Subject: Re: 100 km/h? Give me a break!

From: [email-masked] (L. KOOBS)
Date: Tue, 25 Apr 1995 14:09 MET

In Article <[email-masked]> "[email-masked] (Srecko Bartl)" says:
> How do you people put up with the 100km/h speed limit? I'm new to Canada
> and to me this is a constant source of amazement. Has anybody ever tried to
> change it? 
>  
> Srecko
> 
 
in the NL the speed limit is also 100 kmh...( actually we have a dual speed
limit , we have autoways with 100 kmh limit and autospeedways with a 120 kmh 
limit) to me it's quite agreeable... because the Nl isn't all that big
it doesn't matter that you can't go faster than 100 kmh....
the roads are very crowded most of the times and there are many
trucks that have to abide by a limit of 80 kmh
if the other cars are allowed to go faster the speed difference could be 
too big.. At this point in time the minimum speed is 60 kmh 
personally i think that people should be forced to go at least 80 kmh
it's quite scary to notice that you're gaining on a person with 60kmg and you 
can't pass because of the car next to you.....
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 wouldn't like to be in the situation that some geezer decides to pass a 
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...
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....
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..
well thats it for now... Reactions are welcome..
L8r
Lennart

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From: [email-masked] (Oliver Jack Albrecht)
Date: Tue, 25 Apr 1995 20:40:14 +0100

In article <[email-masked]>,
[email-masked]  (L. KOOBS) wrote:

[...]
> they quite often lack those fast reaction there are quite a few

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).

> loose when they panic... ( it's quite scary to see a big car gaining very fast 

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).

> 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.

> 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
[email-masked]                                OS/2 User Group Flensburg

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From: [email-masked] (Hi Ho Silver)
Date: Thu, 27 Apr 1995 04:23:21 GMT

In article <[email-masked]> [email-masked] (Srecko Bartl) writes:
$How do you people put up with the 100km/h speed limit? I'm new to Canada
$and to me this is a constant source of amazement. Has anybody ever tried to
$change it? 

   Every once in a while, we go journeying through parts of the U.S.
which have 55 mph speed limits.  Compared to that, we're lucky.

   Seriously, we ignore them to a large degree.  Typical traffic
speed around here (Toronto area) is 110-125 km/h, conditions
permitting.

   I have no idea if any serious effort has been made to lobby
politicians to change it.
-- 
 ______________________________________________
/  Hi Ho Silver, who likes the idea of having  \  __________________________
\  SNTF and large h00ters in the same package   \/   [email-masked]    \
 \______________________________________________/ ...{!uunet}!bokonon!silver \

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From: [email-masked]
Date: 3 May 1995 03:01:20 GMT

>driving fast... However I don't thimk that Germany is the best country to
Yes, I come from Germany, where I was trained to drive FAST. - I think that is the MAJOR point.
Before people are allowed to go fast, they should be trained! - Once people are trained, and got their
driving license because they prooved that they are capable of driving propperly (and propperly fast), most of your
points that you mentioned against people driving fast could be neglected.

I really believe that the main problem of the people driving in Canada is that they are not trained what-so-ever!
I mean...  bring $20 and a birth certificate gets you your license.... that's a joke! - And then these people believe
that it is a RIGHT to drive! - Give me a break!

Get a propper driving education and propper driving exams accordingly, and then once you got that... you may
be priviledged to drive on the roads among others .... perhaps even more than 100 clicks.

>fast reactions are neede to prevent big accidents...
Hmmm... propper training is needed!

I got a German & international license (The Cops always love it when the pull me over, and have no clue what it is),
and I got a "Ontario-license" (that cereal-license), and I go 200+ if traffic permits. - Of course my car is propperly preppared, and not some 
neglected piece of junk (I drive a BMW). - To answer the question about the "How can I survice with the 100Km/h limit?" ... I neglect
 it.... even with the "Photo-Radar" (phony-radar).

>truck going 80kmh the geezer is driving 130 kmh ( advised speed)..
Neither do I. - That's why We in Germany get tought to adjust our speed when approcaing traffic.

>he misjudges my speed and starts taking over the truck... i have to slam 
That's cause people are not trained! - People just pull out or/and switch lanes  when/where ever  they feel like
Oh...   and since you're the one (not you personally) that is going "fast" should always be preppared for other
peoples mistakes.... you gotta take the nice (that you can speed) with the ugly (gotta brake sometimes).

>well thats it for now... Reactions are welcome..

DITO

Dave

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From: [email-masked]
Date: 3 May 1995 03:11:58 GMT

>very long time. It will be a constant mix of accelerating and braking
True... and not true. - That depends on the part you're in, and when you drive. - A other reason is more the 
fuel-prices over there will keep ya from speeding long stretches.

The fact still remains that you can every once in a while (as traffic permits) put the pedal to the metal, and 
don't worry about harrasment from cops etc.

>out of every part of your body and you will generally feel deeply uncomfortable.
Not really.... if it makes ya uncomfortable.... you shouldn't speed to begin with. - I'm rather more relaxed.

I guess it also depends what kinda car. - If you're pushing a little Ford beyond it's limits... that would make one be 
uncomfortable, but if you got the propper car and  equipment... there is no problem.

> And remember, as you increase your speed not only will you
Tip: not only the traffic in front of you, but way ahead of you too, since you'll be catching up to
 it very quickly (outta obvious reasons).

Dave

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From: [email-masked]
Date: 3 May 1995 03:01:20 GMT

DITO

Dave

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From: [email-masked] (Oliver Jack Albrecht)
Date: Fri, 12 May 1995 21:35:49 +0100

In article <[email-masked]>, [email-masked] wrote:
> True... and not true. - That depends on the part you're in, and when you drive.
> - A other reason is more the fuel-prices over there will keep ya from speeding
> long stretches.

I definately agree on the fuel-price issue, that's the biggest reason for me
to drive at reasonable speeds. But I still stick to the first point. Of course
there are sections where you can really floor the gas pedal, and in most places
nighttime traffic is down to a minimum. But, at daytime hours the traffic will
get very dense. I drive from Flensburg to Stuttgart (mostly on the A7, but also
partly on the A8 and the A81) on a regular basis. From Hamburg to Stuttgart
(around 750Km) you usually won't be able to maintain high speeds (200+) for very
long. Again, there are sections with little traffic, and they're fun while they
last. Yet the problem remains the same, high traffic will slow you down. Fact.
And again, repeatedly braking your car *real hard* is not fun.

> The fact still remains that you can every once in a while (as traffic permits)
put the pedal to the metal, and  don't worry about harrasment from cops etc.

I agree, it's nice to have the choice.

> >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.

What speeds are you we talking about anyway? I'd say speeds below 200Kmh will
usually be pretty comfortable.

> uncomfortable, but if you got the propper car and  equipment... there is no problem.

I was talking about acceleration and braking, that doesn't have too much to do
with the car. It's not the engine noise that makes me feel uncomfortable, it's
those other drivers out there, who will obviously get in my path and make me
step on the brake. Anyway, show me a European car that doesn't provide adequate
comfort at max. speed. The only cars that can make a rough ride are Porsche
911's, but then again, comfort is not the issue. Look at race car drivers.
They don't get exhausted only because their cars are uncomfortable, but
because they are in a permanent state of extreme mental tension and stress.

Olli

--
Oliver Jack Albrecht <[email-masked]>            Member of Team OS/2
WWW:  http://w3.allcon.net/os2/usergroup/people/ojalbrecht.html
PGP 2.6 Fingerprint:    BB 4D 30 83 2A 13 CD B2   B9 11 F7 0B CD A9 B6 BA

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From: [email-masked]
Date: 3 May 1995 03:11:58 GMT

Dave