Tractor

(aquillun.space/on-second-thought#tractors)

I'll be honest, this is a short little post about tractors. Most of it, you likely know. I'm just putting it into words.

But, there's another thing to talk about for a short time. Part of my new thoughts on putting this site together.

There was recently some commotion in my bowling league. Nothing overly big word-wise, but definitely discourteous.

One of the recent rule changes to the rules of bowling involves what is basically a shot clock, stating you have a certain amount of time to bowl once it has been indicated it is your turn. As a social sport, there really isn't someone there timing you at leagues. It's in place more as a formality in leagues. Tournaments are a different story.

But, back to the league. The general courtesy is to get up to the ball return and approach when the bowler in front of you has finished their frame. There are certainly times you'll be looking but not really paying attention, trying to refill your drink, or emptying the remnants of said drink. All acceptable delays. Some would prefer you did such things between games, but it's still fairly well tolerated.

So, those weren't the commotion causing issues. They were caused by a bowler that would see it's their turn, then pick up their phone and drink and consume time on each. And, when told it was their turn, return a comment asking why everyone is in such a hurry, that they should just be quiet and let them take their time. Basically, extremely rude behavior that continued with other such comments throughout the night.

Diversion. Now, let's go to the slow driver. Traffic on many roads tends to travel at certain speeds. The posted limit in some of these cases really doesn't matter, as the traffic will flow at its comfortable rate. Unless someone decides to travel at a much slower rate. And, truthfully, there are those that think they should be going faster. Both are bothersome, but we're targeting slow tonight.

And, this primarily applies to multi-lane roads, but it can apply to single-lane as well. That driver, even if they are traveling the posted speed limit, it making a bad assumption. They aren't helping by reducing speed, they are in fact creating a larger speed differential. And that is really what causes accidents and other disturbances on the roads. Everyone traveling at ninety can be safer than all but one percent of people traveling at ninety with those one percent traveling at sixty.

But, that point isn't relatable to bowling. Let's put these pieces together.

But, first, let's add another driver. The inattentive-at-a-red-light driver. That person that sits for more than a few seconds after the light turns green. These people are looking at their phone, at the floor, at the radio, in a seat next to or behind them, or just playing a banjo. You may think a few seconds doesn't matter, but it does mean there are now a number of cars that will be sitting through the next light cycle, adding minutes to their journey. It isn't much now, but it adds up.

Okay, now we'll put this all together.

Each of these people think they're in the right. If they didn't, they wouldn't exhibit that behavior. What they aren't catching is that they think they really aren't causing a commotion. Other people are. But, the reality is they aren't just making those in the immediate vicinity a bit late, they are holding up several people. The total number has many variables, but here are a few.

Let's say one of those bowlers needs to stop at a grocery store on the way home. With those continued delays, they now arrive fifteen minutes before closing instead of forty-five minutes. They do their best to grab their few items, but they are now in the line of responsibility for making all the workers trying to close that much later. This adds to their work time, costing the employer money, and makes them late to their stop after work. Maybe they had to have a babysitter. Now that babysitter sees the delay, charging more time as appropriate before they head home. Maybe that babysitter has school the next day and needs that extra time to rest. Now they're sleepy in school.

You can take it from there. The same can be said for that slow, or slow to react, driver. Everything trickles down. In the worst coincidence, maybe an out-of-control car is going to cross the road in that line of cars. Instead of hitting what was a clear spot in the traffic pattern is now someone's car. Yes, the coincidence can go the other way, but follow that direction.

You may think your small action is no big deal, but, that's only a lie you tell yourself to justify your actions. Be courteous of others and respect their time on this planet. Follow the traffic speed, pay attention at the light, and, most importantly, bowl when it's your turn.