Hey you, who wants to kill you! I drive up and down Norway with a 50-tonne truck, 3,500 kilometers a week. As a professional driver, I am fairly new. Been driving for about 18 months, but have already seen and experienced a lot on the road: accidents, near misses and drivers fiddling with phones. Some are smiling, some are tired and others are sad. But most people meet my gaze when I meet theirs. I am writing this because I care. I am paying attention. Maybe you’re not feeling so well. But you should know that I see you. And you see me. The fear that you will meet me face to face is terrifying for me too. It’s something I think about every day along the way. And my worst nightmare is that I will cause an accident. Because I know that the drivers who have experienced serious accidents and fatal accidents struggle, often every day for the rest of their lives. Unfortunately, the number of serious accidents and fatalities has increased in the past year. There are many reasons for that. We have an older population, faster cars and we fiddle more with our phones while driving. But based on what I can register in the media and what I think myself, a desire to take one’s own life is probably the cause of several of the collision accidents with heavy traffic. It is terribly sad and incredibly unnecessary that you should choose to end your life in this way. Think about when you meet me, whether you are a mother, a father, a brother or a sister, there are always many more than yourself who are affected. It hurts extra to think about all the grief and loss you leave behind, by ending your life like this. When you hit me or one of my colleagues in traffic at 80 kilometers per hour, or more, it is most likely a fatal accident. You have probably thought about that many, many times when you pass me in traffic. Rus may be in the picture. Sometimes it is planned. Other times it happens on impulse. And fortunately, it also happens that you withdraw at the last minute. I know something about this. Because I’ve been there. I considered taking my own life, during a period when I was very down, had unstable relationships and gambling problems. It went on for several years, until one day I decided to turn my life around. I got my finances in order and managed to cut out destructive things I had become addicted to. Of course, it also helped that I had a child. Now it was no longer just myself, it went beyond. The most important thing of all is to address your problems. That was the solution for me. That I was honest, especially with myself. Now it’s about you. I hope you realize that you are unique, and that there are people around you who love you. Taking one’s life is never a good option, even though it may seem that way when life is at its darkest. And you, I beg you. Think again, tell someone about what you are struggling with. Stop reading the negative news, all the things that drag you down. I know these are hard times, harder than perhaps at any time since World War II. Covid, war, economic downturns, uncertain future… the list is long. We must still not lose hope, even if it looks impossible with regard to relationships, work or school. It’s a cliché, but things will get better. If you just open the door ajar, you will see that things become easier. The road to a better life may be long and winding, but that road is so much better than the one with heavy transport. I see you and you see me. Look again and think: Not today. We will both get home tonight.
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Life on the road – Speech
