Posted By: Sheri (New Board: ForeignJobs) on 'English'
Title:     Re: Driving speeds...
Date:      Sat Sep 18 15:42:01 1999

There are two things in this post you compared.  First, you compared Germany 
to US citizens and speeds.  I don't know that many Germans to compare and I 
don't know the driving conditions of the roads in Germany to compare.

Second, you compared speed to safety.  I don't think speed has anything to do 
with safety.  My twin was killed pulling out into an intersection from a stop 
position.  I was driving through a parking lot.  This woman decided to park 
in a drive through area, and then drove backwards hitting me in my back door.  
In most cases, when safety was risked, speed isn't the issue.  Judgement is.  
Not to say that all good drivers have good judgement anywhere. 

To those that don't know our country's laws.  Each state is different.  The 
only state that doesn't have a speed limit is Montana, I think.  The state of 
Iowa has a low speed of 40 and a high speed from 65-70 at some places.  The 40 
speed limit is use more in the case of something wrong with the car rather 
than the driver's wish to go slow.  I have HAD TO drive at this speed.  It's 
not a safe one when all are going 65 or faster. 

At one time they said the speed had to do with gas consumption not safety.  I 
would assume that while gas is at an alltime high in our area ($1.28/gallon, 
approximately 4 liters), I know that it has to do with supply and demand.  In 
those cases it's not always the speeds, the gas supplier here, but the oil 
prices outside our country. 

IMHO safety has more to do with road conditions and common sense.  Disrespect 
both of these and you become an accident waiting to happen. 


> 
> The thing is... why do they have such a ridiculous speed limit in the
> States? 
> 
> On German autobahns, there is no such a thing as a speed limit. And....
> what's 
> more, German motorways are one of the safest in the world... it is not
> 150mph 
> that causes most deaths. 
> 
> Driving at shitty speeds such as 50mph (on the motorway, of course :-)
> doesn't 
> make the deal.
> 
> Avatar alias Bodie (in chat)
> 
> The faster the car, the safer you are (Andrew Bodie, CI5)
> 
> 



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