Let’s not sugar-coat it:
Driving has become an act of aggression.
We tailgate. We rage. We cut people off. We scroll Instagram at red lights.
And we sure as hell don’t wave anymore.
Somewhere along the way, we lost the plot.
Once upon a time, a Sunday drive was a joy — open roads, wind in your hair, coffee in hand, good music on the dial. Now? It’s an anxiety-inducing obstacle course of brake-checks, construction zones, fender-benders, and barely restrained fury.
I haven’t quite adjusted to the rage of my youth, but age brings patience. I’m slower to anger now. And I notice things.
I told my doctor:
If you and I drove home together and you stayed in the left lane the whole way — I couldn’t trust you with my health.
Because driving is how we tell people who we are.
It’s how we model awareness.
It’s how we betray what we really think of others.
I use driving metaphors socially, philosophically, even in quantum physics.
I drive a 2011 WRX that doesn’t even kneel to me. It’s an alarming car.
But lately, I hardly ever hear the turbo kick in.
I've decided to become the best driver I can.
So what happened?
We stopped driving like it mattered.
🚦 Five Laws for Every Driver
Treat driving like a profession — because it is.
1. Drive Right, Pass Left
The left lane isn’t your personal kingdom. It’s for passing. Stay right unless you’re overtaking.
2. Use Your Signals
This isn’t a spy mission. Let others know where you're going — at least 2–3 seconds before your move.
3. Drop the Phone
Look down for one second and you’ve traveled 50 meters blind. That’s half a football field. Wake up.
4. Merge Like a Zipper
One car in, one car out. No panic, no ego. We’re not battling for oxygen — just trying to get home.
5. Fender Bender? Pull Over
If it’s minor, don’t block traffic. Get to the shoulder or nearest turnout. Don’t punish the city for your bump.
🧠Five Golden Rules of Driving With Respect
1. Don’t Rush the Yellow
If it’s been yellow for a second, the red is coming fast. You’re not filming a car chase. Ease up.
2. Never Cut Off a Truck
They need 10Ă— more distance to stop. You will lose that fight every single time.
3. Zero Tolerance
Alcohol, weed, pills, scrolling — they don’t mix with a 2,500 lb missile. Period.
4. Pedestrians Always Win
They’re not obstacles. They’re people — like you — on foot, just trying to make it through the day.
5. The Sacred Wave
Someone lets you in? WAVE.
Someone holds back so you can merge? WAVE.
Wave like it means something. Because it does.
🧠We Need to Rethink Driving Altogether
After three not-at-fault accidents, I now speak with a counselor about driving anxiety.
I used to love driving — the road, the control of a 5-speed, the pure joy of motion.
But now, like many, I fear the mindlessness on the roads.
I’ve driven in 19 countries and all 50 U.S. states. And I say this with honesty:
Canadians — tied with Americans — are among the worst drivers in the developed world.
But it doesn’t have to stay that way.
The title of Best Driving City in Canada is up for grabs. It takes nothing but respect and basic awareness to win it.
I’ve passed three pro driving courses at the Justice Institute. They taught me why taxis rarely crash — awareness. Spatial awareness, specifically. If we all mastered that alone, we’d prevent 90% of all accidents.
Let’s bring joy back to driving.
Let’s make the road a place we want to be again.
🧰 Advanced Driving Awareness
- If you are stopping suddenly, hit the hazard lights while hitting the brake.
This is 100% Autobahn-etiquette. - Practice regaining control.
Find an empty lot after snowfall. Learn your car. Learn the slide. Embrace the drift. - Understand your car’s weight and stopping power.
You’re not driving a toy. You’re piloting a projectile. - White signs are law. Yellow signs are warnings.
Neither are optional. - Patience isn’t passive.
It’s proactive protection.
🎯 Final Thought: Drive Like Someone Loves You
We’re all flying around in metal shells at lethal speeds.
Every second, something could go terribly wrong.
The only thing between calm and catastrophe?
You.
Your foot.
Your signal.
Your presence.
Your humanity.
Bring it back to the wheel.
And for the love of all that’s sacred on the open road…
Just. WAVE.