A Bird in the Hand

I sat in traffic for what felt like an eternity, spending much of my time camped out behind a red Thunderbird who wanted to turn left but not daring to until all was clear for at least block, which was never going to happen at 5:15 in the evening. I tried being patient, I tried being pushy, I even resorted to calling him names under my breath from the safety of my car. What was wrong with this man? It was a simple left-hand turn; you put your foot on the gas and go. It's a lot like most adventures in life -- a little scary, the possibility of a mangling death, but the rewards were great, if not for mister T-bird, then for me who would arrive home in time to catch another re-run of Will and Grace.

We face risks every day. Some of them as simple as a left-hand turn; some of them more difficult like moving to Phoenix for a job you're not sure you're going to like. How do we know if the risk is worth it? What criteria do we measure risk against? If we've already got a bird in the hand, why do we risk two in the turn lane?