Speed Bumps and Chain Brakes
A couple of weeks ago I was driving in San Diego traffic. We were moving along about 80 miles per hour just fine. But there was always someone who couldn’t stand to be behind anyone. C’mon some 10 year old beat up pick up trucks went by me that looked like their wheels could fall off.
Sure enough when the distance per car would not allow enough vision ahead, drivers would hit their brakes. The loss of each driver’s reaction time can catch up to you if you are the fourth or fifth car back and did not leave enough room to slow down.
It seems we are always in a hurry because we don’t like to plan ahead and leave a little earlier. The result is that we get where we are going at breakneck speed and then sit down and waste the time calming down once we get there.
Human behavior is what it is. We have lost our ability to think ahead or develop projection skills. We create such a routine that the ridiculous death defying blood pressure packed commute becomes normal. And we repeat this same behavior every day.
I know you can derive pleasure from saving time but not if you were to cause someone to be injured in the process so you spend more time rationalizing your behavior than correcting your routine by leaving 10 minutes earlier.
Speed limit laws are designed for our protection and not to micromanage your irrational behavior. Do yourself and your family a favor and leave earlier to arrive safely under less emotional stress. The life you save may be your own.
Freeway driving chain brakes and speed bumps are a lot like our economy. It has been reported that there have been nine recessions since the end of World War II. It seems that once our economy gets a head of steam it acts like a steam roller with momentum. It is hard to stop the ride.
But then along comes a speed bump or two or worse a complete chain brake. You better hope you are wearing your seat belt and have good sense to brake hard. Better yet at least start to tap your brake lights to warn all the people behind you before you have to brake hard.
When you learn to apply the four behavioral points this blog is based on, you project what an accident would be like. All the negative pain you will feel. You will make a better decision at least to look farther ahead than you have been to consider the consequences of your behavior before you act or don’t act.
However, you seldom behave to prevent accidents, and you suffer the consequences nine times over if you live long enough. The pleasure of the moment keeps you from saving your money for later. You rationalize that you might not get what you want if you wait until later.
But it has been proven that those who acquire financial security do not acquire debt. They save for what they need and invest their money. Then they pay cash and never have a payment to burden their life with debt. That takes discipline and awareness of the four points to hold yourself accountable for providing for your needs and not be micromanaged by others to meet their needs before yours.
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