This is my van. A 2011 model Volkswagen Caravelle (long version) weighing in at almost exactly 2 tons. Today I would like to share with you an experience I had driving it a couple of weeks ago, and some thoughts it fueled on trust issues and human nature. I have actually had pretty much the same experience a whole bunch of times, but for now, I’ll stick to the last one:
I’m driving my van on my way to work. I approach a pedestrian crossing and I see a young girl approaching it, clearly intending to cross the road. I slow down to let her cross in front of me, and she actually steps out into the road in front of my still moving 2 ton van.
If I suddenly stepped on the wrong pedal, this could easily end up with 2 tons of moving metal and machinery slamming into maybe 65 kg of fragile flesh and blood with just enough bone to stand upright and walk about… Not pretty…
But she’s trusting me not to hurt her.
Enough to actually put her own life on the line and not even feel like she’s risking it.
And she probably does this kind of thing just about every day – like it’s no big deal.
And the thought crosses my mind: When we can find it within ourselves to trust complete strangers in such ways, then why is it so hard to make peace in this world?
Of course, I do understand that the girl is basing her trust on experience and that’s what the real issue is. But it’s something to think about.
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