Maskless Tram riders…?
“What are the current RIOC masking rules on the Red Bus and Tram?” a reader asks. “I have noticed that there are fewer people masking-up and, with the Delta variant, it is making me nervous.”
By David Stone
The Roosevelt Island Daily News
I gave her the facts, i.e., 100% masks required. Then, she asked, “Is there anything that can be done about this? Such as a petition to request that they enforce it?”
Maskless Tram Riders
“Nothing has worked so far,” we wrote, although for the last few days, Red Bus enforcement has treated us to rides without the hazards of maskless passengers.
“Yesterday, on the tram, kid were not masked (they were not toddlers – more like ages 5 through 8) and on the red bus. I noticed this week that people are dropping their masks (below the nose) and sometimes kids are not masked.”
Going to and from a meeting on the other side of the East River, we decided to check out maskless Tram riders.
In every cabin, including passengers riding into the station, some without masks were visible, although usually hidden from view of the operator.
At least partly responsible was a lack of clear guidance from Tram operators. “Face masks required” was cursory and without gravity.
In one case, though, an operator reached in for a mask which he, then, gave to a passenger boarding right in front of him. No objections from the passenger.
“Maybe, they should bring the Public Safety officers back to the tram platforms to enforce the masks…”
If you can find one.
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As the Dust Settles
The way the wind cuts across the river this time of year. The way older buildings hold heat but never quite hold air. I told myself that was why my chest felt tight again on certain mornings. Age, perhaps.
