The local government has made an emergency declaration that everyone is to stay home unless you absolutely need to go out (e.g. for groceries) & if you go out you're supposed to stay 1-2 metres (3-6 feet) away from all other people.
So while I was out on my patio today enjoying some fresh & air sunshine (do it, it's beautiful), I did some people watching.
I saw some people walking around & I was curious to see if people knew how to do distancing. I saw 5 different people pass each other while walking around my neighborhood.
Success Rate?
- 3 people clearly didn't know how to judge distance and were too close to each other.
- 1 person kept a 1 metre distance.
- 1 person clearly knew what they were doing and stayed 2 metres away from other people.
So that's what inspired this post & video.
How to Measure 1-2 Metres
I apparently could do this by sight from many floors above ground level. I think it's because I sew, so I'm used to working in metres and yards & knowing how long a metre of fabric is in relationship to the human body.
So here are some helpful tips:
- 1 metre = ~1 yard = ~3 feet
- 2 metres = ~2 yards = ~6 feet
- 1 metre is about the distance from the tips of your fingers to the center of your body, if you're average adult, obviously this varies with body size.
- 2 metres, if you stretch out your arms on both sides the total distance is about 2 metres (again, depends how big/small you are, this is for an average human being).
- Sidewalks are ~1.5 metres wide*
So, yes, get some fresh air and sunshine! Open your window, step out onto your patio, into your yard. But if you're walking near other people, here's the best arrangement for walking.
DON'T pass each other on the sidewalk. You should keep a sidewalk width BETWEEN you and other people!
#COVID19 #Coronavirus #SocialDistancing #PhysicalDistancing #Distancing
*"Current standards are for a minimum 1500mm wide sidewalk, generally constructed of broom-finished concrete, in low density residential areas. Higher density residential areas have a minimum 1800mm wide sidewalk." https://vancouver.ca/files/cov/AccessibleStreetDesign.pdf