A rule exists for a reason

"Hey Sjors, I saw you cycling through the city the other day. You were on your phone! Because you were calling, you didn’t signal when you had to turn. A truck driver got startled and had to swerve to avoid you. The truck drove onto the sidewalk where a woman was walking with a stroller. She panicked and almost bumped into a company director who happened to be walking there with a cup of coffee. The director lost his balance and spilled coffee on his suit. He got so angry that he immediately fired one of his employees. That employee was so upset, he went home and had a terrible evening. On the way home, he got into an argument with a teacher, and it escalated so much that he hit the teacher, who ended up in the hospital. It was an awful situation for everyone but thankfully, the teacher recovered. This showed how important it is to stay calm and think carefully about your actions." The teacher looked at Sjors and asked:

"So, Sjors, what will you do next time you’re cycling in traffic?"Sjors replied: "That story can’t be true, sir!"The teacher said:

"The story is true. I saw you on your phone, and I saw you didn’t signal. The rest could have happened if others hadn’t been paying attention. It could’ve been much worse."

The power of rules and agreements

"Rules exist for a reason. They help us live safely and respectfully together.
When you follow the rules like not using your phone while biking or always signaling when turning you protect yourself and others.
It might seem small, but even minor choices can have big consequences.
So think before you act, follow the rules, and help keep everyone safe and happy."

Food for thought

• What traffic rules do you always follow? And which ones do you sometimes forget?
• Do you ever stop to think about how one small action can lead to big consequences?
• How do you help create a safe and respectful  environment for yourself and for others?

Sometimes a rule might seem unnecessary until you see what can happen without it.