I remember 10 years ago when I first got my license that I could drive between 110 and 120 km/h and pass most of the cars on the road. If the meter hit 130 km/h it was because I was driving a Dodge Caravan with ridiculous amounts of pull power when compared to the Mazda 626 I was used to driving. In any case, in the unwritten rules of the road, driving 120 km/h used to be a license to drive in the passing lane for most of the drive from Windsor to Toronto. Not so in the year 2004.

When I last drove from Windsor to Toronto, I was in no rush. I set the cruise control for a notch above 115 km/h and did push button driving for much of the ride up. What I noticed was that with exception of literally a handful of cars, I was the slowest car on the road. I could easily spend the majority of time in the far right lane of the three lane highway(where all slow cars should be) and not run into any problems. This is scary.

While driving 15 clicks over the limit is illegal and dangerous, so is driving 30 km/h which now appears to be the average. Worse still is that there is now a huge disparity between the slowest and fastest cars on the road. Cars weave in and out with disdain for their fellow drivers and more than a few are using cellphones without handsfree. One driver I noticed from behind I thought was drunk with all his weaving around the road until I realized he was reading a newspaper while driving on the 401. Have people gone mad? Where is the respect that these machines deserve?

It seems as if Ontario, where a great deal of motor vehicles are produced for North America, has begun to take driving for granted. We need to realize the danger that motor vehicles possess to ourselves, our loved ones, and our neighbours. When we drive on the roads, we are trusting everyone on the road to do their part to keep us safe. It doesn't work unless we all do our part. Drive safe.