Speed traps: analogies for life?
Posted By Amanda Collins on March 3, 2010
This morning, on a 45-mile-per-hour stretch of road, a group of about 10 cars was joined by a police officer. As you might expect, everyone was hovering around the 40- to 45-MPH mark, hesitant to go too much faster for fear of the wrath of the law. I, however, continued along at my 48 MPH pace, unencumbered by Mr. Police Officer’s presence. A short while later, when the cop turned off the road, a couple of people’s speedometers crept up and they whizzed right by me, while some of us continued at our reasonable clip.
“Okay,” you’re probably thinking. “That’s human nature. Why is that the subject of a blog post?”
Well, it got me thinking about rules and how people try to get away with things. There are many drivers who will go as fast as they can – until they see a cop car (or, in Arizona, traffic cameras), at which point, they will slow down to below the posted speed limit. What does this say about how these people live their lives? Are they constantly thumbing their noses at authority and trying to get away with whatever they can when no one is looking? Shouldn’t they be self-policing and following good guidelines all the time – whether or not they’re being monitored?
I wonder, if this kind of behavior does follow in to other aspects of their lives, are these the people with whom I want to do business, date, or have around my son? No, not really. I want to be around people who follow rules of order because they make sense. What would the world be like if murder wasn’t illegal, then? Would these sometimes-rule-followers pull out guns and shoot people dead for no reason? Laws, rules, commandments … all were created with the greater good of humanity in mind, and we should be conducting our lives in a way that makes sense for all, not just for ourselves.
I’m thinking I might need to go for a drive with any potential business or life partners down the camera-riddled stretch of State Route 51 before signing any contracts. It might just offer a glimpse into how they conduct other aspects of their lives.
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I love your post.
I’m like you, I set my cruise control for a few miles over the speed limit and then drive along blissfully. I think it is a metaphor for how I handle my entire life. I usually am in some gray area rather than being black and white about issues. I determine the amount of risk I’m willing to take (mine if 4 mph over max) and then I go about my business. I never had panic attacks because I wasn’t paying attention. I pay attention up front, set an intention, and then let my life (and the road) unfold before me. I decide how I want to live my life and I go about that no matter who is around and who is watching. It’s a very empowering way to live!
I’ve been in situations like you describe, and I’m not afraid to keep driving my speed limit +4 rate even when the crowd mentality has slowed in response to a law enforcement presence.