Riding My Bike During Lockdown ?

Its was more of a follow on sort of thing Jack I wasnt disagreeing more sort of adding something at that point in the thread.

 

It's the best I teldya.

 

I am really struggling with this one and as such havent spoken up before.
As background, my dear old mum (miserable geriatric) who is 91 (92 later this year) taking all sorts of medications plus not taking a mryiad more as they make her "feel funny" lives with me or i her with her.....
TBF most times i would be more upset if one of my pupsters died but...
and this is the biggie...
"im all right jack" mentality where im gonna do what the fuck i want and everyone else do their worst doesnt quite work with an easily spread global virus
I go to Tesco to get my vital vitamins (ok whisky). Get home and find i have given it to her. How do i feel about that? To be totally frank i really dont know

 

Here in Arizona our governor just yesterday afternoon issued a basically what is a "stay at home" order unless you offer an essential service or are in need of one. And that list is VERY broad (geez, it even includes nail salons and spas). As of yet there are no actual laws in place where I live stopping people from doing things--it's more like very strong recommendations.

It seems that a lot of people aren't as worried about their actual freedom as they are upset about how inconvenient and uncomfortable it is to not be able to do whatever they darn well please whenever they darn well feel like it. Which seems like rights without responsibilities. Well, no one (that I know of anyway) is happy about that. Incluing me. But It is truly maddening for those of us trying to lay as low as possible to see or read about others who flaunt doing whatever they like in the name of "freedom". Like all the college students who went off on spring break when the global pandemic was clearly on a roll. One college kid had the audacity to state publicly that he was going to go on spring break no matter what because he "deserved to party". Or how about those who are hosting COVID-19 parties, yes, in person not on Zoom.

It's hard to talk about "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness" if you're dead or on a ventilator in the hospital. As no doubt some of the forum members and/or their loved ones and friends will be when this is all over.

Sorry (sort of) that I went on a bit of a rant there but I just came back from my appointment with my orthopedic surgeon and it's nearly certain that I'll need a second surgery. So I'm not in the most chipper mood this afternoon. He'd probably schedule the surgery now so I could be on the mend and not "tread water" for two weeks but he will need to be able to justify that fixing my elbow and transposing my ulnar nerve so I don't have permanent damage isn't feckin' elective. Because no elective surgeries are allowed now in Arizona. And if either he or I get sick in the next two weeks, well, then so much the worse. So, yeah, this shite affects everyone of us each his or her own way. If our health care system had been more prepared or we'd started testing more and earlier and were able to initially flatten the curve, then some of these more drastic measures might be unnecessary. And we might not be losing so many freedoms--and inconveniences.

There, I feel better now.

 

I'm glad that your job is essential, Ron. And that you are working and still have a job. I think in one way or another as a society and a globe, most jobs are essential. But they are not necessarily considered so under the current circumstances. I'm sure in the aftermath of all this we shall see more and more how every job is important in one way or another and in ways we may not even have though of until now. Well, maybe not necessary Instagram "influencers". Or pole dancers?!

I have no disagreement with you about the thousands who served and lie dead in foreign countries defending our freedoms. I am grateful and indebted to them. And I see some of those hard fought freedoms slipping lately--but not necessarily simply because of this pandemic. As I said in my previous post, I think that many confuse true freedom with the inconvenience, discomfort, and annoyance of COVID-19 measures. And what of those whose freedom of "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness" is impinged upon by those who are more concerned about their own personal temporary inconveniences, discomforts, and annoyances?

During these days there is also the question of morality, as has come up in multiple threads on this forum though not always necessarily referencing that particular word. One of my best friends and riding buddies is a philosophy professor at the University of Arizona. She was recently interviewed on the morality of social distancing. I'd be interested in your--and that of other forum members-- response to her interview. BTW, her husband is one of my favorite peeps and a great riding buddy. I've posted his pic in some of my trip / rally threads--he rides a 2008 Triumph Rocket. He's in a high(er) risk category for COVID-19 complications and death as he is recently recovered from cancer (GIST). He's one example--and a very personal one to me--of people whose health we may endanger and whose freedoms we may infringe upon by insisting we should be able to go about business as usual in the name of freedom.

https://research.arizona.edu/stories/social-distancing-moral-dilemma-notes-medical-ethicist

 

@Sandi T. and @Ron Ashurst are these regional orders to stay at home actually written into law over in the States or are they strong recommendations by the State Governor?
Over here we have strong recommendations and then leave it up to the individual to apply sensibly (so far) but police have powers to issue fines to anyone being a knob. But staying home is not a law!
One of the more worrying aspects of the changes implemented due to the virus, is that trials by jury have been suspended, and the trials are going ahead with just a judge (especially in Scotland) no jury - trial by jury is a fundamental mainstay of the justice system here - the fear being that as these trials are quicker and cheaper the trial by jury may be done away with!!! Now that IS worrying....
However on a more positive note, one of the benefits of living in a TRUE democracy (like over in the States and here in the UK) is that if any government does anything stupid or against the will of the people they will get voted out!
This is why there has NEVER been a famine in a true democracy!

 

Rather do spoonerism........ Dumb Nick

 

Oi

 

30 mph in town, or, no stealing, or, simpler still, if its not yours, its not yours.
Rules are a way of saying ;-
"Behave like this, dont behave like that."
From our parents, our society, our culture, and country!
It has been found that doing so has a positive outcome for the general good.

The Law is there as a means of understanding there are benefits from following the rules.
Why else would we take such reverence to write it all out ceaselessly.

We are always going to have rules they are like language.
When two children meet for the first time, they both bring expectations of behaviour for play, to the meeting.
These are their own cultures, ways of behaving, learned from experience and brought to the interaction as a way of saying "I learned that if we do this, its fun, and if we do that we dont get upset" ,"What do you know? "

Most of these initial interactions are about establishing common practice, behavioural norms, and understandings, of each other, setting out a matrix, a model, for communication, as play continues and enriches.

This enrichment is the objective of play / life, and so once the negotiation begins and grows, each new nuance not only leads to enriched interaction, it also produces an enriched landscape for this interaction.
Its, this landscape, that each child / person carries with them as they grow, it becomes a societal shorthand, allowing adults to interact from a more advanced level immediately having meet, which allows growth to come from all meetings, promptly, foregoing the need to have to start from the beginning with every new person / experience we enjoy.
A Trust.
A ever growing operating system, if you like.
This system is layed down first as understanding and familiarity, between friends, then street smarts, then as rules.

We are each aware somewhere, in our past experiences or history, that this system can be open to abuse, and we are wary of blindly following the rules, (quite rightly). This wariness must not be mistaken for distrust of the communication. Moreover, we must remember that it is not the system that is abusive but the abuser.

And so these systems become communications in and of themselves, instructions,and programs. These in turn become solid touchstones, within society, and a few become so useful they are made Law.
Handed to us from a time before our time.

Punishments may be required to deal with misunderstandings, from other matrices/ or cultures, or unfriendly or immoral behaviours, perhaps unscrupulous advantage taking from Viruses ( for want of a more accurate description) / parasites.
When it has been proven -by again negotiating- these matrices we have in place,for more reasons than one, and providing proof of wrong doing, intentional or not then penance may be required,( thus the requirement for differing sentences).
This are shorthanded and called laws, WRONGLY. They are punishments, implemented by a limb of rules layed down to deal with mixed up situations.
Law is instruction based / enriched on/by experience.

The system works fine. for all of us, all of our lives.
Follow the rules written or learned and we/ you, will emerge enriched.

So never mind if its a rule, or a right, or a communication, live above the rules higher than the rules you owe it to yourself, be an archetype of communication, you have enough experience of the operating system that is life, for yourself same system to tell you what to do as a friend.
Be a good guy.

Edit.

DEF.

moral
adjective

1. 1.
   concerned with the principles of right and wrong behaviour.
   "the moral dimensions of medical intervention"

 

@SprinterII
The lock down getting to you James?

 

I think he is trying communicate a message to promote harmony

 

Agreed !! that man's wasted on the Buses,

 

Graeme, keep coming back cos you guy read my longwinded crap.

 

Its the only way to fly.

 

Oh to be driving a bus right now.

 

The problem with rules is, only the ruled are expected to follow them, not the rule makers.
Ken.

 

I was thinking more on these lines James


Granted not a driver - but drove you mad

 

I got a call at 12.30.to come in and work. Must have read my mind. Sitting on a break in Aberdeen.

 

Hi all a big thanks to all your comments and good wishes Quick update on my mum. She has a chest infection/water on her lungs and has been sent back to the nursing home from hospital with some antibiotics. The good news was she tested negative for covid-19. We just need to see the antibiotics to do ther work - major scare over for now.....

 

Hey Wessa, late to the thread as very busy (w#rking to keep the supply chain moving), so glad your Mum is OK, and best wishes to any other forum members that have family poorly at this time.