A Cars forum. AutoBanter

If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above. You may have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.

Go Back   Home » AutoBanter forum » Auto newsgroups » Driving
Site Map Home Register Authors List Search Today's Posts Mark Forums Read Web Partners

The Germans can do it. Why can't we?



 
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old August 11th 06, 01:45 AM posted to rec.autos.driving
Rob[_2_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 38
Default The Germans can do it. Why can't we?

Our interstates should be like this. According to everything I have
read, their accident rates are no higher than ours. They may even be
lower.
..
http://gettingaroundgermany.home.att...tm#speedlimits
Ads
  #2  
Old August 11th 06, 02:06 AM posted to rec.autos.driving
Brent P[_1_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 8,639
Default The Germans can do it. Why can't we?

In article >, Rob wrote:
> Our interstates should be like this. According to everything I have
> read, their accident rates are no higher than ours. They may even be
> lower.
> .
> http://gettingaroundgermany.home.att...tm#speedlimits


The thing you don't seem to grasp, when speed limits are used, they make
sense there. Have you driven any part of the Autobahn at all? I have. I'd
rather drive in congested traffic on the autobahn in a construction
zone than about 90% of the interstate driving I do here given my past
experience.



  #3  
Old August 11th 06, 02:37 AM posted to rec.autos.driving
gpsman
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 3,233
Default The Germans can do it. Why can't we?

Rob wrote:
> Our interstates should be like this. According to everything I have
> read, their accident rates are no higher than ours. They may even be
> lower.
> .
> http://gettingaroundgermany.home.att...tm#speedlimits


Ah, yes, the nirvana of the motorist, the Autobahn...

"The police are allowed to collect fines (Verwarnungsgeld) for most
traffic offenses on the spot. If you don't have enough cash on hand,
your vehicle may be impounded (at additional cost to you, of course.)
You need not fear when paying spot fines-- the German police are very
professional and corruption is very rare, and you will be given a
receipt for the payment.

"Beware of enforcement cameras. Germany probably uses such cameras
more than anyone else (except possibly Britain). Automatic cameras are
stationed to catch speeders, red-light violators, and tailgaters.
Sometimes an obscure sign will warn you of the existence of such a
camera, but it's usually too late by then. You'll sometimes spot
temporary cameras setup along the The tickets are mailed to the
registered owner of the vehicle within a few weeks." (sic)

"If you're driving a rental car, the ticket will go to the rental
agency. They, in turn, will report you to the police as the driver of
the vehicle and the ticket will be forwarded to you, although they
frequently drop cases against non-EU residents-- it's too much of a
hassle since the odds of collecting are pretty slim."

"An interesting footnote: the police stopped sending a copy of the
photo a few years ago when several spouses discovered cases of
infidelity when they opened the violation notice. Now, you have to go
to the police station yourself to see the photo and contest it if you
so desire. Such an effort is usually fruitless, though."

"Sometimes the police will travel along in unmarked cars or vans with
front and rear mounted cameras looking for speeders and tailgaters. If
you get busted, you'll likely be signaled to pull over by a "lollypop"
traffic paddle (a white disk with red bull's-eye on a short stick)
being held out of the window and perhaps a flashing sign on the back of
the vehicle reading "Polizei-- bitte folgen" ("police-- please
follow".)"
http://gettingaroundgermany.home.att.net/regeln.htm
=====

When you have a total of 143,812 miles of paved roads including a
measley 7475 miles of expressways, I think construction, maintenence
and management become a tad easier.
-----

- gpsman

  #4  
Old August 11th 06, 02:51 AM posted to rec.autos.driving,misc.transport.road,alt.law-enforcement.traffic,talk.politics.misc,alt.true-crime
laura bush - VEHICULAR HOMICIDE
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 376
Default The Germans can do it. Why can't we?

On Thu, 10 Aug 2006 20:45:56 -0400, Rob > wrote:

>Our interstates should be like this. According to everything I have
>read, their accident rates are no higher than ours. They may even be
>lower.
>.
>http://gettingaroundgermany.home.att...tm#speedlimits


Fortunately all americans are not psycho-homos like you who think
endangering other drivers makes you a big man. Why do you let the
media brainwash you into believing this "speed is cool" craziness?
  #5  
Old August 11th 06, 02:59 AM posted to rec.autos.driving
Billzz
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 97
Default The Germans can do it. Why can't we?

"Brent P" > wrote in message
. ..
> In article >, Rob wrote:
>> Our interstates should be like this. According to everything I have
>> read, their accident rates are no higher than ours. They may even be
>> lower.
>> .
>> http://gettingaroundgermany.home.att...tm#speedlimits

>
> The thing you don't seem to grasp, when speed limits are used, they make
> sense there. Have you driven any part of the Autobahn at all? I have. I'd
> rather drive in congested traffic on the autobahn in a construction
> zone than about 90% of the interstate driving I do here given my past
> experience.


We lived in Germany for seven years, and I had the fortune to have an E-Type
Jaguar. We were married in Basel, had to return to Mainz, and my
child-bride woke up to find I was driving 130 mph on the Munich to Frankfurt
Autobahn, and she made me promise to never do that again. The second time
we had two kids and a VW Dasher, so I never saw 90 again.

Germany has graduated driving licenses, and *all* of the drivers on *all* of
the Autobahns know *all* of the rules (or they are not allowed to drive the
Autobahn) and so they are very predictable in their actions, unlike the
"free-form" driving that is done in other places. One always keeps to the
right, and only pass to the left, and if there are blinking headlights
behind, immediately dive back to the right. Back in D.C. there was a famous
Dr. Nestor, who wrote many a letter to the editor of the Washington Post
proclaiming how he was proud to drive the speed limit in the left lane. He
would be dead, or in jail, in Germany.

Accident rates, when we were there, were higher than the US. The reason is
that the high speeds themselves are not necessarily unsafe, but when there
is fog, or an unexpected stoppage, then many cars collide, at high speed.
Overall there are fewer accidents, but when they happen they involve many
more cars than on a US Interstate.

We drove everywhere, the distances meaning little, by US standards. I was
used to driving twelve hours a day in my annual commute from Dallas to
Sacramento for the Jazz Jubilee, so six hours to Paris? A piece of brioche.
We even drove to Calais, ferried the car to England, and drove the wrong way
around England, then back, in about a week - no hurry.

The secret to the Autobahn is the drivers, and the cars, both better than
the US. You may not register a car in Germany if it has any leak, or any
rust, at all. A number of American soldiers got good deals from Germans,
who could not register their cars, but the soldiers could get NATO
status-of-forces exemptions, and US Forces Germany license plates. Very few
American cars that I saw, in Germany, could pass the rigid German
registration. They make no bones about the fact that they do not want
everyone to drive - it is a rich person's way of life - everyone is supposed
to take the train.


  #6  
Old August 11th 06, 03:12 AM posted to rec.autos.driving
Brent P[_1_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 8,639
Default The Germans can do it. Why can't we?

In article >, Billzz wrote:

> Accident rates, when we were there, were higher than the US. The reason is
> that the high speeds themselves are not necessarily unsafe, but when there
> is fog, or an unexpected stoppage, then many cars collide, at high speed.
> Overall there are fewer accidents, but when they happen they involve many
> more cars than on a US Interstate.


Actually fatality rates were higher there 30 years ago. Germany has
since beaten the US interstate in safety. Much of the reason can be
attributed to the fact europe no longer lags behind the US in crash
safety as it did in the 1970s. (yes, there were exceptions of
particular makes, but I am refering to entire marketplace and the
requirements)

> The secret to the Autobahn is the drivers, and the cars, both better than
> the US. You may not register a car in Germany if it has any leak, or any
> rust, at all. A number of American soldiers got good deals from Germans,
> who could not register their cars, but the soldiers could get NATO
> status-of-forces exemptions, and US Forces Germany license plates. Very few
> American cars that I saw, in Germany, could pass the rigid German
> registration. They make no bones about the fact that they do not want
> everyone to drive - it is a rich person's way of life - everyone is supposed
> to take the train.


I saw all sorts of vehicles on the roads and I wasn't there long. While
there weren't any rusty heaps like I see in chicago, I saw several US
vehicles. Including an early 80s GM Fbody and an early 80s/late 70s GM
station wagon. These cars would have been pushing 20 years old at the
time.

The reason american cars had trouble passing is that US cars don't meet
ECE vehicle lighting standards and have to be retrofitted to pass.
Sealed beam cars are no problem for headlamps, but the signal lamps,
brake lamps, rear fog lamp etc all have to meet ECE standards. European
makes however for the USDOT just have to be altered to downgrade their
headlamps.

I think the 'masses take the train' thing is dead too given the number
of cars on the roads.





  #7  
Old August 11th 06, 03:37 AM posted to rec.autos.driving
Rob[_2_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 38
Default The Germans can do it. Why can't we?

On Thu, 10 Aug 2006 20:06:20 -0500,
(Brent P) wrote:

>In article >, Rob wrote:
>> Our interstates should be like this. According to everything I have
>> read, their accident rates are no higher than ours. They may even be
>> lower.
>> .
>>
http://gettingaroundgermany.home.att...tm#speedlimits
>
>The thing you don't seem to grasp, when speed limits are used, they make
>sense there. Have you driven any part of the Autobahn at all? I have. I'd
>rather drive in congested traffic on the autobahn in a construction
>zone than about 90% of the interstate driving I do here given my past
>experience.
>
>


That's what I was getting at actually. How the speed limits are
adapted to the conditions and not used where not needed. If I'm not
mistaken, drivers are also trained better over there before they get a
license. I also like how the left lane is pass only and I believe
trucks mostly stay in the right lane. From everything I have heard,
it's just so much more sensible of a system and obviously a better
system according to the statistics I have seen. We don't need slower
speeds, we just need better rules and better drivers and stricter
enforcement against the bad drivers. I'll take a good driver doing 85
over a bad driver doing 55 any day. The autobahn just proves that
speed is not the problem, it's how you drive.

  #8  
Old August 11th 06, 03:49 AM posted to rec.autos.driving
Brent P[_1_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 8,639
Default The Germans can do it. Why can't we?

In article >, Rob wrote:

> That's what I was getting at actually. How the speed limits are
> adapted to the conditions and not used where not needed.


I thought you were getting at that there are offten low speed limits on
the autobahn for construction zones etc as yet another 'low speed' thing...
Sorry my mistake.

An example of speed limits making sense is even though construction zone
speed limits can be really low on the autobahn, I found that I didn't
want to drive them much faster. Lanes so narrow that one is practically
scraping mirrors has that effect.



  #9  
Old August 11th 06, 03:55 AM posted to rec.autos.driving,misc.transport.road,alt.law-enforcement.traffic,talk.politics.misc,alt.true-crime
John[_7_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 1
Default The Germans can do it. Why can't we?


"laura bush - VEHICULAR HOMICIDE" > wrote in message
...
> On Thu, 10 Aug 2006 20:45:56 -0400, Rob > wrote:
>
> >Our interstates should be like this. According to everything I have
> >read, their accident rates are no higher than ours. They may even be
> >lower.
> >.
> >http://gettingaroundgermany.home.att...tm#speedlimits

>
> Fortunately all americans are not psycho-homos like you who think
> endangering other drivers makes you a big man. Why do you let the
> media brainwash you into believing this "speed is cool" craziness?


I just get sick of your posts, your bull****, and you. Go away -
forever..................


  #10  
Old August 11th 06, 04:02 AM posted to rec.autos.driving
Rob[_2_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 38
Default The Germans can do it. Why can't we?

On Fri, 11 Aug 2006 01:51:06 GMT, laura bush - VEHICULAR HOMICIDE
> wrote:

>On Thu, 10 Aug 2006 20:45:56 -0400, Rob > wrote:
>
>>Our interstates should be like this. According to everything I have
>>read, their accident rates are no higher than ours. They may even be
>>lower.
>>.
>>http://gettingaroundgermany.home.att...tm#speedlimits

>
>Fortunately all americans are not psycho-homos like you who think
>endangering other drivers makes you a big man. Why do you let the
>media brainwash you into believing this "speed is cool" craziness?


Actually I'm not a speed freak like you would like to think I am.
Hell, my car is only 140 hp. I'm usually the guy in the middle of
traffic that goes with the flow of traffic and on an interstate, that
flow is almost always speeding unless you want to take your life in
your own hands. The other time I may speed is on those brief moments
where gravity helps you speed going down hills. What I don't like is
getting a ticket for not riding my brakes down a long downhill open
straightaway when I may creep above the speed limit by 10 or 15 mph
for a couple seconds just before I level out. Smart drivers can use
that extra momentum to save a little gas you know.

psycho-homo? Are you even old enough to drive?
 




Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

vB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Forum Jump

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
"My daughter had a right to be on the road that night," Innis said. "He didn't." [email protected] Driving 465 August 9th 06 07:27 AM
Why do people have soft spots for VW's? Tom Levigne VW water cooled 21 March 15th 05 06:36 PM
Any Germans using GTR nocd? Uwe Schürkamp Simulators 0 February 25th 05 10:37 AM


All times are GMT +1. The time now is 09:43 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.6.4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Copyright ©2004-2024 AutoBanter.
The comments are property of their posters.