Friday, April 24, 2020

Carroll Gardens Corona Diary: Strongly Worded Flyers Telling Joggers To Wear A F---G Mask Appear In Neighborhood

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We received the photo of a flyer addressing joggers and bikers from PMFA reader Mike yesterday.
Mike writes:"I am seeing these around Carroll Gardens - this was outside Key Food on Henry Street... also saw it posted in Red Hook FB group.. and hearing same from from Park Slope, anger w entitled joggers .... just FYI... not subtle, but it is true I see A LOT of joggers complete unaware, running on the sidewalk down Henry Street and Clinton Street, not distancing, not wearing masks... completely self-absorbed, very dangerous."

No, that flyer and its message are not subtle at all, that's for sure.
Many local residents posted here and on PMFA's Facebook page that they are having a hard time trying to avoid un-masked joggers on the sidewalk over the last two or three weeks.

We would like to hear from you. Have you seen these flyers?  Are you a jogger or biker? Do you feel threatened by the wording? If you are a pedestrian, do you feel vulnerable when you encounter joggers?  
Let's have a civil discussion.

27 comments:

Anonymous said...

I feel that the wording is appropriate. Everybody is aware by now that our collective public health depends upon EVERYBODY abiding by the mask requirement. The fact that they're not is utterly astounding. Food for thought 1: people usually breathe heavier when they're exercising. Food for thought 2: in some countries (such as France) outdoor exercise has been banned (https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-52202700). Is that what these people want??

chance bliss said...

as someone who jogs, i completely agree with the sentiment of the poster. put on a g*dd&mn f#!king mask. it's not hard. most of us are doing it but the sh!theads who refuse to comply are putting all of us at risk.

and it's not just about preventing infections, it's also about signaling to others that you take this pandemic seriously, which helps people maintain some sense of calm.

and to be honest, it's almost always men under 40. i want to clothesline them as they pass or throw a m*th3r f#!king garbage bin at them.

finally, there's no need to go on your exercise run down smith street, court street or even clinton - take it down towards the waterfront or hit the parks. a jog to red hook in the morning hours is a virtual lock that you'll encounter at most six or seven other joggers.

lcp said...

I have seen these joggers. It's a concern. But worse than that is the normal everyday pedestrians w/o masks. I saw a mother pushing a stroller today--neither she nor her child were masked. It's just standard practice that one has to zig zag across the street to avoid noncompliant people. Which is quite sad.

Georgia said...

I see many joggers in BHill not wearing masks. I struggle to understand why their discomfort is more important than their fellow residents safety. Please wear a mask.

Anonymous said...

I do run, and I have kept running during the pandemic, with a bandana. When I see people go by with no mask at all, not even one they could pull up if they got near another person, I also feel annoyed.

A few thoughts: The trick is going early. If you finish before 8AM, you typically have the streets to yourself. You can run right down the middle of Smith Street if you go early enough.

Not everyone in Red Hook appreciates being Jogging Central. The same way I feel annoyed with neighbors who quit the city for their country or beach houses, I think people in Red Hook feel annoyed with us for taking up space in their neighborhood. Not trying to justify any of our feelings, mine included -- just pointing out what I've heard.

Finally, I think we all have to expect to feel angry, irritable, sad, and so on. Much as I'm glad and proud to be in the city, it absolutely is difficult. This whole time in history is difficult. We're right in the middle of it. The more we can appreciate each other and wish each other well, even the people who are making us mad, the easier we can make this experience on ourselves. (I know, I know, it's hard. Constant struggle.)

Timothy Reed said...

I run, I wear a mask, it’s not that hard. I see plenty of people not wearing masks, whether it’s runners, cigar smokers, people on the phone (who are perfectly understandable with the mask), and, most frustrating given that kids are Petri dishes, parents with children. Masks don’t protect you as much as they protect others from you, so perhaps it’s the selflessness of the act that keeps people from wearing them.

Anonymous said...

Ease up on the mom-hate, lcp. Kids under two should not be wearing masks at any time due to suffocation risk, per CDC guidelines.

Anonymous said...

It’s not just joggers. It’s the super of my building and groups of teenagers and I saw a pack of older women also. I just walk in the street to distance from them. And people with masks who won’t move. Union market I will never go into again after playing dodge the shopper last time. One guy pushed past me as I waited for a worker to move. Never again. Look. I also shop at 6 a.m. best thing ever. No people. I like the sign. The sign I put up which was much calmer and really cute lasted one day before someone ripped it down.

Francis Facciolo said...

Doesn't this cut both ways? Why are so many people out on the streets that joggers without masks are an issue?

Anonymous said...

I understand the worry and frustration around masks. But I find the vitriol towards people who don't wear one - and desire for retaliation - to be scary. We left the state with our young kids early on because we knew social distancing would be a challenge and it's things like this that make me wonder if we will ever be able to come back. I fully plan to comply with the rules around masks if we return, but I think it's worth remembering that a few weeks ago officials were all telling us they aren't necessary/useless. Now we're publicly shaming anyone who doesn't follow the rules the way we'd like them to. I know this virus is scary. But for a vast majority of us it not an imminent threat to our health and - truthfully - we're all probably going to be exposed to it at some point or another (if we haven't already been). Social distancing is about reducing the spread of the infection so we don't overwhelm the healthcare system - not eliminating the spread. People are not going to do this perfectly and we've all already made tremendous sacrifices - with great results. Can we still please treat each other with kindness - especially right now?

Anonymous said...

anonymous at April 25, 2020 - 9:42 AM - you had the luxury of leaving and now you want to express an opinion about what happens here in brooklyn? you want to judge behaviour that you are not here to see first hand? that's rich.

don't come back. you and your privilege are not fit for new york.

chance bliss said...

katia, the signs have been appearing elsewhere in the city. here's a post from the east village in manhattan - https://twitter.com/evgrieve/status/1254027536515903488

Katia said...

Thanks for the link. Obviously, this is a citywide issue.

mag said...

It's not pleasant to feel the breath of a runner while they breeze past you - happened to me on a bike path (yes, I wore a mask) - it was gross. Wear a mask, it's not that hard & if it is, don't run. Simple.

Anonymous said...

Runners on the sidewalk has always been a peeve of mine, mainly because they seem to think they have priority over the sidewalk and everyone else should give them room for their exercise. Its very nerve wracking to have people running towards you and behind you all the time, especially on Clinton Street.

Anonymous said...

I believe that wearing a mask shows consideration for one's community and respect for the Executive Order that's in place (as well as repeated reminders from NYC). Contrary to some neighbors' beliefs here, everyone should wear a mask in public. But, what good is an EO with no enforcement? Only as good as we are as neighbors.

So, while I agree with the sentiments of many of the frustrated neighbors who see people not honoring the EO, it doesn't help to be divisive. I moved to Carroll Gardens 25 years ago and the us/them mentality has been a fixture of community relations here. It's not helpful. What is helpful is using your voice and send a short, direct email to raise concerns with our officials:

Assemblymember Jo Anne Simon: simonj@nyassembly.gov
Community Board 6 District Manager Mike Racioppo: mike@bkcb6.org
76th Precinct Community Officers: https://www1.nyc.gov/site/nypd/bureaus/patrol/precincts/76th-precinct.page
Councilman Brad Lander: lander@council.nyc.gov
Congresswoman Nydia Velazquez: https://velazquez.house.gov/contact
Bkln Boro Pres Eric Adams: askeric@brooklynbp.nyc.gov
Mayor de Blasio: https://www1.nyc.gov/office-of-the-mayor/mayor-contact.page
Governor Cuomo: https://www.governor.ny.gov/content/governor-contact-form

and other officials to take action. The more we speak up, the more likely to act they are.



Katia said...

Thanks for the contact list for our public officials. I agree with you that thoughtful discourse is more helpful than snarkiness.

Anonymous said...

I take issue with the person who left Brooklyn. I moved out of Brooklyn about 30 yrs. ago. I live in the Poconos and when this virus hit we weren't in bad shape until people from NY and NJ came up here. They didn't go by the rules and had visitors almost every weekend, up all night partying. In one week the hospital had at least 19 cases of the virus and these people were from NY and NJ. Thanks a lot for you selfishness, I have been in my house for 6 weeks and my husband and I are senior citizens and are vulnerable.

Anonymous said...

April 25, 2020 10:35 AM I am very grateful that we were able to leave the city. That said, please understand there are lots of circumstances that lead to people leaving and the knee-jerk shaming response is a big part of why I commented in the first place. Everyone has unique issues they are trying to manage in this crisis and we can't lump everyone together. It sounds like another commenter from the Poconos had a big issue with NYers who weren't respectful guests. That is not us. We left before schools were even closed and before the pause. No one required it at that point, but we quarantined ourselves out of respect for our neighbors and we continue to live in isolation. As I mentioned, we have young kids - including one with special needs - and staying where we are now has enabled us to maintain distance from people in a way we wouldn't have been able to in New York. We are trying to be good neighbors (both here and in Brooklyn) and you may not agree with our decision to leave but I wish we could at least recognize we are on the same team here - trying to support each other as we work to keep this horrible disease at bay.

Anonymous said...

I can understand runners/bikers/others not wearing a mask if they are going to be 100% dutiful in maintaining social distance.
What I have issue with is those, whether with or without mask, who whiz by you almost touching you without making any effort to maintain distance. I do see more runners than walkers doing this.
Can anyone who does this explain their rationale?

Anonymous said...

I run and have started putting my mask up when I come across people. The issue is that it hinders breathing and when the mask gets wet/damp it loses effect. To me, this is more of a visual courtesy, rather than stopping the spread of COVID.

Agreed that as a runner, you need to be sensitive to everyone around you and go early or later than you may normally would, as well as avoiding main thoroughfares.

Food for thought from the NYT

Anonymous said...

I wear a mask whenever I enter a store or supermarket. I run in the street, and am careful not to go near any pedestrians. I run and walk without a mask, which is entirely permissible according to the NY State Executive Order.

Anonymous said...

Pretty soon the Covid crisis will be over and the person who put up the flier can go back to being outraged that the local dogs are peeing on trees.

Anonymous said...

Runners: if you aren't going to wear a mask, the very least you can do is run in the bike lane facing oncoming traffic. Because there's hardly any vehicular traffic, bikes can move around you. You will be able to see all vehicles coming towards you. Give pedestrians on the sidewalk a wide berth.

Anonymous said...

Anonymous 10:44am, the city just revised its mask requirements:

Notification issued 04-28-2020 at 3:00 PM.

If you must leave your home, avoid crowded places, stay at least 6 feet from others, cover your nose and mouth with a face covering, and wash your hands frequently.

Anonymous said...

I wish this poster can be seen everywhere in the city. I'm a runner and a cyclist and I wear face covers/masks every time (cover nose and mouth). I cannot stand those who don't do it. Runners should not run on the bike lane, and vice versa for cyclists. If social distancing is really impossible on the sidewalk then yes, you may temporarily run on the bike lane to avoid a crowd or whatever, this does not allow one to run on the bike lane for a prolonged period of time. Runners are the worst in prospect park. They treat the entire park as if their own, have no respect for cyclists. Us cyclists have been forced to riding only ONE land (in the middle), while runners have their running lane, took over the traffic (car) lane, and also the sidewalk in and outside the park, and on the trail. Seriously runners, how self-absorbed and inconsiderate can you be? This is merely a common sense but people are so careless.

Anonymous said...

Shouldn't everyone ask the question: If the whole idea of shelter in place was to control the spread and not overwhelm the health care system, why are businesses still being asked to stay closed if the hospital system is under control and we have some anti viral medication to treat the disease. Also people are not stupid, if they feel that they might be susceptible to the disease then by all means take extra precautions. There are a lot more people have been exposed to the virus then we know. Random sampling has proven that. As Florida has shown draconian measures should effect the whole population just the vulnerable. How many business will never recover from this, how many people will permanently loose their jobs from the loss of small businesses. The mayor and governor has put a moratorium on people paying their rent, should this extend to building owners who have to pay real estate taxes ans utilities on their property. The mayor and governor should think how they hurting everyone.