LOOK AROUND FIRST

Friday: 28th August, 2020

There are basic checks before a car drives off the very first time: adjusting seats, checking lights and mirrors. This is because driving is largely predictive and borderline probabilistic, therefore, every individual sitting behind the wheels of car needs to be on high alert all the time because things can change very quickly.

Regardless of how much time is spent training or experience available gained behind the wheels of a car, we are human and that means we still have the potential to forget. One of the most dangerous situations any pedestrian or motorist can find themselves in is when there is a sudden change of directions from another motorist without signalling- on occasions, that can be a heart stopping moment.

However, whether done intentionally or just because it was forgotten, those actions have an effect on the decisions other drivers make. In other words, your actions on the road are largely in response to those of the vehicles around you.

The same is true for people: there are many occasions when we are of the view that our decisions and choices affect no one else but us. However, true that may be, other occasions clearly show that we affect the people around us with our decisions and choices. Whether for good or bad, our actions have a ripple effect on others. We might therefore want to take minute to look around before we make a move.

#sly