From a beginner's sewing manual:


FOLLOWING THE RULES

Every rule has a reason.
If you don't know the reason for a rule, you
can neither reject it nor follow it with any
success. When you don't care how the product
looks, you may "skimp" by leaving out a step that
would have made subsequent steps much easier. And
when you are trying to be meticulous, you may
follow a rule meant to save work at the expense of
the effect.
In sewing, as in everything else, you can't
switch off your brain and follow blindly; you have
to know what you want, and choose techniques that
will help you to get it.

If you don't understand *why* it's wrong to ride in the on-coming lane
or why you shouldn't ride on a sidewalk, you are going to do something
that's even more stupid.

Actually, if you understand why you shouldn't ride on a sidewalk, then
you *can* -- but it's rather strenuous because the other guy can't do
his share of the work, so you don't dare to make a single mistake.
It's usually a whole bunch easier to get off and walk.

--
Joy Beeson
joy beeson at comcast dot net
http://www.debeeson.net/joy/
The above message is a Usenet post.
I don't recall having given anyone permission to use it on a Web site.