LETTER

Driving, respect, being a fellow-citizen 

It’s been ten years since I moved to Aylmer. I have a feeling that the sector doubled in population in this period, yet the streets are the same.

For me, work is via Lucerne Boulevard and the Champlain Bridge. I cannot bike; I need a car at work so I envy every bicycle that passes by.

But I would be much less miserable if, every day, I did not see dozens of cars passing me using the preferential line with only the driver, forcing their way in ahead and putting me even more behind -- with their selfish and disrespectful attitude. And recently, I watched cars wrong-way driving for hundreds of meters on Lucerne, turning right on Champlain and cutting into all the traffic with absolute no fear of being caught. Why? 

Because it pays off. They don’t get caught.  Because Lucerne Boulevard, Champlain Bridge, and other ways in our city are lawless during rush hour.  Because there are people like me who follow the rules – and we stay stuck in traffic, getting angry and frustrated and eventually dying sooner because of all that. And I am a proud Canadian.

Emanuel Oliveira, 

Aylmer