Is social distancing being adhered to in your area?

[shoppingbag*]

I just got back from shopping for groceries. As usual the hungry hoards are out after a long weekend. Social distancing is a joke! Supermarket staff are the worst offenders, wearing their vests with social distancing rules printed on the back, which I guess they can't see. Staff in one well known supermarket in your way at every turn, chatting up close to each other, in groups of three at times, and think nothing of getting right up alongside customers who are trying to avoid them. The opposition supermarket much better, but customers here are the problem, the old and silly ones and the young (who cares) types.  In the bank, the bank staff walking around and once again social distancing doesn't seem to apply to them, just to the customers. In my neighbourhood, I have seen parties going on, visitors coming and going, few, if any were sticking to the rules. Now that things have been relaxed, and what with the Burleigh Hill debacle (and all the other things we haven't heard about) I do fear there will be a big spike in cases soon. People appear to be complacent because numbers of infections are low, and fail to remember, that this all started with just ONE person, and can get out of hand so very quickly. We are following strict guidelines here in my family, I just wonder how many others are doing the same, and if we are simply fighting a losing battle. I observed people coughing who were out and about today, and I hope the one who coughed in my direction at the bank has not infected me, only time will tell. I can only say that I am totally disgusted with what I have seen since this all began. How are things going in your neighbourhood?

[k1ooo-slr-sales]

I am only speaking from limited experience of going out as I have been following the "stay home" instruction, but every time I have ventured in to town people are doing the right thing here in Mildura NW Vic.

Spoiler

padi, stawks, that supermarket might be where crack dealers hang out

[maranock]

Maybe it is a city thing. Everyone in my little rural town is being very good with distancing too.

[chameleon54]

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@davewil1964 wrote:

In my small town, Canberra, ???    everybody seems to be scrupulous in their social distancing.

I guess we are sheep.

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In this case I dont think its about sheep. Social distancing is more about showing respect for those who provide services for us in shops etc. and also about respecting those around us. We just dont know if the person next to us in the supermarket isle has a low immune system due to health reasons or are very concerned about the virus due to thier age.

It costs nothing to social distance, but the pay-offs to those around us and society in general are enormous.

[lyndal1838]

You cannot get much more citified than 3km from Sydney Airport but social distancing is in full swing where I am. 

Our suburb is mostly older people who have lived here here for 50+ years and you can walk outside and see no-one at any time of the day or night.  The limited number of working aged people get into their cars and drive away in the morning and return at night without any contact with the neighbours except for the usual wave if they catch the eye of a friend.

The nearest supermarket is 1km away....my OH has walked there a couple of times in the last month and passed maybe one person on each trip.

The smallish Coles supermarket is scrupulous about following the distancing rules and there are always a couple of younger staff members who will help the elderly to finish their shopping quickly.

Everyone seems to be co-operating with the rules without too many complaints....and no aggressive behaviour.

My OH was speaking to the Coles security guard while waiting to enter the store and he said his job was much less stressful now than before coronavirus as everyone was being co-operative.

[paper-jack]

On my daily walk (leafy suburb 10ks from city) I find most people I meet engage in a movement akin to a mating dance, we move away from or around  each other as we exchange a nod/wave/few words. For the few who are either in a pack or getting too close for comfort I've devised a fool proof way to ward off the fools - take a very big umbrella, hold it lengthwise to the side closest to the oncoming - they soon scatter.

As for the supermarket. On my only trip to one for nearly 2 months I discovered the WW staff to be very social distancing aware, it was mainly customers with feral children not giving a damn - no umbrella with me but I had that trolley, great for swinging around to ward off space invaders.

I've just had a parcel delivered. I went to the top of my steps and called out to the courier to just leave on the wall inside my gate so I could collect when he'd gone. In a very worried voice he said he couldn't do that as it was not a safe place to leave and would have to come to the door! So I said I'd come and get it, he dropped the parcel and ran to his van. Definitely maintaining a social distance.

[lyhargr_0]

SD is never a prob in my sm town, there's only ever a cpl of people up the road shopping in "normal" times. 

[icyfroth]

Yeah, kind of.

A lot of ppl are wearing masks, most ppl don't.

Walk down the street and ppl will maintain a distance.

Supermarkets have tapes on the floor to show distancing, checkout staff have perspex screens, you pack your own bags, you pay by credit card, no cash (dirty cash).

Cafes and restaurants are doing take-away only.

We do our best.

[lyhargr_0]

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@icyfroth wrote:

Yeah, kind of.

A lot of ppl are wearing masks, most ppl don't.

Walk down the street and ppl will maintain a distance.

Supermarkets have tapes on the floor to show distancing, checkout staff have perspex screens, you pack your own bags, you pay by credit card, no cash (dirty cash).

Cafes and restaurants are doing take-away only.

We do our best.

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Am guesing it more difficult in a large city but people are trying, I guess

[rogespeed]

Naturally socially distant here as a normal way fo life - and no one wants to be tarred as the first local case and suffer the subsequent witch hunt ...... and in public the regs are further encouraged - reminder public broadcasts etc 

A lot of local shops could attract business if they went online effectively with low cost almost real-time local deliveries

Locally this could usher in a new era in prosperous living for local consumers who are now captive with revised prorities and exciting new requirements having realised no shortage of disposable cash  - with now reduced spending in trite entertainment and overindulgent imported goods and state or overseas travel. 

[the_great_she_elephant]

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@padi*0409 wrote:

Like the others I'm in a small rural town in SW WA and nearly all folks here are practising the social distancing - and that's even though we've only had one confirmed case here (or maybe because of that...........)

Spoiler

..........that's not Walmart is it Siawks ?????    

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Same here, Padi - though my town is a wee bit bigger than yours. Everyone is being very sensible and my neighbours on both sides had been brilliant in offering to do shopping etc for us oldies.