no one said not to wear a mask when you're alone and away from others, and have control over that circumstance.
Actually, I did. If you are comfortable with that. Some people have heightened anxiety, and they should keep their masks on if it makes them feel better. Of course what you mean is no one has said wear a mask when you're alone and away from others, but that's exactly what has been posted above. Wearing a face covering at all times when outside includes when you are outside, alone, and away from others
the bottom line is 34th street, unless you're out at 3PM (sic), is an area designated for people to be out and walking.
So are sidewalks and parks. And let's keep in mind "out" for some people who aren't able to walk a lot means standing in place, sitting, and moving pretty slowly. They should be able to enjoy the outdoors just as much as the able bodied. Families should be able to let their kids learn how to ride a bike, draw with chalk, and play hopscotch in place.
I've been trying to post photos from yesterday at noon on 34th Avenue where there are hardly any people on the street. I've been unsuccessful at getting the file size small enough. (??) The perception that it's always chock-a-block just isn't reality. It definitely is heavily trafficked at some times of day, I agree, and that's why I think people like me who are able bodied, don't have kids with them, and out for physical activity would be wise to walk along the residential streets in less densely populated areas during those times.
The bottom line really is, know what the rules are, which are that people only have to cover their faces outside when they can't keep a safe distance from others. (I get it, 6 feet isn't a certainty for safety. But we have to pick a number and 6 it is. We pick numbers all the time as a society you can argue over, like age of consent, a speed limit, etc.) The other bottom line is that people are clearly garbage at judging what 6 feet looks like, and other people don't care about wearing the mask. We should control what we can control, which is ourselves.
I'm not insensitive to the fear. I lost someone, and I was ill. I was very scared to venture outdoors for a bit -- out of fear that even though I followed the quarantine guidelines, the recommendations have been wrong in the past so what if they were wrong about the timeline and I was still infectious? So I erred on the side of caution and quarantined longer than the recommendation from the CDC.