Do You Worry?

I keep hearing about good ideas that turn into a slog of procedures and bureaucracy due to people being scared of what would happen if. Understanding every decision must have certain responsibilities, but I keep hearing about who would be liable if something went wrong.

What caught my ear was the test of self-driving cars. The autos, though still experimental, are suppose to drive from point A to point B using GPS and sensors to detect other traffic. They just sound wonderful to one like me who don’t drive, but the discussion turned to what would happen if there happened to be a wreck.

Who would be liable? Usually the owner of the auto who has the state approved license and registration would be liable, but this would be different. Since the auto was actually driving itself, would the automaker be liable? It is an interesting question that I’m sure that lawyers everywhere must love.

Would it be the person or the gun? Would it be an emotional problem or the access to weapons? Would it be immediate anger or the routine video violence?

We all fear a problem may happen that we might have to pay for or be liable for. Insurance of many types pride themselves on assuring the participant that they will cover any problems as long as the premiums are paid.

So how do we move forward with this constant worry? We decide to accomplish a task, and then refrain to analysis every detail of the decision to question “what if?”

Have you ever tried to cash in an insurance policy? An auto wrinkle at the local Wal-Mart parking lot or the watched pot fire that wasn’t watched is some of the usual problems. Some are no more than a lost of work time and pay to attend a workshop of metal bending or an estimate for repairs that the deducible did not cover. Don’t forget to read the fine print.

So do you ever think what would happen if a branch from my tree fell over the fence on my neighbor’s deck? What would happen if a person walking down the sidewalk in front of my house slipped and broke a bone? What would happen if the neighbor’s house caught fire and then spread to my house? What would happen if you promised another a lifetime of wonder but then it stopped?

A liability can mean something that is a hindrance or puts an individual or group at a disadvantage, or something that someone is responsible for, or something that increases the chance of something occurring.

Or then maybe it is…

Lability refers to something that is constantly undergoing change or something that is likely to undergo change.

I’m libel to do this.