Speed limits dont work, road design determines how fast people go.
A section of the A24 was limited to 130 kmph for 20 years to reduce accidents. Because the reduction the speed limit was lifted early this year. Now there are 8% more accidents with injury and 42% more injured. Politicians call now to make it possible to limit the section again.
For highway lowering the speed may be effective but lowering the speed limit from 50 to 30 won't stop drivers from going 50 unless the road is designed for lower speeds. So long as lanes are wide and there are little obstructions for drivers to worry about hitting, such as bumpouts, boulevards, etc., they will go as fast as they feel comfortable unless there is a cop behind them.
Edit: 50kmh to 30kmh I don't know what that is in freedom miles
I lived in Germany for a few years. There are Autobahn stretches that have no speed limit, but the rule was, if you're going over 130 KPH and get into an accident, your insurance won't cover the accident. You pay 100% out of pocket for everything.
Suffice to say, Germans were some of the best drivers I've ever seen in my world travels. They're used to people driving insanely fast on the Autobahns, so they'd always stay in the right lane, except to pass. If you were coming up quick on someone from behind, you just flash your brights quickly and they'd immediately pull into the slow lane.
It was very frustrating moving back to America and no one would respond to flashing headlights. And so many people in America just coast in the left lane, even if there's no one in the right lane.
I also miss yield signs. In Germany, you'd be hard-pressed to find stop signs anywhere outside of the cities. Every intersection had yield signs, and if you didn't see cars coming, you just rolled right through. None of this stopping in the middle of nowhere with no cars in sight BS. Traffic circles were amazing, too. They kept traffic flowing through 4-way intersections without stop signs or lights. My home state (Minnesota) is starting to implement them all over the place and it's wonderful.
Speed limits absolutely do work if there are cameras and consequences. Unfortunately everyone seems to have decided that suspending licences and siezing cars is a human rights violation.
Speed limits do work, but the road should be designed with the speed limit in mind. Just slapping a new sign up and reducing the speed limit is going to lead to non-compliance - even if the speed limit is enforced by police.
The UK recently released figures on speed limit compliance. For 20mph roads (30-35kph) they primarily measured roads that didn't have traffic calming measures recommended for 20mph roads (ie the roads don't "feel" like 20mph roads), and they found 85% of drivers exceeded the speed limit.
The Autobahn has become very tiring to drive on. Most people somehow decided that its easiest to drive in the middle lane at slow(ish) speeds, while the right lane stays empty for long stretches. Since you are not allowed to overtake on the right lane, both the left lane and the middle lane are clogged most of the time, averaging about 100-120 Km/h. If the public transportation was a bit more reliable and cheaper I would sell my car.
The problem is that even in low traffic, there is a truck on the right lane every few meters. Often, after you switch to the right lane, someone decides to drive right next to you, forcing you to brake.
It's just more comfortable to stay in the middle lane.Now IMHO the real problem is when trucks are overtaking with 101km/h...
10 seconds. If you're not overtaking anything within 10 seconds, you should pull into the inside lane.
This is what I was taught in advanced driver training. However, in practice I use 7 seconds, because I find 10 seconds a little too far to easily estimate by eye. I end up thinking "is that 10 seconds? I'm not sure, maybe" then by the time I figure out it was more than 10 seconds it is now less than 7.
trucks are overtaking with 101km/h
As trucks are governed to a Vmax of 90 kph, and some even to 85 kph, I would suggest you get your speedometer checked, because it sounds like the advancement, required by law, is too high. It shouldn't show more than 7% more than your actual speed. Truck speedos are more rigorously controlled and show an average of 2 kph too much at 80 kph, so trucks overtaking at 101 kph is not normally possible - of course, speedo manipulation does occur, but it isn't so rampant that they all overtake at 101 kph.
Truck driver have timelines. It is totally okay, if they need to occupy the middle lane. Sometimes even the left lane. It is more rare then middle lane sitters.
But what is not okay is that the cultural habit of "don't clog" has forgotten. People are ignorant shits these days when entering cars.
If you decide to travel via 100 kph and do not want to flow with the traffic, then just stick to the right lane and flow with the trucks?! This way you have the most fuel savings as well.
Most people somehow decided that its easiest to drive in the middle lane at slow(ish) speeds, while the right lane stays empty for long stretches.
Really? In my experience driving on German roads (primarily down near Munich), lane discipline is exceptionally good. The only times I saw significantly lower driving standards was in rush hour.
Meanwhile, the UK is notorious for people sitting in the middle lane. That used to be the rule, the inside lane was the slow lane, middle for cruising and outside for overtaking, however that was changed in the 60s/70s. It's recently been made formally illegal, rather than just contrary to the highway code, but even trained police drivers are still guilty of doing it.
In the Netherlands they're very big on pulling back in. So much so they frequently cut your nose off by pulling in so early.
It's fun seeing how driving styles vary between different regions and countries.
Yeah, that might be the case. I recently drove to Berchtesgaden and it was better in the south. I live near the Danish border. Haha, people here are a bit laid back.
Driving on occassion on the A8 near Stuttgart and can't confirm it.
Usually trucks are clogging the most right line and overtaking each on the 2nd lane.
Most PKWs drive on the 2nd/3rd lane while the racers and overtakers use the 3rd/4th lane.
Also who cares about overtaking from the right. If you drive 120kph and my lane all drive 130 kph I will naturally overtake you. No need to switch lanes if the lane is free. Just don't overtake at +30 kph but more at 10 kph in relation to base Autobahn speed.Just don't overtake at +30 kph but more at 10 kph
The law does account for this: If all lanes are well populated and you find your lane is actually moving faster than the lane to your left, you may pass - not overtake - on the right, as long as you are not more than 20 kph faster than the left lane.
The difference is in passing and overtaking: Passing is merely going faster than the other lane, but staying in your lane afterwards. Overtaking, or to give it its correct name of undertaking, is passing and then changing into the same lane as the passed vehicle.
Yeah trucks across Europe are generally pretty good, primarily because in many countries it's illegal for them to be in the 3rd lane (except sometimes in heavy slow moving traffic).
Overtaking from the right, or undertaking, is often illegal also, though. So while I agree that it should be ok, strictly speaking it isn't.
What is legal is to overtake on the outside, move into their lane, then the inside lane, then slow down so they overtake you. Rinse and repeat, count how many donuts you can draw around them before they move over.
I dont experience that in the part of Germany where I live but either way, have you seen how they drive in other countries? Thats wild compared to Germany...
Speaking as an American here... could we NOT park cars in the left lane. I've seen enough habits of drivers in other countries where the left lane is exclusively for passing, it's so simple and superior for traffic but Americans be dumb selfish shits behind the wheel.
Left is for passing. You may not overtake in right lane. At least that’s how it works in Sweden. Thus if left lane is slow, right is slower.
Where i live it's fucking madness. People change lanes randomly, sit in the far left going 10 under the limit, pass on the right or left at seeming random, and sometimes just drive in the middle lane doing 30 mph in a 70 mph zone with their fucking hazards on. Don't even get me started on their merge technique, jealousy and resentment are what rule people's decisions and nobody has ever even heard of zipper merging. It's a shock there aren't more accidents than there are.
I once watched someone sitting in the far left at the limit, come up against someone driving on the left going 10 under, decide to undertake, and then slow down to like 30 under to "punish" the person.
I've changed lanes to pass only to have people change in front of me to block me, then change back when i changed back.
But most of all, and it should be noted i drive a two seater sports car here, i've had people in their huge ass SUVs look over at me, MAKE EYE CONTACT with me, and then merge into whatever lane i was in at the time like they were trying to drive me off the road.
Fuck!
I've actually been pulled over for being in the left lane too long in the US, so it does happen, but not enough.
Did you get a ticket?
I think the real trouble is that it's hard to convict on that. It's not like speeding, where you either are or you aren't, it's much harder to establish that you shouldn't be in the outside lane. I mean, it seems pretty clear in most cases, but the lack of a clearly defined boundary makes it very difficult in law. This ends up making it feel like a waste of time to law enforcement, both police and courts, because they could be doing things that will be more likely to have the intended outcome.
It's really annoying though, because advanced driver courses sometimes do define it: 10 seconds.
If you're not overtaking within 10 seconds, you should move over. Personally, I find it easier to estimate a 7 second distance by eye - 10 seconds is quite conservative.
It might be a density thing. I often notice that the left lane being full in dense city populations. Get a tad outside and it's back to normal.
PARKING in the left lane? The hell? Isnt parking in any lane forbidden? Especially on a highway?
It's a phrase some people use. Specifically prevalent in California. "Parking their Ass in the left lane" Means somebody driving in the left lane at 10mph below the speed limit.
I've been fined on German highways for going too fast. Memes like these are myths. It is based on fact that there is no default upper limit on highway. But there are speed-limit signs on German highways.
I think it's based on the (fahrt fahrt fahrt auf den) Autobahn. Now, I'm not german so I could be wrong, but here's what wikipedia says regarding speed limits on the autobahn:
Much of the system has no speed limit for some classes of vehicles.[1] However, limits are posted and enforced in areas that are urbanised, substandard, accident-prone, or under construction. On speed-unrestricted stretches, an advisory speed limit (Richtgeschwindigkeit) of 130 kilometres per hour (81 mph) applies.[2] While driving faster is not illegal in the absence of a speed limit, it can cause an increased liability in the case of a collision (which mandatory auto insurance has to cover); courts have ruled that an "ideal driver" who is exempt from absolute liability for "inevitable" tort under the law would not exceed Richtgeschwindigkeit.
So, it certainly seems there is a basis for the jokes, even if they aren't 100% historically accurate.
An Autobahn has per default no speed limit for cars, except when there is one indicated by a speed limit sign. But there are many parts on any Autobahn without speed limit signs, so in reality you can very often drive as fast as you want.
There are many opportunities to drive with 200km/h or more if you want, but often the traffic prevents going with this speed for longer than a few seconds or minutes.
About 1/3 of the Autobahn has speed limits. The other 2/3 dont have a speed limit
Plus, anyone who has traveled in South Asia or South America knows that Germany is much, much more safe to drive in than most of the rest of the world.
if there are speed limits i usually am forced to spend more time dicking around looking for signs or cops or checking the speedometer, instead of focusing on the road and how safe my current speed actually feels
If your mental capacity is reached by checking your surroundings while all the traffic is going roughly the same speed as you, then no way youre capable of handling "no speed limit" where everyone is driving to their liking.
It's not just you who'd be suddenly free to do whatever they want, but everyone else too.
Claiming "I know better what's best for me" is the best sign of someone who absolutely doesn't.
I think traffic calming is really interesting for this reason, building roads to make you feel most comfortable at the correct speed. The road design here is usually good, but when driving I feel really anxious on roads that have a design not matching the speed limit too.
100% agreed. If I don’t set cruise control, I usually speed on my commute due to me just focusing on the grip of my car, distance to/from other cars, and perceived speed. It’s just hard to gauge speed without checking often on my speedometer, which isn’t as safe. Even just trying to follow at a constant distance in the right lane is difficult because the semi trucks usually end up having wide speed differences at random times, meaning 60mph-80mph depending on the hill usually.
This can be solved quite easily by introducing head-up-displays in cars showing the speed in front of the driver. HUDs were introduced years ago in some airliners allowing the pilots to maintain situational awareness while having quick access to the critical information about the aircraft. And introducing safety standards from commercial aviation is almost always a good step.
I've driven a car that kind of projected your speed onto the bottom of the wind shield. It's really convenient, can recommend.
On the other side, Germany has TÜV with a mandatory vehicle inspection every 2 years with some exceptions for new cars.
They check vital components for road safety and won't allow the car to be on public roads when it's not fixed within a month. And it's not like your tires have no rest profile anymore, it's like you have to change them when they're at 1,6mm... recommended is to change at 4mms...
Some "Prüfer" are chill but sometimes you won't pass because your winter tires you were drivimg for 5 years, are 0,3% bigger than the allowed ones in the registrationpapers... at least I heard.
we have this every year in slovenia. you have to pass a technical inspection then register your car
my mom's car failed bexause her handbrake was 11% less efficient than new (limit being 10%). she had to get it replaced and then the car passed perfectly with 0 issues stated
i'd rather do this shit than have some jerk driving around with a car thats about to fall apart and maybe not have a working brake
MOT every year in the UK, similar stuff
I know, but sorry we're miles apart from each other. I've seen "street legal" cars in UK which will get you in jail in Germany xD Tbh I don't mind those restrictions but some are way over the top here
Doesn't Germany also enforce vehicle separation so people aren't driving too close to each other on highways? That and passing on the left.
Yeees. But some of the guidelines are confusing. So the basic rule is that you have to keep a "2-second distance". This is the distance you vehicle would travel in two second without breaking. The Formular is 2x(v²/100). But at lower speeds its a completely different calculation. And when you are waaay faster you are supposed to leave half your speed in metres as a gap. Then there are separate rules for fog and long vehicles and multiple vehicles that drive in a row on one lane roads and all that.
There are also rules for the distance you should keep to the cars and especially bikes next to you and they are different depending on if you are in a "place" or outside of one :)
Is that not a thing in most countries? Tailgating cant be legal in most countries, right?
We don't have enough signs to make a speed limit happen - Volker Wissing, German minster of transit (Sadly not a joke: source)
Hey, we have strikt rules on a highway! For example if you're driving slower than everybody else and your IQ is under 70 you are prohibited to drive on the right lane even if it's empty.
Laughing in german....
Don't go faster than the speed of light (optional).
Fun fact: Germany is about average when it comes to road safety in Europe, which is still impressing since we’ve got the highest traffic density.
Vietnamese: Traffic Safety? What's that?
Could be worse though
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_traffic-related_death_rate
"Rest of world" Lol. India, Brazil, parts of Italy... the rule is do whatever you want, try not to crash, bigger vehicle has the right of way.
Brazil is far from lawless. In really small communities 12-year-Olds are driving scooters without wearing helmets, sure, but in all Metropolitan areas laws are pretty strict and there are expensive fines.
Tbf you can't go over like 50 in most Indian roads anyway.
Biggest laugh I had in a long time I am crying omg
You're welcome.
optional
😆
Yes omg that killed me
I want to know more about the top picture, anyone know the source?
That wolf's nose has too many fingers.
tallinn, estonia: yellow stop what's that
Meanwhile in the U.S. with ✌️ speed limits ✌️ everyone goes 10 over and the exceptions are 20-30mph over.
Yup, 10 over is my default unless I’m on a highway, which is then 15 to 20 over.
It’s funny, but those who actually go the speed limit are the ones that people get mad at for going too slow. Even though they’re technically the only ones obeying the law.
And the most dangerous are the extremes on both ends encountering each other. It's crazy to me how normalized vehicles are considering the death that they cause, the behavior people exhibit on the roads, and the sheer absolute ignorance that seems to be paid to making them safer. Maybe it's just apathy?
Anything above the speed limit is illegal.
And in Germany, in many places, that speed limit is not a limit. This is the sign for speed limits you see when you enter Germany. Notice that the "130" is inside a blue square, instead of a red ring. That means the 130 kph speed is only a recommendation.
Although in Germany there is no express speed limit on the highways, the lines where you can go 300 or more are quite limited and it is only feasible on certain days, since heavy traffic during the week prevents it anyway. On most highways there is a speed limit and it is usually 120 or 130, and these indications come in a red circle and often with radar control. But if not... https://piped.kavin.rocks/watch?v=7BWE2ftcF4Q
If we get high enough the sound barrier will be at highway speeds.
True, but if you're high you shoukdn't drive
Having no general speed limit needs to be a thing of the past. The speed difference between people who wanna drive economically and safely and those who want to put the pedal to the floor is just too big. It may have worked in the 50's to the 80's where fast cars were the exception, but nowadays virtuall every family sedan is capable of reaching 180 km/h or more. If you're going a leisurely 100-120 and someone is doing a low level flight at at least double your speed, things get dangerous. Traffic density simply doesn't allow that idiocy anymore.
Even if there is no speed limit, there is a guideline speed of 130 kmh and the right-hand driving rule. If the rules are adhered to, you only overtake in one of the left lanes (whereby you must first check whether the lane is free) and then back again. It is not a big problem if you are overtaken with a speed difference of 200 kmh. Of course, the speed must be selected according to the traffic situation, which means that you are only on the road at high speeds when the highway is clear.
With 180-200km/h delta you couldn't possibly judge the traffic situation, let alone react in time. I think you meant 100km/h difference, right?
But even with a delta of "only" 100km/h the distance between cars shrinks by about 30m per seconds. Even with optimal visibility and full attention on the road this gives you a couple seconds at best to correctly assess the situation. Then you can only punch the brakes and hope you remain in controll over your vehicle.
Imho there is no justification to allow PKW move that fast. At those speeds you not only your life but that of others as well.
And i haven't even touched on the environmental impact and fuel efficiency of high speeds.
It makes a difference if there is an unlimited section, I start to overtake someone with my weak base engine VW Golf and accelerate to 130 to complete my pass. And then a BMW/Audi/Mercedes approaches at 200+, flashing his high beams barely two car lengths behind me. I'm by no means an insecure driver, it just drives me mad. Some people think that just because an unlimited section of the Autobahn has started, everybody needs to move out of their way immediately or take part in a top speed chase with them. The sense of entitlement is strong out there.
