Originally Posted by Helmet Head
Blue, I doubt you live your life assuming these extremely unlikely but deadly events *could* happen to you, because it would be debilitating to do so, and could lead to anxiety disorders like
Agoraphobia.
Knowing that they could happen, and
living your life assuming that they could, are two different things.
In other words, let's say you do assume they *could* happen, and you live your life accordingly. How do you live your life differently from how you would live it if you assumed they will not happen?
To clarify, by assuming these things won't happen to you, I'm not talking about ignoring evidence that the highly likely is about to happen... for example, I'm not talking about ignoring the suspicious looking plane passenger sitting next to you who appears to be assembling a bomb. I'm talking about whether you make any changes/adjustments in your life because you know these things *could* happen to you,
absent any evidence that they actually will.
I take notice of my surroundings. Who's in the area? What would happen if? Are there any escape routes? Are there any weapons nearby?
That sort of thing. It's not debilitating, and I don't dwell on it. I just make a quick assessment of the situation and then go about my business. That doesn't mean that I think about a terrorist attack when I'm ordering pizza, but I do think about it when I'm getting on a plane. On the other hand, when I'm at a cafe that has no barrier between a table and auto traffic headed straight for that table, I choose another table. When I sit down somewhere, I have my back to a wall, so I can be aware of who's around me. When I've assessed a situation, I don't have to spend any more time thinking about it, and I don't have to get caught unawares, either.
It's the same kind of situational awareness we presumably practice when we ride: If I'm in the door zone, I'd better be aware of the cars ahead of me. Better yet, I'd better not ride in the door zone. When I cross an intersection, I should be aware of other traffic. I shouldn't assume, whether I'm riding or driving, that a car won't run the red light as I'm crossing through. When I'm in a crosswalk, I pay attention to whether there are any cars approaching, and how far it is to the curb; I don't assume that my right of way protects me.
It's just situational awareness, and I practice it regularly. It's how I saw that would-be mugger trying to sneak up on me that time, and it's why he didn't succeed.
Still does jack for me if a meteor strikes...