View Poll Results: Is speeding on highways OK?
On a Highway/motorway, of course! No limits
40
47.06%
Yes, but a speed limit should be placed
34
40.00%
I like it how it is
5
5.88%
Absolutely not
6
7.06%
Voters: 85. You may not vote on this poll
Is speeding dangeous?
02-20-2007, 08:50 PM
#46
Drifting
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Every time I'm in Atlanta including last Thurs and Friday the speed limit was 55 and the traffic was speeding along at 30 mph on I20..lol.
Originally Posted by rroobbcc
Around at Atlanta the limit is 55, but most drive around 80. If you are not going at least 70, you are simply IN THE WAY. The key is simply to avoid sticking out in traffic and you won't get a ticket. As I understand it from a Police buddy of mine, the Police want it this way. It is against the law for the Police to profile someone and pull them over just because they "look suspicious". However, if they wait until they hit the interstate, they will be able to easily pull them over for speeding even though they may have just been following the flow. So essentially it is a way for them to legally profile people and perform vehicle searches.
02-21-2007, 07:42 AM
#47
But being on highways where the speed is 55, 60, and 65 is just stupid. Especailly on interstates that are primarily for travel.
From 1986 to 1995, I spent a great deal of time in Europe. The biggest differance that I noticed between drivers in Europe and the US is attitude. Even the non-car enthusiasts that I met in Europe take their driving seriously. As an example when I was in a line of traffic stopped because of a traffic signal in Europe, almost all cars took off simultaneously when the signal changed. In the US I expect a delay of around 10 seconds before I can take off if there are only 7 or 8 cars ahead of me.
So it seems to me that for the average US driver, driving is a necessary evil and they lessen the drudgery by engaging in lots of other activities while in the car that have nothing to do with driving: applying makeup, shaving, brushing their teeth, reading the newspaper, etc. Moreover, in the northeast speed limits are a moot point on beltways and highways surrounding cities because the actual average speed during most of the day is far below even the modest existing speed limits.
Having said that I believe that it would be a good idea to adopt a system comparable to that in Germany, where there are stretches of highway without speed limits. In conjunction with this change, I would like to see far more rigorous requirments be adopted for driving licenses. If this would be politicaly unpopular than maybe a masters license could be offered which would permit only drivers with a masters license to drive at the higher speeds.
From 1986 to 1995, I spent a great deal of time in Europe. The biggest differance that I noticed between drivers in Europe and the US is attitude. Even the non-car enthusiasts that I met in Europe take their driving seriously. As an example when I was in a line of traffic stopped because of a traffic signal in Europe, almost all cars took off simultaneously when the signal changed. In the US I expect a delay of around 10 seconds before I can take off if there are only 7 or 8 cars ahead of me.
So it seems to me that for the average US driver, driving is a necessary evil and they lessen the drudgery by engaging in lots of other activities while in the car that have nothing to do with driving: applying makeup, shaving, brushing their teeth, reading the newspaper, etc. Moreover, in the northeast speed limits are a moot point on beltways and highways surrounding cities because the actual average speed during most of the day is far below even the modest existing speed limits.
Having said that I believe that it would be a good idea to adopt a system comparable to that in Germany, where there are stretches of highway without speed limits. In conjunction with this change, I would like to see far more rigorous requirments be adopted for driving licenses. If this would be politicaly unpopular than maybe a masters license could be offered which would permit only drivers with a masters license to drive at the higher speeds.
02-21-2007, 08:24 AM
#48
Burning Brakes
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Living in Germany yes it is nice to find an open Autobahn on a Sunday morning when the traffic is light and open your car up to 160+MPH but do not believe all the hype of no speed limits. If you are involved in a crash and are driving in excess of 130KPH or around 75 MPH you can be cited and this can be used against you by your insurance company.
As spoken about earlier probably 50%+ of the Autobahns today do have a speed limit that is just as stupid as we have in the USA i.e. you are on a 2 lane stretch with heavy traffic with no speed limit which then changes to 3 lanes, now you think you can get to the left lane and pass but what do you see a 120-130 KPH speed limit sign, A6 has this.
Yes the Germans on whole drive better than the average Americans but the Dutch, Russians, Poles etc.. drive like us so watch out.
Lastly the deadliest thing to watch for when you are flying down the autobahn is the mentality that says left blinker means left lane is clear. example, driving down the autobahn at say 150MPH you see in front of you a truck limited to around 62MPH with a small Fiat behind it read that the Fiat will turn on his blinker changing into your lane at 62.1MPH to pass the truck and you need to brake off 90MPH to match his speed, easy if you expect it deadly if not.
On topic speeding does not kill it is the sudden stop that will get you. That sudden stopage can either be your error or some other idiot but as long as we keep the idiots off of the road what the heck!
As spoken about earlier probably 50%+ of the Autobahns today do have a speed limit that is just as stupid as we have in the USA i.e. you are on a 2 lane stretch with heavy traffic with no speed limit which then changes to 3 lanes, now you think you can get to the left lane and pass but what do you see a 120-130 KPH speed limit sign, A6 has this.
Yes the Germans on whole drive better than the average Americans but the Dutch, Russians, Poles etc.. drive like us so watch out.
Lastly the deadliest thing to watch for when you are flying down the autobahn is the mentality that says left blinker means left lane is clear. example, driving down the autobahn at say 150MPH you see in front of you a truck limited to around 62MPH with a small Fiat behind it read that the Fiat will turn on his blinker changing into your lane at 62.1MPH to pass the truck and you need to brake off 90MPH to match his speed, easy if you expect it deadly if not.
On topic speeding does not kill it is the sudden stop that will get you. That sudden stopage can either be your error or some other idiot but as long as we keep the idiots off of the road what the heck!
02-21-2007, 04:40 PM
#50
Originally Posted by ArneeA
LOL here in SoCal, if there's a curve on the freeway, the entire freeway slows down until the road straightens, where everybody starts to go fast again. Funny but irritating and stupid.
02-21-2007, 04:47 PM
#51
I'm in Portland and people think it is in their constitutional rights to drive in the left lane, regardless of speed. Highbeams do nothing. People from Washington seem particularly hellbent on this (WA is only a few miles up the freeway). My wife and I were driving to San Juan Islands a few years ago and they have signs telling people the left lane is only for passing. I follow that rule all the time and so it wasn't a big deal. I'm cruising in the right lane and come up on two cars, one in each lane. Left lane car is not passing and was just driving along in the lane. Slows me down, and pisses me off. No one is exceeding the speed limit. Cop comes up behind , I get into right lane and he pulls the guy in the left lane over and tickets him. It was such a great feeling. Why can't these people just follow the damn rules. They even have them posted on the highway in big letters up there.
Along with left/right lane usage, how about turn signal useage. Does the lack of this irritate any one else than me?
Along with left/right lane usage, how about turn signal useage. Does the lack of this irritate any one else than me?
02-21-2007, 06:16 PM
#52
Burgled
Rennlist Member
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Originally Posted by LVDell
Besdies, think about what it takes to get a drivers license here in the states. I got mine at 15 for somethng like $300 and 6 weeks of twice a week instruction. Not even close to what it takes in Germany (age or teaching).
02-21-2007, 06:44 PM
#53
Drifting
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Yeah, mine was no where near $300. I believe it was closer to $40-$80 that I had to raise myself. 3 drivers lessons and a few days in class is what I recall. Thing is, I had been driving since the 8th grade so my entire on road lessons were a bore because he didn't have anything really new to teach me. We ended up driving through DC running his errands in South East.
Originally Posted by jimq
I got mine at 15 for $8 and 2 weeks of drivers ed in high school. I drove one time
02-21-2007, 07:43 PM
#55
Three Wheelin'
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man... i took a driver's edu class for the summer got my driver's permit...... then took the actual test at the DMV on a stick... and i only practice for 1 day......... Chipmunk driving... .that's me...... just give me some peanuts and i'll do a 3-point turn for ya....
02-21-2007, 08:53 PM
#56
Nordschleife Master
yes, but most drivers here have taken steps to gain more skills and have experience. The vast majority do not do that. I think that even you would admit that when you passed your test you had next to no skills and were dangerous - there's a reason why teenagers are the most accident prone drivers.
