COVID and Driving: A Comparison
- Darren Phillips
- May 8, 2020
- 5 min read
Updated: Nov 6
In a recent online exchange with an anti-masker, the alleged "gotcha" moment arrived when the guy asked me sarcastically if I drive a car. He’s another one of these armchair scientists who thinks googling and watching unsourced conspiracy vids is what actual experts mean when they talk about doing research. This guy was adamant that we are all mainstream media “sheeple,” and that virus mitigation protocols equate to government tyranny. You know the type.
I know, I know, I shouldn’t engage, but these dangerous narratives are now running rampant on the interwebs. The common thread is that the virus is not serious, that it’s no more dangerous than the common cold or flu, that driving a car, for example, is more dangerous than COVID-19, and that mitigation protocols are a clear manifestation of government tyranny and/or media hysteria run amok.
Of course, the myriad conspiracy theories about why all this is happening are even more outlandish, and would be laughable if so many people didn’t believe them. Clearly, millions of health care workers, doctors, nurses, infectious disease experts, public health officials and government leaders from literally every country on the planet are all in cahoots and basically working together in secret to disrupt the global economy and subjugate ordinary citizens by politely asking them to cover their noses and mouths. For what purpose or to what end no one seems to know, but the telltale signs of a grand and profoundly diabolical conspiracy are frightfully evident to more than a handful of dedicated YouTubers. Occam's razor be damned!
Getting back to my courageous, all-knowing defender of freedom, I'm glad he brought up the driving comparison. In his mind, respect for the virus and a willingness to comply with current mitigation protocols are tantamount to fear. More to the point, this perceived fear is irrational as COVID is no more dangerous than driving a car.
What he and others fail to see is respect for the virus and the health experts who are informing public policy decisions is not the same thing as fear. Moreover, fighting the virus is not a zero-sum game. Complying with mask, testing, and social distancing mandates costs the skeptic virtually nothing. At worst, compliance is a temporary and modest inconvenience. At best, it saves lives. I'm sorry, but how soapy, entitled and basically spoiled does one have to be to mistake modest inconveniences for government tyranny?
Anyway, here's my answer to the question about driving, and here's what I would say to all my freedom dudes who want to make the driving comparison:
Yes, I drive. We all drive, and we all see where you’re going with this. Driving is dangerous, which is why I always wear a seatbelt and always make an effort to obey traffic laws, signs and signals. Does this make me a fraidy cat? Does this make me the human equivalent of a sheep? No and no, but it does make me a responsible grownup! Here's another question for you: Are things like seatbelt laws, mandatory driving tests and speed limits indicative of government tyranny? Be honest.
Think of wearing a mask, getting tested, and observing physical distancing protocols as the equivalent of wearing a seatbelt, taking a driving test, and observing traffic laws. Imagine how many more people would die on our roadways if we didn’t do these things! And unlike a traffic violation, failure to wear a mask in public will not result in a monetary fine or court summons. At worst, you may receive a dirty look or two or be asked to vacate someone's private place of business.
"Everyone's right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness supersedes the perceived right of the individual to piss in the well, drive while intoxicated, or carelessly spread a potentially deadly virus."
Here's the other component to all this: Auto-related safety rules and regs are not only meant to protect me while I’m driving; they are meant to protect everyone else around me when I’m behind the wheel. As the old saying goes, my right to wave my fists in the air ends where your face begins.
In short, living in a free country doesn't mean we all just get to do whatever we want! Everyone's right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness supersedes the perceived right of the individual to piss in the well, drive while intoxicated, or carelessly spread a potentially deadly virus. Reasonable limits to personal liberties, even constitutionally protected ones, are the cost of living in civilized society.
In any case, thanks for bringing up driving! It’s a great analogy to help illustrate the importance of wearing masks, testing, maintaining separation, and also just staying home as much as possible during this pandemic. ☕︎
Fun Factoid: SARS-CoV-2 is now the third leading cause of death in America behind heart disease and cancer. At 38,0000 deaths annually, auto accidents don’t even crack the top ten.
The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed here belong solely to the author, and not necessarily to the author's employer(s) or any other organization, group or individual.
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Relevant Reading
Science Advances
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From the abstract:
"Across seven critical issues that enjoy substantial scientific consensus, as well as attitudes toward COVID-19 vaccines and mitigation measures like mask wearing and social distancing, results indicate that those with the highest levels of opposition have the lowest levels of objective knowledge but the highest levels of subjective knowledge. Implications for scientists, policymakers, and science communicators are discussed."
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