Recently, I read that our love of speed taps into something deep within our psychological nature—that when humans first encountered rapid movement in the mid-1800s, they took to it like ducks to water. We, at The Slow Human, see things differently.
Still, this apparently ingrained desire for acceleration—and the accompanying feelings of exhilaration and freedom—was brought home to me recently during a short drive through my adopted city, Montreal. The observation: no one, including my own leisurely self, was able to keep to the maximum speed limit of 40 km/h. Yes, you read that right—the maximum speed limit.
As our fragile world spins ever faster, with everything from food production to fashion trends accelerating at breakneck speed, so too do we. The result? Driving has become a joyless, stressful, and often dangerous experience, riddled with unpredictability. The statutory speed limits that dot our urban landscapes have become almost farcical, to the point where breaking them barely elicits a shrug.
Exceeding the speed limit has become an acceptable—perhaps even inevitable—act. It serves as a reminder of how speed transforms not only our outer world but also our inner psychology. Inside the car, our minds—stimulated by a steady drip of adrenaline and noradrenaline—shift gears. Even the most mild-mannered drivers can morph into out-of-control speed merchants, mindlessly flooring the accelerator and either stubbornly refusing or genuinely incapable of honouring the maximum speed limit.
Outside the car, particularly in urban environments, these speedsters face a gauntlet of speed-reduction tactics: speed bumps, rumble strips, narrowed lanes, speed cameras, flashing signs, psychological messaging, clever landscaping, and roundabouts. The message is loud and clear: slow the heck down and obey the maximum speed limit.
Yes, the maximum speed limit, idiot. And what of those peculiar, brave souls who don’t seek the thrill of speed? The ones who dare to drive slightly below the posted maximum? Be prepared to be honked at, buster.