Originally Posted by
rpecot
We have a phrase at work that I think applies here: "chronic unease." It means to take a step beyond understanding your situation, surroundings, work processes, etc. and asking yourself, "what could go wrong?" It sounds like you have great knowledge of your route, traffic patterns, etc., but do you ask yourself "what if?" I would guess the answer is probably yes. That is a good habit to get in. Make a conscious effort to ask yourself, "what could go wrong?"
I spent about eight years working as a jewelry crime investigator for Lloyd's of London, and a big part of my job was to examine the little mistakes made by traveling diamond salesmen that could lead to a multimillion dollar theft. In so many cases, a split second loss of focus could get a salesman into big trouble, and in so many others, the theft was going to occur no matter what the salesman did to avoid it.
This experience formed the basis of my question. I can't imagine doing anything more to avoid a catastrophic meeting with an automobile, but I'm sure many others felt the same way before it happened. Am I fooling myself, or is there a reason I've been riding the roads for 45 years without a single accident?