Where I live, there’s a device you can put in your car that automatically deducts the bridge toll from your account when you drive by the “Fastrak” toll lanes. There’s usually a long line in the cash lanes that sandwich the Fastrak lane. During congested traffic hours, the huge empty space where cars zip by in the Fastrak lanes is more noticeable…and enticing. I have a Fastrak device in my SUV, and when I was smugly driving past the parking lot of cars waiting to pay their $5 toll, four other cars and I had to slam on our brakes and I almost rear-ended the Honda that was dangerously attempting to drive across the Fastrak lanes.
It immediately made me think of how we often take risks for the short-term, without thinking of the realistic, potential consequences. The agitation from waiting in a slow moving lane while other lanes seem to be moving much more rapidly makes driving across and blocking two lanes of traffic going 40 mph suddenly seem like a good idea. Other times, making a last minute mad dash to the exit lane, and cutting off a huge truck trailing a huge load of goods, seems worth it too. Or deciding to drive across the intersection when the light is about to turn red also seems like a logical move when we’re convinced that someone will steal our spot in the long line. It’s always worth it when we make it out alive. But the one time that we get into an accident is when it’s too late to learn that the risk isn’t worth it.
But it seems to take a lot for us to learn and remember. What’s interesting to note is that during the act, you’re not happy, either. When you’re blocking lanes, your palms get sweaty, it seems impossible to find an opportunity to move over to another lane, you’re scared cars will slam into you, your passengers are yelling and blaming you for the predicament, and suddenly it seems everyone is staring and judging your bad move. When you cut off the truck as you aim for the exit, you’re praying you will make it, hoping the truck will react and brake in time, and when the truck and other cars honk their horns, your heart begins to thump 99mph…and then you have to think fast enough to slam on the brakes so that you don’t rear end the cars in the exit lane. While blocking the intersection, you endure the harsh stares from the pedestrians who have to walk around your car (some express their disgust verbally and some even kick your car), the honks from the cars whose lane you’re blocking, you’re preoccupied with the reason the cars in front of you seem like they aren’t moving at all, and the 30 seconds between the red light and the next green seems to last 30 days.
I’m sure any driver reading this blog knows what I’m talking about, and I bet that you’ve made these same decisions countless times. Why do we continue to go for short term gains at the potential cost of adverse long term consequences? The reality is that one mistake, one collision can change everything. First of all, whatever you’re rushing to is now put on hold and meaningless. Whatever opportunity you were hurrying to secure is lost. Now you’re shaking and nervously waiting on the shoulder for the ambulance and police- and most times, you’ve caused a traffic jam and everyone is cursing at you. But as a consequence of the collision itself, suddenly you’re undergoing surgery after surgery, popping pills to no avail as your pain cannot be soothed, unable to help yourself with simple tasks like showering or putting on a pair of pants, unable to keep your current job, etc. Waiting during the claims process is a hassle, as we all know. If you’re proven negligent and at fault, expect your insurance premiums to increase, your car to be damaged (and you have no means to pay for a new car because your medical bills are ridiculous), and you’ve lost your independence because you have to wait for others to take you on errands. Consider the strain on your relationships at that point- your loved ones can only take so much. Do you still have to ask yourself if the risk was worth it?
We don’t think these things will happen when we make risky decisions. But this is reality. I’m not exaggerating or being imaginative. I’m talking about real life, real people I know. And I drive all day- everywhere I go, I see people changing lanes at a whim, blocking intersections seemingly without considering the traffic flow, nearly running over pedestrians and bikers. Sometimes I see collisions, cars fishtailing, and even flipping over. Just yesterday I saw someone make a risky three-point turn to hurriedly secure a parking spot, only to back up into a black truck…twice. OK, she got the spot, but she also dented the black truck and had to spend time exchanging insurance information. So much for rushing. Isn’t it time for us to abandon this kind of behavior? Or are we all waiting for the accidents to hit home before we learn?
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