I'm torn about the virus shelter in place rule. Perfect time to go out and ride because there's no one on the road. But legaly we're not supposed to. I'm trying to be helpful to the at risk people by staying home but I don't see the risk in going out on my bike. It's an isolated activity and the worst I'm doing is touching the handle of a gas nozzle. I have no problem bringing a bag lunch and eating in on the side of the road by myself.
Are any of you bay area peeps getting pulled over while you're out??? A lady told me two friends of hers reported being pulled over in separate incidents in Palo Alto for being out when they shouldn't be. One got a fine for not sheltering in place.
eD
The public roads will be my personal racetrack....
Some related info and guidance from the American Medical Association dated 18 March. In particular see the last paragraph specific to SFO.
Travel Restrictions
Recently, the president banned most non-US citizens from entry into the United States traveling from the Schengen area (an area comprising 26 European states that have officially abolished all passport and other types of border control), the United Kingdom, and Ireland, on top of existing bans from China and Iran. The CDC rarely issues advisories against travel to particular locations within the US and has not done so to date for COVID-19. The CDC last advised against domestic travel during the 2017 Zika outbreak, recommending pregnant women avoid travel to southern Florida. While the White House has policies for military and government personnel traveling to places experiencing high levels of COVID-19 cases, it has not, as of yet, restricted domestic travel for the US public.
The US Constitution prohibits deprivations of life, liberty, or property without due process and guarantees equal protection of law. Judicial precedents also suggest that the freedom to travel domestically is constitutionally protected.6 These fundamental rights are not absolute, but rather are balanced against compelling state interests in safeguarding the nation against a novel, highly transmissible virus.
State and local health agencies have historically exercised powers to isolate or quarantine individuals infected with, or exposed to, dangerous infectious diseases. Courts typically uphold these powers if supported by clear scientific evidence. Large-scale domestic travel bans, however, would be extraordinary and constitutionally problematic. Authorities’ attempts to confine infected and uninfected individuals together within a cordon sanitaire would be subjected to the highest level of judicial scrutiny. More than 120 years ago, a federal district court banned a cordon sanitaire in San Francisco during a plague outbreak because it operated almost exclusively against the Chinese community.7
If a state or locality experiencing a major COVID-19 outbreak ordered a cordon sanitaire, it would have to be implemented with extreme care, including strong justifications regarding timing and geographic scope. Decision-making would need to be fair and transparent, demonstrating that no less restrictive interventions could safeguard the public’s health. Arguably, rigorous social distancing, such as comprehensive closures, assembly limits, and targeted quarantines, would be as, or more, effective and less restrictive of liberty.
Presidential action to restrict domestic travel would be even more constitutionally problematic under the US federalist system, by which states possess primary public health powers. The high potential for a local COVID-19 outbreak to result in interstate transmission could justify some intrusion on states’ rights, but national health powers are limited. Federal law, even during an emergency, does not expressly authorize a large-scale domestic travel ban, which could require more specific legislative authority.
Sheltering in Place
While the CDC has issued voluntary guidance urging people to stay home as much as possible, county health authorities in the San Francisco Bay Area have broadly ordered people to shelter in place for a 3-week period beginning March 17. Permissible exceptions include activities to care for vulnerable persons; seek medical and other essential service providers; and pick up food, medical, home maintenance, and office supplies, as well as employees performing essential work and walking outdoors other than in groups. Violators are subject to criminal penalties. Legal challenges related to significant infringements of individual liberties and business interests are likely.
I'm riding tomorrow in PA., if it's not raining, might hit 70*..
I'll take some water and a sandwich.
If I get stopped?
Doctors orders, depression oppression medication.
I went for a 50 mile ride late this afternoon. Felt great. Zero contact with other people. Kept my gloves on while getting gas.
Shelter in place
I have been driving to and from work every day, no problem on the road. Today I stopped for a young couple with a flat. Dam kids don't even know how to put on the spare. I instructed them how, even lent them a tire iron. Cops came by and helped block traffic. Not a word about the shelter in place BS.
The parking lots at the beaches are full, lots of surfers out in the water (waves are real nice)
No one on the road, gas prices are down
As a funny point, I was asked to work 10 hrs OT this weekend, on a bus bridge. Caltrain is doing work on the tunnel near SF, so I get to help out in making a bus bridge to gap the downed tracks. Company so far has not offered masks or sanitizer to those of us out on the front line
Ya I got my own
Really?
You are taking your motorcycle for a walk. Well a run.
You are fully geared up, right?
You are maintaining 6 feet of separation from others, right?
You are practicing basic hygiene for a pandemic, right?
You are breaking speed laws.... oh wait.... you are on your own there.
I was wiggling into my gear to be on my way to work when the office manager from the other office called me to correct herself and let me know that we were in fact, not essential. I went in anyway, because there was a paycheck sitting on my desk, and to hang a sign that Governor Handsome had shut us down.
6 miles to the office, but 40 miles to get home.
I rode about 200 miles yesterday. Got solid waves and thumbs up from the few other coved scofflaws on the road. Kind of weird out there with essentially no traffic. Hard to keep the speed down. Kind of reminded me of cutting school in high school and going sailing. Everyone doing what they are supposed to....except me. 50 years later nothing’s changed.
.except me. 50 years later nothing’s changed.
as it should be... supposed to be in teh 60's the next couple days so I may do the same.