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Can I cycle outside?
Sorry for the low effort post but my computer is broken and my smartphone is crap.
My city in Brazil is basically closed for business. My mother was supposed to be in another continent but, THANKFULLY, flight restrictions prevented her from traveling.
The downside is that she’s making me crazy like mothers do.
I’m going bananas here, and cycling makes me sane. I also need the exercise. Am I crazy for wanting to get on my bike once a day? The streets are not totally empty, but a lot less populated.
I’m in Salvador, Bahia. My state has 33 cases now.
Legally I have absolutely zero clue - you can where I live, but that's Australia.
Health-wise, there is no danger whatsoever so long as you:
There's minimal risk even if you break those rules, but by following them your risk is quite literally zero even if you were the only person in the world who didn't actively have the disease.
That isn't true, virus containing particles from a cough or sneeze can hang in the air for more than enough time for you to ride through them despite staying 2 meters from people.
That said, the risk is small, go find sanity!
Could you share a link that info? My smartphone is really shitty and has a will of its own
https://www.cnbc.com/2020/03/18/coronavirus-lives-for-hours-in-air-particles-and-days-on-surfaces-new-us-study-shows.html
Note that just because the virus can survive for 3 hours airborne, doesn't mean the particles from a particular sneeze will hang in the air for that long. That's down to wind, temperature, humidity, etc..
I biked around the city on Thursday when it was super windy. As I was biking, I had an inner monologue trying to decide if it was more or less risky due to the wind.
While this might be a real risk in an enclosed space with recirculating ventilation, such as an airplane, bus, or subway car, it's just not a realistic concern outdoors at 2 meters distance.
This. Just take some antibacterial wipes or sanitizer with you when you go out if you can. In my town the local distilleries have started producing hand sanitizer instead since all the bars and restaurants are closed.
Antibacterial wipes may not be effective, remember this is a virus not bacteria. Check the packages label before assuming your wipes are effective against virus.
They’re just ethanol soaked rags. Ethanol will disinfect just about anything.
Unfortunately that isn't the case - that is, they aren't necessarily alcohol based, you should check the packaging to be sure. Both sets of disinfecting wipes we have in our house turn out to be non-alcohol based (Benzalkonium Chloride 0.115% in one, Dimethyl Benzyl Ammonium Chloride 0.184% in the other).
I can't speak to whether or not they will be necessarily effective, but https://www.cdc.gov/handwashing/show-me-the-science-hand-sanitizer.html suggests that even on hands (and coronvirus seems to have a shorter life on your hands than on a piece of steel, for example) accidental misuse is a strong possibility.
I have to convince my mother of that now... she’s going full 12 Monkeys over here.
Do you have any reputable links for that information?
Just be smart about it.
I don't know if it's any consolation or the right thing to do, but I've been biking a lot more recently. I find that I have a lot more pent up energy having sat in the same room for hours. I also have a lot more time without social obligations. I generally stay to the main bike paths and while there's some concentration of runners at a few bottlenecks, for the most part I'm relatively alone for most of my ride.
I know I'm in a high risk area (NYC), but I think my low touch exercise is one of the only ways to be outside without being a problem to others. While there's a chance it spreads through the air, many of the people on these routes are also exercising and wouldn't be symptomatic (I know that's not required to spread). I would be more worried about the air in midtown (which is fairly empty nowadays...).
I don't know if I'm really putting myself at increased risk or not, but I feel better doing it, and being healthy with a strong immune system is exactly what you want right now. If I contract covid-19, then I will self quarantine, but without biking feels it feels like solitary confinement. Getting a few hours of daylight is good for mental health as well :)
Offtopic, but what happened to your comp? Anything any of us can do to help?
Ouch. That is especially poor timing given the circumstances. I'm really sorry to hear about that. :(
Do you know whether the mobo is actually totally fried, or is it something that can be fixed (e.g. CMOS battery replacement)? Same with the laptop, does it just need something like a new HDD and/or fresh OS install, or is it totally borked? Can you get the BIOS to load in either of them?
The guy who built the machine for me came to my house and tested. It’s under the warranty so it’s not so bad. I’ll just have to wait much longer to get a replacement.
At least I have my PS4, a TV in the living room and a large game backlog.
And my Kindle is full of great books.
I’ll survive ;)
Ah, that's good to hear. Thought it still sucks being without them, even temporarily, I'm sure.
Yes it is. But I’m optimistic. I see that as an opportunity to deal with my severe computer addiction.
Not that I’m not pissed hahaha
Shhhh, that's not a thing!!! (or so I keep telling myself as I continue to spend 10+hours a day on one ;)
I recently realized my computer actually do have an off button. Give a try, it will change your life! :P
LOL, it does!? TIL!!! :P
Joking aside though, right now my rig is being dedicated to Folding@Home, so I plan on keeping it running continuously for that purpose.... and in truth I have been spending a lot more time with my family and away from the computer than I normally do anyways.
Awesome!
My shitty smartphone deleted my comment above. The screen has a will of its own. I’ll try to reproduce it:
Sorry to hear everything went pear-shaped at once...
Not demonic possession, but maybe power grid fluctuations. If there's more demand in your apartment building than usual, you might be getting brownouts followed by transient voltage spikes. That will fry your electronics quickly if you're not using surge suppressors. Also, surge suppressors don't remain effective for more than a couple of years if your power quality is bad.
[Former Florida a/k/a Lightning Capitol of the World resident here, and yes, I had to replace things often both personally and professionally.]