Money, Men, and Mr Plod

I'm getting into the swing of things at Uni now. It's not all so confusing and i've accepted that i've pretty much given the art school full custody of my wallet. Someone also thought they'd take my sunnies as well so at the moment I look all squinty when I walk outside.
It's weird to find myself not having much money anymore. I've had to start thinking about things like "do I really need that coffee/petrol/cute dress/stiff drink?" and generally to get me through the week, the answer is yes. Sooooo I guess i'm not really thinking too hard about it... but i'm trying.

Anyway I read somewhere that two small cups of coffee a day is good for your metabolism so i'm just sticking with that.

Also, being the little eco friendly person I am, have started riding to school although I haven't quite mastered the "if it rains, what do I do?" Stage. It's a work in progress.

Now being one of these bike riders means that I have two options - I could be the cool kid who doesn't wear a helmet and rolls into school with free flowing locks, or choose to be the kid who likes their brain and protects it with a rather unattractive, hair flattening/birds nesting device some refer to as a helmet.
I choose the latter because I care about my brain and not so much about the hair. (That's such a lie but I'm hoping "helmet hair" will catch on)

My dad always taught me as I was growing up to wear a helmet and although I took his advice most times while I was overseas I did not wear one. No one else was wearing them okay?
The most dangerous place to ride I guess would have to be Thailand. No one wears helmets around there and seldom even ones for motorcycles. (and have you seen how they drive??)
So as my hair whipped me in the face floated around my head I felt young and free.

Coming back to Canberra and riding to school I thought i'd do the sensible thing and wear the helmet. To try and make up for the 15 minutes under the sweaty thing, when I roll up into the carpark of the art school I tend to take it off and shake my silky locks to an acceptable resemblance of hair that sits nicely on ones head.

HOWEVER, yesterday as I rolled up into the carpark, duely noting the police car pulling slowly away, and took my helmet off about 5 metres from the bit where the asphalt turns into the brick thoroughfare and into my sancuary, mid shake, what should I hear but the siren of the police mobile and him coming towards me.

Shit.

One with a more daring air would probably think it's to do with a car and ride swiftly away into the saftey of that sweet, sweet brick path but no. Not me. Reluctantly I "pulled over" and waited for him to get out.


Mr Plod: "Why are you riding your bike on a public road without a helmet?"

Me: "Uh I just took my helmet off...?"

Mr Plod: "Why are you riding your bike on a public road without a helmet?"

Me: "I just took my helmet off??"

Mr Plod: "Can I see some ID please?"
Mr Plod: "Where are your classes?"

Me: "Just there."

Mr Plod:"You know this is a $74 fine."

Well I do now. Frig, think of all the coffee!

I look around and there are a couple of people walking past and giving me a sypathetic, confused look.

Me: "Right. Okay."

Mr Plod: "I'm going to let you off with a warning this time, because your class is just there but next time." Dum dum DUMMMMMMMM

Me: "Thanks."

Mr Plod: "So you either put your helmet back on and ride to class or you walk your bike the rest of the way."

Thanks asshole.

A teacher from the sculpture department came up to me after and said that he'd challenge that because it's not actually a "Public road" it's a carpark. I said thanks and walked on and then another lady put in, "He's probably having a slow morning."


Why is it that there are so many other people out there who don't wear helmets, talk on their mobiles whilst driving and do drugs and people like me, very very broke people like me, cop (pardon the pun) shite like this?

I decided to spend the $74 (+$212) on a camera instead...

My brother paid for it.