--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I attributed the incidence to temporary…" description: "\"I attributed the incidence to temporary insanity, and in my own defense, I'd like to say I haven't run over anyone since.\" — Janet Evanovich" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d3c/janet-evanovich-291_defense_i-attributed-the-incidence-to-temporary_199701.png" --- # I attributed the incidence to temporary insanity, and in… ![“I attributed the incidence to temporary insanity, and in my own defense, I'd like to say I haven't run over anyone since.” quote by Janet Evanovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d3c/janet-evanovich-291_defense_i-attributed-the-incidence-to-temporary_199701.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d3c/janet-evanovich-291_defense_i-attributed-the-incidence-to-temporary_199701.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d3c/janet-evanovich-291_defense_i-attributed-the-incidence-to-temporary_199701.png) > “I attributed the incidence to temporary insanity, and in my own defense, I'd like to say I haven't run over anyone since.” [Janet Evanovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-evanovich/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker humorously attributes a past reckless act to a fleeting lapse of sanity and claims no further harm since. **In simple terms:** I claim a past mistake was a brief lapse and no further harm. Key Takeaway Own past mistakes, ensure they stay isolated. Themes responsibility humor self‑reflection Mood wry reflective Type personal humorous When to use this quote - legal defense - public statements - personal growth Key Concepts psychology ethics personal accountability Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance humor with accountability? - Can humor mask underlying issues? A Different Perspective Humor may downplay seriousness of past actions. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Attributed Incidence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attributed-incidence-2089492/) [Defense](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/defense/) [Incidence Temporary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/incidence-temporary-2089491/) [Insanity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/insanity/) [Insanity Defense](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/insanity-defense-1000937/) [Running](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/running/) [Temporary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/temporary/) [Temporary insanity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/temporary-insanity/) ## Related quotes > [And the council doesn’t recognize any kind of temporary insanity defense. Which was a real shame, because most of the councilmen had considered me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-vincent/and-the-council-doesn-t-recognize-any-kind-of-temporary-insanity/) [Rachel Vincent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-vincent/) > [To know other people thought he'd made a mistake vindicated me. I wasn't a bad girlfriend, he was simply going through a period of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-koomson/to-know-other-people-thought-he-d-made-a-mistake-vindicated-me-i-wasn/) [Dorothy Koomson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-koomson/) > [Love: A temporary insanity curable by marriage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/love-a-temporary-insanity-curable-by-marriage/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [ \[Jurors who are opposed to capital punishment are\] more likely to believe that a defendant's failure to testify is indicative of his guilt, more… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thurgood-marshall/jurors-who-are-opposed-to-capital-punishment-are-more-likely-to/) [Thurgood Marshall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thurgood-marshall/) > [“The expression "madly in love" is apt, for it describes a form of temporary insanity.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-zafra/the-expression-madly-in-love-is-apt-for-it-describes-a-form-of/) [Jessica Zafra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-zafra/) > [There is always some madness in love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/there-is-always-some-madness-in-love/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [“Why live my personal values at work? This is an excellent question to ask. If your attorneys are planning an insanity defense.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stan-slap/why-live-my-personal-values-at-work-this-is-an-excellent-question-to/) [Stan Slap](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stan-slap/) > [It was declared by Congress that marijuana makes people insane. But . . . lawyers, defense lawyers, got the idea, OK, I can use…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/it-was-declared-by-congress-that-marijuana-makes-people-insane-but/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [“Should he plead the insanity defense or the alien-told-me-to-do-it defense?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wesley-chu/should-he-plead-the-insanity-defense-or-the-alien-told-me-to-do-it/) [Wesley Chu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wesley-chu/) > [“Robert Sapolsky, professor of neurology at Stanford, makes the extremely strong statement: “It’s boggling that the legal system’s gold standard for an insanity defense—M’Naghten—is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-s-gazzaniga/robert-sapolsky-professor-of-neurology-at-stanford-makes-the/) [Michael S. Gazzaniga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-s-gazzaniga/) > [Love, n. A temporary insanity curable by marriage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/love-n-a-temporary-insanity-curable-by-marriage/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [LOVE, A temporary insanity curable by marriage or the removing of the patient from the influences under which he or she incurred the disorder;](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikhil-saluja/love-a-temporary-insanity-curable-by-marriage-or-the-removing-of-the/) [Nikhil Saluja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikhil-saluja/) > [“But my stomach starts constricting because I MIGHT HAVE WANTED IT TO BE A DATE. I mean, what is that? Dates lead to commitment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nyrae-dawn/but-my-stomach-starts-constricting-because-i-might-have-wanted-it-to/) [Nyrae Dawn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nyrae-dawn/) > [“You can take care of him," she insisted. This was madness. This was a true example of temporary insanity. "I can't." "Why not?" She…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-d-davis/you-can-take-care-of-him-she-insisted-this-was-madness-this-was-a/) [L.D. Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-d-davis/) > [“Suicide during a state of temporary insanity,” is passed, have been caused by long and hopeless brooding on the “nothingness of the Universe” —…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-corelli/suicide-during-a-state-of-temporary-insanity-is-passed-have-been/) [Marie Corelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-corelli/) ## More by Janet Evanovich > [“His pager beeped, and he looked at the readout. “I have to get back to Deal. Do you have any secret weapons in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-evanovich/his-pager-beeped-and-he-looked-at-the-readout-i-have-to-get-back-to/) [Janet Evanovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-evanovich/) > [You gonna take the case?" It's not a case. It's a missing person. Sort of." You're gonna have a devil of a time finding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-evanovich/you-gonna-take-the-case-it-s-not-a-case-it-s-a-missing-person-sort-of/) [Janet Evanovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-evanovich/) > [Are we fighting?" I asked Morelli. "No. Were discussing." "Are you sure?" "Am I yelling?" Morelli asked. "Is my face purple? Are the cords…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-evanovich/are-we-fighting-i-asked-morelli-no-were-discussing-are-you-sure-am-i/) [Janet Evanovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-evanovich/) > [“changed expression. Wariness, maybe. I felt a body move so close it was skimming my own, and a warm hand protectively settled at the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-evanovich/changed-expression-wariness-maybe-i-felt-a-body-move-so-close-it-was/) [Janet Evanovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-evanovich/) > [I need to look like an idiot at least twice a day to keep myself humble.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-evanovich/i-need-to-look-like-an-idiot-at-least-twice-a-day-to-keep-myself/) [Janet Evanovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-evanovich/) > [Mooner was walking around laying his hands on the cars, divining karma. "this is it", he said, standing by a small khaki-colored jeep."this car…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-evanovich/mooner-was-walking-around-laying-his-hands-on-the-cars-divining-karma/) [Janet Evanovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-evanovich/) > [“Ranger was waiting. He was dressed in black slacks, a form-fitting black T-shirt, and a black blazer.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-evanovich/ranger-was-waiting-he-was-dressed-in-black-slacks-a-form-fitting/) [Janet Evanovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-evanovich/) > [I guessed my mother figured if my father got right down to the task of eating he wouldn’t be so inclined to jump up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-evanovich/i-guessed-my-mother-figured-if-my-father-got-right-down-to-the-task/) [Janet Evanovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-evanovich/) > [You can get through very serious and sometimes horrible and sometimes embarrassing and very awkward situations with humor. It gives us a way out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-evanovich/you-can-get-through-very-serious-and-sometimes-horrible-and-sometimes/) [Janet Evanovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-evanovich/) > [Way back before the 'Alex Barnaby' series was first published, we were talking with Dark Horse then about making it into a graphic novel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-evanovich/way-back-before-the-alex-barnaby-series-was-first-published-we-were/) [Janet Evanovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-evanovich/) > [I made a choice that I was not going to be a pretentious writer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-evanovich/i-made-a-choice-that-i-was-not-going-to-be-a-pretentious-writer/) [Janet Evanovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-evanovich/) > [“He wears jeans, untucked shirts, and a Glock 19, and he has a big shaggy dog named Bob.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-evanovich/he-wears-jeans-untucked-shirts-and-a-glock-19-and-he-has-a-big-shaggy/) [Janet Evanovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-evanovich/) > [I write to entertain. When people read one of my books I want them to finish with a smile on their faces, feeling a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-evanovich/i-write-to-entertain-when-people-read-one-of-my-books-i-want-them-to/) [Janet Evanovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-evanovich/) > [“I hate shopping for clothes," Kate said. "I liked when I was in the military and all I needed was camouflage gear." "Shopping can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-evanovich/i-hate-shopping-for-clothes-kate-said-i-liked-when-i-was-in-the/) [Janet Evanovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-evanovich/) > [“I’m told there’s a paint specialist in Denver who does wonderful work,” Judy said. “I’ve started a GoFundMe page for Mr. Murphy.” “That’s a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-evanovich/i-m-told-there-s-a-paint-specialist-in-denver-who-does-wonderful-work/) [Janet Evanovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-evanovich/) [Explore all 726 Janet Evanovich quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-evanovich/) ## More Defense quotes > [Advances in technology will continue to reach far into every sector of our economy. Future job and economic growth in industry, defense, transportation, agriculture,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-bond/advances-in-technology-will-continue-to-reach-far-into-every-sector/) [Christopher Bond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-bond/) > [On the McLaughlin Report, August 26, 1990: 'There are only two groups that are beating the drums for war in the middle East, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-buchanan/on-the-mclaughlin-report-august-26-1990-there-are-only-two-groups/) [Pat Buchanan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-buchanan/) > [The inner defenses are unconscious. They consist of a kind of magic aura which the mind builds around cherished belief. Arguments which penetrate into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-koestler/the-inner-defenses-are-unconscious-they-consist-of-a-kind-of-magic/) [Arthur Koestler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-koestler/) > [My last defense / Is the present tense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gwendolyn-brooks/my-last-defense-is-the-present-tense/) [Gwendolyn Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gwendolyn-brooks/) > [Football is not just all about throwing the ball. You got to run the ball, too. Defense has to be good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-jefferson/football-is-not-just-all-about-throwing-the-ball-you-got-to-run-the/) [Justin Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-jefferson/) > [The law is the collective organization of the individual's right to lawful defense of his life, liberty and property. When it is used for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederic-bastiat/the-law-is-the-collective-organization-of-the-individual-s-right-to/) [Frederic Bastiat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederic-bastiat/) > [Witness for the defense, Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/witness-for-the-defense-albus-percival-wulfric-brian-dumbledore/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You say I have a bad attitude. But have you ever stopped to check yours?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tasha-marie/you-say-i-have-a-bad-attitude-but-have-you-ever-stopped-to-check-yours/) [Tasha Marie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tasha-marie/) > [ Their \[the U.S.’s\] defense budget in absolute figures is almost 25 times bigger than Russia’s. This is what in defense is referred to as… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-putin/their-the-u-s-s-defense-budget-in-absolute-figures-is-almost-25-times/) [Vladimir Putin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-putin/) > [So Americans understand the costs of war. Yet as a country, we will never tolerate our security being threatened, nor stand idly by when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/so-americans-understand-the-costs-of-war-yet-as-a-country-we-will/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [A well informed citizenry is the best defense against tyranny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/a-well-informed-citizenry-is-the-best-defense-against-tyranny/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [He should release the tax returns tomorrow. It's crazy. You've got to release six, eight, ten years back tax returns. Take the hit for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-kristol/he-should-release-the-tax-returns-tomorrow-it-s-crazy-you-ve-got-to/) [William Kristol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-kristol/) > [Defense is a definite part of the game, and a great part of defense is learning to play it without fouling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wooden/defense-is-a-definite-part-of-the-game-and-a-great-part-of-defense-is/) [John Wooden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wooden/) > [When you shoot someone who is fleeing, it's not self-defense. It's an execution.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-you-shoot-someone-who-is-fleeing-it-s-not-self-defense-it-s-an/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Virtually every major technological advance in the history of the human species- back to the invention of stone tools and the domestication of fire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-dennett/virtually-every-major-technological-advance-in-the-history-of-the/) [Daniel Dennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-dennett/) [Browse all 2,426 Defense quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/defense/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I attributed the incidence to temporary insanity, and in my own defense, I'd like to say I haven't run over anyone since.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Janet Evanovich" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-evanovich/i-attributed-the-incidence-to-temporary-insanity-and-in-my-own/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Defense" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-evanovich/i-attributed-the-incidence-to-temporary-insanity-and-in-my-own/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d3c/janet-evanovich-291_defense_i-attributed-the-incidence-to-temporary_199701.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d3c/janet-evanovich-291_defense_i-attributed-the-incidence-to-temporary_199701.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d3c/janet-evanovich-291_defense_i-attributed-the-incidence-to-temporary_199701.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I attributed the incidence to temporary insanity, and in my own defense, I'd like to say I haven't run over…” — Janet Evanovich", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Janet Evanovich", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-evanovich/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I attributed the incidence to temporary...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-evanovich/i-attributed-the-incidence-to-temporary-insanity-and-in-my-own/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-evanovich/i-attributed-the-incidence-to-temporary-insanity-and-in-my-own/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```