[Prev][Next][Index][Thread]
Re: 100 km/h? Give me a break!
In article <19950425140942.L.Koobs@sp0289.kub.nl>,
L.Koobs@kub.nl (L. KOOBS) wrote:
[...]
> you probably lived in Germany before you moved to Canada and you are used to
> driving fast... However I don't thimk that Germany is the best country to
> drive on speedways.... the fact that most people trvel at around 140 kmh
> and that there are those who go 200+ doesn't make it very safe...
> fast reactions are neede to prevent big accidents...
> and because some driver who go 200+ don't do this regularly...(tourists...)
> they quite often lack those fast reaction there are quite a few
> near accidents..
I don't think tourists speeding are a major problem in Germany. Depending on
traffic conditions, it is usually very hard to keep your speed at that level.
On most parts of the Autobahn you will not enjoy 200+ km/h (>125mph) for a
very long time. It will be a constant mix of accelerating and braking
(sometimes *real* hard), so the fun-factor will not last. Those speeds
will definately not make you feel good either, at least not for long. After
10-15 minutes your heartbeat will be up to >140 beats, sweat will come pouring
out of every part of your body and you will generally feel deeply uncomfortable.
So I would consider constant speeding on the Autobahn to be of very little
recreational value. And remember, as you increase your speed not only will you
need to closely monitor the traffic in front of you, there will *always* be
a faster car in your rear-view mirror with a driver whose only wish is to pass
you. Believe me, he will find a way of letting you get the message and it's
not much fun to try and enter a lane to your right at 250 km/h.
Apart from that, and this may be new to some of you, over the years the gov.
has imposed speed-limits on quite a few sections (mainly high-traffic areas)
with limits ranging all the way down to 100 km/h (62mph).
> truck going 80kmh the geezer is driving 130 kmh ( advised speed)..
> it's a two lane road.( two lanes in the same direction) i hqappen to be
> driving on the same road some distance behind him ( i'm driven 200 km/h)
> he misjudges my speed and starts taking over the truck... i have to slam
> the brakes big time because a) i have to brake away 70 kmh just to avoid an
> impact and b) probably even more because some people tend to let the gaspedal
> loose when they panic... ( it's quite scary to see a big car gaining very fast
> on you...
At 200 km/h this will happen to you all the time. Above 200 those situations
occur even more often, since you're not only stressing your reaction time, but
also that of the other drivers on the road. I remember one situation a few
years back when I went at about 230 km/h and a truck pulled out on the left
lane at about 900 feet in front of me. It was obviously he didn't see me, even
though it was sunny outside and I alway have my headlights on. To avoid a
crash I had to pass both trucks on the lane designed for hazards (most of the
newer sections have a third lane on the right hand side).
> now what would happen if an idiot from the NL decides to go trough Germany..
> in the Nl he/she only drives 90kmh . the idiot meets a truck the truck goes
> a bit faster and decides to take over...this will clog up the road and the
> fast guys will need to brake even harder....
Actually I've noticed that drivers from the Netherlands (as well as most of
the other drivers from Europe) are quite capable of keeping up with German
speed standards. Drivers from the easter Europe pose a bigger threat, since
most of them still drive cars that are simply not able to go at anywhere near
the recommended speed of 130 km/h (81 mph). Of course this is not their fault
and will definately change in due course.
> my point speedlimits are quite handy to ensure bigger safety...
> In the German situation i would go for a minimum speed of 120 kmh
> and a maximun speed of 200.. this would make it a lot safer because most fast
> cars have the braking ability to match their performance..
I usually drive a constant 130-140 km/h, which offers a maximum of safety and
comfort, as well as a fairly good fuel mileage. Yet, I'm not sure if I would
be in favor of a general speed-limit at all, since things work out quite well
the way they are.
Olli
--
Oliver Jack Albrecht Member of Team OS/2
oa@party.allcon.com OS/2 User Group Flensburg
Follow-Ups:
References: