Nicked

You’d think I’d have an easy time of it staying on the right side of the law, what with me not being a driver, a financial consultant or drug dealer, but no, this morning I managed to get a fine. After travelling all the way to the city to get in some extra hours at the Arvo Job (we're busy, busy, busy up to Xmas), after getting off the train and battling my way across Spencer Street, I saw my tram coming down Collins St and anticipated the changing light a little too early and ...

Oh, all right, I crossed the pedestrian crossing while the little man was still red.

Still, I contend that stupid city planning makes for stupid behaviour. A major train station on one side of a major intersection, with 2-6 lanes and 1-2 sets of traffic lights to cross before you can connect with the city trams that many rail passengers will be trying to catch does not make for a safe environment. If you knew for sure that there was another tram coming along in a few minutes, it also wouldn’t be a problem, but to watch an empty tram whizz by and possibly wait another 20 minutes for the next and the little man is about to turn green but isn't quite yet ...

But the fact remains that I done wrong. If only I had stayed home this morning like I really wanted to, I could have saved some money. And if only my fine were going towards the construction of underground tunnels that allowed Southern Cross Railway Station patrons to swiftly and safely emerge at the tram stop of their choice, I wouldn’t mind so much either.