Speed

In the course of my transition from British driver to BC driver, I have learnt an interesting truism. The speed limit is in fact the speed limit. Around most of the city and except where otherwise stated, the speed limit is 50kph. But there is a difference here from in Britain. The city is bigger. In town, in Britain, where the speed limit is 30mph, you are rarely in a position where you are crawling along a long, straight road that can have two or three lanes, for miles and miles at 30. Not so here. And of course, in Britain there are the speed cameras. Here they are rare.
So what transpires?
Firstly, there is a mistaken understanding of what the different lanes mean. I have learnt that there is no fast or slow lane in the city, no passing lanes unless there is a specific sign that says, 'slow drivers keep to the right lane'.
And yet day in, day out, keeping to the speed limit, we are passed by people who weave and speed and duck and dive.....and beep their horns. It causes tension.
In the local papers people write in and upbraid the illegal drivers, the driving organisation in BC has 'drives' to improve observation of the law. But all without result. And I remain shaken but not stirred.

I danced with a man who danced with a girl who danced with the Prince of Wales. Well no, not quite. I am reading a book that was read by Kevin who borrowed it from the small lending library at work. Scary huh since Kevin is an engineer ? But in fact the book is about the subconscious. It's one of those pop psychology books, which I don't mind, you can often get something from them and it refers frequently to research, and I did enough psychology in my Masters to be able to keep it in perspective. I think that's true at any rate.
There was a section where it talks about the subconscious decisions people make at speed dating sessions.
I'm sorry in a way that I have missed out on speed dating. Oh I wouldn't want to be in the position where I felt I had to do it, but it does seem rather a fascinating idea. And I thought to myself, wouldn't it be great to have speed-friending sessions. You just go along to meet people, any people, you spend five minutes just talking to a succession of different people just to hear about them, learn new ideas, touch new minds.
Of course there would be the odd one who couldn't conversation cue or who couldn't express themselves well. But then for some it might be a way of learning how to put ideas across and for the across talkers, well you'd only have to put up with them for five minutes.
There could be age-group sessions and cross age-group sessions. People who enjoy being single could go there, couples could go there, lonely people could go and of course you'd have the MC, or whatever the person who co-ordinates it is called, to move everything along. Someone to put in the punctuation.

I think under the circumstances, even I could become a kind of speed freak.