What strange things are you noticing in your area?

[JodyLynC]

Although Ohio isn't on lockdown, schools are closed, many businesses have enacted work at home procedures, and restaurants are take out only. Yesterday, I had to run to the UPS store to drop off a package. In that plaza are two restaurants, a bread store, a candy store, a pizza place, an eyeglass shop, a GNC, a frame shop, two salons, a Mathnasium, a huge thrift store, TJ Maxx Homegoods, an asian market, and a petco. The entire parking lot had less than a dozen cars. (Some probably belonging to workers.) The Starbucks in front of it which is usually packed had one car in the drive thru. Next door at CVS, the parking lot was completely full.

This was weird to me. I mean I understand why. People are likely going in to pick up their prescriptions or other medical items. However, our CVS generally has very few people in it and only a couple of cars at a time in the parking lot. When I drove past, it was packed. Additionally, Starbucks which has a drive thru and mobile order was completely empty save for one car. Normally, you can't get into the parking lot because the drive thru line is so long.

So what have you noticed in your area?

 

[barkley]

an absence of youth.

the town nearest to us houses a university so we're used to seeing less young people around during spring break and summers but since their classes were ended early it's like everyone of them has disappeared. on yesterday's trip into town i also didn't see a single person under the age of 18. i appreciate that people are following the social distancing recommendations but it was really eerie,

 

[Disneylover99]

Friendly people. Lol.

Lots of people walking around my neighbourhood, which isn’t too unusual, but now everyone is smiling, making eye contact and saying hi, how ya doin, even when you give them a wide berth as you pass them. Nobody used to say hi before social distancing became a thing.

 

[gotomu212]

For us it really is the grocery store shelves. We went shopping yesterday and live in the suburbs near large grocery stores. In the past we’ve joked about how many different kinds and brands of green beans or chili beans do you really need. Yesterday instead of the half an aisle of beans, with thousands of cans, there were about 50 cans of store brand beans. The only rice was the $6 organic fancy small boxes, and no spaghetti noodles at all instead of the dozens of different brands that are normally there. Plenty of produce, meat, and dairy though.

Seeing the store so cleaned out was strange. There is panic buying no doubt, but I think more of it is just a factor of families being home and suddenly needing 21 meals a week for 4 instead of maybe 4 dinners.

 

[tvguy]

Well, the local grocery store chain is hiring off duty sheriff's deputies in patrol cars to be out front of all their stores to prevent problems. That is different. And I was at the grocery store at 6 am, and usually there are 5 or 6 cars in the parking lot, probably 40 today. Saw a few people with masks and gloves, and one lady who covered her nose and mouth every time she passed another person.
We were at the Walmart Neighborhood grocery just before they opened at 7 am. About 20 people waiting in line for them to open. That is not the usual. Only went there to check on paper products, they had none, so in and out.

 

[disneychrista]

More people outside walking around "for exercise."

 

[tvguy]

More people outside walking around "for exercise."

My wife and I have been walkers for years, and it was crowded out there Thursday when we walked.

 

[kymom99]

Friendly people. Lol.

Lots of people walking around my neighbourhood, which isn’t too unusual, but now everyone is smiling, making eye contact and saying hi, how ya doin, even when you give them a wide berth as you pass them. Nobody used to say hi before social distancing became a thing.

I have a neighbor who I’m still fairly sure would never say hello! Lol! Although I’ll be interested to see if she goes or not.

 

[MarkLT1]

More people outside walking around "for exercise."

I dont think it is really "for exercise" but rather, one can only stay cooped up in your house for so long. I think many are starting to realize that we are in this for the long haul (or as our MN governor said- "Prepare for a winter, not just a blizzard").

Our family has always been big walkers- 3-4 times per week, the four of us will go out on a walk. Now? We are making sure we get out for an hour each day. Of course we absolutely take a wide path around anyone we encounter (10'? Nah.. try 20'.. dont go giving me the 'rona!), but I think if this gets to the point where we can't leave our homes.. insanity will absolutely occur.

 

[AtlantaDisneyDreamer]

Traffic in the Atlanta metro area is quite manageable.

 

[amcnj]

The train commuter lots are virtually empty on weekdays.

 

[DLgal]

The biggest shock is the absolute lack of traffic. I live in Southern CA and have only gone out twice in the last week, but last night I drove on a major freeway that is usually bumper to bumper traffic at 6pm on a Friday night and I was flying at 80mph. It was really strange.

 

[disneychrista]

I dont think it is really "for exercise" but rather, one can only stay cooped up in your house for so long.

Which is why I had "for exercise" in quotes. I am a sporadic walking for exercise person and thought this might be a good time to pick it up again.

 

[nursejackie]

How milk has suddenly become a hot commodity. I've been to three shops today and no luck.

 

[VandVsmama]

Friendly people. Lol.

Lots of people walking around my neighbourhood, which isn’t too unusual, but now everyone is smiling, making eye contact and saying hi, how ya doin, even when you give them a wide berth as you pass them. Nobody used to say hi before social distancing became a thing.

Same here in our neck of the woods!

 

[Bianca and Bernard]

Seeing the store so cleaned out was strange. There is panic buying no doubt, but I think more of it is just a factor of families being home and suddenly needing 21 meals a week for 4 instead of maybe 4 dinners.

That is part of why we had to shop this past week. We weren't going to be home for most of spring break, so I didn't buy a lot of meat and frozen veg (or fresh for that matter); I planned on meals before vacation, then 2 meals after (which would put us at the weekend, and I would go grocery shopping then.)

Then DH cancelled going on the trip, then I had to back DS and myself out of going, then DH started working from home, and then DS was home from school (until at least April 15th). So we went from 0 meals for 8 days to 3 meals a day for 30 days for 3 people. I just used my vacation food money (that I had set aside from the grocery budget) to cover the food we needed, as I had used some of that grocery budget at the beginning of the month to start getting some of our hurricane supplies early (while I had the extra budget, haha).

 

[tvguy]

How milk has suddenly become a hot commodity. I've been to three shops today and no luck.

Lots of milk, fruit and veggies here. No paper products,,,,,,a little meat......a few eggs

 

[Farro]

Friendly people. Lol.

Lots of people walking around my neighbourhood, which isn’t too unusual, but now everyone is smiling, making eye contact and saying hi, how ya doin, even when you give them a wide berth as you pass them. Nobody used to say hi before social distancing became a thing.

Same here! And lots and lots of families with their kids walking everywhere.

It's kind of nice.

 

[fsjking]

There's an intersection near me that backs up daily around 5. It'll back up 30-40 cars deep, but nothing that isn't manageable. Now its backing up 2-3 times as far. At first I thought it was an accident, but it's doing it every day. It's the opposite of what I'd expect.

 

[JodyLynC]

How milk has suddenly become a hot commodity. I've been to three shops today and no luck.

We had plenty of milk in our local stores, but powdered milk was gone.