My Stop Card Moment
It was an overcast day with monsoon at its peak. I was enjoying the Sunday afternoon with few of my friends when we decided to take the car out for a short drive to enjoy the weather. Seeing the raindrops fall on the windshield elevated our mood and we started our drive with lot of excitement. After all, how often you drive for pleasure when clouds are pouring?
As we were driving, another car came along. Within seconds I exchanged a glance with the other driver and before we knew, we were racing through the wet roads.
It did not take us long before the race became competitive. I was way above the speed limit. With all my attention focused solely on the race, I lost awareness of the surroundings. Suddenly, I felt my friend at the rear seat squeeze my shoulder firmly and it zapped me back to the reality. I realized that I was approaching a residential area and immediately put my foot off the accelerator. Moments later, as the windscreen wiper swapped through, I spotted a child sunk in joy of rain running to cross the road. I immediately applied the brakes and managed to stop the car at a safe distance. The other car ahead of us too applied the brakes but with the high speed and wet road, they only managed to stop after toppling few times. Luckily, the child was unhurt but few in the toppled car sustained serious injuries.
The incident shook each of us. In that moment, I heard my inner voice acknowledging my friend’s presence of mind which made me slow down just in time and prevented what otherwise could have resulted in an accident.
This was one of the many ‘Stop Card’ moments of my life.
As I thanked my friend, I also wished someone in the other car could have shown the same concern to warn the driver of his action.
My takeaway from this incident…
Value those who ‘Stop’ you from doing any unsafe act… they stop because they care!
Do you have any such Stop Card moments to share?
Marine Quality Advisor at Safe Lanes Consultants Pte Ltd
3yNicely illustrated concept of stop cards . Sometimes we take these stop cards suggestions sometimes we ignore it. But this stop card culture & our acceptance to it as another input/logic towards decision making can play a big role in positive outcomes. Looking back with above perspective I also have a moment to share: Vessel was proceeding to an anchorage area with slight weather . Then we overheard conversation between pilots that wind is increasing in inner port area. But P.C was continuously recommending vessels to anchor till that time. Good weather & conditions anchoring of other vessels ,prompted me to anchor but then duty officer said "sir can it be possible we can wait for 1 or 2 hour &see if this inner disturbance extends to outer anchorage". Even if there was no specific weather warning ,we decided to wait for sometime then anchor. I reduced vsl's speed.To my surprise after after 35-40 mins wind started increasing so we turned around & made safe distance from other vessels. We could make out from VHF conversations that 2 vessels dragged their anchor ,one of them went close to another vsl & while their try to pickup anchor in heavy winds their windlass became inoperable. So understanding stop cards can be very valuable.
Marine Operations || Sustainable Shipping
3yNice illustration of the Stop card. One of my Stop work cards moments is as follows: We were heading for berthing at Hazira, India and vessel's ETA to Pilot boarding ground was clashing another vessel. Noticing the same our charterers requested me to improve the ETA so that we could berth on arrival. I also did not want to delay and anchor on arrival as Hazira is a high tidal port. I quickly went through the charts and passage plan again and called up Chief Engineer to brief him of the request and my intentions to speed up. I thought if I could delay the vessel's slowing up for manoeuvring, just until about 2-3 NM before Pilot boarding ground , I'll be able to beat the other vessel's ETA and pick up pilot. Chief Engineer agreed to my request, and just when I was about the pass my revised ETA to VTS, 2nd Mate came to me and said(lines which I remember clearly today also) - " Captain let's not deviate as neither of us has been here and also the visibility is not so good." Listening to this, I think the 3rd Mate also got the courage to speak up and requested me not to speed up and deviate form the original plan. To be honest, initially I was taken a back and the temper began to rise, but then I thought this is what I have always wanted, that my junior officers speak freely and let me know if they are in any doubt and I should not speed up. To my rescue, their "Stop Work" behaviour saved me, as later the visibility reduced to less than 1 NM and I experienced a following current of 4 knots rendering the vessel almost to do 8 knots even with the engines stopped. This not only gave my juniors officers confidence but also reinstated my confidence and belief in my bridge team. Thus, for me cultivating a Stop work culture always has been a priority.