Editor:
The weather is nice today (Friday) and is expected to be sunny all weekend.
I would normally be excited to head out to some of my favourite Burnaby trails at Deer Lake and Burnaby Lake, but I’m hesitating because of how I’ve been treated lately while outside.
You see, I wear a mask to protect against COVID-19 even when I am outside and on a trail. I wear it going from my car to anywhere. I don’t just put it on when I go into a store.
And on the trails, I keep the mask on because some parts are narrow and you end up walking too close to other walkers.
But for the freedom brigade, it’s not enough that they don’t wear masks – they need to get angry that other people are wearing them outside. I’ve had a lot of aggressive people make snarky comments about why I’m wearing a mask outside – as though it’s somehow impossible to spread COVID outdoors.
Like why is this their business? Why do they care what other people do?
Some guys have even yelled at me about it, telling me to get the “diaper” off my face.
It was good when Burnaby made Deer Lake a one-way route but too many people were ignoring that and just walking in the wrong direction. I don’t know why people can just follow basic rules. Your “freedom” isn’t worth putting someone else at risk.
Omicron is so transmissible that people need to be really aware of how close they get to others.
I can’t even go to Burnaby Mountain and do some of the trails because I’m afraid of getting run over by people on mountain bikes. Most are friendly and responsible, but there are a few bad apples who are reckless and I don’t want to take the chance.
These people are ruining the outdoors experience for others.
S. Wilson, Burnaby
