Aug 25 2009
On Jury Duty and Motorcycles…
It has been quite some time since I wrote. A couple months is not the norm, but I’ve been really busy. The whole fatherhood thing has its own demands on my time. Add to that wind-down time and time to spend with my wife, and it doesn’t leave a whole lot of extra to write about all that’s going on.
Having said that, there have been a couple of things that have happened since last I wrote.
I was picked to be on the trial of a jury on the 12th of August. It was a felony robbery trial, and it was my first experience with jury duty. Much of the experience was very interesting, but deliberating was absolutely maddening. Much of the people on the jury were apparently not understanding what the relevant laws were, even though we’d been given the laws. Much of the discussions had to be repeated, and it seemed as though when things were said to them, they immediately forgot or ignored what was said. Then, when we discussed how the law applied, they answered based on their own feelings, rather than based on how the law read. I’m pretty happy with how the case turned out, but coming to the verdict was absolutely maddening.
When I was discussing this with a friend of mine, he said “If I’m ever on trial, I am promised a jury of my peers, but that is by no means guaranteed with the common jury.” Based on what I experienced, I’d have to say that a trial by jury can very easily be considered a deterrent to crime. Knowing that your average juror is not going to care enough to be aware of the law and will likely rule entirely on emotion can be a frightening prospect to be sure.
Something else I’ve been doing is riding a motorcycle. Many of you are wondering if I’ve taken leave of my senses, and while that is certainly a possibility, I don’t think I have. A motorcycle is cheap to insure, cheaper to purchase, and cheaper to fuel than a car. We only have one car, and that car is Kim’s, since it has Iain’s seat in it. The motorcycle makes economic sense…once I get it up to 100% percent, that is. :)
It’s had a high idle problem, and I’ve been working on solving that. I’m close, but am having difficulty getting the carburetor back on. However, once I’ve gotten this little thing taken care of, I’m sure I’ll post a couple pictures of me on a bike. It’s a standard cruiser…nothing uber fancy.
As for whether I like riding a motorcycle, plenty of people have waxed poetic about it. It’s freeing, it’s fun, it’s exciting…it’s all of those things and more. Once it takes hold of you, it doesn’t let go, and I’m definitely hooked. :)
My brother-in-law, Chris, said, “It makes the world round again. In a car, you’re in a box. On a bike, the world is round again.” He’s right, though I can’t really explain why. You are connected to your environment in ways you’re isolated in a car. You’re more connected to your fellow riders and drivers…especially the riders. You feel minute changes in humidity and temperature more than you did even with the windows down in a car.
The proof, however, is in the pudding. The last several weeks, it’s been hot…and hotter when you ride a motorcycle in town. But I was still happy to get on my bike every morning and ride to jury duty and back…despite the heat. That’s just how much it has a hold on me.
