What does staying focused mean to you?

Hi! I’m Brittany, I’m 23 years old, I’m a college student working on my business degree and I don’t drive a car. Rather, I ride an electric scooter around town and when the time permits I ride a peddle bike. That means that sometimes, admittedly I am thinking a lot about where I am supposed to be and what I am supposed to be doing, like “did I finish that paper” and “what time am I supposed to be in class.” But not being in a car also means that I am at the mercy of bigger, more powerful and heavy vehicles that I share the road with. Placing my trust that everyone is following the rules of the road can be daunting, but not as daunting as when I come across driver’s who aren’t focused on their vehicles because no matter who’s at fault – I know I will lose. For me, staying focused resonates with driving defensively. I must ensure that I am always focused on my surroundings, things like spatial awareness and road hazards need to be my priority.  It’s impossible for me to predict exactly what a driver might do, whether they will signal when they turn, whether they have shoulder checked and realize I’m there or whether they know I’m in the bike lane when they open the car doors. Those are factors that are out of my control, what is in my control is to know where I am in relation to other cyclists and vehicles, when I leave my house so that I am not rushed, or whether I am shoulder checking and seeing and recognizing potential hazards on the road like glass or gravel. Staying focused is my best option to ensure that I arrive where I need to be unharmed, and of course, ensuring that I do well in school.

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