American drivers know how to behave

American beer and the U.S. president? You can keep 'em both, but I wouldn't mind importing some American highways and U.S. drivers.

I don't need to see Old Glory and destination signs in miles to get my bearings; I know I'm on American soil as soon as I hit the on-ramp.

The first giveaway: people move over. They're looking ahead, not at the asphalt directly in front of their hoods; they're watching the ramps, and when they see a vehicle coming on, they hop over a lane.

And they can do this because, most of the time, there's no one puttering along in the left-hand lane in the mistaken belief they're in England.

American drivers stay to the right, overtake on the left, and then move back into the right-hand lane, where they belong.

On three-lane highways, they seldom cruise all by themselves down the middle; on a recent trip, the only Americans I saw doing it were on the QEW – they probably saw so many drivers in that lane, they assumed it was some weird Ontario law.

And few Americans pull that uniquely Canadian trick: merge onto the highway, make a beeline across three lanes for the far left one, drive there for a few kilometres, and then zip back across all three lanes just before the desired exit.

Now, before the emails come a-flying, yes, I know we need to fill every lane on the Gardiner at 5 p.m., or people would get home just in time to go back to work.

Common sense, folks: there's a world beyond downtown Toronto, and I'm talking about stretches of the QEW or 400-series highways where traffic actually moves.

Bottom line: if someone passes you on the right, you're in the wrong lane.

Most U.S. highways also have higher speed limits, and they're set intelligently, unlike here, where the 401 is 100 km/h whether you're near Kingston Road or on your way to Kingston, Ontario.

In several states, cars go 70 or 75 m.p.h. – but 18-wheelers, RVs and vehicles towing trailers are limited to 10 m.p.h. less.

In town, you drive at the usual limit past a school when it's empty, but when children are around, flashing lights come on, and speeds drop to as low as 15 m.p.h.

Most of the zones here in Canada restrict speed all the time, with the result that too many drivers don't slow down when youngsters are actually around.

American highway crews know their stuff, too.

The usual plan here is a dozen pylons warning of road work ahead, and motorists have to move over with just a few seconds' warning.

In the U.S., warnings start miles ahead, with signs and road cones that funnel traffic almost seamlessly into the remaining lanes.

American drivers aren't perfect, of course; most are just as dumb as Canadians about using cellphones while driving.

But there is hope: 11 states have state-wide or jurisdiction bans on hand-held phones, and two more come on board next year.

I sure wish Ontario was smart enough to import that kind of American thinking.