Approved for Jury Duty
Last week I served on a jury in DC Superior Court, and while the weather was a bit brisk in the mornings, it was sunny enough to ride my Vespa each day to and from the Court House.
The first obvious benefit was the ease of parking. There is no public parking on the streets immediately around the Court House (it’s all blocked off for police cars and court officials), and even the jury summons states that using public transportation is highly recommended. I was able to chain my Vespa to a street sign directly across the street from the Court House, about three blocks closer than the nearest Metro station.
Second less obvious benefit is the actual cost. For me to ride the Metro each way during rush hour costs $2.80, totaling $5.60 per day. The Court provides transit reimbursement of $4 per day to help “offset the costs”. Not only does their stipend not cover the total cost of transit, but that’s more than enough money to supply gas for almost two weeks of commuting on my Vespa. After five days of service for the court, I earned $20 of gas money that should keep me well fueled for the rest of the year. Thanks, DC!