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From: mmt@dciem.UUCP (Martin Taylor)
Newsgroups: net.flame
Subject: Re: 55mph
Message-ID: <251@dciem.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 18-Jul-83 17:05:59 EDT
Article-I.D.: dciem.251
Posted: Mon Jul 18 17:05:59 1983
Date-Received: Mon, 18-Jul-83 18:51:45 EDT
References: bunkerb.212
Lines: 20

Last year I had 2 occasions to drive on the German autobahns (no speed limit)
for a couple of thousand km. I found it felt much safer to drive 160 kph
on roads where people maintain lane discipline (keep right except to pass)
than to drive 110 kph here (with a 100 kph limit few people adhere to).
In Germany, quite a few cars go over 200 kph (some by quite a lot), but
there is seldom a problem, because those drivers are used to the timings
at which things happen at those speeds. One is scared when timings happen
differently from what one expects, and the first few minutes or hours
at 160 can be difficult when you are used to 110. But if you drive at
110 on the autobahn, you make the traffic flow around you, which is
more dangerous than going with the flow. Remember that the main reason
for reducing the speed limit to 55 mph in the USA and 100 kph in most
Canadian provinces was to save fuel, not lives.

It is very scary when moderately heavy traffic in 3 lanes at 100-120 kph
divides around someone doing 95 in the middle lane and then closes up again.

Why, oh why, do so many people think the right lane is only for passing?

Martin Taylor