Before moving forward you had better

learn how to control reverse.

She reached her hand to mine, openned it and dropped the change. And so the transaction was conducted. She had my money and now I waited for my burger and chips.

And while tucking the change away I glanced out the shop window.

And old guy went zooming past. He was on one of those motorized, three-wheel and a basket on front, thingies they get around on these days.

Problem was, he was going backwards. So fast. I didn't think those things could go that fast forward let alone back.

And as he zoomed past he turned the wheel and headed for the road. Just before he got to the road he turned it again - too late!

The back wheel fell of the gutter and he and his motor-thingy feel over onto the road.

I just looked. What on earth had just happened?

He had been sitting quietly on the sidewalk when I walked into the fish and chip shop. Did he have a stroke? Heart attack? Something else?

I reached down for my mobile phone to call the ambulance. He started to move, a woman rushed to his aid, then the two people who had been waiting at the bus-stop. A council guy on a council bike pulled up. A guy in a soft top jeep pulled up. Another woman came and supervised. And the counter-girl from the chemist came out with some disinfectant and bandages to take care of the cut to his knee.

I watched as these strangers worked as a team to help this old one-legged man who had just crashed onto the road in his motor-thingy with the BMW sticker on the front.

And when he was back in the driver's seat, cut taken car of and appeared to have his full senses back, the helper's all went back about their business as if nothing had happened.

It was wonderful to see. To see how total strangers will work together to help someone.

And it got me thinking.

Business is not like this at all.

When you go backwards in business until you crash, there is no one who comes to your rescue. In fact, the opposite happens. People come to take your stuff away while your laying in a crumpled heap.

If that old guy had first learnt how to control reverse he would never have crashed. If he'd first learnt to stop going backwards he would never have crashed.

And that, it seems to me, is a good business lesson to learn. Handle reverse - either to control it or stop it all together - and you won't crash.

Have a back-up. Cover your downsides. Create a plan B.

Whatever. Doing it would prevent the "grabbers" from taking your stuff when you crash cause you wouldn't crash.