It’s nearly summertime, and travellers and tourists are already out in abundance on our highways. Here are a few things to think about, look out for, and (most importantly) avoid doing over the next three months.
Looks like we got us a convoy: Are you driving a vehicle that cannot go more than 90km an hour (or are you a driver who is unwilling to drive faster than 90km an hour?). If so, then glance ahead. Is there nothing ahead of you in your lane? But is there a parade of vehicles stretching to the horizon when you glance in your rear-view mirror? Then for the love of Franklin the turtle, pull into the next available rest stop, chain up/off area, or brake check and let the cavalcade of frustrated drivers pass you.
Speed-up demon: Don’t be that driver who dawdles along at well under the posted speed limit when there is no chance for anyone to pass, but who thinks he or she is Gilles Villeneuve or Shirley Muldowney as soon as they hit a passing lane, accelerating so that no one can get round them. These drivers invariably slow right down as soon as the passing lane ends.
Cleanliness is next to Godliness: A clean and well-stocked washroom is a gift from the gods when you are travelling long distance; but there is no way of knowing what awaits until you open the door and step inside. If you find a space that smells like a Sasquatch’s armpit, is piled high with discarded paper towels, and appears to have been used by a long series of people who do not understand the concept of flushing a toilet, please let someone on staff know that they need to be cleaning the space more than once a week. Other travellers will thank you.
Wildlife warning: Animals are not, alas, known for their road sense, as the forlorn carcasses at the side, or in the middle, of our roads attest. Those wildlife warning signs along so many of our highways are no promise that you’ll see bears, deer, moose, or anything else; but they’re not just there for show, either. As I can attest, after a recent pretty-damn-close encounter with a deer on the way back from the Clinton Ball on May 20 (no damage done, but boy, the adrenalin starts pumping), those signs mean business; so watch, and be prepared, for animals wandering into your path.
(Non) Photo opportunity: On a related note, if you see Bambi or Yogi cavorting playfully at the side of the highway, please do not stop to take pictures. Depending on the road, you may well be blocking the way and causing a traffic jam, and the drivers behind you—who can’t see why you’ve stopped—will be cursing silently. Just make a mental note about the awesomeness of the natural world and keep moving.
Stop and smell the roses: In the headlong dash from Point A to Point B, it can be easy to overlook the many felicities in-between. How many people out there do a regular journey, and say to themselves “Hey, that artisan/museum/historic site/attraction/park looks neat; we should check it out one day” every time they blow past it at 110km an hour? Rather than just thinking about stopping, plan some extra time into your journey and stop there one day.
Who knows? They might even have clean bathrooms.