The Truck Analogy*

Okay, imagine this. You're standing on the corner. You'd go across the street, but you can see a truck coming. There's a man next to you, who steps off the curb.
"Hey!" you say, "there's a truck coming!"
His makes a dismissive wave of his hand. "No, there's not."
"Look! It's coming down the road towards you!" you shout.
He keeps going, eyes straight ahead. "Quit trying to distract me, I'm crossing the road here."
You're beginning to get a little frantic. "It's going to run right over you!!"
"Nonsense!" he responds, "You're being an alarmist. Even if there was a truck, which there isnt, it would stop before it hit me."
The truck, nearly on top of him, blasts its horn.


Hmmm. This is okay, but it's not quite what I'm searching for.
Let me think...

Okay, imagine this. You're on a bus. The bus is full of people and heading down a highway. Then comes a sign up the road that says, "DANGER - CLIFF AHEAD - Road Ends 1 mi.". The bus driver, however, shows no sign of slowing down. Worried, you get up to go speak to the driver. Before you can get there, though, about three rows from the front, a man stands up.
"Where do you think you're going?" he asks.
"I need to talk to the driver, there was a sign back there that says the Road is going to end."
"I didnt see a sign," He replies, "and neither did the driver, and he's my friend."
"Well, there was a sign," you say, "and I think maybe the driver really needs to slow down."
"You really need to sit down", he says, a bit threateningly.
"There's a cliff!"
"We've seen no evidence of a cliff. Now sit down."
You turn around, and head back towards your seat, but stop before you get there. "Did anyone else see the sign about the road ending?" you ask the passengers.
Many say they did. About half of the passengers feel that someone else should perhaps drive the bus, but then start arguing amongst themselves about who and about how and about qualifications. You say, "No one needs to drive the bus, just stop the bus!", but they ignore you.
You turn to the other half of the passengers. They are also arguing. Some are adamant that there is no cliff, shouting, "Show me this cliff!"
You respond, "If we dont stop this bus, you'll see the cliff up close and personal!" This results in a storm of verbal assaults on you, with some of the passengers getting in your face.
"If you dont like the bus, then why dont you just walk!"
"What's the matter with you? There's something wrong with you! Are you possessed?!"
"There is no cliff! Anyone who says there's a cliff is a troublemaking liar!"
"Why would you say something like this? Do you hate busses? That's it, isnt it, you're a bus-hater!"
One couple tells you, "We used to ride on the busses from this outfit in Arkansas. We hated them! There's a bus company that's gonna drive off a cliff!"
You're really starting to get worried now. Some of the people (the ones not sleeping or arguing) are also getting anxious. Some of these are moving back and forth between the larger groups, searching for answers. Others have joined you in shouting "Stop the Bus!"
The PA speakers crackle a bit, then whine as the mike is picked up.
"Uh, hello. This is The Driver® speaking. I, uh, want you to know that we're On Track® here in the Bus®. God® is with me, and I am Doing Everything I Can® to assure Your Safety®. This isnt a perfect bus, but I am a Driver with a Vision®, and it's a Good Vision®, and if you'll just Trust Me® you'll all end up right where I think is Best®, uh, for Everybody®." Then he turns around a waves. Someone takes a Picture®.
A man from the pro-driver crowd turns to you. "See, everything is OK®, the driver just said so."
The bus passes another sign: "DANGER - CLIFF AHEAD - Road Ends 1000 ft".
The bus doesnt slow.
The man looks at you again and says, "How could he drive us off a cliff, when he'd go with us? I'm sure we're OK."


Um... that's true, I guess. Isnt it?

Ok, let's try this:

You know Clint Eastwood's movie The Gauntlet? Only, this time, after making his armored driver's seat, the driver hasnt let all the passengers get off the bus...







*a response to a challenge