'If We Get It, We Chose to Be Here': Despite Virus, Thousands Converge on Sturgis for Huge Rally

[Polybius]

Source: NY Times

STURGIS, S.D. — Tens of thousands of motorcyclists roared into the western South Dakota community of Sturgis on Friday, lining Main Street from end to end, for the start of an annual rally that kicked off despite objections from residents and with little regard for a public health emergency ravaging the world.

It could have been any other past summer rally in Sturgis, with herds of R.V.s, bikers and classic cars converging for the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, a 10-day affair that was expected to attract roughly 250,000 enthusiasts this year — about half the number who attended last year but a figure that puts it on track to be among the country’s largest public gatherings since the first coronavirus cases emerged in the spring.

Save for a few hard-to-spot hand-sanitizer stations, it could have been any other major festival in pre-pandemic times.

“Screw Covid I went to Sturgis,” read a black T-shirt amid a sea of Harley Davidson and Trump 2020 outfits sported by the throng of people walking along Main Street. Their gear did not include face masks, and social distancing guidelines were completely ignored.

Read more: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/07/us/sturgis-motorcyle-rally.html

---

[Botany]

1. And many will get C-19 and then take it back home with 'em and the deaths, illnesses, and

suffering will spread even faster across America.

Harley Davidson: Ride Free! (and then go to Sturgis and die)

[riversedge]

11. Selfish fools--the whole lot of them-along with the city officials.

[Botany]

19. Many of the powers that be and the citizens of Strugis did not want the rally this year.

However the Governor and many right wingers wanted it so it happened.

[PatSeg]

37. You know, I don't feel badly for any motorcyclists

who get sick. The information is out there and there is no excuse for being ignorant, but I do feel badly for the citizens of Sturgis who got stuck with these dangerous fools.

[Botany]

40. I don't feel bad for the bikers that will get sick and might die but for the families, friends, ....

.... coworkers, and medical personal who are put at risk because of their crap.

[bluestarone]

46. My thoughts as well!

[Botany]

50. What we are seeing in Sturgis and all across America is the result of 2 devastating things ....

.... Ronald Reagan's killing of the fairness doctrine and the systematic destruction of
our public education systems and that includes colleges and universities too (saddle
the students with a lifetime of crippling debt). Fox News, hate talk radio, and social
media outlets have convinced these now brain dead idiots that science isn't real and
if you believe in something strong enough then it is true. Along with also feeding their
feeble minds with gun "stuff," Jay Bees US crap, and their free-dumbs (masks are slavery)
and they are now Trump's base. This was no accident.


BTW Prague about 1 month ago had a 1/4 mile long picnic table with 100s of people
eating, drinking, laughing, and all with no masks. Why? The beat the beast way way
down.

[bluestarone]

51. Yea THIS country is SELF DESTRUCTING

Because of FUCKING STUPIDITY!!!!!

[Botany]

58. And that stupidity is being fed and nurtured on purpose .... and Putin understands that too

because he has been very effective in promoting social division such as those
nasty n*****r who will not stand for the flag meme.

[PatSeg]

52. Yes

If they were just knowingly hurting themselves, I would say, "Oh well, it is what it is", but the potential to hurt so many other people is overwhelming, it is beyond comprehension. I think a lot of these flag-waving fools don't really understand what freedom and liberty are. They pay the concept a lot of lip service, but fail to understand that it comes with great responsibility and their "freedom" cannot be at the expense of another's freedom. I think there are many people who use it as an excuse to be selfish.

[hydrolastic]

56. Wow you know your getting older when you saw Easy Rider as a kid and wanted to identify

With Peter Fonda and the independance and freedom they stood for. It seems to me that the uncool people take over the hobby of motorcycling (Malcolm Forbes riding Harleys in China) and now its the opposite of then.

[PatSeg]

70. Interesting take on these people

All they want is the "cool" part and "It's a free country and I'll do whatever I want, everyone else be damned". This is their selfish, perverted version of liberty, free to ignore the rights and well being of everyone else.

[MrsCheaplaugh]

87. Yes, very much

It's Ayn Rand's idea of liberty, that the individual is the center of the universe.

[PatSeg]

88. They think that liberty is their right

They claim it, though they do nothing to earn it. They are like young children who want to be free, but don't want any of the responsibility that comes with it.

[secondwind]

2. The selfishness of these people has no bounds.

America has changed so much, it’s breathtaking.

[Sherman A1]

17. Precisely

They are truly assholes.

[CentralMass]

20. +1

[Tom Traubert]

32. What's the difference between a Harley-Davidson and a Hoover Vacuum?

Last edited Sat Aug 8, 2020, 09:22 PM - Edit history (1)

The location of the dirt bag.

[Sherman A1]

33. Great!

[2naSalit]

41. +1

Welcome to DU!

[uppityperson]

74. As a home with 2 Harleys, I take exception. Blast the jerk, not the brand of bike

Thank you.

[tavernier]

75. There are over 13 million bike owners in USA.

So 250,000 of them are idiots. The rest are democrats.

Yes, I’m not a fan of generalizing, either.

[soldierant]

82. My first thought was "How unfair!" although

the wordplay is so clever I laughed anyway, feeling guilty.

I feel sad when cleverness must be wasted. What if we substituted "Hell's Angel" for "Harley Davidson? Or is there a better idea.

[ProfessorGAC]

77. Excellent!

Made me laugh out loud.
Dog thinks I've lost my mind.

[Evolve Dammit]

62. Agreed. It seems as if rational thought and shared sacrafice are replaced by immediate gratification

and self-centeredness.

[yuiyoshida]

3. IF this country is destroyed by Covid 19... its because of fools like this...

Many will die...some will be so sick, that the after affects will be with them their entire life. The rest will spread it to others...and again the death toll will go up... and so will the patients to Emergency Rooms.. and ICU UNITS will be full and those who don't get in, will die.

Who is President matters, we all know this.

This is ENTIRELY on the REPUBLICAN PARTY..

[SheltieLover]

7. Absolutely!

Sickening that they think only of themselves!

Really makes me angry that this is happening because of all the innocent people they will infect.

Yup, the repukes own the tRump virus & all the other nightmares he has created with, and for, putin. 🤬

[Beartracks]

13. This is ENTIRELY on the REPUBLICAN PARTY.

Just bears repeating.

=========

[B Stieg]

4. A "Superspreader" event, to be sure

[padah513]

18. +1000

No doubt.

[KS Toronado]

53. Considering bars & church services, where people are together for an hour or so

are "Hot Spots" for spreading covid, now we have a week long 24/7 drunk party with 250,000 people,
and schools are being forced to open. The second wave Dr Fauci warned about could bring this country
to it's knees for a long time.

[madaboutharry]

5. Willful ignorance is a disease itself.

It is particularly unfortunate that Gov. Kristi Noem is a first class ignorant libertarian moron. There should be little doubt that there will be people who are going to get sick, suffer greatly, and some may die as a result of this gathering. And for what? A weekend at Sturgis. It is simply mind boggling.

[MFM008]

6. let Darwinism sort it out.

........................................

[Rhiannon12866]

8. But wherever these morans go, they'll spread it to anyone who's unlucky to cross paths with them

[rpannier]

10. It's a given they're going to keep doing stupid like this

At this point, culling the herd of them is about the best we can get
Because they will not stop

[Rhiannon12866]

26. That's what the experts have said will spread the virus, people moving all over the place

I'm in New York and we've done relatively well, but I live just south of a tourist destination. Despite the quarantine Governor Cuomo put in place, visitors from affected states needing to quarantine for 14 days, when I've gone out I've seen license plates from all over the country. Just this week I saw vehicles from Virginia, West Virginia and Florida - and recently I've seen those from Tennessee, Minnesota, Colorado, North Carolina, Alabama and Washington State! People are not staying home.

[SergeStorms]

31. They're not staying home...

and they're not quarantining. They come and go in our state like there wasn't a pandemic at all. New York will start seeing huge upticks soon. Not in New York City, which is where most of the problem existed earlier in the year, but all over the state, in the "red" areas that weren't effected (or infected) before. These jackasses from other states don't give a crap about anything. The world is their Petri dish. These returning Sturgis morons are going to be sewing sickness and death wherever they go.

[marble falls]

36. Traffic is back to normal here in Marble Falls.

[SergeStorms]

48. Where is Marble Falls?

I've been all over the State of New York and I've never come across Marble Falls. I haven't seen every square inch of New York, but damned close to it.

[marble falls]

80. Marble Falls, Tx. About 40 west of Austin.

[SergeStorms]

83. Oh,OK.

Rhiannon and I were discussing New York and then "Marble Falls" popped up. Sorry about that. Stay safe in Texas.

[efhmc]

65. About 35 miles from my home in central Texas.

Went to the Lowe's there but wore a mask and gloves.

[marble falls]

81. I go there if Home Depot ain't got it. I'm assuming you're from Lampassas.

[Rebl2]

25. EXACTLY!

[Rhiannon12866]

27. Given the horrific death toll, how anyone can possibly be unaware of the danger boggles the mind!

I fault the lack of national leadership - which has worked in successful countries - and Americans have become a pariah.

[oasis]

9. Deadly Dipshit Dimposium

[Beartracks]

12. Then stay there. The rest of is choose to not have you bring it home.

Seriously: What you catch at Sturgis should stay at Sturgis.

Quarantine in a hotel by yourself for 2 weeks before going home. Maybe you'll get lucky.

=======

[Deb]

14. No masks witn Trojans in their pockets

Dress for success, my tough hypocrites.

[PatrickforO]

15. So...250,000 people gathering in close quarters in a little town in SD.

That's a pretty big spreader event. Without social distancing a study in India found that one COVID-19 patient can infect 406 people in 30 days if social distancing is not practiced. So it would, in theory, only take about 616 infected people to give the whole quarter million attendees at this event the virus.

That isn't realistic, so let's say about 70% get infected. That would be 175,000 new cases.

If the current R0, or spread rate, for the coronavirus infection is somewhere between 1.5 and 4, then we could be looking at between 262,500 and 700,000 infections.

So, since the COVID mortality rate worldwide is around 3.7% based on published data, this 'fuck COVID, I went to Sturgis' mentality might end up costing between 10,000 and 25,000 American lives.

Sigh.

[jmbar2]

16. Medical personnel should be able to opt out of treating them

My sister is a nurse. It makes my heart hurt to think that she will possibly have to risk her life caring for people who won't care for themselves or others. I am begging her to quit.

[Rebl2]

24. They should

be refused care for their stupid actions, just like those that go to these large house parties.

[eShirl]

21. Drunk driver: I chose to drink; if I crash, so be it.

[bucolic_frolic]

22. Used Harley's

cheap!

[Rebl2]

23. Good luck

with that thinking. You WILL be sorry. Some of you will die or spread it to family or friends that will get sick or die from your stupidity. Sorry, but that’s the way I see it.

[Blues Heron]

28. I me mine

I me mine
I me mine
I me mine

Fuck these dipshit biker/humper fools and their evil spreading ways. Seriously degenerate filth on display here in Sturgis.

[pamdb]

29. Trump humpers on wheels

If it was just them, I wouldn’t waste a moment’s sympathy if they get Covid, but it’s not only the people who live and work there, it’s all the out of state idiots who are going to go back and spread it to family and friends. All along the way.

[BumRushDaShow]

30. "Screw Covid I went to Sturgis,"

I expect many in that crowd are "older" (boomers) and most susceptible.

ETA to note - "outside" they might mitigate it but if they congregate in bars, which they usually do, all bets are off.

‘Screw COVID, I went to Sturgis': Motorcycle rally draws thousands
Updated Aug 07, 2020; Posted Aug 07, 2020


By The Associated Press

STURGIS, S.D. (AP) — Thousands of bikers poured into the small South Dakota city of Sturgis on Friday as the 80th Sturgis Motorcycle Rally rumbled to life despite fears it could lead to a massive coronavirus outbreak.

The rally could become one of the largest public gatherings since the pandemic began, with organizers expecting 250,000 people from all over the country to make their way through Sturgis during the 10-day event. That would be roughly half the number of previous years, but local residents — and a few bikers — worry that the crowds could create a “super-spreader” event.

Many who rode their bikes into Sturgis on Friday expressed defiance at the rules and restrictions that have marked life in many locales during the pandemic. People rode from across the country to a state that offered a reprieve from coronavirus restrictions, as South Dakota has no special limits on indoor crowds, no mask mandates and a governor who is eager to welcome visitors and the money they bring.

/snip

https://www.oregonlive.com/coronavirus/2020/08/screw-covid-i-went-to-sturgis-motorcycle-rally-draws-thousands.html

[Nay]

47. I've been near Sturgis during bike week (car broke down) and,

believe me, it's not gonna matter that they are outside. It's shoulder to shoulder outside and in the stores and bars. And at the scenic places nearby (Devil's Tower, Badlands, etc.). It will be interesting to see how the hotspots pop up. Idiots.

[George II]

34. This isn't nice, but I don't care if any or all of them get it. I'm just worried about....

....them spreading it to other more sensible people when they get home in a week.

[FailureToCommunicate]

39. AND all the health care they will scream for...and likely receive. Care that all the rest of us

also pay into, on behalf of all, even the willful ignorant and selfish.

[machI]

35. Die hard Trump supporters

Put the emphasis on 'DIE' .

[Traildogbob]

38. Useless eaters

They are all nose picking bugger eaters. Talk about super spreaders...........no, I am not talking about the legs of Sturgis women, it’s the bugger eating thing.

[sheilahi]

42. thanks

Thanks Sturgis idiots. Now maybe we won't have to wait until December to reach that 300,000 death number. Oh, and I hate you. Oh, and go take a bath. FYI: that's that thing with the soap and water.

[Yeehah]

43. And many of you have chosen to have breathing tubes stuck down your throat

as you struggle to breathe. Smart people!

[marble falls]

44. What about all the gas station attendants, restaurant employees, motel employees etc ...

who don't get to chose whether to be in contact with bikers or not?

[azureblue]

45. Ad:

"Used Harley for sale, owned by my late husband. Cheap."

[greenjar_01]

49. Buncha bikers catchin' the Rona

[BlueIdaho]

54. Ignorance is not Immunity

Especially if it’s willful ignorance.

[bullimiami]

55. How will they feel if insurance starts denying coverage for covid due to reckless behavior?

Or if they show up to the hospital and get sent home to deal with it on their own.

[packman]

59. Wondering about that myself - the $ aspect of this type of madness

Who is paying for their hospital, doctor, out-of-work (if any) costs. Taxpayers?

[Midnight Writer]

78. Is stupidity a pre-existing condition?

[yaesu]

57. selfish pricks. nt

[MissMillie]

60. That's fine. Enjoy your two-week stay. (n/t)

.

[dalton99a]

61. It is a Trump rally

[truthisfreedom]

63. Queasy Riders.

[LiberalFighter]

64. Personally would be okay with them all catching it and dying.

Preferably without transmitting to others.

[AllyCat]

66. Assholes take it back to their families and communities

while dying on a ventilator that could have been used to save someone who actually tried to do the right thing. I thought these "ride free" types all wanted to go in a motorcycle accident or something. The reality seems a lot less glamorous.

[RussBLib]

67. I didn't realize bikers were quite that stupid

Selfish and arrogant, yeah, and stupid to (leather) boot.

USA! USA!

[Politicub]

68. Oh, how edgy and rebellious they are.

These bikers will show the virus who’s boss.

[Vinca]

69. I wish they were all good with a mass grave for the victims right outside of town. No need

for them to spread the stuff across America when they return home.

[Progressive Jones]

71. 'Murican Freedumb nt

[ismnotwasm]

72. Not a fan of biker culture in the first place

Some of them do some great things, like color guard and toy runs For Christmas, help raise money for people in their respective communities, Really admirable stuff, but I was exposed to certain more malignant groups when I was young and basically fuck those guys.

Sturgis became a commercial joke a long time ago.

Now some of those old Bikers especially are going to be dead before the year is out. And most of them, they won’t regret it.

[mahina]

73. How's that ride home going to be with the squirts?

[Jim_S]

76. You can't cure stupid.

On a more positive note, should be some nice used Harleys for sale in a few months. :-/

[Midnight Writer]

79. America has always had assholes. But now we have a political party that caters to them.

[onetexan]

84. Let them all contract it and suffer the consequences for all i care. You can't fix stupid.

[Crowman2009]

85. Looks like the last sturgis...ever.

Not that I'll miss it.

[orleans]

86. ...

[Raine]

89. "Live fast, die young and leave a good looking corpse"

Last edited Sun Aug 9, 2020, 03:42 AM - Edit history (1)

whatever, that's you ... but don't involve me in it by spreading that shit in my direction ... that's fucking selfish!!!

[Judi Lynn]

90. Just found a Sturgis live cam, looking for an underwater live cam in Yucatan! Sturgis link below:

https://www.webcamtaxi.com/en/usa/south-dakota/sturgis-motorcycle-rally.html

It appears they've really all turned out in a crowd, to get their own doses of Covid-19.