At the Wheel OR 32/365

Today in Alberta, the new Distracted Driving Law went into effect. There are now legal consequences for such activities as (but not limited to):

• using hand-held cell phones
• texting or e-mailing (even at a red light or behind a train)
• using electronic devices like laptop computers, video games, cameras, video entertainment displays and programming portable audio players (e.g., MP3 players)
• entering information on GPS units
• reading printed materials in the vehicle
• writing, printing or sketching, and
• personal grooming

while operating your vehicle.

Admittedly, I have engaged in some of those distracted behaviours myself. I once tried to argue that it was only when I was driving alone. When I have passengers, I would never want to risk hurting them in an accident. The person I was talking to responded, "just everyone else on the road." ...Point taken. Really, I'm glad this new legislation is in place. Sure, it's not a perfect solution--just as photo radar clearly doesn't stop people from speeding permanently. Still, I feel it's a step in the right direction.

I read through the FAQ on the Ministry of Transportation website last week, and some of the questions they posted surprised me. Particularly, "How does this legislation balance the need for safety with the realities of multi-tasking that occur in day-to-day driving?" ...Sorry, what?

...the realities of multi-tasking that occur in day-to-day driving... As if that's the way driving is, rather than the way driving has become. No driver needs to multi-task in the car. We do it because we've become a fast-paced, technology-dependent, time-crunched society.*

You've probably heard of the "Slow Movement", which encourages people to take all aspects of life at a healthier (and often slower) pace. It is about reducing the rush-rush mentality, and creating room to live more purposefully and meaningfully. Faster and more are not always better.

I love how people think this is some new idea. It's not. It might just be that the some of the ways our ancestors did life before urbanization and the inundation of technology might actually have been a good way to do things. Go figure. As an introvert who hates moving from one activity to the next without down time, and as someone who can't handle that rushed feeling being thrown at her, my thought when I first heard about the Slow Movement was, it's about freaking time this lifestyle became trendy.

As much as I already embrace things like down time, cooking my own meals, planting a garden, engaging children in natural play, reading a book instead of immersing myself in multimedia... I still fall prey to my iPod, my cell phone, and most certainly the computer. I also fall prey to the need to always be doing something; not rushing--I hate that feeling--more just not being bored or inactive. Heaven forbid I actually sit alone with my thoughts and maybe with God for five minutes. Must. Fill. Empty. Space. ....Right.

And then so many of my activities are dictated by my needing a car to get there. I am in my car a lot.

Appreciating the value of the Slow Movement doesn't mean I plan on giving up my car or anything. Generally speaking, I love to drive. And our transit system kinda sucks. But I think I can be more proactive in how I spend my drive time.

• I don't need to call that person right away; I will be wherever I'm going soon enough (and if I do need to call that person right away, I can pull over). 
• I can put on lip gloss before I start moving.
• I can sit patiently at a red light for the whole minute or less that it's red (rather than squeezing out three more words of a text message).
• I can eat lunch at the office. It is not in my job description to scarf down lunch while I'm driving; I put that on myself.

This new legislation is kinda like a fresh reminder. What are my priorities when I'm driving? What makes me feel like I have to multi-task in the car? What am I doing behind the wheel?

* It still blows my mind that there are people who try to do things like brush their teeth while driving. How do you even do that? I can't even brush my teeth and text at the same time, let alone brush my teeth and drive. ...And yes, I have found myself in a place where I was brushing my teeth and texting--but that's a different story.