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An important lesson. | Tuesday, September 20, 2011 @ 7:23 PM
EVERY STEP THAT I TAKE, IS ANOTHER MONETARY MISTAKE TO YOU.

I'm writing this entry on some borrowed angst from Linkin Park's Numb. Unfortunately, I had my first run-in with the Victorian police today :(

I'm feeling rather unjustified about it. Hence, there is a need to get some unpleasant things off my chest. I am really disappointed in myself and the Vic police.


Here's what happened.

After I alighted from the bus at Clayton campus, I blindly jaywalked across the road (not the major road junction) when the traffic light wasn't in my favour. To add insult to injury, I did it despite noticing the presence of two Vic policemen on the other side of the road. Now that I've sorted out my angry thoughts, I feel really disappointed in myself. What in the world was I thinking? Obviously, I WASN'T THINKING at all.

Acknowledging their presence yet failing to remember that jaywalking is an offence was definitely a blonde moment for me. Perhaps, I was too focused on getting home quickly. Perhaps, I was just trailing blindly behind an Aussie student who was caught for jaywalking too. Perhaps, I shouldn't have been too engrossed in my own thoughts.

BUT YOU KNOW WHAT MAKES MY BLOOD BOIL?

THE THOUGHT OF YOU, CONSTABLE NATHAN HANDS, WHO DIDN'T DO YOUR BEST TO CATCH THE OTHER STUDENT WHO JAYWALKED AFTER ME, AND YOUR COLLEAGUE, WHO QUIPPED IN WITH A LOUSY EXCUSE WHEN I QUESTIONED YOUR SENSE OF EFFICIENCY.

Ok, back to the story.

After I jaywalked across the road, two policemen stopped me and the other Aussie girl in our tracks and asked for our ID. At first, I thought that it was just a random check...Yep, that is how ignorant I was about the jaywalking offence in Melbourne. So anyway, I pleaded with Nathan Hands, who was the policeman attending to me. Obviously, my pleads fell on deaf ears. Later on in our conversation, his colleague mentioned that ignorance is not an excuse. Fine, I take the blame. After all, I was caught red-handed for my jaywalking offence.


So while pleading with Nathan Hands, an Asian student jaywalked across the road that I was caught on for jaywalking, less than a minute ago. So what is expected of Nathan Hands, you tell me? It's not rocket science to answer this simple question. You jolly well do your job and detain the girl for questioning and record her particulars after you're done with mine, AM I RIGHT?
Here's what he did instead.

He took three steps forward from where we stood and reached out towards her back. However, just as he was about to tap her shoulder, she took one step forward (and another...), and made her quick escape, whether intentional or not, I ain't sure.

I STOOD THERE WATCHING IN SHEER HORROR.
What did he do? What is the least that he could do?
OPEN HIS MOUTH AND GIVE A COMMAND.
I'm sure an audible and clear "STOP" command would get the girl's attention, even with her back facing us.
However, he diverted his attention back at me.

DO YOU EXPECT ME NOT TO BE FUMING MAD AT THIS ACT OF INJUSTICE?

Nathan Hands, as a law enforcer, shouldn't/couldn't you have done more?

I couldn't hide my frustration. After I realised that it was useless to argue my way out of evading the fine, I questioned him. "WHY DID YOU LET THE GIRL GET AWAY? YOU COULD HAVE SCREAMED AT HER TO STOP?"


At this time, his partner decided to butt in. 
"If he ran after that girl, you would have escape."


WHAT THE FUCK? SERIOUSLY, WHAT THE FUCK???
Thank God I didn't swear at that time, albeit tempted to, because I'd have incur another hefty fine under OZ's swear law.

I IMMEDIATELY SHOT BACK, 

"SO YOU'RE ASSUMING THAT I'D HAVE RAN AWAY IF HE DECIDED TO GO AFTER THE GIRL?"
What kind of stupid excuse is that? It reeks of laziness and complacency.

If you were so scared that I'd make my escape when you tried to tap the girl's shoulder, WHY DID YOU EVEN BOTHER MOVING A FEW STEPS AWAY FROM ME AND TOWARDS HER IN THE FIRST PLACE?

YOU KNOW WHAT'S THE BIGGEST JOKE?

In letting the girl get away (I swear she was just two steps away from him), she jaywalked another time across the major road junction. JOKE. WHAT A JOKE. A joke that ended with both of us, gazing at her back view as she jaywalked away from her punishment...

I really cannot tolerate such an act of injustice.
In all honesty, I'm not finding an excuse for jaywalking. Like I mentioned earlier, I am aware of my own offence.

BUT WHAT IN THE WORLD WAS THAT CONSTABLE THINKING WHEN HE REVEALED HIS DOUBLE STANDARDS UNDER MY WATCHFUL EYES?

YOU WANT TO INCREASE AN AWARENESS ON ROAD SAFETY BECAUSE THERE IS AN INCREASE IN PEDESTRIANS' DEATHS?
You jolly well get to the root of the problem.

Some of your traffic lights are made for Olympic brisk walkers. As a young and able-bodied adult, I sometimes struggle to make it to the other side of the road. And no, I don't take my own sweet time to stroll across the road. I'll always have to increase my walking pace towards the end when crossing a big road junction. I'm talking about the junction outside Clayton campus.

Also, you jolly well lower the driving speed limit or use your taxpayers' money to install more speed cameras. More often than not, cars travel well over 80km/h on normal roads. I believe that many pedestrians who get knocked down usually underestimate the speed of a moving vehicle.


To write in a letter of appeal/complaint to Vic Police is something that I will not waste my time on. I'm leaving the country for good less than three months later, and whether or not Vic Police serves its people to its best ability, is none of my beeswax. I'm not being ungrateful, but I'm sick of living in this unsafe place. I'm grateful to Monash University for offering me a place, but my dissatisfaction with the living environment here is another matter altogether.

Also, what good it is if I do receive an apology? Allow me to quote something I saw on Tumblr:

"YOU KNOW WHAT'S WRONG WITH SORRY? IT GIVES PEOPLE THE WRONG IDEA THAT ANY MISTAKE CAN BE SOLVED WITH A SINGLE WORD."


I'm tired of having to worry about my personal safety when I make my way home after dark. I'm tired of bumping into possibly dangerous people when I take the public transport or walk on the streets. I want to go home, back to the country where the streets are brightly-lit after dark, where I will have fewer encounters with weird people, and most importantly, where I am a first class citizen. 

I really miss you, Singapore.
Today, I took home with me a few important lessons (that cost $61, no less), courtesy of Vic Police. Witnessing such an unjust act has undermined my faith in the police force here. 

Melbourne, I gotta give it to you as you truly deserve your middle name, INEFFICIENCY.
I'm sure you're no stranger to this label.


I'm sure this unpleasant experience will stay with me for the rest of my life.


P.S. With the huge amount of $$$ collected from jaywalking fines, I hope that you'll install more speed cameras or street lamps on your roads/streets.
Consider my fine payment a charitable deed done, thanks and no thanks.

P.P.S. Pardon my French.

 

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