Wednesday ... Woes.

So my company has instated a no-smoking policy at work. I’m not a smoker, but many of my friends/co-workers are. Basically they are no longer allowed to smoke on the work premises, or adjacent locations either. This has caused some people to quit smoking (at least while at work), but from what I see, the majority take longer breaks in order to leave the property. Some drive a little way down and smoke in another company’s parking lot, others just drive around the block.


One of my co-workers brought up that maybe the company saves money on their insurance policy by instituting a no smoking policy. But I wonder the amount of time that others take in order to get their fix, does it really even itself out? I guess some who are walking a short distance are getting exercise? But what other benefit does the company get from this?

On another note… Amie told me today that she read yesterday in Phoenix there were 7 pedestrians hit. Now while I think it’s great that some people are riding their bikes and walking now to help cut costs and some in order to try to save the planet, I have to say I’m not sure I’d want to do it.

You always have to fear that there is some driver out there not paying attention. I see it so many times, every day. I hear the argument that it’s mainly people on the phone, but I don’t agree with that. I think it’s usually the person who is in a hurry, or looking for something in their car, eating… Personally, I’m more aware of what’s going on around me when I’m on my phone. I don’t have to look at it to talk on it. The whole debate on hands free vs. holding your phone to talk on it… I don’t usually drive with my hands on 10 and 2. I usually only drive with one hand anyway. I’m not saying that everyone is adept at driving while talking on the phone, but I am saying that it’s not always the reason people have accidents. That would be like banning smoking because you have to use one of your hands to do that.

Pedestrians, beware… Many drivers just have too many things going on in their car, or in their brain and are not really paying attention to make sure you are not walking in their path. Don’t go by the thought that ‘pedestrians have the right of way’, because even though that might be the rule, it doesn’t mean that a couple ton vehicle will stop for you because you are right. What’s more important, being right about who was following the rules, or being alive, and whole?