I Survived Costco (and took a selfie)

"Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo" (akioohtori) 04/07/2020 at 13:43 • Filed to: covid-19

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Does this mask make my forehead look MASSIVE HOLY CRAP

My Costco run was (mostly) successful. They had everything I wanted (except light bulbs, weirdly) and I even scored some hand sanitizer.

Overall it was all pretty normal. Limits on a few things like paper goods and hand sanitizer. Also they were only letting in “2 people per membership card” which... I’m sure I don’t want to know how that came about.

I was among the ~50% of people wearing masks, including Costco employees. There were a wide variety on display including standard N95, surgical masks, dust masks, and simple bandannas.

Though I have a couple N95 knocking around (I used to use them to mow the lawn, donated the excess) I opted for the thermal mask with a gauze “filter” because it is more comfortable and I wasn’t sure how widely used the N95s were going to be. (Fairly prevalent so I’ll probably switch to that for the next run.)

Also grabbed some gas, which led to this alarming photo:

I know right! $0.50 more for premium!? There should be a law....

The way home was somewhat eventful as I observed the following:

A mask wearing guy in a mini-van attempted a head-on collision with me as he didn’t appear to understand how left turns work. (Both sides had protected double-left arrows and he was swinging wide. He was pretty sure I was in the wrong... somehow.)

A woman in a Camry-dented Nissan Armada (I have a special hatred for these and their bee-stung brother, the Infinity QX-FU) wearing latex gloves was playing with her phone while driving. You know she isn’t going to sterilize that thing when she takes those gloves off.

A man stealing toilet paper from a Walgreens. Seriously. I look over and think “Why is that man running? Why is that other man chasing him? Why does the first guy have toilet paper... Oh fuck me...”

Glad to be home but will probably need to venture out again for groceries and dog food this evening.

EL_ULY > Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo 04/07/2020 at 13:49

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GIB Cyan Racing Blue C30 to ULY NAOW!!!!!

My bird IS the word > Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo 04/07/2020 at 13:51

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My parents don’t want me to wear my chemical gas mask because I might “alarm” people lol.

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo 04/07/2020 at 13:52

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Was just about to remind to sterilize the phone, but sounds like you’re on to that one. The people with gloves are killing me. You touched the cart and everything in the store and now you’re touching the interior of your car and transfer ring all of that to the car, then you touched your phone to send it to the phone as well?! All you had to do was put them on to use the cart and handle the groceries in the store then throw them out before getting in your car.

Also, i believe, gloves aren’t necessarily shown to help much .

TheRealBicycleBuck > Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo 04/07/2020 at 13:53

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We had groceries delivered this morning. My wife was communicating with them by text and told them to just leave them on the porch. Half an hour later, my wife is wondering where the groceries are, so she texted the driver. He said he left them per instructions. That’s when we discovered he delivered them to the wrong house. Thankfully, the neighbor wasn’t home at the time, so there weren’t any issues retrieving the groceries. At  least no issues which we are aware of. I know at least a couple of our neighbors saw us carrying groceries across the lawn. I’d bet we are now the “thieves” of the neighborhood.

66P1800inpieces > My bird IS the word 04/07/2020 at 13:55

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Go for it, now is the time. If I have to go to the store (delivery has been working so far) I plan to wear my full face respirator that I have had for years.  

My bird IS the word > 66P1800inpieces 04/07/2020 at 13:56

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See, thats what I said. I am finally prepared!

Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo > My bird IS the word 04/07/2020 at 13:57

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Ha! I also assume it would be very uncomfortable. I had a 50s gas mask I sold a couple months back (oops) that was EXTREMELY uncomfortable anyway...

415s30 W123TSXWaggoIIIIIIo ( •_•))°) > My bird IS the word 04/07/2020 at 13:57

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I have a full face diving mask, I can go on my own air mix. 

Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo > MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner 04/07/2020 at 14:00

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Gloves for workers I get. Much easier on the skin to sanitize gloves 50+ times a day. For us normies... yeah just be aware of what you’re doing with your hands and seems like you’ll be fine. Gloves (I feel) give a false sense of security. Like when I use them for wrenching, just look at how much grease ends up on my face and clothes....

Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo > 66P1800inpieces 04/07/2020 at 14:02

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Haha I love that any mention of a mask online (myself included) comes with the caveat that you bought it before all this started.

fintail > Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo 04/07/2020 at 14:04

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Any TP? My mom lives in a small town kind of at the end of the supply chain, and claims (via my brother who does her shopping, as she doesn’t want to leave the house) that it is very hard to find there. I plan to visit Costco before I visit her next month and bring her a 300 pack.

I’ve noticed A LOT of shitty driving lately - running lights, either going 10 under or 30 over, dumb left turns in front of traffic, turning from the wrong lane, phone addicts, etc.

I made my own mask - motorcycle balaclava with a filter over the mouth/nose area, topped off with my hockey helmet for extra protection. I am very tempted to wear this the next time I go to the store:

Not sure if I’d be asked to leave or not.

TheRealBicycleBuck > 415s30 W123TSXWaggoIIIIIIo ( •_•))°) 04/07/2020 at 14:14

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Finally! An excuse to break out the old SCUBA gear! I have a standard and backup mouthpiece, so I suppose I could support two people for a time. 

Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo > fintail 04/07/2020 at 14:15

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Yup! Fully stocked on TP at least in OK.  My mask is a balaclava with a gauze insert and the neck portion pinned up

fintail > Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo 04/07/2020 at 14:18

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Good to know. Panic buying started earlier here than most, hoping it then ends sooner.

Airflow in my mask system is not good, but that’s the price you pay for the laughs/staying safe.

415s30 W123TSXWaggoIIIIIIo ( •_•))°) > TheRealBicycleBuck 04/07/2020 at 14:19

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Yeah just throw the tank in the shopping cart and get the octopus out for two people. 

RPM esq. > fintail 04/07/2020 at 14:26

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My parents are in a remote, small town and the small locally-owned grocery store is still getting TP supplied a nd restocking it every morning—it sells out every day but going first thing seems to work.

fintail > RPM esq. 04/07/2020 at 14:32

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My mom’s town is kind of at the end of the line, has a few supermarkets, but they apparently run out fast.   I suspect an aged hoarder mentality population there doesn’t help.  The even smaller town where my brother works has one store, limiting purchases to 4 rolls per person.  What a fun time.

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo 04/07/2020 at 15:21

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yeah i’m definitely talking about the normies going to the store then driving home.

I never wear disposable gloves to wrench. I do my protective gloves or take them off. I don’t expect clean h ands, just less busted knuckles.

My bird IS the word > Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo 04/07/2020 at 15:29

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Its one of those weird "is it a joke or is he serious" kind of things. Its also weird to be prepared, but not to use because you don't want to look TOO prepared. Or over prepared/paranoid.

OmerCarrothers333 > Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo 04/07/2020 at 15:29

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I too made a Costco run today. I scored two packs  of TP, one was Charmin and the other was Costco-brand.

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo 04/07/2020 at 15:59

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Saw this on the internet:

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo 04/07/2020 at 16:34

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Little did they know:

66P1800inpieces > Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo 04/08/2020 at 00:21

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I was thinking of making a sign and wearing it around my neck so people don’t think I am a total asshole. 

66P1800inpieces > fintail 04/08/2020 at 00:23

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I was talking to someone today with a 7 person household in CA. She found a supplier online and bought 200 rolls. Not to be a hoarder but because if she ordered less there would have been a $20 surcharge.

fintail > 66P1800inpieces 04/08/2020 at 13:26

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If 5 of those 7 people are idiot kids who blow through TP like it is going out of style, those rolls might not be an insane thing.  I’ll allow it.