Driving in Holland

I don't know how you all have spend X-mas, but I hope you all had a great time, whatever you did, and with whoever you have been. We spend our X-mas with my mom in Weert, in the south of Holland. It's 150 km, so approx. 1 1/2 hour drive. Normally traffic never really get to me, but yesterday it could drive me crazy sometimes. The road was filled with those people who drive only once a year on X-mas, and drive 90 km/hour on the right lane with their hands nicely on "10 minutes to 2", also on the parts where 120 is allowed. That is not really the worst part, no....the worst part is those people who are passing the first group at a pase of 100 where 120 is allowed.
Those who know me, probably also know the way I drive. I do drive safely, and always look out in all directions,....BUT, I always have the tendency to drive a little bit faster than allowed. So, it always makes me nervous to drive behind someone who is driving slower then the speed limit. No, I am not those a****** who will drive right up to the bumper of your car, to make it clear that you have to drive faster. I always drive behind the person, and remain cool and calm....well, on the outside, that is. Inside I am boiling and eating myself alive. The good thing is, that as soon as the car in question has vanished from my rear view mirrors, I forget about it, and go on my way. So, my stress level never really rises to dangerous boiling levels or anything.

When you are on the road, you see things, that'll make you wonder about where we are going to in Holland. And I don't mean, we are all going to visit someone. But the bigger picture.....For example: on the way back at around 7 pm, we were driving, I believe in the area of......hmmm, can't remember. Anyway, in Holland we have those signs above the road, called matrix-signs. Don't expect Keanu Reeves to jump down and land on the hood of the car, because this is another matrix. These signs shows information on the speedlimit etc, on places where there is a traffic jam, or when they are working on the road. The strange thing was, at one area, the signs showed a limit of 90 km/hour. There were no road works, no traffic jam, and it was only for a length of about 500 meters. So, I am wondering, what was the point of this? I sometimes see those things flashing when there is absolutely nothing wrong. So, the question usually is: Are those lights on because there is a traffic jam, OR is there a traffic jam BECAUSE those lights are on? I tend to say the latter.

Another strange thing I noticed is this. About a year ago, the environmentalists have claimed to have won an important battle in pushing back the use of the car, in favor of the environment. On the ring roads around the big cities (Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Utrecht and I believe Den Haag too) the speed limit was reduced to 80. This would be better for the environment, since there was less exhaust fumes, less traffic jams, etc. Now, a year later, they have found out that reducing the speed limit actually causes more traffic jams, making it worse for the environment.
Also near Utrecht I have noticed the following situation:

At one part near Utrecht, you can find the situation as drawn above (sorry for the lousy picture. I am not much of painter). On the ring road around Utrecht, the limit is 80, because of the environment. On the highway right next to the ring, the limit is 100! And this is not just a small section. No, this is about 10 or 15 km long. So, on the ring we are really doing our best to keep the environment clean by driving 80, while 5 meters further they are blowing a lot of exhaust fumes into the air by driving 100.
Don't you think we have taken this thing a little bit too far? Or maybe they haven't thought things thouroughly through? It's nice to think about the environment, and it is important for our kids too. But better think before you act. It is better to win the WAR against polution, than just A battle.
Oh, and for your information, Alec loved his X-mas toys, and can't stop playing with them.