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Re: Why it's set at 55 m.p.h...
In article <3m61mt$95t@convolution.eng.umd.edu>, hsu@Glue.umd.edu (Dave bd Hsu) says:
>
>In article <3m4dnv$3br@post.gsfc.nasa.gov>,
>Dirk Broer <oaddab@abacus.gsfc.nasa.gov> wrote:
[snip]
>I've only experiences the souther half of Germany, but at least there,
>the autobahns are unlimited only between interchanges which are some
>distance apart, much like in the midwestern US. In the vicinity of an
>interchange, the limit drops down to 80 or 100 km/h. This is analogous
>to the current rural requirement for exercising Congress' 65mph
>exception. This system works in spite of the fact that many of the
>highways aren't nearly as well paved or lighted as a typical US
>interstate (excepting those in the northeastern US, which are shit).
My experience is mostly from the Frankfurt - Bonn stretch (3 lanes I think)
and in and around Koln.
>More importantly, though, is the conscientiousness of German drivers, and
>the strict rule enforcement. Mandatory lane discipline: no passing on the
>right. Mandatory turn signals for lane changes. Tighter speed enforcement,
>(sometimes by polizei in Porsches :-), which isn't really objectionable as
>the limits are more sensibly set. German drivers are a huge factor in why
>the Germans can have autobahns...virtually all of the assholes (read: lane
>hogs) I saw on the road were from other EC countries, or from former East
>Germany or Czechoslovakia.
Note that Germany no longer has _the_ safest roads - something about a
Trablat (sp?) driving maxed out in the wrong lane. A Porsche barreling
down at 150+mph makes a few assumptions and one is that the Trablat driver
will get out of the way....
BTW I though the speed limits on the non-unlimted sections was more like
100kph for trucks and 110 for everyone else (note that trucks must drive
in the right lane - period). In any case your arguements seem valid.
Dirk
>
>-dave
>
>--
>Dave Hsu <hsu@glue.umd.edu>
>
>"The only way to deal with bureaucrats is with stealth and sudden violence."
> - UN Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali
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