Dear Crabby, Why Do Some People Wear a Face Mask While Driving?

Dear Crabby, I see people in cars, mostly solo drivers, wearing masks, why do some people wear a face mask while driving?

Sincerely, Minnie Van Driver

 

Dear Minnie,

I guess some folks just want to be as safe as possible … or that after 160 executive orders from the governor that ranged from don’t wear a mask, to donate masks to those that need them, and from saying you should wear homemade mask when in public, to wear one or else! Some people have resorted to wearing them all the time, just to be safe from the law and not necessary to “stay safe.”

Dear Crabby sits infront of his laptop

Dear Crabby Gives Advice

Now, I’m not going to get into whether you should or should not wear a face mask, that’s somehow a political nightmare. It’s like the coffee debate – coffee is bad for you; no we were wrong, coffee is good for you; no wait, it might be both depending on your age and health. However, drinking coffee (or not drinking coffee) is not mandated by law. The debate will rage on about whether or not wearing a face mask works or doesn’t work will continue until at least early November. But we can chat about the pros and cons of wearing one while all alone in a automobile.

I feel it’s become part of some people’s wardrobe, and thus they like to make sure it looks good on before they leave the house and then just leave it on. Others, may genuinely be confused about when and where to “mask up” and just wear them anytime they leave their homes. Still, others may seriously be compromised with health concerns and it’s easier for them to get the mask on correctly, before they get in the car. The health experts at the CDC and other places have changed they minds a few times on wearing them while driving. They want you to wear your mask all the time, however they are considering the side effects, which includes difficulty breathing, carbon dioxide buildup, stress levels, and more. Now they say to only wear a must when you cannot social distance – so you should be good to unmask if you’re alone in your car.

While I have no medical training, much like most of the politicians out there, I suggest you “mask up” before leaving your car, not your home, especially if driving alone. Use the rear view mirror (you ladies will know it as the makeup mirror) to securely place your mask on before getting out of the car. And if you have a few short stops along the way, I guess you could leave it on to avoid touching your face. The best bet would be to contact your primary doctor and ask them – based on your current health – what you should and should not do. So, just like the coffee debate – it may be good for you, bad for others, or not really make much of a difference for some. And if your doctor says to cut down to one cup per day or to mask up all the time, then go with their advice. As for myself, Mrs. Crabby suggests I wear my face mask even in the house – she says it’s for her benefit, not mine!

I’m sure my answer is as foggy as your glasses might be from wearing a face mask, so until next time …

Dear Crabby.

Stuck in a rut? Need some biased advice from a crabby old baby-boomer? Then email me your question at dearcrabby@rochestermedia.com. You can also head on over to my Facebook page and tell me how wonderful I am.

About Dear Crabby

Stuck in a rut? Need some biased advice from a crabby old baby-boomer? Read regularly by thousands and loved by some, Dear Crabby answers questions weekly to life's challenges. Send him a note at editor@rochestermedia.com.

Comments

  1. Daniel F Gonos says

    Regarding the mask thing, I see your point about the lack of need to wear one when alone in the car. I usually Don’t, which led to an interesting.encounter a few weeks ago.
    I was stopped at an intersection. Sitting in the passenger seat of the car next to me, was someone dressed in a Spiderman costume. He (She?) was making all sorts of gyrations indicating displeasure at my maskless face. It’s incredible the lengths people will go to in order to prove a point.

  2. John Sanderson says

    The state and local government heads have no clue. They ignore what the FEMA planners have been saying for years, have little or no clue or common sense, picking winners and losers. They think that the masks are somehow a cure for it. It does nothing except DELAY the infection of the population, that will peak when the Herd Immunity Threshold (HIT) kicks in at around 20%. We have good treatment protocols for those that do get sick. But masks ain’t it!

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