It seems that Targa drivers have more respect for the road and other drivers than everyday motorists. What’s more irritating than driving down the street at 45 km/h and have someone speeding up behind you and sticking on your tail? You’re not going to get to your destination any quicker by doing it, and I’m surprised more motorists don’t just stop their car and let the driver behind them just smash into the back of the vehicle.
The Trans Canada Highway isn’t as busy as Highway 401 in Ontario, but as soon as the sign says speed limit 100 km/h, it’s like the flag just dropped on the Indianapolis 500. Vehicles pass on yields, drive bumper-to-bumper to seemingly reduce wind resistance, speed up in passing lanes, and reduce speeds on the single-lane highway.
It’s total chaos, and all we need is a video camera to capture the action and we can sell it on pay per view.
“Live…Sunday, Sunday, Sunday…watch what happens when a Gambo driver decides to pass a Gander driver five yards from a yield sign. Can the Glovertown driver pass three semis and two pick-up trucks while driving 170 km/h in a shortened passing lane? We have yelling, we have drivers flipping the bird, we have high blood pressure…all on Sunday, Sunday, Sunday! Live! And only on pay per view!”
I was driving to Musgrave Harbour following the recent demolition derby when a guy passed three vehicles on a dirt road with oncoming traffic. Smart? Heck no! Worthy of pay per view? You better believe it. Imagine the teaser. The camera fades out just as the guy pulls out to pass the first vehicle, and the viewer can see the line of cars coming towards him. We pay to watch mixed martial artists bloody each other up (hey, I’m a MMA fan) so I’m sure we can get people to watch everyday highway driving. Carnage and chaos sells these days. Viewers want violence and drama, and how can you get more dramatic than watching a two-ton pick-up try to pass a semi when there’s an ambulance coming in the opposite direction?
We have yelling, we have drivers flipping the bird, we have high blood pressure…all on Sunday, Sunday, Sunday! Live! And only on pay per view!” -
Not only will it sell, but we can also organize online bets. Drivers can say they’re leaving Appleton at 10 a.m. to drive to Corner Brook (a drive of about 340 kilometres) and want to be there by 3:30 p.m. Will the driver make it? We can install an in-car camera and follow the driver’s progress, and take over-under bets.
Imagine how great highway driving would be if we all drove 115 km/h; if drivers didn’t speed up in passing lanes, and nobody slowed down when they came out of the passing lane.
But hey, that wouldn’t sell on pay per view.
Wanted: Ill-tempered, foul-mouthed, quick-driving, no mirror-checking, uninformed yield-meaning drivers to compete in an everyday highway driving circuit. Please send your resume, and proof of speeding tickets, to…
Jersey Shore, eat your heart out.
info@ganderbeacon.ca
.jpg)
.jpg)
