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[Amskeptic]

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So sorry to report this:
I had an incident in a store in South Dakota this morning. Many stores in Wyoming and South Dakota do not require masks or social distancing even as their infection rates climb.
I was wearing a mask and met up with a man who was not, as we came to the end of our respective aisles. I jumped back several feet to maintain distance. I think he must have taken it personally like I was avoiding him (it could have been me trying to protect him from my virus, right?), because he gave me a smirky dumbass snort.
In the checkout line, he crowded up behind me. I turned around to ask for space, and he sneezed directly into my face, a vocal sneeze, then gave me another smirk. Unfortunately, it was a real sneeze with two more. Nobody was surprised or shocked or gave a rat's ass.
I did a hand-sanitizer wash at the car and soaked my face with Tide and Clorox.
I need to quarantine through October 18th and I need to warn those I want to visit that this happened. My tour is being seriously edited. I am sorry. I will be reaching out to some of you once I have a better idea of what is going on ...

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[skip]

Man that's awful, glad you did not escalate the confrontation. I know I would not have handle that well,
that was an assault and I would have responded violently, whether he was armed or not. Stay safe...
None of this stuff is worth dying for because you can't take it with you. People are only going to get crazier.

[NewBeginningsAgain]

In the checkout line, he crowded up behind me. I turned around to ask for space, and he sneezed directly into my face, a vocal sneeze, then gave me another smirk. Unfortunately, it was a real sneeze with two more. Nobody was surprised or shocked or gave a rat's ass.

Dammit! That really pisses me off! I’m really sorry that happened to you!

When the news reports on a person behaving badly, I understand that while that’s just one incident out of very, very many that gets reported, that most people don’t behave that way. But when “it” happens to someone you know, it makes it real. “This shit actually happens to people!” “It’s true, that people really do this to others, in public!” I go from scoffing at dumbasses, to being outraged.

It’s one thing when people become apoplectic about wearing a mask. “Look at me! You can’t make me! I have rights!”

It’s a whole different kind of person who physically considers itself superior to those that don’t agree with it (on masks in this case), and furthermore physically assaults those it considers to be “lesser.”
“I’m better than you. You are worth less than me. I can hurt you and no one here will stand up for you.”

Turns out I’m outraged about a lot of things.

Wishing you the best of health, and looking forward to New Beginnings in 2021

[hippiewannabe]

So sorry this happened to you, Colin. There is nothing more despicable than a bully. I know you try to see the good in people, and maintain optimism for our civil society. This surely tests those beliefs. Know the problem is within him, and maybe he'll come to his senses one day.

The positive rate there is probably in the low single digits, and the chance he infected you if he had it are less than 50-50, so I don't think you need to totally isolate yourself, just continue to wear your mask and maintain distance, and you'll be doing right by your fellow man.

[Amskeptic]

So sorry this happened to you, Colin. There is nothing more despicable than a bully. I know you try to see the good in people, and maintain optimism for our civil society. This surely tests those beliefs. Know the problem is within him, and maybe he'll come to his senses one day.

The positive rate there is probably in the low single digits, and the chance he infected you if he had it are less than 50-50, so I don't think you need to totally isolate yourself, just continue to wear your mask and maintain distance, and you'll be doing right by your fellow man.

Hello Don,

South Dakota is nation's top hot spot for COVID-19;
rapidcityjournal.com
Thursday's report came from 2,449 tests, a positive test rate of 13.6%

Colin

[hippiewannabe]

South Dakota is nation's top hot spot for COVID-19;
rapidcityjournal.com
Thursday's report came from 2,449 tests, a positive test rate of 13.6%

Oof. That is a woefully inadequate number of tests. That skews the data, since it means it isn't random at all, and a high proportion of those being tested are people feeling symptoms. The best way to look at it is number of confirmed cases per 100,000 population. Right now that number in SD is about 50, or 0.05% of the population is positive. Because it is only "confirmed" cases, and not enough asymptomatic people are being tested, the real rate is certainly much higher. Still, multiply it by ten or twenty, and while it is a serious situation, the odds that a random asshole at a convenience store is infected are very low.

https://covidactnow.org/us/south_dakota-sd?s=1109249

[sgkent]

while I am a firm believer in people getting to choose the level of risk they take, in most states right now, both red and blue, what he did is considered an assault. If someone contracts a disease and dies because of it, then it is even more of a criminal behavior. But this has been with us for a long time - people spread other diseases intentionally because they want to get even with the fact they got something. Some people don't care about the welfare of others. Sad but humanity is full of idiots and donkey rear ends who only care about themselves.

[PaducahFrank]

Comrades,

I am happy to report (as of yesterday at 1800) Colin is alive and well! We met yesterday at the KY I-24/69 Exit 31 Minit Mart Parking lot where I witnessed the great man refuel (15.xx MPG/380-390 cylinder head temps/ 55-60 MPH) and buy a cup of coffee. I can't believe the first thing out of his mouth wasn't "don't you bumpkins know how to spell "minute" in Kentucky?" but it wasn't.

After pleasantries we proceeded to the Livingston County hiking/biking trails parking lot down the road. Yesterday or today, I can't remember, was Colin's final day of Covid purgatory. I'm no doctor but I'm calling him good.

The highlight of our VW tech discussion was talk of the recent PaducahLydia/Paducahfrank engine rebuild. This job was completed in April and it has been a smashing success! Tech talk was about 2 hours then the cry in my coffee stuff about 10 minutes. Unfortunately I had to leave for another engagement. I wish it could have been longer, actually I wish we could have sat down somewhere cool and drank about 20 beers. Unfortunately that was not in the cards for either of us yesterday.

We haven't gotten to enjoy Colin or his adventures this year and that has been a huge loss. I feel super lucky to have had the chance to meet up with him yesterday.

I hope to see you again soon Colin and thanks for everything!

Paducahfrank

[BusBassist]

I am happy to report (as of yesterday at 1800) Colin is alive and well!

Thanks Frank - Glad to know Colin is well and on the move- I think he’s on his way toward the Northeast U.S.and hope he gets here soon before it’s gets too cold for a bus ride and planning session.

[sgkent]

Colin is probably still lost in Kentucky. Happens easily in that state. An ancestor of mine, Billy Bush, was walking with his friend Daniel Boone one day in the early 1770's, and got lost there. In fact the family is still stuck there for generations now, Fort Boonesboro area. Sometimes they even see the same old black bear wandering around too in the corn field, so it happens to the animals too. Lots of rattlesnakes in them thar hills too. :)

[Deanaha]

Please continue with the sighting reports on Colin. I miss his input. Hopefully, he is not lost or ill. I was fortunate to get to spend time wth him early in his travels this Fall.