What Bits of Pandemic Life will you Continue with when all Restrictions are lifted?

[DustyBin]

Either through individual supermarkets implementing quieter shopping policies, or supermarkets being naturally quieter at certain times because everyone is deserting them then. Like I said however, it can be difficult to predict when a supermarket will be busy or quiet, and there is no guarantee that quieter shopping hours will mean they are completely quiet then.

How would they do that though? Keep people queued outside? Pre-booked slots? Restricting certain times to (say) over 65s? I can’t see any of those being particularly popular to be honest.

Edited to add: 24hr supermarkets are very quiet late at night, apologies if I’m stating the obvious!

 

[birchesgreen]

My local Co-Op have stopped requiring a pound deposit to use a trolly, I hope that continues post-pandemic as its annoying having to keep a coin handy for that.

 

[DustyBin]

My local Co-Op have stopped requiring a pound deposit to use a trolly, I hope that continues post-pandemic as its annoying having to keep a coin handy for that.

We shop at two different M&S stores (just for a change of scenery!). One requires you to put a pound in and one doesn’t.... I hadn’t actually thought about it until I read your post just now. The daft thing is, it’s the one where people are more likely to take the trolley for a walk that doesn’t!

 

[Mcr Warrior]

The daft thing is, it’s the one where people are more likely to take the trolley for a walk that doesn’t!

How does the "Don't take your trolley beyond this point" signage work?

Do the trolley wheels actually then lock up (even more than usual?)

 

[LondonExile]

How does the "Don't take your trolley beyond this point" signage work?

Do the trolley wheels actually then lock up (even more than usual?)

At least at Tescos they do (or did?). The one near me normally has a small collection of trolleys just outside the perimeter and one wheel was always locked tight.

I believe there is some kind of buried cable looping around the site and a receiver/brake unit on the individual trollies.

 

[greyman42]

It is a good idea to wear a mask outside during cold weather. It could reduce our chance of catching colds.

I have never worried about catching a cold in the past and i am not going to start now.

 

[Darandio]

It is a good idea to wear a mask outside during cold weather. It could reduce our chance of catching colds.

This is absurd. Catching colds is quite necessary and has a huge benefit to keeping your immune system in shape.

 

[westv]

Does anybody actually catch a cold when outside anyway?

 

[Bantamzen]

Either through individual supermarkets implementing quieter shopping policies, or supermarkets being naturally quieter at certain times because everyone is deserting them then. Like I said however, it can be difficult to predict when a supermarket will be busy or quiet, and there is no guarantee that quieter shopping hours will mean they are completely quiet then.

The problem with "quieter shopping policies" is that they go against how supermarkets work. The less people in shopping, the less profits they make, and that will translate into higher prices. Sure there will be times when supermarkets are naturally quieter, but can't force quiet times as customers will just go elsewhere.

 

[VauxhallandI]

My local Co-Op have stopped requiring a pound deposit to use a trolly, I hope that continues post-pandemic as its annoying having to keep a coin handy for that.

Will you continue to have a face mask on your avatar?

 

[Ianno87]

You stand more chance of (being able to have) a quiet hour when you're open 24hrs or at least 6am until midnight. People like to go to supermarkets very early or very late. Mornings for stuff like fresh bread, evenings for the reduced section.

We routinely do shopping at or after 8pm. It's dead.

 

[birchesgreen]

Will you continue to have a face mask on your avatar?

Don't know, maybe if it annoys some folks on here I will.

 

[VauxhallandI]

Don't know, maybe if it annoys some folks on here I will.

Will it reflect the length of time you continue to wear it in real life? Which makes you feel more proud?

 

[birchesgreen]

Will it reflect the length of time you continue to wear it in real life? Which makes you feel more proud?

Makes me feel proud? What are you on about?

 

[DorkingMain]

Carrying round hand sanitiser is about the only thing I've felt better for doing. I will be very glad to see the back of awkwardly social distancing, mask wearing, restrictions on shops / venues, and companies giving bizarre COVID-related excuses (my post got delivered about 1 month late at one point)

 

[birchesgreen]

Hand sanitiser is a good idea, though I did this before the pandemic having used enough railway toilets of... dubious cleanliness in my time!

 

[py_megapixel]

I hate regular use of hand santiser personally and never use it at shop entrances. It makes my hands dry and sore. On the other hand I'm perfectly happy with washing my hands or using sanitiser every few hours in public spaces.

 

[VauxhallandI]

Makes me feel proud? What are you on about?

It was a guess as to why people change their avatars to ones with them in a mask, I’m at a loss

 

[Journeyman]

I hate regular use of hand santiser personally and never use it at shop entrances. It makes my hands dry and sore. On the other hand I'm perfectly happy with washing my hands or using sanitiser every few hours in public spaces.

Same here. I consider my normal level of hand hygiene to be perfectly adequate and I'm not going to carry around a product that was completely unheard of until recently. It's completely unnecessary.

 

[Huntergreed]

Same here. I consider my normal level of hand hygiene to be perfectly adequate and I'm not going to carry around a product that was completely unheard of until recently. It's completely unnecessary.

Agreed, I'm still a firm believer that 'short term' gains from using sanitiser ignore the longer-term risk of depriving our immune system of pathogens to fight regularly, which really is a vital part of keeping it healthy.

 

[ExRes]

Same here. I consider my normal level of hand hygiene to be perfectly adequate and I'm not going to carry around a product that was completely unheard of until recently. It's completely unnecessary.

I think you're a little mistaken there, hand sanitiser was being used on cruise ships in excess of 10 years ago that I know of

 

[birchesgreen]

It was a guess as to why people change their avatars to ones with them in a mask, I’m at a loss

Why do people put locos with sad faces as their avatar? As for this photo it just happened to be the only recent selfie I had taken for ages and was handy when I created this account.

If you want to continue having a go at me don't bother because I'm not interested to be honest.

 

[Journeyman]

I think you're a little mistaken there, hand sanitiser was being used on cruise ships in excess of 10 years ago that I know of

10 years is recent.

 

[VauxhallandI]

Why do people put locos with sad faces as their avatar? As for this photo it just happened to be the only recent selfie I had taken for ages and was handy when I created this account.

If you want to continue having a go at me don't bother because I'm not interested to be honest.

A simple question it’s a shame you are touchy about it so we shall leave it there and to our imaginations.

FYI - mine is from a book I read as a child and an in joke in my family.

 

[birchesgreen]

A simple question it’s a shame you are touchy about it so we shall leave it there and to our imaginations.

I'm not touchy but its clear you have an agenda. I'm not playing.

 

[Cowley]

OK that’ll do thanks. No more digging at each other please...

 

[185143]

One thing I really hope does stay is LNER.co.uk/reserve. The easiest way, ok possibly second only to XC's TMR text service, to reserve a seat on a train with short notice by far.

Obviously the mandatory reservation policy that accompanies it needs to go, sharpish.

 

[181]

Either through individual supermarkets implementing quieter shopping policies...

How would they do that though? Keep people queued outside? Pre-booked slots? Restricting certain times to (say) over 65s? I can’t see any of those being particularly popular to be honest.

The problem with "quieter shopping policies" is that they go against how supermarkets work. The less people in shopping, the less profits they make, and that will translate into higher prices. Sure there will be times when supermarkets are naturally quieter, but can't force quiet times as customers will just go elsewhere.

People on these forums have argued (wrongly, in my view) that the railways should turn people away at busy times to improve the travelling environment for those who have booked in advance. I know railway/supermarket analogies are rarely all that accurate, but 'that will translate into higher prices' applies in both cases, and if supermarkets thought it was in their interests they could presumably charge peak/off-peak prices at different times of day to encourage people to visit at quieter times. (I'm not saying that that would be either popular or a good idea).

 

[bramling]

Things like hand sanitising regularly i’d be happy to continue. It’s a minor alteration to the routine which benefits everyone with minimal inconvenience, as well as helping me get into the habit of carrying a bottle around everywhere just in case.

Although not in the spirit of the OP’s question since it is out of my control, another thing I would like to see continue after the pandemic is quieter shopping hours. Before Covid, I found busy supermarkets a nightmare to navigate when people were blocking aisles with trolleys, and Covid induced restrictions helped lessen this rapidly to the point that it made shopping a much more pleasurable experience. A lot of people would benefit if quieter shopping hours became established long after Covid is over, but it is up to the supermarkets to implement this and there is of course no guarantee that they will do so.

I was sort of thinking hand sanitiser might be something I’d continue, but in the last couple of months I’ve largely ditched it - as I’ve been getting a bit fed up with the residue it can leave on things, plus there’s always the issue of being “too clean” leading to a lack of immunity building up.

I will continue to use hand gel for the time being in the riskiest of locations, but that’s it.

Things like hand sanitising regularly i’d be happy to continue. It’s a minor alteration to the routine which benefits everyone with minimal inconvenience, as well as helping me get into the habit of carrying a bottle around everywhere just in case.

Although not in the spirit of the OP’s question since it is out of my control, another thing I would like to see continue after the pandemic is quieter shopping hours. Before Covid, I found busy supermarkets a nightmare to navigate when people were blocking aisles with trolleys, and Covid induced restrictions helped lessen this rapidly to the point that it made shopping a much more pleasurable experience. A lot of people would benefit if quieter shopping hours became established long after Covid is over, but it is up to the supermarkets to implement this and there is of course no guarantee that they will do so.

Surely something like 2200 in the evening is already quieter shopping hour? Funnily enough it’s probably marginally busier during Covid than in normal times, as there’s more people who don’t have to be up in the morning, or are otherwise free in the evening through lack of alternative things to do.

Short of having a “shop late to help out” scheme, I’m not sure how people’s shopping times are likely to be redistributed, and I’m not sure it’s even desirable to attempt to do so. There’s already quiet times if you’re prepared to turn up at non-popular times.

Having said all this, evenings in supermarkets can be funny things. I can turn up on a Thursday evening to Tesco’s one week and be virtually the only person in the store, then the next week it will be conspicuously busy (though never packed). Discount time is never a good time to show up though.

 

[ValleyLines142]

It's an interesting question that!

I personally am looking forward to socialising a little bit more. I've worked throughout the pandemic, so that doesn't change, but I'm really struggling doing my part time Masters from home, especially as the vice-chancellor of my university emailed last week to say remote learning was continuing until at least May.

For me, I'm happy to continue social distancing and wearing a face covering in shops and on trains (as annoying as they are, particularly for glasses-wearers!). I'm glad that travel is permitted again; when travel was taken away from me that was when my mental health took a swipe. On Thursday I took an Off Peak train from Gloucester to Worcester, met a friend for a coffee (socially-distanced of course) and went for a 2 hour walk along the river, and it was honestly the best thing I've done this year! But part of me wishes that I could have still done this in the height of main lockdown, as I wasn't in a large crowd/confined space!