Peter I have terrible news for you, Canadians can’t drive worth a fuck either. Living in a town with a median age of 62+, I can also tell you that you get fucking worse at driving the older you get. I watched an old woman drive into a bank (critical support to her!) while parked in a parking lot. I guess D does look like R if you look quickly?
Clearly, I'm not in favor of any of that annexation or 51st state rhetoric, but the liberal patriotism up north also makes me want to spew. In other countries they stand out: looks like an American, acts like an American, maple leaf prominently displayed... whereas we USians tend to lean into our vileness...
Oh we are very good at pretending that we are the “good guys”. We are one of the biggest extractive petro fascist states out there, but we are “nice and friendly Canadians!”. It’s all a lie. The Canadian flag has been flying non stop since Trump got into power, meanwhile the prime minister has capitulated to every one of his demands. And this is the supposed “lesser of two evils”. But don’t worry, democratic socialism will save us all…
Rants have their place, and I love a good rant. My rants tend to be aimed more at the American's vehicle than the driver, but you're right: a switch gets flipped when the individual gets behind the wheel. If they aren't an asshole when they're not driving, they become one when they are. And the noise, the fucking noise these things make!
Anyway, here's one of my automotive rants "inspired" by the vehicle of choice in my rapidly deruralizing corner of the Midwest: https://substack.com/home/post/p-161065590
A German friend and I were once running an errand in Winnipeg (getting work permits I think), and realized that we were waiting at an empty intersection for the light to change so that we could cross. We laughed at ourselves and on the way back decided to act like Canadians and cross without waiting. Just then a car came around the corner and nearly ran us over. We decided that it’s dangerous to be Canadian 🤣🤣
Was that a screen grab from Zoolander above? I was trying to find something escapist to watch just the other day, and found it a tad too frivolous at this particular point in time.
I'm a former new yorker- new york driving is really aggressive. Leaving has helped me notice that the people who raised me use the road as an "acceptable place" to deposit the rage they've built up all day in the service industry, dealing with family, from traffic itself, etc. I think it's pretty toxic!!! and a clear symptom of how unwell we are.
Unlearning car rage has been a practice for me. Thich Nhat Hanh wrote a little meditation for getting in a car that I look at on my dashboard, it goes like this:
Before starting the car,
I know where I am going.
The car and I are one.
If the car goes fast, I go fast.
Living rurally now I see roadkill often. I need that car when I gotta get where I'm going, and I try to remember the many layered costs of turning it on when I do.
Peter I have terrible news for you, Canadians can’t drive worth a fuck either. Living in a town with a median age of 62+, I can also tell you that you get fucking worse at driving the older you get. I watched an old woman drive into a bank (critical support to her!) while parked in a parking lot. I guess D does look like R if you look quickly?
yo, this! i thought montrealers were bad drivers and then i moved to alberta.
I’m from there originally and it’s fucken bad hahahaha
Clearly, I'm not in favor of any of that annexation or 51st state rhetoric, but the liberal patriotism up north also makes me want to spew. In other countries they stand out: looks like an American, acts like an American, maple leaf prominently displayed... whereas we USians tend to lean into our vileness...
Oh we are very good at pretending that we are the “good guys”. We are one of the biggest extractive petro fascist states out there, but we are “nice and friendly Canadians!”. It’s all a lie. The Canadian flag has been flying non stop since Trump got into power, meanwhile the prime minister has capitulated to every one of his demands. And this is the supposed “lesser of two evils”. But don’t worry, democratic socialism will save us all…
Rants have their place, and I love a good rant. My rants tend to be aimed more at the American's vehicle than the driver, but you're right: a switch gets flipped when the individual gets behind the wheel. If they aren't an asshole when they're not driving, they become one when they are. And the noise, the fucking noise these things make!
Anyway, here's one of my automotive rants "inspired" by the vehicle of choice in my rapidly deruralizing corner of the Midwest: https://substack.com/home/post/p-161065590
A German friend and I were once running an errand in Winnipeg (getting work permits I think), and realized that we were waiting at an empty intersection for the light to change so that we could cross. We laughed at ourselves and on the way back decided to act like Canadians and cross without waiting. Just then a car came around the corner and nearly ran us over. We decided that it’s dangerous to be Canadian 🤣🤣
hahaha, love it!
soundtrack to this post is obviously R.A.M.B.O.'s classique track 'U-Lock Justice'
Was that a screen grab from Zoolander above? I was trying to find something escapist to watch just the other day, and found it a tad too frivolous at this particular point in time.
I loved your rant.
Once you watch Zoolander, it's like the Force.
It will be with you. Always.
I'm a former new yorker- new york driving is really aggressive. Leaving has helped me notice that the people who raised me use the road as an "acceptable place" to deposit the rage they've built up all day in the service industry, dealing with family, from traffic itself, etc. I think it's pretty toxic!!! and a clear symptom of how unwell we are.
Unlearning car rage has been a practice for me. Thich Nhat Hanh wrote a little meditation for getting in a car that I look at on my dashboard, it goes like this:
Before starting the car,
I know where I am going.
The car and I are one.
If the car goes fast, I go fast.
Living rurally now I see roadkill often. I need that car when I gotta get where I'm going, and I try to remember the many layered costs of turning it on when I do.