
A team exploited the coronavirus pandemic to set a new cannonball record - ajay-d
https://www.roadandtrack.com/car-culture/a32092440/26-hour-38-minute-cannonball-record-coronavirus/
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s1artibartfast
This pandemic is quickly turning into an irrational war on enjoyment.

Criticisms should focus on relative risk compared to other activities.

I see similar judgements about other activities that can be done with little
to no risk like hiking and fishing.

Times are hard, but that doesn’t mean that everyone has to be miserable.

~~~
anfilt
I know it is like some people don't realize epidemiological-ly what is
important is staying away from other people. Hiking in remote area where there
are no other people is not a problem. Driving for 26 something hours, and
likely not interacting with anyone is not a problem.

Your essential grocery store trip is a much risk of getting you ill or
spreading illness...

However, doesn't cannoning balling involve speeding? I think that's what
people should be more worried about. It's not like the roads are a 100% empty.

~~~
op00to
Let’s say the person was asymptomatic but spreading. How many gas stations did
they visit? How many potential exposures?

~~~
s1artibartfast
Probably 1 gas station for the return trip. They had expanded gas tanks to
last the whole trip.

Assuming they were infected and shedding but practiced reasonable safety
precautions when they stopped, it is easy to have no potential exposures.

Potential exposure is essentially 0 if you correctly wear gloves, a mask, and
keep a reasonable distance

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tehwebguy
> "If you hit a truck moving medical supplies and people die because of it,
> that's on you," he said. "People are counting on those trucks moving around
> right now. It's not funny."

This can’t be a serious argument, there is always something more important
happening than whatever record someone is breaking or whatever fun they are
having.

~~~
unethical_ban
It's actually the only argument with merit. The only risk you present to
people when you are isolated in your vehicle driving is the risk of harming
essential workers via accidents, the low chance of getting someone sick at a
gas station, or getting into an accident yourself and needing medical
assistance.

~~~
op00to
How about the gas delivery driver? They need to drive more to support your
demand.

~~~
s1artibartfast
How about the food delivery drivers for super markets? They need to drive more
than if we all ate rice and beans for every meal. How about the amazon
delivery drivers?

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badideaprojects
I like the debate about whether it’s irresponsible due to covid-19 or not when
this latest run had an 106 mph average speed.

~~~
ghufran_syed
Right, if you're going to do it at all, it's _safer_ to do it with less
traffic, as long as you drive within your visibility. Which of course, is NOT
the same as saying it's safe, just "less dangerous"

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_bxg1
What a weird thing to take issue with. "Getting out" isn't a problem if you
stay in a car the whole time. You're still socially-distanced. Of all the
"runs", this one probably presents the _least_ danger to society.

~~~
op00to
Every activity you take outside the house generates waste, wear, demand,
consumes energy, and puts more people at risk. This risk is deemed ok for life
preserving activities like essential work, getting food, and exercise.
Cannonball runs do not count.

~~~
_bxg1
> generates waste, wear, demand, consumes energy, and puts more people at risk

I... really don't see your reasoning. What essential resources are being
wasted and worn down? The driver's expensive car? The gasoline that hasn't
been this cheap and abundant in more than a decade? He didn't set an eating-
contest record.

~~~
op00to
Most actions we take outside the house require others to also take actions.
Drive car w cheap gas, the delivery man and gas station attendant had to be in
public rather than shelter in place. This extends the pandemic.

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thomaslord
Not sure how familiar everyone here is with cannonball runs, but from more
than 50% of comments so far being in favor of the driver I get the sense that
some commenters may not be. I didn't see speed numbers for this run, but the
first previous run that came up in my Google search had a top speed of 193
miles an hour.

Personally I think this cannonball run was a very bad decision and posed
increased danger to the drivers and to everyone on the road around them,
including the noted issue of possibly hitting a truck carrying medical
supplies. I take no issue with them going for a drive, but going for a
potentially-near-200mph drive is a very, very different thing.

~~~
Fjolsvith
Exactly. That driver should have stopped at every state line and self-
quarantined for the mandatory 14 days.

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querez
Any reporting about this should focus on dangers and law-breaking, while
completely obscuring times and names of the involved. I realize that this is a
website that's likely pro-cannonball that's reporting on this, but my question
is: is it legal to do this, or could you potentially be held accountable for
this in the US?

~~~
unethical_ban
Using public roads as a racetrack (going above the speed limit) is illegal.

Websites and hobby-enthusiast sites exist and report on illegal activity all
the time. There is a magazine called "High Times" that is sold at Barnes and
Noble, and has been since well before states started legalizing it. 2600
submits stories about people pentesting nuclear missle silos.

~~~
querez
I'm fine with the publication existing, my question was more related to HOW
they report: It is unecessary to state the current records, or the names of
the people who achieved this questionable "fame". Doing so will only instigate
copy-cats ("oh, so that's the current number to beat, I've got this!"). This
seems unprofessional, so I'm wondering if there are rules against such a
thing.

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BXLE_1-1-BitIs1
The early Cannonballs were run when the interstate speed limit was 55; so,
quite a speed differential passing. With a 75 limit in most western states and
lots of drivers fudging 5-10 over, the speed differential has come down
considerably.

While there seems to be a "we should all don sackcloth and ashes" mentality
among many, we may as well do what we enjoy so long as we maintain physical
separation.

~~~
op00to
No one is suggesting sackcloth. We are suggesting movies, weed, and sitting at
home for a little while. Stop being so fucking dramatic.

