Where are you going - in such a hurry?

My daughter asked an interesting question recently, as we travelled to school along a main highway. She drove along safely, obeying all the road rules and someone cut us up for the third time in a half hour journey.

“Where are all these people going in such a hurry?” she asked in frustration.

“School, work, appointments...stuff they have to do.”

It was one of those interesting aha moments for me. 

The proportion of people who actually like their employed work is abysmally small and that’s a sad fact of life; thirteen years end to end of hating every minute.

And let’s face it, nobody really wants to be driving their squawking, arguing kids to school as they slap the snot out of each other on the back seat. They wouldn’t do it in a taxi, on the bus...or in front of their friends.

Who really wants to rush to a painful dentist appointment, or part with lots of money at the doctors?

NOBODY!

It’s true. If the place you were going was that urgent and you wanted to be there so much that it was worth dying for, you’d leave earlier, wouldn’t you? You wouldn’t be rushing and you definitely wouldn’t be late. It’s amazing how we can get to somewhere we really want be, full of enthusiasm and with minutes to spare. The cafe, the friend’s place, the match, the pub, the party; we all make it there on time...and alive.

So next time you cut someone up at the intersection, or tail gate someone doing the correct speed limit - think about where you’re actually going. Imagine the police officer shifting awkwardly from foot to foot and informing your distraught parent, partner or child, “They died today...so excited to get to work...desperate to get to the dentist...risking their life to...”

You fill in the blanks.

Get real!

Slow down, or at least die for something worthwhile if you have to. And if you really have to, make sure you don't take some other poor soul with you.

#roadsafety #DangerDriving #lifelessons