Last Leg of Journey

Last Leg of a Journey

“We had a lovely time, except that Vijay drove the car so harshly while returning that kids and I held our breath”, Arti told her mother about the weekend holiday she had recently taken with her family. She further added, “Twice, we had a narrow escape from head-on collision with another vehicle, or you’d be visiting us in hospital.” Her mother trembled at the thought of it!

Unfortunately, this rush has become apparent in every task humans undertake today. The best example is our attitude on road. Even if careful for maximum part of the travel, we usually become restless as the destination approaches, hence inviting mishaps at the eleventh hour. This can snatch away the fruits of one’s labour in any sphere of life, more so in case of journey because like an ‘accident prone area’, it becomes an ‘accident prone period’.

Following are the reasons:
• It is very tempting to reach home soon when you are about to, especially after a long journey.
• By this time, the driver’s reflexes have become poorer and monotony has taken its toll.
• Home is nearly visible in the mind’s eye and one is coaxed into believing that ‘It has come’.
• Usually, highways are better maintained than city roads. So, once inside city, the situation changes from average to worse and same speed does not augur well.

All these factors together influence the safety threshold adversely. The situation is worse if it’s a professional driver in the seat; he is more impatient as his home and kids are further away.
MF

Journey – Bansal 2
Journey is an integral and frequent part of our lives, whether for an interview, entrance test, marriage, birthday, anniversary or tourism. We are sufficiently aware of general safety rules on road, but when it comes to the last leg of a journey, some special steps are required:

• Take a break of at least five minutes before the last half an hour of journey. This brings back the safety index of first leg of journey, and the monotony gets countered.
• During this, take a quick snack or a cup of coffee. A glass of water will serve the same purpose. If required, utilize this time to make a phone call to the place of your arrival.
• Change the driver. If this isn’t possible, the driver must come out of the vehicle and stretch himself three-four times before continuing to drive.
• Other people in the vehicle should do nothing to distract the driver. Keep the conversation light. Music should be kept on/off as per driver’s convenience.
• For obvious reasons, the person sitting beside the driver should avoid dozing off. In fact, this applies to the whole of journey.
• The driver should NEVER be asked how long it’ll take to reach home. It makes him/her feel as if s/he is being expected to make it fast. Speed and hurry, of course, is a total taboo.

All these measures are meant to break the monotony, energize you and prepare better for arrival. In the bargain, your safety is assured. Initially a burden, it doesn’t take long for these steps to become habit, if regularly practiced whenever travelling. On the face, they might appear as exaggeration of ‘calamity-prevention’, but, the implications of ignoring them can be serious, as we often hear of now and then.
After all, prevention is better than cure!