evanderm 0 #26 June 12, 2012 QuoteI don't know about actual German accident rates, but they've had many years to get used to the driving discipline and norms of behavior applicable to driving where there are lanes of traffic doing significantly different speeds. At least 85 mph would presumably be in easy enough to drive areas and it would be only a small change in existing behavior. German and Western European driving is different from North American driving; for one, Germany doesn't just give anyone a license, it takes hours and hours of proper instruction to get your license. As a European schooled driver, I'm confident in my abilities but here in North America I can't trust the other idiots with whom I have to share the road. Though I'd love to see 85mph/130kph as a legal limit, I feel it should come with proper driver education. Another factor is the vehicle condition, there are cars that are legal to drive over here that would have been taken off the road 10 years ago in most European countries. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Marinus 0 #27 June 12, 2012 Those are in the low average range. It's already mentioned that German motorists are thoroughly trained and that cars have to meet high standards to be allowed on the road, but I think the general mentality of German motorists is also an important factor. They're generally both law-abiding and defensive/social drivers IMO. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mjosparky 3 #28 June 12, 2012 Quote like on the Autobahn Yea, for sure the Autobahn is really safe. Sparky http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/germany/5871271/Autobahn-crash-involves-259-cars.htmlMy idea of a fair fight is clubbing baby seals Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Andy9o8 0 #29 June 12, 2012 Quote Quote like on the Autobahn Yea, for sure the Autobahn is really safe. Sparky http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/germany/5871271/Autobahn-crash-involves-259-cars.html Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kallend 1,623 #30 June 12, 2012 Quote I like it! My car gets its best gas milage at 80 mph. so I say bravo Chicago area expressways have no effective speed limits (although they do have signs up that hint at the existence of speed limits). In 30+ years of daily driving I've never seen anyone stopped for speeding on the Dan Ryan.... The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
theonlyski 3 #31 June 12, 2012 Quote Quote I like it! My car gets its best gas milage at 80 mph. so I say bravo Chicago area expressways have no effective speed limits (although they do have signs up that hint at the existence of speed limits). In 30+ years of daily driving I've never seen anyone stopped for speeding on the Dan Ryan. I-45 in Houston is pretty much like Nascar. At least it was every time I was ever on it. Cops usually stuck to 59 and 610, so ya had to be more careful there."I may be a dirty pirate hooker...but I'm not about to go stand on the corner." iluvtofly DPH -7, TDS 578, Muff 5153, SCR 14890 I'm an asshole, and I approve this message Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Southern_Man 0 #32 June 12, 2012 For a while Montana had no posted speed limits on their highways during the day (and I think it was 75 at night). You could be ticketed for driving unsafe (too fast) for conditions but no limit was posted. It didn't work out so well, so they went back to posting limits."What if there were no hypothetical questions?" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
boinky 0 #33 June 13, 2012 **NEWSFLASH** Car driving 85 mph collides with a herd of tumbleweeds! Nina Are we called "DAWGs" because we stick our noses up people's butts? (RIP Buzz) Yep, you're a postwhore-billyvance Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JohnRich 4 #34 June 13, 2012 Quote **NEWSFLASH** Car driving 85 mph collides with a herd of tumbleweeds! That might be kind of fun actually, in a car you don't mind being scratched. Hi Boinky, what'chu been up to? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Zenister 0 #35 June 14, 2012 QuoteQuoteI don't know about actual German accident rates, but they've had many years to get used to the driving discipline and norms of behavior applicable to driving where there are lanes of traffic doing significantly different speeds. At least 85 mph would presumably be in easy enough to drive areas and it would be only a small change in existing behavior. German and Western European driving is different from North American driving; for one, Germany doesn't just give anyone a license, it takes hours and hours of proper instruction to get your license. As a European schooled driver, I'm confident in my abilities but here in North America I can't trust the other idiots with whom I have to share the road. Though I'd love to see 85mph/130kph as a legal limit, I feel it should come with proper driver education. Another factor is the vehicle condition, there are cars that are legal to drive over here that would have been taken off the road 10 years ago in most European countries. This. ^ The education and ability of your average American driver is extremely poor.____________________________________ Those who fail to learn from the past are simply Doomed. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Zenister 0 #36 June 14, 2012 Quote Quote **NEWSFLASH** Car driving 85 mph collides with a herd of tumbleweeds! That might be kind of fun actually, in a car you don't mind being scratched. speaking from experience driving from Barstow to Vegas it definitely is... I only wish I'd had my GoPro on the dash when it happened.____________________________________ Those who fail to learn from the past are simply Doomed. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JohnRich 4 #37 June 14, 2012 Quote Quote Quote **NEWSFLASH** Car driving 85 mph collides with a herd of tumbleweeds! That might be kind of fun actually, in a car you don't mind being scratched. speaking from experience driving from Barstow to Vegas it definitely is... I only wish I'd had my GoPro on the dash when it happened. We call those scratches here "Texas pin stripes", as they are quite comon on ranch vehicles that drive through brush. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
popsjumper 2 #38 June 15, 2012 QuoteChicago area expressways have no effective speed limits. Why sure they do! They call 'em potholes!My reality and yours are quite different. I think we're all Bozos on this bus. Falcon5232, SCS8170, SCSA353, POPS9398, DS239 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kallend 1,623 #39 June 15, 2012 QuoteQuoteChicago area expressways have no effective speed limits. Why sure they do! They call 'em potholes! Not this winter.... The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
airtwardo 6 #40 June 15, 2012 Quote Quote I like it! My car gets its best gas milage at 80 mph. so I say bravo Chicago area expressways have no effective speed limits (although they do have signs up that hint at the existence of speed limits). In 30+ years of daily driving I've never seen anyone stopped for speeding on the Dan Ryan. I've been making the run from ORD to my mom's place near SDC quite a bit the past 2 months, 294S. to 55S. to 80W is crawling with State Troopers at night...every night. On the other hand going the other way...55N to 294N is a freakin race track during business hours. The left lane is running 85 to 90 all the time! ~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kallend 1,623 #41 June 15, 2012 Quote Quote Quote I like it! My car gets its best gas milage at 80 mph. so I say bravo Chicago area expressways have no effective speed limits (although they do have signs up that hint at the existence of speed limits). In 30+ years of daily driving I've never seen anyone stopped for speeding on the Dan Ryan. I've been making the run from ORD to my mom's place near SDC quite a bit the past 2 months, 294S. to 55S. to 80W is crawling with State Troopers at night...every night. On the other hand going the other way...55N to 294N is a freakin race track during business hours. The left lane is running 85 to 90 all the time! So when will we see you at SDC?... The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
airtwardo 6 #42 June 16, 2012 Quote Quote Quote Quote I like it! My car gets its best gas milage at 80 mph. so I say bravo Chicago area expressways have no effective speed limits (although they do have signs up that hint at the existence of speed limits). In 30+ years of daily driving I've never seen anyone stopped for speeding on the Dan Ryan. I've been making the run from ORD to my mom's place near SDC quite a bit the past 2 months, 294S. to 55S. to 80W is crawling with State Troopers at night...every night. On the other hand going the other way...55N to 294N is a freakin race track during business hours. The left lane is running 85 to 90 all the time! So when will we see you at SDC? Just left Peru for Houston but I'll be back up there in about 10 days. I stopped by SDC a couple times however I didn't have gear in Illinois...but i will this time, so see ya there in the air! ~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JohnMitchell 14 #43 June 16, 2012 QuoteFor a while Montana had no posted speed limits on their highways during the day (and I think it was 75 at night). You could be ticketed for driving unsafe (too fast) for conditions but no limit was posted. It didn't work out so well, so they went back to posting limits. I heard it was because they'd lose their Federal highway money if they didn't post speed limits. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Southern_Man 0 #44 June 16, 2012 QuoteQuoteFor a while Montana had no posted speed limits on their highways during the day (and I think it was 75 at night). You could be ticketed for driving unsafe (too fast) for conditions but no limit was posted. It didn't work out so well, so they went back to posting limits. I heard it was because they'd lose their Federal highway money if they didn't post speed limits. I honestly don't know why the reimposed limits. When the federall mandated limit was 55, Montanas disliked it so much they set the price of a violation at $5. Best I can tell from Wikipedia the state abolished speed limited between 1995 and 1999, but reimposed them after a judge ruled that the "reasonable and prudent" rule was so vague as to be unenforceable."What if there were no hypothetical questions?" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kallend 1,623 #45 June 16, 2012 Quote Quote Quote Quote Quote I like it! My car gets its best gas milage at 80 mph. so I say bravo Chicago area expressways have no effective speed limits (although they do have signs up that hint at the existence of speed limits). In 30+ years of daily driving I've never seen anyone stopped for speeding on the Dan Ryan. I've been making the run from ORD to my mom's place near SDC quite a bit the past 2 months, 294S. to 55S. to 80W is crawling with State Troopers at night...every night. On the other hand going the other way...55N to 294N is a freakin race track during business hours. The left lane is running 85 to 90 all the time! So when will we see you at SDC? Just left Peru for Houston but I'll be back up there in about 10 days. I stopped by SDC a couple times however I didn't have gear in Illinois...but i will this time, so see ya there in the air! indeed.... The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Abedy 0 #46 June 18, 2012 Quote... no limit at all, like on the Autobahn... I usually tell my students that: - Americans use a lot of German words just like: Autobahn - Americans think you can go on it as fast as you want to (or your car/engine allows) Whilst the first one is true, the second one isn't. Most parts of our autobahns are regulated and have speed limits. IIRC only about 20% of all autobahns are without a speed limit. On these parts, most people still go at a speed of about 130 km/h to 160 km/h (80 mph to 100 mph) You gotta get used to driving that fast (part of driving school, but won't go faster than 130 km/h which is the recommended speed on the autobahn (if ya go faster and are involved in an accident you'll lose part of your insurance coverage and will be held responsible at least partly) Going at about 200 km/h (125 mph) in a middle class car is scary and dangerous, you gotta have a car that is capable of travelling that fast safely. Tried it with my Skoda Octavia one or two times, just being curious and on a Sunday morning (very looowwww traffic) wasn't much fun. The faster (on average) people go, the more a traffic jam "outta the blue" is likely, another disadvantage of "no speed limit"... So to sum it up: 80-85 mph is a speed limit which is perfectly OK to me.The sky is not the limit. The ground is. The Society of Skydiving Ducks Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
