Perspective ("iiii")

Remember the hilarious start of a scene in the “caravan holiday“ episode of TV comedy “Father Ted”, when the eponymous priest was teaching his dull apprentice the difference between “small ... and far away” ?

Driving can feel no less challenging.  We’re sitting close to the road surface, eyes half as high as when we’re walking.  Things are harder to read.  Is that car parked or paused ?  Is that pedestrian walking towards the crossing or away ?  Perspective gets compressed.

So, as usual, when things get difficult, slow down.  As confused objects draw nearer, they’ll appear to separate, so you can deal with them one at a time.  Apply the “four I’s” [iiii] :

1.  IDENTIFY the hazard;
2.  gather INFORMATION about your current context;
3.  Look ahead again and INTERPRET it;
4.  finally, IMPLEMENT a plan of how to deal with it (usually hazard routine).