Slow Down To Go Fast

“Slow down to go fast” is a wise statement used in a lot of different settings. Pretty much, it means that trying to go fast usually messes things up. In a field like heavy equipment, “slow down to go fast” is a good thing to keep saying over and over again.

During training, slowing down to do every day’s classwork and not worry about the next is a good idea because it breaks a huge pile of information into bite-size pieces, kind of like eating an elephant one bite at a time. It isn’t your job to worry about knowing the whole thing when you are in training. It’s your job to chew on the day’s lessons and digest them. That’s why ATS Heavy Equipment Operator Training School offers housing assistance, so you don’t have to worry about anything but classes. Experts have figured out that we learn best when we get a little bit of a break in between stuffing our heads with knowledge. Somehow, the break puts the facts into our heads better.

When you are actually on the machine, slowing down is good, too. Accidents happen when people get impatient and skip safety steps or push equipment past where it is ready to go. Jerky bursts of angry speed are out of control emotionally and can quickly become out of control on the work site because the momentum of heavy equipment keeps a motion going until something physically stops it. Bad stuff can happen quickly if an operator in a hurry misses an important detail in the conditions on site. By the end of the day, a steady, slower pace actually gets more work done. The work is better, too.

Slowing down to go fast is one of the things you learn in heavy equipment operator training. It’s a good thing to remember all through life.