Bikers get first look at Bike Week COVID-19 regulations

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – With the 80th annual Bike Week beginning in Daytona Beach on Friday, bikers got their first look at COVID-19 regulations put in place by city leaders.

Part of this year’s safety plan includes an inside capacity limit of 60% and an indoor mask mandate, which is up to business owners to enforce.

Police have said there could be fines for breaking the rules from code enforcement, but officers won’t be proactively enforcing it.

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Chris Abbuhl said he made the trip from his home state of Michigan to escape stricter lockdown measures.

“I think it’s basically your choice if you want to take that chance,” Abbhul said. “We try to mask up. When we’re outside, we don’t.”

Other Bike Week attendees, like Carol Johnson from Orlando, have voiced concerns about everyone following the rules.

“I’d like to see more people wear the mask because they’re letting down their guard,” Johnson said. “I’m keeping my mask on. My boyfriend’s keeping his because when we go back home we have a 79-year-old woman with us.”

Business owners, like Bob Honeycutt at Froggy’s Saloon, are just happy to be open. He said they need the money from this week to keep their doors open, especially after Biketoberfest was canceled.

“We didn’t make any money. We didn’t lose a lot of money but the money we would have made we would have stored through the slow time and so we kind of had to dip into our savings,” Honeycutt said.

In addition to the indoor restrictions, officials said capacity on Main Street would be limited to allow for more social distancing.

The regulations will remain in place through the end of Bike Week on March 14.

Police are also looking for problems on the road caused by the massive influx of bikers. Daytona Beach Police Chief Jakari Young posted a video online Friday, showing a biker on the Main Street draw bridge clearing a gap in the road as the bridge started to rise.

“The Bike Week “shenanigans” have officially commenced! Folks, please be safe and be smarter than this guy!,” Young wrote online.