The Red Man.

Teaching children to cross the road is vital. It's a skill they need to know, and as early as possible.

As a driver and a parent, I fully appreciate road safety.

But is it all about crossing roads?

Allow me to put a different slant on it. Crossing roads. You wait until a specific time, check that the risks are minimised, then go for it.

Isn't this a skill that we need to acquire every day? Good manners - you wait until people have stopped speaking, and then join in. Family life - wait until the time is right for marriage, kids, etc. Career - job changes, decisions - you often wait until the time is right, and (in the majority of cases), the risks are minimised.

And that brings me to my next point.

In the last few minutes, I have just heard from a good friend of mine. He and his family (wife and 2 young boys) have been given the opportunity to go and live and work in California. It could be permanent, but could also be done for the short term.

So he has decisions to make. Is the green man showing? Has the traffic stopped? Is the time right to make the jump and cross the Atlantic rather than the road?

Who knows.

At least he has the opportunity for a 'trial run' before making any big decisions.

I wish him all the best, should they go, and hope it all works out for the family. I have already offered to carry bags, assist with the moving process ;-)

And finally, why did the chicken cross the road ?

Maybe it was because the time was right?