If you get out on the highway, then you might see other drivers flying past you. You can easily see that they are exceeding the speed limit by quite a bit. Maybe you even have the urge to do the same thing.
Speeding can seriously injure drivers and their passengers, but maybe you don’t care about that so much. You feel like, since you’re a skilled driver, you can handle anything the road throws at you, even if you’re going much faster than the law allows.
It’s important that you get away from this mentality. We will talk about how you can do that right now.
What Does the Term “Speeder’s Mindset” Mean?
First, let’s define the term “speeder’s mindset,” so we can be sure that you know what we mean when we say it. Many drivers speed a little bit from time to time. The average driver has no qualms about driving five miles over the speed limit on the highway.
If you do that, then you’re technically breaking the law, but usually, you can get away with it. The police might pull you over, but they will probably let you by if you’re doing 60 in a 55.
The speeder’s mindset looks and feels different, though. The kind of individual who has it often exceeds the speed limit on the highway by 15 or 20 miles per hour. They might also do 50 in a 25-mile-per-hour zone in a residential neighborhood.
Why do some people feel the need for speed? It varies. You might have someone who feels that don’t need to follow the rules for some reason. You may have a driver who likes to test the limits of their vehicle’s capabilities.
No matter why you behave that way, it can get you in a lot of trouble. A single time that you exceed the speed limit significantly can have disastrous consequences. Let’s discuss how you can get away from the speeder’s mentality before you make a mistake that haunts you for the rest of your life.
Learn to Leave the House Earlier if You Worry About Tardiness
Perhaps you speed often because you like to wait till the last possible moment before going to work. You appreciate your downtime, and you like to stretch it out as much as you can.
Maybe your boss told you that if you’re late one more time, they will fire you. It certainly makes sense that you might speed if you’re racing the clock with your job on the line.
To get away from doing that, leave the house earlier. If you’re late all the time, that’s a bad habit, whether you’re going to work or somewhere else.
Try to set your alarm so that you get up earlier. Plan out your route to get to where you’re going and leave with plenty of time. It’s not easy to go from the constant speeder’s mentality to a more responsible one, but it’s crucial that you do it.
You Can Learn Not to Let Your Music Control You
Some people speed because they like to crank up their favorite music, press down on the gas pedal, and fly by cars while singing along or headbanging. Maybe you’ve seen a driver act like this before. You have to smile at how much they seem to appreciate their music.
That kind of behavior deserves a smile until that kind of reckless driving causes a serious car accident. If you’re someone who speeds when you have your favorite up-tempo song playing, that’s another habit you need to break.
It’s fine if you listen to your music, even if you turn it up. Just don’t let your enjoyment influence how much you press down on the gas pedal.
You Should Consider Your Passengers
Maybe you can get away from the habitual speeder’s mindset if you think about the precious cargo that you’re carrying. If you speed with just yourself in the car, that’s dangerous and reckless. If you do it with other family members in there with you, that crosses over into much deadlier territory.
If you have children, then they look at you to protect them until they reach adulthood. That means more than just keeping them away from bullies, vicious dogs in the neighborhood, or potential abductors in public parks. You should also drive safely and carefully when they’re with you in the car.
Driving the speed limit should become a habit, and any way that you can get yourself away from a speeder’s mindset, you need to do that. If that means turning around and looking at your children smiling at you from their car seats, then so be it.
You Should Think About the Possible Legal Consequences
You might also get away from a speeder’s mindset by thinking about the possible legal consequences. If you speed all the time, and you never cause an accident, then you might start to feel invincible. Just because you don’t hit any other cars, though, that doesn’t mean the cops won’t pull you over eventually.
If they do, then you might have to pay a hefty fine. If you ignore that ticket, then a judge might issue a bench warrant for you.
If that happens, then you could face arrest. You might get an even larger fine or some time in jail. It’s far better to avoid all of that by slowing down.
You Can Meditate to Enter a Calmer Mental State
Some people speed because they have road rage issues. When they get behind the wheel, it’s like they become a different person.
If you have anger issues, then you need to find a way to get yourself under control. This should help you not just when you’re on the road, but at all other times as well.
If you start meditating, that might help to calm you down. Approaching your daily commute when you’re feeling calm and tranquil probably means that you won’t speed.
The New Jersey Digest is a new jersey magazine that has chronicled daily life in the Garden State for over 10 years.