Five lessons that poker can teach us about driving safely

Poker is a fun game! There is a small amount of luck, a surprising amount of skill, and you can win a lot and lose a lot on every hand. In this article, we'll look at five truths about the game of poker that can help you be a better driver.

1. Read your opponents: Good poker playing is all about understanding who your opponents are and what their "tells" suggest about the cards they have. Sometimes your fellow drivers do a good job of telling you what they are doing (with signals or appropriate braking) and sometimes they don't. Watch the other drivers around you and try to figure out what they are planning on doing before they do it!
2. Think ahead: Good poker playing means thinking ahead – calculating the odds that the card you want is going to turn up and figuring out what other cards are likely to have been played on the table. As a driver, you should think ahead before every trip so you can make sure you take the best route.
3. Never bet on a short straight: This is a common problem in poker. Between the cards in your hands and the ones revealed in the flop, you end up with 4 cards of a 5-card straight. So you stay in. Unfortunately, the odds are stacked against you and you'll frequently lose the hand. Good drivers make sure that their cars are mechanically sound – the brakes work, the lights work, the car is as safe as it can be – so that the car will be responsive if you need to drive defensively.
4. There is no room for cheats: Poker has its rules and players who break those rules aren't likely going to be invited back for more gameplay. In driving, the consequences of cheating (i.e. skirting the law) are harsher and can include financial punishment or even the revocation of a drivers license.
5. Know when to hold' em, know when to fold 'em: In poker, good players get out when they should get out (instead of staying in and playing a particular pot through to the end). Likewise, in driving, some drivers choose to drive even though they shouldn't. Fatigue and inebriation are frequently the cause of collisions because they impair our ability to drive safely. Smart drivers recognize when they should and shouldn't drive.

Poker can be a fun game for those who know how to play and who sit at a table of other players who are serious about a good game. Likewise, driving can be an enjoyable experience when everyone is following the same set of rules and intent on getting where they need to go safely.

If you're driving your car and you collide with someone who should not have been playing the game, bring your car in to Boyd Autobody & Glass. We'll fix up your car and get you back on the road so you can play a strong hand and get where you need to go.