disabled people. You may be perfectly ok with the heightened risks but some are too scared to leave their homes because of people like that. Spare them a thought too.

@Sockwomble

"Not wearing a mask isn't a lovely freedom."

I agree.I am glad that you can see how difficult life is at the moment for those that cannot wear masks and how much they would rather have the ability to wear one and not be looked at suspiciously and risk being verbally abused or physically attacked.

And let's not forget the extra protection from a global pandemic. That's important too.

If they are being abused (and I'm sure they are) it beggars belief. Because their abusers could pick on any number of strapping men also not wearing masks but choose not to. It's misogyny in action a lot of the time. Or picking on someone you aren't scared will hit you.

Unfortunately we still need to earn money/get to medical appointments/take DC to school and so on. We don't get on the bus for fun. How would you avoid having to earn a living, precisely?

@PennyDreadful this is true - but unfortunately it's also true for other disabled people who can wear masks, but who are especially vulnerable to complications if they are infected. (Though nobody is bulletproof with this bastard disease.) Having a medical exemption from wearing a mask does not make anyone less infectious to the people around them.

This is a zero-sum situation, in that the rights of some people with medical conditions to travel on public transport, go to work, go into shops, etc, without masks will mean that other people with medical conditions are then barred from traveling on public transport, going to work, going into shops, etc, as the risks are then too great. It's not as straightforward as "if you do xyz then it is abelist or not-abelist". Disabled people - just different disabled people - lose out either way.

Having a medical exemption from wearing a mask does not make anyone less infectious to the people around them.

I agree, even if the person is exempt I’d rather not be around someone who isn’t wearing a mask. You’re still a vector, especially if you’re unable to social distance on public transportation.

"If they are being abused (and I'm sure they are) it beggars belief. Because their abusers could pick on any number of strapping men also not wearing masks but choose not to."

There were reports last week of a teenage girl being kicked in the head on a bus by the male member of a couple who had been abusing her including racist comments ( which indicated this wasn't rage by anxiety over covid). Another man then floored the attacker which he deserved whether or not she was exempt.

I'm not sure what ASD is supposed to look like. Ds is profoundly autistic ( highest rate DLA, special school etc) but can look pretty 'normal' when he sitting quietly somewhere so it may not be obvious.