Brake check or tailgating?

As I waited at Jiffy Lube to have my 1995, paid-for Lexus inspected and registered, an employee regaled me with an interesting story.

He was driving his Acura too close to a lady who decided to brake check him. The accident smashed the lady's car but barely dented his Acura, although his airbags deployed.

He called it a brake check. The lady he hit would probably label his action tailgating.

Both labels point to an interesting lesson:

Don't get too close to disaster.

Stay far away from disaster. Don't pay bills on the last possible date. Don't rush to a meeting or to work with no cushion for detours. Don't think of a job upgrade or change only when your company files for bankruptcy. Don't get a car or home payment that you can barely afford,

Leave room for mistakes.

Tailgating eventually leads to accidents.

Will the Jiffy Lube guy stop tailgating? Maybe.

(Photo courtesy freedigitalphotos.net)