Back to school in a hurry

Summer's gone, and the little ones start back to school today. Parents are again turning their most precious possessions over to complete strangers for rearing. Some parents were apparently so eager to do this that they had to fly down the road over the weekend at the speed of sound in anticipation. A law-abiding driver who stayed within the speed limit was often left in the dust. Speeds of 170, 180, 190 weren't uncommon. And this was no longer a class thing. True, the fancy sedans and SUVs were overrepresented in the fast lane, but even the Škodas got into the action. It's like this every day, a reader might respond. Well, yes, but it takes on added meaning when the kids are piled in the car, the bikes are on the roof, and everyone's thinking about the new school year. It's almost as though the parents want to show the kids one last thing - how to drive like a proper maniac - before someone else assumes responsibility for their upbringing.