A sad day for Germany.

[Dinner]

Or at least Germans living in Bremen.

Germany Gets First Ever Autobahn Speed Limit
Germany is famed for its Autobahn, where people can drive as fast as they like -- in some sections
Großansicht des Bildes mit der Bildunterschrift: Bremen officials hope the rule will lead to widespread action to tame speed devils

For the first time in the country's highway history, a German state has set a speed limit on its Autobahn, rekindling a long-running debate on curbing speed to boost road safety and combat pollution.

On Wednesday, April 9, Germany’s smallest state put speed limit signs on the last six of its 60 kilometers (37 miles) of highway, limiting car traffic to 120 km per hour (75 miles per hour).

This smashed car was forced off the road by a speeder who overtook the driver, frightening her off the road in 2003Bildunterschrift: Großansicht des Bildes mit der Bildunterschrift: Speeding can lead to bad accidents

“Our goal is to achieve an overall speed limit in Germany, together with other German states,” said Bremen’s top environment politician, Reinhard Loske. “This is a great day for traffic safety and sends a signal for environmental protection,” he added.

The Green Party politician also said he would start talks with his counterparts in other states about introducing a national highway speed limit.

Activists cite environment, safety

“The danger of serious accidents involving personal injury is reduced wherever there is a speed limit,” Loske said.

Speed limits are not only good for the environment -- at lower speeds, cars burn less fuel, expelling fewer greenhouse gas emissions -- but they protect people, statistics show.

A worker mounts a 120 km/hour sign on a German highwayBildunterschrift: Großansicht des Bildes mit der Bildunterschrift: Speeds are often limited on crowded road stretches

German highways often have speed limits for noise reduction, where traffic is heavy, or at junctions. Currently, a little over half of German highways have no speed limits around Germany.

But the debate over a general speed limit on the German Autobahn (the word simply means “highway” in German) is an ongoing one.

Proponents demand an overall limit of 120 or 130 kilometers per hour, citing environmental and safety reasons. This past autumn, German environmental organizations and an alliance of police experts called “Pro-Tempolimit” got together to demand a speed limit.

Public opinion is divided

But German automobile clubs as well as the German automobile industry -- known for its heavy, fast and well-engineered vehicles, and the motor of a chunky segment of the German economy -- oppose speed limits. Chancellor Angela Merkel also came out on the side of the auto industry, in opposition to speed limits.

Public opinion is nearly evenly divided on the issue.


DW staff (jen)

http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,2144,3255827,00.html

[Harovan]

Autobahns through cities or suburbs often have speed limits, it's rather even the rule. And honestly it makes sense, because traffic is there heavier than elsewhere.

Sure, the dumbass Greens want a general speed limit, shrug. I personally doubt that it will come, though. The bigger parties know well that this would translate into a loss of at least 10% votes. It would be like taking the beer away from us.

[Wernazuma III]

Originally posted by Sir Ralph
Autobahns through cities or suburbs often have speed limits, it's rather even the rule. And honestly it makes sense, because traffic is there heavier than elsewhere.

Sure, the dumbass Greens want a general speed limit, shrug. I personally doubt that it will come, though. The bigger parties know well that this would translate into a loss of at least 10% votes. It would be like taking the beer away from us.

Don't forget the emitted diesel-particles, which explode between 130 and 160km/h (+40-50%), plus a doubled noise pollution - both huge downsides especially in urban areas. Moreover, due to the heavy traffic, speed over 120-130 km/h are criminal anyway because of the risks.

Anyway, I just love how the same people who probably shake their heads about Americans not signing Kyoto get all upset when someone talks about their driving behaviour.

[Lord Avalon]

Fahrtraurigkeit.

[Lancer]

Originally posted by Sir Ralph
Autobahns through cities or suburbs often have speed limits, it's rather even the rule. And honestly it makes sense, because traffic is there heavier than elsewhere.

Sure, the dumbass Greens want a general speed limit, shrug. I personally doubt that it will come, though. The bigger parties know well that this would translate into a loss of at least 10% votes. It would be like taking the beer away from us.

Taking beer away from Germans.

[Provost Harrison]

Originally posted by Lancer


Taking beer away from Germans.

Never. I've just had a few beers in the centre of Saarbrucken this evening, and don't you ever take beer away from the Germans as I have rather a taste for it when I come here

And yeah, I may get the pleasure of driving on an autobahn tomorrow afternoon (unless my colleague fancies doing the driving back to Luxembourg)...should be fun, and there is no speed limit until I reach the border Although I was surprised that the autobahn only had two lanes. Motorways in the UK usually have 3 lanes (sometimes 2 but sometimes 4).

[Colon™]

Why do you Englishers insist on calling highways in Germany "autobahns" while you don't call highways in other countries by their local names? Is it borne out of a sense of lingual inferiority? It's even worse when you discuss French stuff. You constantly use the French term when English would equally suffice (really, it's alright to use "bakery" instead of "boulangerie"). It's fascinating.

[Lord Avalon]

Lingerie

[Wittlich]

Well, I have to admit that ever since the "wall fell," driving on the German autobahn has not been the same since (ie, more congestion with a lot of slow-moving vehicles).

On a side-note to address the use of "Autobahn" when talking about German highways ... There is only one "Autobahn" and Germany OWNS it. When anyone states "Autobahn" it is automatically associated to Germany.

[Monk]

Originally posted by Colon™
Why do you Englishers insist on calling highways in Germany "autobahns" while you don't call highways in other countries by their local names?

Blame Kraftwerk.

AAAUUU-TOOOOH-BAAAAAAHN!

Bremen is no place you'd usually drive through anyway, is it?

And if there's one thing watching tonight's football game has made me realize, it's that Bavaria will never surrender.

[Harovan]

Originally posted by Provost Harrison
Although I was surprised that the autobahn only had two lanes. Motorways in the UK usually have 3 lanes (sometimes 2 but sometimes 4).

Well, that's the price for having them early. When Mr. Whatshisname built them, private vehicles weren't yet as common as they are today. We're rebuilding most of them now, slowly and steadily, at least those parts that are expansion-worthy (by far not all).

[Dinner]

Most of the Interstates in California have five lanes. The exceptions are the really old parts in LA which only have three. Those roads have the same issue as Germany namely that they're old and were designed when cars were less common.

[Tim_Augustus]

Some of ours have but one lane...

[BeBMan]

Speed limits are tolerable. Taking away the beer is not!