--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I bet a funny thing about driving a car…" description: "\"I bet a funny thing about driving a car off a cliff is, while you're in midair, you still hit those brakes! Hey, better try the emergency brake!\" — Jac..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/31b/jack-handey-829_brake_i-bet-a-funny-thing-about-driving-a-car_1078690.jpg" --- # I bet a funny thing about driving a car off a cliff is… ![“I bet a funny thing about driving a car off a cliff is, while you're in midair, you still hit those brakes! Hey, better try the emergency brake!” quote by Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/31b/jack-handey-829_brake_i-bet-a-funny-thing-about-driving-a-car_1078690.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/31b/jack-handey-829_brake_i-bet-a-funny-thing-about-driving-a-car_1078690.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/31b/jack-handey-829_brake_i-bet-a-funny-thing-about-driving-a-car_1078690.jpg) > “I bet a funny thing about driving a car off a cliff is, while you're in midair, you still hit those brakes! Hey, better try the emergency brake!” [Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Humor highlights absurdity of trying to stop something already beyond control, emphasizing futility of last‑minute fixes. **In simple terms:** Trying to brake in midair is pointless. Key Takeaway Accept limits; don’t overreact. Themes humor absurdity control limitations Mood playful ironic Type comedic satirical When to use this quote - Driving mishaps - emergency situations - life crises - decision making Key Concepts Satire paradox human folly Questions to Reflect On - When do you waste effort on impossible fixes? - How can you recognize when to let go? A Different Perspective Even with effort, some outcomes can’t be changed. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Deep thought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/deep-thought/) [Driving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/driving/) [Driving A Car](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/driving-a-car/) [Funny things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/funny-things/) ## Related quotes > [When your car is about to go off a cliff, it’s a weird time to be thinking about gas mileage and drag coefficients; better…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bolton/when-your-car-is-about-to-go-off-a-cliff-it-s-a-weird-time-to-be/) [Michael Bolton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bolton/) > [In this country, you never pull the emergency brake, even when there is an emergency. It is imperative that the trains run on schedule.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-d-rrenmatt/in-this-country-you-never-pull-the-emergency-brake-even-when-there-is/) [Friedrich Durrenmatt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-d-rrenmatt/) > [I'm always on the road, and I drive rental cars. Sometimes I don't know what's going on with the car, and I'll drive for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-hedberg/i-m-always-on-the-road-and-i-drive-rental-cars-sometimes-i-don-t-know/) [Mitch Hedberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-hedberg/) > [No," I said. And maybe it was only because Alaska couldn't hit the brakes and I couldn't hit the accelerator.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/no-i-said-and-maybe-it-was-only-because-alaska-couldn-t-hit-the/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [When you push a car off a cliff and blow it up, be sure to roll the windows down to avoid shrapnel. Also, strip…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/when-you-push-a-car-off-a-cliff-and-blow-it-up-be-sure-to-roll-the/) [Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) > [Living with a conscience is like driving a car with the brakes on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/budd-schulberg/living-with-a-conscience-is-like-driving-a-car-with-the-brakes-on/) [Budd Schulberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/budd-schulberg/) > [You have to maintain the balance between fast growth and smooth growth. It's like driving a car and knowing when to balance the gas…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guo-guangchang/you-have-to-maintain-the-balance-between-fast-growth-and-smooth/) [Guo Guangchang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guo-guangchang/) > [Imagine driving a car that isn't working well. When you step on the gas the car sometimes lurches forward and sometimes doesn't respond. When…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-greenspan/imagine-driving-a-car-that-isn-t-working-well-when-you-step-on-the/) [Stanley Greenspan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-greenspan/) > [“There was an emergency brake, but I’m terrible at deciding what amounts to an emergency, most of all when I’m in the middle of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-bellassai/there-was-an-emergency-brake-but-i-m-terrible-at-deciding-what/) [Matt Bellassai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-bellassai/) > [First, you should take money and have plenty of money fueling your tank. But money becomes dangerous if you assume it's going to keep…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vinod-khosla/first-you-should-take-money-and-have-plenty-of-money-fueling-your/) [Vinod Khosla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vinod-khosla/) > [“I'm a whore!" Miki hit the brakes...her hands.. gripping the steering wheel, glanced at Sara. "You're not wearing any underwear, are you?" Sara let…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shelly-laurenston/i-m-a-whore-miki-hit-the-brakes-her-hands-gripping-the-steering-wheel/) [Shelly Laurenston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shelly-laurenston/) > [“And I've learned to hit the brakes at these kinds of stop signs rather than t-boning a tanker truck filled with 200 proof mediocrity.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-kane-ethridge/and-i-ve-learned-to-hit-the-brakes-at-these-kinds-of-stop-signs/) [Benjamin Kane Ethridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-kane-ethridge/) > [“Good God, woman. Hit the brakes on the freight train that is your mouth.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shelly-laurenston/good-god-woman-hit-the-brakes-on-the-freight-train-that-is-your-mouth/) [Shelly Laurenston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shelly-laurenston/) > [“My instructor was a skinny guy in his midtwenties who had a shaved head that was always peeling from sunburns and who could only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-halpern/my-instructor-was-a-skinny-guy-in-his-midtwenties-who-had-a-shaved/) [Justin Halpern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-halpern/) > [In 2010, voters certainly hit the brakes on the Obama presidency. Fast forward to the 2016 election, where voters yanked up on the emergency…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristen-soltis-anderson/in-2010-voters-certainly-hit-the-brakes-on-the-obama-presidency-fast/) [Kristen Soltis Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristen-soltis-anderson/) ## More by Jack Handey > [Sometimes life seems like a dream, especially when I look down and see that I forgot to put on my pants.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/sometimes-life-seems-like-a-dream-especially-when-i-look-down-and-see/) [Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/) > [I think the best Thanksgiving we ever had was one where we didn't even have a turkey. Mom and Dad sat us kids down…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/i-think-the-best-thanksgiving-we-ever-had-was-one-where-we-didn-t/) [Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/) > [At first I thought, if I were Superman, a perfect secret identity would be "Clark Kent, Dentist," because you could save money on tooth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/at-first-i-thought-if-i-were-superman-a-perfect-secret-identity-would/) [Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/) > [Sometimes I wonder if I'm patriotic enough. Yes, I want to kill people, but on both sides.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/sometimes-i-wonder-if-i-m-patriotic-enough-yes-i-want-to-kill-people/) [Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/) > [I don't understand people who say life is a mystery, because what is it they want to know?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/i-don-t-understand-people-who-say-life-is-a-mystery-because-what-is/) [Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/) > [It's probably not a good idea to be chewing on a toothpick if you're talking to the president, because what if he tells a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/it-s-probably-not-a-good-idea-to-be-chewing-on-a-toothpick-if-you-re/) [Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/) > [Probably to a shark, about the funniest thing there is is a wounded seal, trying to swim to shore, because WHERE DOES HE THINK…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/probably-to-a-shark-about-the-funniest-thing-there-is-is-a-wounded/) [Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/) > [I wish I lived back in the Old West days, because I'd save up my money for about twenty years so I could buy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/i-wish-i-lived-back-in-the-old-west-days-because-i-d-save-up-my-money/) [Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/) > [Why do there have to be rules for everything? It's gotten to the point that rules dominate just about every aspect of our lives.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/why-do-there-have-to-be-rules-for-everything-it-s-gotten-to-the-point/) [Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/) > [Most people don't realize that large pieces of coral, which have been painted brown and attached to the skull by common wood screws, can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/most-people-don-t-realize-that-large-pieces-of-coral-which-have-been/) [Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/) > [Here's a suggestion for a new animal, if some new ones get created or evolve: something that stings you, then laughs at you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/here-s-a-suggestion-for-a-new-animal-if-some-new-ones-get-created-or/) [Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/) > [When you go ice-skating, try not to swing your arms too much, because that really annoys me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/when-you-go-ice-skating-try-not-to-swing-your-arms-too-much-because/) [Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/) > [When you go to a party at somebody's house, don't automatically assume that the drinks are free. Ask, and ask often.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/when-you-go-to-a-party-at-somebody-s-house-don-t-automatically-assume/) [Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/) > [He was a cowboy, mister, and he loved the land. He loved it so much he made a woman out of dirt and married…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/he-was-a-cowboy-mister-and-he-loved-the-land-he-loved-it-so-much-he/) [Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/) > [If you were a gladiator in olden days, I bet the inefficiency of how the gladiator fights were organized and scheduled would just drive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/if-you-were-a-gladiator-in-olden-days-i-bet-the-inefficiency-of-how/) [Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/) [Explore all 358 Jack Handey quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/) ## More Brake quotes > [It is amazing how may drivers, even at the Formula One Level, think that the brakes are for slowing the car down.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-andretti/it-is-amazing-how-may-drivers-even-at-the-formula-one-level-think/) [Mario Andretti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-andretti/) > [How do you, on the one hand, not object to Hillary Clinton being elected, and then, on the other hand, tell people, "Elect me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/how-do-you-on-the-one-hand-not-object-to-hillary-clinton-being/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [Common sense is the guy who tells you that you ought to have had your brakes relined last week before you smashed a front…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-chandler/common-sense-is-the-guy-who-tells-you-that-you-ought-to-have-had-your/) [Raymond Chandler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-chandler/) > [It's all happening too fast. I've got to put the brakes on or I'll smack into something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mel-gibson/it-s-all-happening-too-fast-i-ve-got-to-put-the-brakes-on-or-i-ll/) [Mel Gibson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mel-gibson/) > [You brake to fuckin easy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/delphine-hogue/you-brake-to-fuckin-easy/) Delphine Hogue > [The galleries are full of critics. They play no ball, they fight no fights. They make no mistakes because they attempt nothing. Down in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-m-shoup/the-galleries-are-full-of-critics-they-play-no-ball-they-fight-no/) [David M. Shoup](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-m-shoup/) > [Newman's first law: It is useless to put on your brakes when you're upside down.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-newman/newman-s-first-law-it-is-useless-to-put-on-your-brakes-when-you-re/) [Paul Newman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-newman/) > [Lethal like venomous snake bites the marijuana makes my eyes bright red like brake lights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/canibus/lethal-like-venomous-snake-bites-the-marijuana-makes-my-eyes-bright/) [Canibus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/canibus/) > [You only hear the music when your heart begins to brake.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seether/you-only-hear-the-music-when-your-heart-begins-to-brake/) [Seether](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seether/) > [It is sometimes of God's mercy that men in the eager pursuit of worldly aggrandizement are baffled; for they are very like a train…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/it-is-sometimes-of-god-s-mercy-that-men-in-the-eager-pursuit-of/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [You say that I should be your teacher! See to it that I am your pinion and not your brake.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/you-say-that-i-should-be-your-teacher-see-to-it-that-i-am-your-pinion/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [The daughters of God don't brake for jerks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/the-daughters-of-god-don-t-brake-for-jerks/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [France is ready for a European revolution and it is Germany that is pulling the brakes. For a long time, it was the other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-schulz/france-is-ready-for-a-european-revolution-and-it-is-germany-that-is/) [Martin Schulz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-schulz/) > [“Some chains will never be broken, until you brake them through prayer.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gift-gugu-mona/some-chains-will-never-be-broken-until-you-brake-them-through-prayer/) [Gift Gugu Mona](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gift-gugu-mona/) > [One of the reasons we do history, in fact, is because it acts as a brake, a control, on our otherwise unbridled enthusiasm for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-t-wright-2/one-of-the-reasons-we-do-history-in-fact-is-because-it-acts-as-a/) [N. T. Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-t-wright-2/) Browse all 186 Brake quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I bet a funny thing about driving a car off a cliff is, while you're in midair, you still hit those brakes! 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