Driving Mindset
See you at the next stoplight.
These are just reminders to me. Some I am pretty good at, others need some work. My intentions are not to preach, or tell you what to do. If I describe or explain, I am just letting you know what I am thinking, not lecturing.
“Observe The Emotion And Apply Technique”:
This is a concept I got from Ken Hill, but put into my own words. Example, if someone is tailgating you, it’s irritating. Irritated is the emotion, brake-checking is NOT the technique. Applying LIGHT and SMOOTH applications to your vehicle’s inputs (acceleration, braking & steering) IS the technique. And you get to work on this while the vehicle behind you is breathing down your neck. Smooth is always the technique, but it’s the force you are putting into your vehicle inputs that needs to lighten. Forcefully and smoothly applying the brakes is still a form of brake-checking, people usually do it forcefully and abruptly. Why is lightening the force of your inputs to the vehicle, the technique in this situation? Because you already have someone who is too close to you, braking hard is going get you rear ended. Forceful and more so, abrupt inputs on the streets usually makes people angry.
Not Letting Other Vehicles Come Into Your Lane:
You’re in the lane you need to be in and someone wants to get in front of you. Not letting that vehicle into, what you call, “My lane”, as if you have ownership of it. Only creates the thing you hate, traffic.
“Pay Attention”:
This is the number one rule in life. I heard this from Jordan Peterson talking about the Egyptian god, Horus. After years of thinking about this, paying attention comes second to nothing else. It applies to everything in life, not just riding or driving. However, since we are on the topic of riding/driving. Paying attention to your driving is the best thing you can do to avoid accidents, tickets and hotheadedness.
You’re Going To Be Driving With Idiots:
Sometimes you are the idiot, but I know how it is, most of the time, it’s them. The point is, if you said to yourself before you even started the vehicle, “I am going to be riding/driving with idiots”. You are not going to be surprised by the vehicle who just pulled out in front of you. It’s more of a rolling-your-eyes as opposed to shouting swear-words.
Risk vs. Reward:
Risk: High. Tickets, accidents, injuries, high insurance payments, scheduling and dealing with the auto body shop, deductibles (vehicle & medical), court cases, killing yourself, killing your loved ones and/or someone else. Or maybe all of the above.
Reward: Low. Getting to your destination a few moments earlier.
Some People Have A Lot Less To Lose Than You:
Some people don’t have insurance. Or maybe they drive a vehicle that is all beat up and just barely runs. Maybe it’s not their vehicle, maybe it’s their employer’s vehicle and they don’t mind getting fired. Maybe it’s an expensive car, but it was given to them by an ex from a bad relationship. What it all boils down to is, they just don’t care about your vehicle or their vehicle.
The whole point of driving on the streets is to arrive at your destination safely, with no accidents, tickets or hotheadedness, even if you were in the right or had the right of way.
