Misperception

The other night, my mom and I went out in the car so I could practice night driving. It seemed to be going well, but a few minutes in, I saw red and blue lights flash in the mirror and in a few short seconds, I had been pulled over for the first time in my life. Man, my heart was beating so fast as I rolled down the window and tried to think of what I could possibly have done. I knew the light I had just gone through was green, and Mom said she knew I wasn’t speeding.

Then the very nice officer walked up and informed us that the light over the licence plate was out. That was it. He checked our licences, told us there was no ticket, and we drove straight to the store to get some bulbs.

This whole story made me think. Whenever I see someone pulled over, I assume they were speeding, ran a red light, or did something else to break the law, and from that I start to form a picture of that person and judge them. I begin to think of them as a jerk who doesn’t care about the law, or the consequences that could come from doing those things. But that isn’t necessarily true.

Who knows what people thought when they saw me pulled over. I doubt anyone said to themselves, “You know, I bet they didn’t do anything wrong and their tag light’s just out.” I wouldn’t have. But now, I think I’ll be more aware of the other possiblities.

Maybe they didn’t know they were speeding. Maybe they didn’t see the redlight because they’re distraught over the fact that someone they love is in the hospital and they’re trying to go visit them. It doesn’t have to be that dramatic; they could just be having a rough day.

This doesn’t just apply to people who drive poorly, but also if someone is rude, or scowls as they walk through the store, or any other reason that might cause you to form a poor opinion of them.

I feel I tend to jump to the worst conclusion about others, and that needs to change. I should give others the benefit of the doubt, just like I wish they would for me.

If we could read the secret history of our enemies, we should find in each man’s life sorrow and suffering enough to disarm all hostility.

— Henry Wadsworth Longfellow