Reading — Test 39

Reading passage

**Reader Reactions: Are Summer Road Trips Still Worth It?** Last week's column asked whether the classic Canadian summer road trip still makes sense given rising gas prices and packed highways. Here's what readers had to say. **Marcus, Thunder Bay:** People act like road trips have suddenly become impractical, but that's nostalgia talking, not economics. Gas costs more, sure, but split four ways between passengers, it still beats airfare for a family of four heading to the Maritimes. What nobody mentions is the flexibility. Last August we changed our route twice because of wildfire smoke advisories, something you simply cannot do once you've booked a flight and a rental car. **Priya, Kitchener:** I used to love driving to Tofino every July, but I've switched to flying and renting a car locally. Two days each way in the car isn't a vacation, it's an ordeal, especially with kids asking "are we there yet" somewhere around Kenora. The time saved lets me spend an extra four days actually at the destination instead of staring at the Trans-Canada Highway. **Deb, Charlottetown:** The road trip isn't dying, it's evolving. My partner and I now break every long drive into two-night stops instead of pushing through in one day. We've discovered small towns we'd have otherwise blown past at 100 km/h. Yes, it costs a bit more in hotels, but we arrive rested instead of resenting the whole trip before it starts. **Tommy, Red Deer:** Honestly, this debate ignores rural Canadians. For us, driving isn't a lifestyle choice, it's the only realistic option since the nearest airport with direct flights is three hours away. The real question shouldn't be "road trip versus flying," it should be how we make the drive itself safer and more comfortable, given how few rest stops exist between prairie towns.

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