"PAPERS, PLEASE!" The "new normal"? nt

[Atticus]

[DFW]

1. It's getting that way.

In most of Western Europe, if you are out and about you can be asked to explain why. If you are trying to cross a border, you can be asked to produce a written document explain the purpose of your being outside of your town of residence.

"Papiere bitte!"

[MichMan]

2. In Michigan the governor has ordered that all non essential travel is prohibited

Not understanding why driving around by myself in my car (without ever getting out), just to get out of the house, can result in a fine and/or jail time.

[Layzeebeaver]

3. What not let everyone just drive around?

Because when you drive, you burn fuel

When you burn fuel, you need to fill up.

When You fill up, you need to interact socially with others.

So... If everyone just drives around by themselves it will lead to higher rates of transmission.

Stay home. Stay healthy. Don’t transmit.

Only leave your home for essential purposes.

Just driving around is not essential.

This is coming from a Michigan native now living in the UK.
We are locked down even in our small little town in the middle-earth of England. Sure we could drive around the country side and see the vista every day. But that would be flaunting the purpose of our national safety protocols put in place.

We should all be setting examples for one another o matter where we live - and not looking for ways around the rules or personal exceptions.

[ProfessorGAC]

4. Pay At The Pump Doesn't Require...

...any violation of social distancing recommendations.
I'm not giving up a relaxing back road drive listening to satellite radio when I'll not be coming into direct contact with anyone else.
Totally hunkering down causes stresses that can compromise one's immune system.
It's hard enough right now. It's not useful to feel worse about one's self if the activities don't involve congregating.

[Aquaria]

8. Every second you are on the road

When you don’t need to be is a second that you are risking an accident.

An accident that could require emergency responders needed elsewhere. An accident that could require sending you to hospitals that are already overflowing with patients.

This is what they are trying to avoid.

Take a walk around your neighborhood or go to the park for one if you need to get out for a while.

But for the love of all that is sane, stay off the roads.

[MichMan]

11. Yet, pot shops are allowed to be open since they are deemed "essential"

So, people are fine driving there, but if I drive around my rural area, I am somehow risking everyone's life.

My entire county has 7 confirmed cases so far and no deaths.

[MichMan]

5. Why are state parks still open then if no one is allowed to drive to them?

Hardly essential. Most people will follow common sense rules, but some of them seem very arbitrary and capricious which can create a potential for general disdain for the others

[Aquaria]

7. Exercise is essential.

Taking dogs for walks is essential.

You driving around because you’re bored is not.

[Aquaria]

6. The more you drive

The more likely you will be in an accident.

Emergency responders have better things to do these days than scrape a bored joy rider off of some asphalt. Our hospitals and morgues are full enough without needing to work on you as well.

You’re putting at risk resources that we do not have right now.

Stop being selfish and go out only when you must for essentials.

[cwydro]

9. Excellent point.

I’d rather go for a walk or a bike ride.

[MineralMan]

10. Minnesota has a "stay at home" order,

except for doing essential things and for people doing essential jobs. However nobody is out stopping people who are out driving or walking.

I just got back from the supermarket, after buying a week's worth of food and supplies. The roads are essentially empty this Sunday morning. Minnesotans are doing what they're asked to do, pretty much.

My Twin Cities Cub supermarket has added plastic shields at the checkouts, to protect the checkers. They're not used to it, yet, and my checker held out her hand to get my store loyalty card. Then, she realized that I was holding it out with the barcode showing, so she scanned it with the hand scanner instead, and said, "Oh, yeah, we're supposed to do it that way."

The store had few customers at 9 AM, and stocks were good, except for toilet paper, which still hasn't found it's way back into that store. Not a problem for me, since my wife ordered some online that will be here tomorrow.

So, nobody is asking for "papers" here. I did read in the morning paper, though that folks in rural Minnesota are asking people who own cabins out in the boonies not come to them to get away from the city.