Autobahn Deaths Force Germans to Rethink Passion for Speed

Kali

Originally posted by Morphéus
And I dislike w*ankers breaking the speed limit.

Which is why ill be calling the cops with your number plate if you go by me much faster than 70mph.

And I'll do likewise if i see you going over 30 in a residential area... theres absolutely no difference between the ignorance you are showing and those of tailgaters... simple fact is more accidents take place in residential and country roads than on motorways... but thats another debate.

Back on subject.. aren't speedlimits on the Autobahns actually 150mph (I know the vast majority of German cars are limited to 155) as opposed to the "no speed limits" or is the latter right? .. perhaps reducing that slightly would serve better as there are very few cars capable of travelling safely (controllable & stable) at those sort of speeds.. obviously her Kia wasn't anyway (changing lanes quickly at 95mph in a budget car with , i presume, cheap tyres doesn't bear thinking about).

Morpheus

first off,
ok,
i have never done what i said above, and to be honest, driving for me is stressful enough without having to carry on like that, i just changed cars last week and after a roadtrip to Galway this weekend, i saw enough w*nkers to make me think twice about such a move, they wouldnt care, theyd just mow you out of the overtaking lane anyway.

I retract my statement about what i would do as ive never done it and know i wouldnt have the lack of braincells required for such a manouever, unlike other fools driving at law breaking speeds in this country.

Back on subject.. aren't speedlimits on the Autobahns actually 150mph (I know the vast majority of German cars are limited to 155) as opposed to the "no speed limits" or is the latter right? .. perhaps reducing that slightly would serve better as there are very few cars capable of travelling safely (controllable & stable) at those sort of speeds..

:rolleyes:
you honestly think that your a average joe shmo can travel at 150 mph safely simply because his (fit any good car make with decent performance in here) can go that fast and has the right tyres? what is this world coming to? maybe your above average... you think that humans reaction times decrease with speed limits? or that maybe they can train themselves to react quicker?? unless your superman the laws of physics and biochemistry act against you.

This goes out to all you who crave high speed in ireland...

there is no way on earth that anyone should be let NEAR a car with the intention of travelling at 150 mph on a public road REGARDLESS, the germans are nuts for ever allowing this to begin with, they should in the very least, completely seperate lanes for high speed travellers and normal (sane) speed travellers with huge concrete barriers.

For example, take a person who has just passed their test, taking their small car on its first trip down the normal speed lane of the autobahn, now roaring up at 100- 150 mph comes this big silver cruise missile, the sheer terror the small car driver could go through as this bullet train whips by, might be enough to elicit a momentary lapse of concentration and a lifetime enduring paralysis so some ubergeek schumakker wannabe in his big fast car can get all hot in his Y-Fronts over the roar from his engine.

Limits are there for a reason, like it or not, stick to them or f*ck off and die in Germany.

Honestly if you passed me by doing 80 or 90 and wrapped your car around a signpost on a bend you took too fast, i would smile knowngly, wag my finger, say "i told you so" and probably think twice about phoning an ambulance for your sorry arse, after all the worlds a much safer place without retarded f*ckheads thinking the irish motorway is brands hatch.

Rest assured tho, the sensible part of me that has retracted my statement above would dial the cops, file a complaint and then add, oh yeah, hes also just crashed, can i have an ambulance please?:mad:

tunney

But the German method of testing is nothing like ours. You won't get

a person who has just passed their test, taking their small car on its first trip down the normal speed lane of the autobahn

in the same sense as we would here in ireland. In germany they actually have to have some level of competency before they are given their full license.

Imposter

Originally posted by tunney
But the German method of testing is nothing like ours. You won't get in the same sense as we would here in ireland. In germany they actually have to have some level of competency before they are given their full license.

Assuming it is similar to how it is here in Austria, which these things usually are, then not as much as you'd think. Before doing your test there is always someone in the car with you. Once you get your licence that isn't the case, and for me anyway that is when I really learned to drive. Being alone in the car is quite daunting initially and you are allowed on the autobahn, so the situation above could exist. I did my test and got my licence without driving on an autobahn (during the test although I could of had to). My instructor did bring me on an autobahn twice (I think) where he never let me go faster than 120kmh (130 is the limit here). That is very fast to be travelling when you basically have done about 15 hours driving. After my test I was allowed to drive there on my own (after about 18 hours driving).

Kali

Originally posted by Morphéus
:rolleyes:
you honestly think that your a average joe shmo can travel at 150 mph safely simply because his (fit any good car make with decent performance in here) can go that fast and has the right tyres? what is this world coming to? maybe your above average... you think that humans reaction times decrease with speed limits? or that maybe they can train themselves to react quicker?? unless your superman the laws of physics and biochemistry act against you.

Of course I don't.. please point out where I said anything about the driver being capable? I said the car.. that in no way implies any super reaction times... but I'd rather be in a car that can safely brake at high speeds than one that can't... (I'd warrant the majority of high performance German cars could brake from 100-0mph in less than 5 seconds without locking up).. plus the amount of grip a car generates and road conditions play a big part as well, doing 95mph in a straight line on a motorway in any sort of Kia is without a doubt pushing the limits of the car... 95mph in a CL600 isn't. This is completly regardless of driver "ability"... and briefly on your last point: yes I do believe people can train themselves to react quicker with the vehicle and its surroundings. Driver awareness isn't some innate sense we are born with.. it comes from experience and that alone. Anyone who jumps in a car and starts pushing it and their own reactions to the limit is a danger to themself and other road users.

Honestly if you passed me by doing 80 or 90 and wrapped your car around a signpost on a bend you took too fast, i would smile knowngly, wag my finger, say "i told you so" and probably think twice about phoning an ambulance for your sorry arse, after all the worlds a much safer place without retarded f*ckheads thinking the irish motorway is brands hatch.

I've never seen a bend on an Irish motorway... I've seen plenty of people on the phone though

Morpheus

:rolleyes: lol

of course, it goes without saying, i would pull over, switch off the engine, get out of the car and THEN phone.:o

The Clown Man

Can I just point out that the rules of the road as per the little handbook states that if you are in the fast lane you always pull over to FASTER traffic. This purposely leaves out a limit on "faster traffic".

The proof of that is the way it is handled by a Judge.

If you are the cause of an accident that happened because you were doing 70 mph and you didnt think it reasonable to let the speeding guy past, YOU are the reason behind the accident. Now you can rarely be charged with a crime but the Judge will almost always throw out the case and give the slow offender a right verbal slap on the wrist.

Reason? : That Gardaí are there to enforce the law. It is neither your duty nor your place to try to enforce it at the risk of others. If you put a criminal at risk then you are the criminal. So very seriously; don't ever presume to think that you are in the position to enforce the law when you are in your car. You will be the one most likely to pick up the sentence.

Do the right fúckin thing and get the hell out of the way so as not to be even NEAR an accident.

Good night.

ToxicPaddy

I was driving on the M9 a few months ago, last November I think about 8.00pm and
there was a line of traffic in the left hand lane going about 60mph or so. It was few
miles before the turnoff for Newbridge so I assume most didnt want to over take the
driver holding them up as they would be turning off anyway.

As I came upon them I was travelling about 70mph I checked my mirror and no one
was in the right hand lane so I pulled out to over take the line of cars, about 30 or
so.. in the distance I could see a car coming at speed and I was doing my 70mph in
the right lane over taking the cars... and about half way through the line of cars in
the left hand lane, the car behind me comes right up behind me and starts flashing
his lights at me to move over..

But where the hell was I to go? I was doing the legal limit, 70mph, overtaking a line
of cars doing about 60mph and there were no gaps in that lane for me to pull into..

What the hell did this guy expect me to do?

He continued to flash his lights at me.. and drive so close to me that I could barely see the top of his lights at the front of the car... I decided I had enuff of this assh*le so I sat on the brakes and basically scared the sh*te outta him.. the nose of his car dived and he then stayed well behind me until I had passed the line of traffic.. when I pulled in and he took off like the clappers barely giving me a second glance..

Afterwards I kind of regretted doing what I had done as it would have caused an accident but hopefully it will make him think twice about flashing someone in the future in this situation and someone who may panick like that woman in the Kia and
cause a serious accident..

Just wondering what would you guys have done in this situation?

Tox

seamus

Originally posted by ToxicPaddy
...

He was being an asshole tbh. You quite rightly determined that you had enough space to overtake. Just like as if it was a single lane road, he must give way to, and be observant for, drivers ahead in the line of traffic who may pull out to overtake. If you had no opportunity to pull in, he was just being a wanker. There's no cause for that kind of behaviour under any circumstances. Personally, I would have given the fingers to him out my window. Braking like that is definitely not the right thing to do (however tempting it is ).

Turner

Tbh he should have flashed you from a distance to let you know he is travelling at speed and to tell you to make way.

padraigmyers

There is always the posibility that the guy may have had an emergency. He may have had a kid in the back seat that he was rushing to hospital or something. I'm not saying thats what he was doing, he probably was just some asshole, but just for those people who think its a good idea to intentionally slow down somebody because they are breaking the speed limit, you never know when someone may actually have a good reason.

seamus

Originally posted by padraigmyers
There is always the posibility that the guy may have had an emergency. He may have had a kid in the back seat that he was rushing to hospital or something. I'm not saying thats what he was doing, he probably was just some asshole, but just for those people who think its a good idea to intentionally slow down somebody because they are breaking the speed limit, you never know when someone may actually have a good reason.

a) If you have an emergency that requires speedy going to a hospital, ring an ambulance
b) If you really, really don't want to wait, ring 999 anyway, and tell them you're driving uberfast in direction x, along route y. They can either meet you along the way, to take the emergency off your hands or escort you.

That he may have an emergency is the last thing that should be assumed imo. There is obviously a difference between intentionally holding someone up, and overtaking a little slower than another person would like.

padraigmyers

Well, my brother got in a serious medical emergency about 2 years ago. He dosn't live in a city so an ambulance was not an option. My dad had to drive him to the hostital in Cork and drove most of the way above 100mph (it was about 3 in the morning so the roads were fairly clear). He would have died if it had taken any longer, no-one had to foresight to ring for a garda escort, but now that you mention it that would have been a good idea, I'll keep it in mind next time. Ever since then I try not to make asumptions about a driver behind me that is VERY insistent on getting past, espically if their hazzard lights etc are on.

Anyway, I'm not trying to be argumentitive here, just offering another point of view.

seamus

Originally posted by padraigmyers
Ever since then I try not to make asumptions about a driver behind me that is VERY insistent on getting past, espically if their hazzard lights etc are on.

Anyway, I'm not trying to be argumentitive here, just offering another point of view.

Absolutely. There are always little things which shape our attitude. I was front seat passenger in an accident many many years before I started driving, where a car pulled across us at a junction (the embankment in Tallaght, lethal junction even now after being fixed), and we were going relatively fast. Even to this day, I tend to slow down excessively when approaching a junction where there's traffic waiting to cross.

tunney

I decided I had enuff of this assh*le so I sat on the brakes and basically scared the sh*te outta him

I used to do that to once. Until I did it to a branch car. Happened 4 years ago. haven't done it once since.

unkel

Know exactly where you mean Tox, have been in that situation before overtaking that line of traffic on that road. You did right by not speeding up and just wait for the earliest safe opportunity to move into the slow lane. That is all that can be reasonably expected of you. It is beyond me how some overtakers cannot appreciate this

The guy was a wanker. I'm glad you won't be doing that braking job again though. That was very dangerous and I doubt if a wanker like that will learn his lesson

BrianD3

But where the hell was I to go? I was doing the legal limit, 70mph, overtaking a line of cars doing about 60mph and there were no gaps in that lane for me to pull into..What the hell did this guy expect me to do?

If the clueless muppets toddling along at 60 in the left hand lane had been leaving sufficient gap for an overtaking vehicle to move into, then the situation would never have occured. The guy behind was an impatient, inconsiderate asshole but the idiots in the left hand lane were just as bad.

I bet if you had tried to move into a small gap in the line of cars the car that you were moving in front of would have a) flashed you for having the audacity to overtake and move in front of him b) speeded up to decrease the gap between his vehicle and the vehicle in front, blocking you completely.

I sometimes think that there is an overemphasis on speeding when road safety is being discussed in this country. I have a strong feeling that many drivers out there have an attitude of "I'm all right jack" once they don't exceed the speed limit. When in fact some of the most appalling driving I have seen has been by vehicles travelling well below the speed limit.

Driver education and training are the key to road safety IMO. Handing out 2 penalty points to people doing 3 mph over the speed limit is all very well, but it doesn't solve many of the road safety problems we have in this country.

BrianD3

padraigmyers

Originally posted by BrianD3
I sometimes think that there is an overemphasis on speeding when road safety is being discussed in this country. I have a strong feeling that many drivers out have an attitude of "I'm all right jack" once they don't exceed the speed limit. When in fact some of the most appalling driving I have seen has been by vehicles travelling well below the speed limit.

Driver education and training are the key to road safety IMO. Handing out 2 penalty points to people doing 3 mph over the speed limit is all very well, but it doesn't solve many of the road safety problems we have in this country.

Absolutly agree, speeding is just being used as a scapegoat.

unkel

Originally posted by BrianD3
I sometimes think that there is an overemphasis on speeding when road safety is being discussed in this country.

Strongly agree with everything in your post BrianD3 and also with The Clown Man's post. I've no doubt that fatalities per billion kilometers on the German autobahn are lower than here even though there are many people driving over 100mph and the rest over there

The safer record might well say more about the attitude, ability, and experience of people overtaken by those fast drivers, than about the fast drivers themselves. There is of course only one Michael Schumacher and even he gets involved in accidents