If I have to read one more “we’re in this together,” I am going to lose my shit.
What bothers me the most is everyone bitching about others. Specifically, surfers or surf companies complaining about the general public going surfing. I totally understand and realize “It’s not about you, it’s about us.” I understand that by driving to the beach, getting on my wetsuit and paddling out in the ocean to catch some waves, I could be putting others in danger. Anybody who I come into close contact with (6 feet) could be at risk of getting this horrible virus, and by judging from the crowds this weekend, could very well have been a decent amount of people.
But, how many?
Not that it really matters, and I can definitely understand people who think I’m an asshole for saying something like this, but I just want to delve into this question a little bit. Before I paddled out on both days this weekend, as expected, I noticed a pretty large number of people in the water. So many that it got me wondering, how many people are out there? In the span of one beach parking lot, about the distance from one lifeguard tower to the next, I counted 71 people on Saturday, and 76 on Sunday. Now, I don’t normally take a head count before I paddle out but this felt like a necessity. Today (Tuesday) before I surfed, I did a quick comparison and counted 31. Less than half. Might I add that the waves were much better. Anyways, while surfing amongst the zoo animals, I was pondering these numbers on both days.
71.
76!
That’s a lot of heads for a few scattered peaks. Then, to think about the rest of the beach, I would guess that there was a couple hundred guys out there through the span of the day. Tough to put a number on it.
But how many people do you think In-N-Out served on Saturday? What about McDonalds? Taco Bell?
All Drive-thru foods, restaurants (take-out only), food delivering services, weed clinics, farmers markets, produce stands, banks, child care facilities, home based care (elders), and Laundromats remain open for business.
Laundromats.
Seems like a good place to stay open during a time like this.
All of these businesses require some sort of direct or indirect contact with the customer, yet the state, and country, is allowing these to remain open. So of all these businesses being open and coming in contact with their customers, how many of those employees do you think have been tested for Corona Virus and know they don’t have it? Who would say is putting the general public at more risk? Me going surfing, or the cashier swiping your card at Del Taco? Are you going to call him/her an asshole for “not doing their part”?
I do understand it’s a little different considering that’s their work place, or possibly business, but lets not play cards here. Nobody is in the right, but I hate to be part of the group who gets the stink eye because everybody wants to be the good guy and be “in this together.” When I start seeing those companies help out in this mess, or when really only “Essential businesses” are open, then I will think about staying in the house all day.
Until then I plan on surfing, driving through for a Big Mac and sweet tea, stopping for gas, grabbing some milk from Walmart, picking up a plunger at Home Depot, and coming home to social distance.
Let me know if you think I’m an asshole in the comments below, I’d be stoked to hear from you. If not, share this with your friends.
Welcome to hvoide.
-hwilsin
(Editors Note: This was written 5 days ago, 3/24. Since then the beach parking lots have been closed and numbers have greatly reduced. The more popular spots still have quite a crowd, more on that later.)