Living Your Best Life 

with

Instant Inspiration and Timeless Wisdom

Click   here   to subscribe to Living Your Best Life

"STOP ROAD ABUSE"

I listened to a program on the radio where they were discussing the value of shock tactics in getting drivers to drive responsibly and there were many comments regarding the value of trying to shock people into behaving properly but the overall opinion was that it doesn't work in the long term, and I agree. I do not think that there is anyone who gets behind the wheel of a car who does not know what the risks are yet there are many people who drive recklessly as if they don't care what the risks are.

Many comments were made regarding visible policing as an effective deterrent and I agree that this is indeed a good deterrent as many people will only behave properly when they fear that they will get punished if they don't. However there were comments that the police were not such a deterrent as they were not taken seriously because they themselves were not law abiding. Sure I agree that it would be great to have law-abiding law enforcement officials that we can rely on and respect but wouldn't it be better if we were all law abiding, respectful and respectable citizens. Then we wouldn't need law enforcement officials at all.

The situation as I see it is that we have regressed into a state of moral decay and anarchy where the predominant pattern seems to be "What can I get away with?" rather that "What's the right thing to do?" To try to justify our bad behaviour by citing the bad behaviour of others is a sad indictment on the state of our morals and values.

Just remember that while you can never be held accountable for the behaviour of others who are not in your control you are always accountable for your own behaviour, which you should always control.

I send this message every year in the hope that at least one life will be spared, that at least one person will take on the responsibility to be responsible. I am really hoping that this year that, that one person is YOU.

If you agree with this message then please share it with those you care about.

"STOP ROAD ABUSE"

We are coming up to that time of year that a lot of people look forward to all year, the holidays. For some weird reason there seems to be a perception amongst a lot of people that, since I have worked all year I deserve this break and now I am going to do what I want, when I want and how I want, and watch out anyone who gets in my way. It seems as if responsibility is thrown out of the window.

Every year we dread the reports of all the road accidents, all the lives lost, people injured and maimed, families traumatised.

Accidents? No these are not accidents.

The vast majority of incidents on the road are acts of gross irresponsibility, driving too fast, overtaking recklessly, driving too close, ignoring traffic control signs, refusing to give way to other drivers, driving when under the influence, driving when tired, driving an unsafe vehicle, overloading, and so on.

No. These are not accidents. These are acts of gross irresponsibility and it is time that we started to call a spade a spade and stopped making excuses for people's bad behaviour.

Calling these incidents accidents creates the impression that they were beyond the control of the persons that caused them and in the vast majority of incidents this is not the case. Now, there are often innocent victims of the irresponsible actions of "road abusers", which makes the actions of the "road abusers" even worse. Their irresponsible actions jeopardise, not only their lives and the lives of their passengers but the lives of other road users as well.

That the state of our roads is not great, is a given. That the state of our law enforcement agencies is not great, is a given. But the real problem is caused by the state of mind of the road users. It seems as if we see the journey as a barrier between ourselves and our destination and we seem to treat the other road users as obstacles that must be forced out of the way. This mindset causes us to behave with great impatience and lack of tolerance towards other drivers who have the temerity to get in our way and delay us.

In order to change the way that you behave you have to change the way that you think so try this, next time you take to the road imagine that you have the most precious and fragile cargo in the world on board and it is your responsibility to see that this cargo arrives safely at its destination. Now drive with that thought firmly imbedded in your mind.

Well, every time that you drive you do have the most precious of cargoes on board. You have LIFE on board. Your life and the lives of your passengers are on board and these lives are in your hands, so take extreme care and drive as carefully and responsibly as you can and realise that everyone else on the road is also carrying the most precious and fragile of cargoes because they too have life on board.

Now they may not know it, but you know it, so you take extra care. You owe it to yourself and you owe it to them.

Constantly ask this question "How would a responsible person, knowing that they were in charge of the world's most precious cargo, act, what would they do to ensure that the cargo was delivered safely each time?"

Make it your personal goal from today to drive as carefully and responsibly as you can. Be friendly and courteous towards other drivers, no matter what their behaviour. Remember that behind the wheel of that vehicle is someone's mother or father, someone's son or daughter, someone's friend, someone's lover, and that just like you they have "bad hair days" get distracted and make mistakes, and that just like you they want to get home safely to their loved ones.

Have the strength of character and the emotional maturity to give way, even when it is your right of way. The road is about the worst place to try and assert your "rights". You might be right but there is no satisfaction in being "Dead Right". Have the emotional maturity to be patient, the world will not come to an end if you are late but your impatience may well cause your stay in this world to end and you will be "the late.."

Where ever you are travelling to. Drive carefully. Drive responsibly. Drive safely. But whatever you do, do whatever you can, to "STOP ROAD ABUSE"

Send me feedback here =>> Feedback <<=

To live your best life be true to the YOU, that you want to be.

Live with passion. Change your life from making a living to making a difference.

Live up to the reputation that you want to have.