There's some mystery surrounding the drone that was spotted flying over East River Park yesterday telling people to maintain social distance.
CBS News posted a video of the drone, which played the following message over loudspeakers: "This is the Anti-COVID-19 volunteer drone task force. Please maintain a social distance of at least six feet. Again, please maintain social distancing."
Some people thought the voice sounded familiar...
Life immitating "Robocop". https://t.co/RM6ja5SJCI
— Paul Lidicul (@PaulLidicul) April 6, 2020
An NYPD official said that it was not behind the drone. The FAA is reportedly investigating, per The Hill.
H/T Edmund John Dunn!
Cop cars in Tompkins were driving around playing the same recording. Also they shut down the dog runs.
ReplyDeleteGreat idea. Most people are staying inside and being careful outside but I still see people in groups and without masks.
ReplyDeleteOK, what am I missing? We've got drones in the sky demanding 'social distancing.' Cops policing the park, shutting down the dog run, stopping the jazz band from setting up near the kids playground. Yet,,for some reason I CANNOT UNDERSTAND, the homeless camp is AGAIN ALLOWED TO GROW DAILY at the site of the explosion on 2nd Avenue, near 7th. How is this NOT A PUBLIC HEALTH MENACE? I've seen these people who sit all day clumped together among their fetid possessions, wonder into the New Yorker Supermarket 1 block south on 2nd Avenue. That is one of the very few options remaining open for groceries, and these walking disease merchants stroll in and out, and obstruct the west side of 2nd Avenue between 7th & St Marks Place. WHY IS THIS ALLOWED? Death by the dozens everyday should be a wake up call, no?
ReplyDeleteI wish people would stop targeting runners. I was out there yesterday, didn't see the drone, but per the photo above saw tons of people walking 2 or 3 across the path blocking both bicyclists and runners. Half weren't wearing masks. It was like playing Frogger trying to get past everyone while still maintaining a decent distance. So everyone needs to share the path, we're all in need of the sunshine, vitamin D and waterfront breeze. Running and biking are really the only cardio we can do right now. Lots of new runners out there (you can easily tell!)
ReplyDeleteSide note, I saw several NYPD vehicles full of cops arrest a topless woman posing in front of the bridge along the waterfront rail. At least 15 cops in total. She was sitting cuffed on the chair. I yelled that it's not illegal to be topless. I guess they were bored? Meanwhile a couple guys with no shirts ran by...
Good idea. The lack of proper distancing along the east river is awful. And all those obnoxious runners on the marked bike lanes, breathing heavily in bikers faces.
ReplyDeletePeople will do as they please no matter how dangerous or foolish.
ReplyDelete@10:56pm: I dunno, walking is cardio for me if I do it briskly enough!
ReplyDeleteDrones are against NYC Parks rules and regulations. If NYPD was not responsible for the drone, then they or Parks Enforcement should have confiscated it and summonsed the owner. FAA don’t care about a toy.
ReplyDeleteAll those runners need to just stop it. There are so many of them darting in and out as they rush to jog around cyclists and pedestrians, breathing heavily and often spitting over their shoulders. Just stop it, this isn't the right time to be training for the NY Marathon because there probably isn't going to be a NY Marathon this year. Also, why is the park so crowded when people are supposed to be limiting their time outside? The NYPD has police helicopters flying very slowly over the park, obviously counting pedestrians and looking for crowds. Cuomo will have no choice but to shut the parks down next, which will just make this nightmare even worse.
ReplyDeleteYou can forgo running for 7-14 days while we get through the worst of this, it's just selfish behavior.
ReplyDelete"Keep 6 feet of space" they say...from their SUVs taking up 8/12 feet on path. It's inappropriate on a normal day for there to be monster truck-style SUVs spewing noxious emissions in the park, let alone when people are trying to keep space and avoid getting a respiratory infection.
ReplyDeleteCuomo encourages people to get outside daily to run or walk at safe social distances. It's for your physical and emotional health he said. And he's right, we'd all go crazy if we had to stay cooped up in tiny apartments alone. All this hating makes it even more clear. Maybe some folks on this site should take up jogging! Being outside is not just for people with dogs.
ReplyDeleteI have had two runners run so close by me from behind that they have physically brushed up against me. The runners are out of control. Run in place at home. Climb up and down your stairs. Do some research. Glad you are feeling healthy to run, but you could be spreading this deadly disease to the rest of us.
ReplyDelete