TonyTwoBags

Max speed =/= avg speed. US interstate highways, particularly those west of the Mississippi, are generally capable of handling 100mph speeds on the tail end of a distribution. It's posturing to translate this obvious sentiment to avg speed. You know it, I know it.

Astro

Exactly. As I mentioned in an earlier post, I drive over there all the time and routinely at high speed without any concerns(granted I'm very alert and aware). Better roads and better drivers.

Spork

I spent a year in Germany driving truck all over the country. Granted, it was in the 70's but even then this was true.

When I first got stationed there a bunch of us went into town (Kaiserslautern) to a local bar. Outside were a bunch of 50CC mopeds. When we went inside the place was filled with German bikers. I rode a Harley then (still do) so naturally started talking to these guys about their bikes. Turns out they were all riding the mopeds! When I asked why they told me that it is very expensive and takes a long time to get a driver's license in Germany. A license was not required to ride a moped so they all ride them until they get licensed.

I drove an International 4070 COE with a Detroit V12 and 10 speed Road Ranger. The truck would go 100 MPH easy because we pulled light weight 27' flatbed trailers. The military did not buy anything from the local economy but instead flew in all supplies. My job was to haul these supplies from Air Force bases to Army bases all over Germany. I drove on the 'bahn every day as well as lots of secondary roads. Like everything German, their driving on the 'bahn was highly disciplined. The Polizei drove 911's and BMW's and carried Uzi's! If you got a ticket you paid the fine on the spot to the Polizei.

They also drove like maniacs on the secondary roads. Very good drivers but not afraid to pass on a double yellow line. Beautiful country though and nice friendly people once you got away from the cities and bases. Great food at the roadside schnitzel stands. And some very good looking women!

Timlin

Pretty strict here in Australia. 30Kmh over the limit is a $500.00 fin AND instant 3 months loss of license. 45Kmh over and its a $1k fine a six months loss - more than that, well, you better get a lawyer son, and you'd better get a good one!

Had a mate booked at 270Kmh in an 70Kmh zone - $4k fine AND loss of license for 3 years! In some states here they'll even confiscate your car as well! If its bad enough, like someone dies or similar, the car will be taken off you for good and you will go to jail - with very few questions asked along the way too...

Nanny/Police state...

ZuffenZeus

Problem in American driving 100ish mph and running up on drivers in all lanes going 50 mph.

Can I get a witness!?

Mike Murphy

Yes, the bigger issue here is the behavior of the drivers and how they respond.

On the open Autobahn, this can also happen, but it's less of an issue because of driver skill and behaviors.

A lot of folks in the U.S. claim that speed differential (the difference between someone driving fast vs. slow on the same road) is a big issue. People claim that it's just as dangerous or even more dangerous to drive too slowly, but I don't like this argument very much for many reasons.

TonyTwoBags

For sure it's a problem on some roads. But truckers go ~85mph on the interstates where I am. Speed differential of +15mph in a highway setting with an escape route (shoulder or wide lanes) is a pretty standard situation though.

Out east in Virginia where I grew up there aren't many roads that have the layout, speed limit and traffic pattern that makes triple digits safe. Maybe on I-81 when it's deserted but I see where you're coming from given you live in the Southeast.

Having driven cross country a few times the regional variability of appropriate speed is high imo. That's really the point that is driving changes to speed limits nationwide, regardless of what the puritans might think.

The two points are independent imo & not necessarily mutually exclusive. Differential isn't good when it's big, same for idiots that spazz when they see someone bearing down on them in a different lane. At the same time, it's safer to go 5-10 over than 5 under assuming regular traffic pattern of +5 relative to the limit. The 'benefit' of going faster vs. slower rapidly dissipates as the speed differential goes beyond 10-15mph. That's my focus when driving in a spirited fashion: don't bear down on people going 40mph faster, don't worry about speed without traffic and just enjoy it.