Increasingly it seems that people are starting to lose sight of the bigger picture in the midst of this pandemic. Yes it's important we protect each other from transmission, but there are also lots of other issues at play. I know that your social media feeds and the media would suggest otherwise but don't forget that. It's tempting to become a bit... fixated. Fixated on minor details that don't actually make that much difference.
Whether someone touched a petrol pump in a different postcode is a pretty minor detail really (they are always covered in petrol anyway, surely that would keep them disinfected? I can't imagine the virus thriving on that surface with all the fuel evaporating around there and coating the handle).
Let's please remember, people's mental heath and overall well-being are also very, very important. Yes we don't want people to die of coronavirus, or the NHS to get swamped (not that they weren't already before this...), but don't forget everything else in life that matters. There is a balance to be struck here between protecting ourselves from the damage that an unchecked virus would have versus completely eroding our liberty, our happiness, our well being, and stopping society from functioning altogether.
For example, I bet that people living in London have higher rates of suicide and mental health issues compared with people living in beautiful countryside areas, especially at the moment. That matters too! Imagine being trapped in an apartment in the middle of London during this pandemic. What a difficult situation to deal with, especially now it's clear we are in this situation for the long term. There is a limit to what people can endure, and everyone is different. Some people may be struggling more than others, and that is totally understandable.
We all know the value of being out in nature, being away from the city, and of course the benefits that climbing have on our mental and physical health. We do also need to look after ourselves, don't underestimate the value in that too. They are predicting there will be more people needing cancer treatment in the coming months, but that is just one impact I see coming. Our mental health has a huge affect on physical health, and being trapped indoors or trapped in a city is not good for you, it doesn't take a genius to realise that. Running around in the same park each day doesn't really have the same positive affect (for some people) as going out into nature and going for a climb. It's hard to motivate yourself to stay active in that kind of environment.
As we are all aware, the UK has experienced some of the highest rates of coronavirus infection and related deaths (relative to the rest of the world) not because the public have been nonchalant or selfish. It's because we are an international hub. Heathrow and Gatwick both see some of the highest numbers of international travellers of any airport in the world.
It's also because our front line workers (and the public) have not been provided with enough PPE and testing kits. It's because the government originally told us that masks made no difference. It's because the care sector in this country is disgustingly under-funded and under-resourced, and so of course it was more likely that people in care homes would get infected and die. It's because international flights were not scaled down fast enough, and those coming into the UK from abroad were not tested (not even their temperatures were monitored). These are the factors that made a real difference.
It's true, the measures we take now will still have an impact on the spread of the virus. But let's keep things in perspective. Proper testing and PPE will make a huge difference. Whether Karen decides to drive a few hundred miles to go climbing will have little impact in comparison. Put pressure on the government to deliver what they have promised, rather than turning on each other.
And most importantly, there are other issues we need to focus on, not just coronavirus. Climate change and ecocide. Inequality. Famine. War. Human rights. Whether the current system can realistically bounce back or whether actually capitalism and globalisation are failing us.
So really, if the OP, or other individuals, take a longer drive to get out into the countryside and climb really isn't that important given the overall state of the world. More diligence while queuing in the supermarket would probably have a bigger impact.
The relative positives in this case probably out weigh the relative negatives. It's still a little strange that he came on here to tell the UKC community about it, but perhaps he wanted to share how great his experience was. Maybe he wanted to assert that it is possible to go climbing without having a lot of contact with others (which is true!).