When i first started driving, i only looked at the car directly in front of me. when its red brake lights came on i just followed suit, brakng only when they did and gassing otherwise.. it was just like playing a video game, a game of how well i could copy the person in front of me...

Then one day, i followed too close and almost hit them because they braked all of a sudden. Fortunately my car has good brakes and i stopped in time, but the car behind me did not and hit my rear end. I got off my car and checked my back, but when the lady who hit my car said that i did not have any scratches and that we were fine, i accepted her diagnosis and left. The next day I found out that indeed she did scratch my car, albeit it was small and barely noticable.

The lessons that I learned:

Always get contact information of someone who has hit your car, regardless of your on-spot assessment. you never know what could come up. Don't believe everything people tell you, learn to make your own judgements and prepare for a back up plan.

In LIFE, even when you think your heart or feelings haven't been scratched, every single incident will leave its mark whether it be big or small. Even if you manage to prevent running into one accident, you cannot avoid what is coming from behind. So stop running from life. stop following the directions in front of you, dont brake just because the car in front of you does, don't continue on as if nothing is wrong just because there there are no stop signs, learn to look ahead and be prepared for a sudden brake. Always check your rearview mirror; it may be a cop, it may be a desperate housewife, it may even be your prince charming who has always been secretly following you. And most importantly, stop following other people's paths.