I cleared the intersection, heading to the “slow lane,” and after a quarter mile or so, viewed the traffic from my rear-view mirror.

 

The east-bound Hwy. 10 traffic had just gotten the green light, but was easily a quarter mile behind me.

 

By the time we got to the Co. Rd. 11 intersection three miles easterly, all five cars from the previous intersection had passed me.

 

Two drivers had some apparatus up to their faces.

 

Between the Co. Rd. 11 and Co. Rd. 17-81 intersections, another 19 cars passed me, several more drivers having some type of apparatus to their faces.

 

One car driver, I think an elderly lady, stayed behind my vehicle for some time during that stretch, but decided it would be best to pass, too.

 

In the final stretch to Big Lake, cars zoomed up to 65 mile per hour speeds so they could hit the Big Lake City 35-mph limit “at cruising speed.”

 

Everybody was in the passing lane.

 

Two generations ago, the passing lane was an occasionally-used lane. Easily 90% of drivers were in the right lane and an occasional driver who may have been late for work or an appointment might have accessed the left-side for the passing opportunity.

 

Now days, 90% of the traffic is in the passing lane.

 

Now, what gives, if I’m driving at 65 to 70 in the “slow lane?”

 

This phenomenon used to frustrate the heck out of me; now, it only flabbergasts me.

 

If the State of Minnesota is so shy on funds to fix its roads, why don’t the Legislature and Cops do their jobs.

 

There could have been easily 30 traffic tickets for speeding and a few more for pretty sloppy lane changes and following too closely. They could have picked up a couple thousands of dollars in fines in that 10-minute ordeal.

 

So.

 

I can’t believe the statistics showing our roads are getting safer. 

 

By whose standards.

 

Friday this week, my siblings, Chuck, Anita, Diane and I and close relatives were to attend the 20th Annual Foley High School All-School Reunion at Henry’s Banquet Center in Foley.

 

I’ve been to just about all of my Class of 1964 reunions, but the all-school reunion would be a first.

 

I asked my brother if I would know anybody there, since the invited classes ranged from 1916 to 1967.

 

He suggested there might be 30 or 40 people I’d know.

 

But I’m wondering how many canes that graduate from the Class of 1916 will be yielding. Point being, 1916 I believe was the first class to graduate from Foley High School, so the planners are making it official, from the start.

 

Reunions are what you make them; we’ll see how this one shakes out.