There is still a Minnesota law against face coverings in public except for extreme weather conditions. Selective enforcement.
Pulmonologists advise people with COPD/Emphysema/Asthma to use masks in the winter in order to warm the air entering their respiratory system, so it is possible that at least some of those folks suffer from a respiratory problem.
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Another possibility, the folks who wear masks when (seemingly) driving alone may be concerned about contracting covid or giving covid to other family members who also use the vehicle.
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Your post is misleading. The MN law makes exceptions for a lot more than just adverse weather:
609.735 CONCEALING IDENTITY.
A person whose identity is concealed by the person in a public place by means of a robe, mask, or other disguise, unless based on religious beliefs, or incidental to amusement, entertainment, protection from weather, or medical treatment, is guilty of a misdemeanor.
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I wonder if that means to legally wear a mask to prevent contracting covid, youād need a doctorās order. Or could you legally wear a mask under that provision b/c of your own common sense covid-concerns?
Thatās a good question. Any lawyers on the forum? 
All I know is that itās none of my business why some people want to wear a mask right now, they just do. Whether theyāre driving in car or walking their dog, I donāt know what battles people are dealing with.
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+1
A couple of months ago, some nitwit asked me why I was wearing a āface diaperā in the supermarket. My response wasā¦ āSo, apparently you enjoy harassing Cancer patientsā.
He then said, āHow would I know that you are a Cancer patient?ā, and my response was, āThank you for proving my point. Unless you are aware of someoneās medical history, you have no business questioning their use of a face maskā.
Even though he surely couldnāt have spelled āskulkedā, he proceeded to skulk away without further comment. Maybeājust maybeāhe learned something in the processā¦
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One reason I wear a mask in indoor public places is for the safety and consideration of others.
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Isnāt it amazing that so many people fail to comprehend that others might want to protect the public from contagious diseases?
In Japan, for several decades, it has been common practice for people suffering from the common cold to wear a face mask in public in order to prevent others from becoming ill.
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I spent most of 7 months in 2013/2014 in Japan on a business trip. We travelled through Tokyo to get to our destination and then when we flew home. I saw a lot of people wearing face masks, especially on the subway. There was no stigma attached to wearing a surgical mask. It was just part of everyday life.
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I was shopping with my wife in Wegmanās last week when some schmuck asked my wife something similar but less politely. I kneed him right in the family jewels and as he was bent over groaning, my wife grabbed my arm and dragged me out of the store before i could punch him in the mouth (she knows my MO). I seriously wanted to teach him a lesson heād never forget. I hope he woke up the next day with gonads the size of cantaloupes.
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If your computer doesnāt have a CD/DVD/Bluray drive just buy an external one. They are cheap, dirt cheap.
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Back to cars,my 03 trailblazer got a roofing nail in the sidewall the night before leaving on vacation. Spare would not lower, called roadside service, took the guy 20 minutes of wrestleing to get the spare lowered. Auto parts guy was these are like a 1 time use due to plastic gears. $120 for a replacement mechanism. Drove without a spare the next 5 years. End of life of the car rear ended.
Confused. Was it configured w/ some sort of cheapo cranking mechanism, the objective to make it easier for the owner to lower the spare tire to the ground in the event of a flat? If so, how would you recommend that design be changed?
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Provide a simple way to bypass the cranking mechanism, so the owner can just remove a couple of bolts or wing nuts and the spare wheel drops down?
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Cranking mechanism is a good idea, just needs to be more robust.
I think that was his point, but Iāll let Barky speak for himself.
A lot of GM truck/suv vehicles have a secondary latch that will lock or rust in placeā¦ It can be a PITA even on a rack and lifted up in the air, much less doing it while the vehicle is still on the groundā¦
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Factory original. $120 for a replacement, Parts guy said they are a 1 time use from what I have seen because the plastic gears break. . I did not even get one time. @davesmopar sheds a possible light on a trick in the book! After the tire was lowered the holder would not crank up again.
Routine maintenance on a Chevy 
Once a year, lower the spare and grease up the works. A lot of road salt, slush gets thrown up in that area. I have been guilty of ignoring it myself, but then it can be a bear when you most need itā¦
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I have had mine up and down a few times and I replaced it once. Not a good design.
The latch that rusts up is to prevent the tire from releasing if the cable breaks. It just need a āknockerā you can smack to break it loose on the UNDERsideā¦ standard procedure is to drop it down and then you can knock it loose. Or cut the cable and replace the whole thing.
The pickup truck we used for field work in ā81 had an aftermarket spare mount on the side if the bed. Very clean and convenient.