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

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.

"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.

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.

Brent P wrote:

> 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.

That didn't keep people from registering their American-sourced vehicles
without conversion work. I've seen lot of Chrysler minivans with
American red taillamps, SAE/DOT headlamps, and such here in Germany.
Sometimes the conversion work is very minimal such as fitting the rear
red fog lamp underneath the bumper or ECE headlamp capsules.

American government insisted for many years on full conversion work to
meet its inferior US regulations before registering the vehicles. I
think Germany should return the favour by insisting on full conversion
work to ECE regulations. No buts, no ifs, no exceptions.

Stupid Americans for 'inventing' the safety regulations that have no
real-world benefits or are so different from the rest of the world. Even
Australians and Japanese are moving toward to full ECE regulations with
a few local variations thrown in. Even with much smaller population
size, Australians have much MORE choices of vehicles than the Americans.
Go down to Mexico and see how many brands and models are sold there
which aren't sold in the USA.

Wake up! Time is now to ditch the protective and restrictive laws and to
open the US market fully!

In article >, OM wrote:

> Wake up! Time is now to ditch the protective and restrictive laws and to
> open the US market fully!

preaching to choir.

Brent P wrote:

> 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.

So what ? Age isn't an issue. Cars have to be maintained well to pass their annual
inspections.

Graham

In article >, Eeyore wrote:
>
>
> Brent P wrote:
>
>> 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.
>
> So what ? Age isn't an issue. Cars have to be maintained well to pass their annual
> inspections.

Those are the cars I saw and when I saw them. read the post I was
replying to that implied US made cars wouldn't even make it on the road
there new.

Brent P wrote:

> European
> makes however for the USDOT just have to be altered to downgrade their
> headlamps.

Tell me about your inferior headlights please.

Graham

In article >, Eeyore wrote:
>
>
> Brent P wrote:
>
>> European
>> makes however for the USDOT just have to be altered to downgrade their
>> headlamps.
>
> Tell me about your inferior headlights please.

Google daniel stern's posts on the subject.