I overrode my own safety rules 38 times in one session

Short summary

A senior engineer recounts overriding their own safety guardrails 38 times in a single session versus 16 genuine blocks, realizing that routinely bypassed rules teach engineers to dismiss all warnings as noise. The author advocates a monthly review of actual overrides sorted into three piles: fix the human, move the rule, or retire the scar. The key insight is that process accumulates in one direction because removing safety rails feels reckless while adding them feels responsible.

• •Overrode own safety rules 38 times vs 16 genuine blocks in one session — bypassed rules train you to ignore real warnings
• •Monthly override audit: sort into fix-the-human, move-the-rule, or retire-the-scar piles
• •Process debt accumulates because removing safety rails feels reckless while adding them never does

Generated with AI, which can make mistakes.