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Breaking the Rules
Lately I have been getting in trouble. My neighbor has been yelling at me each day on my bike. I didn’t understand it because it has just started recently. I don’t always hear all of the words because it is muffled through the lack of teeth, but I head one. Tulafono. Rules.
My neighbor was complaining about me riding my bike on the plantation road that runs right outside out house. I was under the impression that you can ride your bike where you need to, as long as it is not interfering with anyone’s grassy area and it is on a road, not a path. So when I ride my bike to school, I get off and walk it before I reach the gate.
I never thought there was a problem with riding to my house, since a car can drive there, most people would assume a bicycle can go there as well. And if you talk to some people, that is the rule. If a car can go down the road, then a bike can.
However, there is a village rule that people do not obey that in my village. You CAN NOT ride your bike on the plantation road. This would limit your bike riding experience to about one minute (if you are going on the downhill part of the road only) through my village. I have not heard of this rule because I have seen others ride their bikes on the road in front of my house.
I am not sure of the specifications of this rule, because some people have told me the rule is different when I have been inquiring around the village. I have been told that I am able to ride my bike as far as the churches on the plantation road, past that, to the plantations in forbidden.
I have tried getting off my bike early, and not riding on the grass to my house, but I still get yelled at by my neighbor.
I don’t know if I should let it bother me, and continue to do as I want with my bike; as it does not bother anyone else, and he only started caring when the new road was put up (and has been being built for the past 3 months). Or I should take the extra time and just walk my bike in the heat.
When talking to one of my brothers here, he told me to not let it bother me since I won’t get fined since others ride it down the road.
To ride or not to ride, that is the question.
That's pretty interesting. It's good you've asked your brother, but if the neighbour keeps shouting at you, perhaps you need to take it up with higher authority or get clarification from your neighbour? My great grandpa was a bully, even into his old age he cursed at every person who crossed his fale. But even senile old men hold authority in villages so it's best to go through the right channels. Soifua!
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