Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site oliven.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!mgnetp!ihnp4!zehntel!hplabs!oliveb!olivee!oliven!chrisp From: chrisp@oliven.UUCP Newsgroups: net.auto Subject: Re: "farce and American autobahns?!?!" Message-ID: <176@oliven.UUCP> Date: Thu, 21-Jun-84 13:08:14 EDT Article-I.D.: oliven.176 Posted: Thu Jun 21 13:08:14 1984 Date-Received: Sat, 23-Jun-84 03:59:41 EDT Organization: Olivetti ATC, Cupertino, Ca Lines: 33 >Steve Henning >The autobahn was used as an example of why unlimited speeds are better. >WRONG, WRONG, WRONG. The autobahn is a much better constructed highway >than our interstates. The German drivers are much better disciplined >in high speed driving. And still the death rate on the autobahn is >much worse than anything here. The accidents are unbelievably gory. >They have helicopter ambulances to come and scrape up the victims. >One good thing is that at high speeds the debris seldom ends up on >the highway. I assume that you have direct experience of the German system. I don't. It should be noted, however that the Germans imposed a speed limit of 100 kph (= 62.5 mph) in 1974 and removed the limit in 1976. When the limit was removed, the fatality rate dropped by 10%. So if you think it was a blood bath during your experience, it was significantly worse with the speed limit in force. The British had the same result from raising the motorway speed limit from 55 mph to 70 mph in '76. You would do well to note that in spite of a speed limit of 100 kph on non-autobahnen (2 lane roads, etc.) there is a bigger diferential in fatality rates between their surface roads and ours than there is between the autobahns and the freeways. (An interesting point about the wreckage usually clearing the road.) Finally, if you start disecting the fatality statistics for the U.S. over the last decade, it becomes apparent that the 55 mph limit has CAUSED about 10% of the highway fatalities since it went in! The figures also contains grounds to question the official assertion that the limit has reduced fuel consumption. I suspect that the limit is also implicated in the increase in red signal running and similar foolishness of the last decade. 55 KILLS Chris Prael