RE: Merkel blocks autobahn speed limit

RE: Merkel blocks autobahn speed limit

Monday 29th October 2007

Merkel blocks autobahn speed limit

Autobahns to stay limit free, insists German chancellor


Autobahns: Motoring nirvana
Autobahns: Motoring nirvana
Germany’s Chancellor Angela Merkel has insisted that her government would not try and introduce a speed limit on the autobahns, despite a call from her Social Democrat (SPD) coalition partners, it has been reported.

The SPD were said to have voted in favour of a 130km/h (80mph) speed limit, arguing it would help reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

But in an interview to be aired today on German ZDF television Mrs Merkel flatly rejected the proposal, saying: ‘This is not going to happen to me’.

'Traffic jams are at least as harmful to the climate as speeding,’ she added.

Many parts of the German autobahn have no speed limits – a fact that is enjoyed by many British car enthusiasts travelling in the country.

Mrs Merkel is said to be in favour of better traffic management systems, suggesting they would be a more effective way of preventing excessive emissions on the motorway.

Author
Discussion

omohat

Original Poster:

361 posts

229 months

Monday 29th October 2007
quotequote all
Hold the press!!! Politician in common sense shocker!!!

Vipers

32,797 posts

227 months

Monday 29th October 2007
quotequote all
Interesting indeed, just wonder how many of their autobahns are closed day after day after day with incidents as we seem to do in the UK.

smile

Ahonen

5,015 posts

278 months

Monday 29th October 2007
quotequote all
Good for her. Always refreshing to hear some common sense.

poing

8,743 posts

199 months

Monday 29th October 2007
quotequote all
clap So just how do we persuade her to move into UK politics ? bow

hahithestevieboy

845 posts

213 months

Monday 29th October 2007
quotequote all
Here here!!

German autobarns are (if I recall correctly) mostly made of concrete which is much more hardwearing and longlasting than tarmac/bitumen roads requireing less maintanence (even if like on a runway you then cover them in tarmac). Then, when they do break the germans (at night) throw men and machinery at them in order to get the problem solved in a couple of hours minimising disruption.

Bada Bing!

944 posts

226 months

Monday 29th October 2007
quotequote all
Glad that they are using their own environmental arguments against them. Cars are less harmful at full pelt than they are stopping and starting in a jam.

PhantomPH

4,043 posts

224 months

Monday 29th October 2007
quotequote all
I recently saw a documentary about the Autobahns and how they were efficiently managed and maintained. How any incident resulted in immediate closure od a lane and a temporary speed limit being enforced. All seemed like a lot of common sense was being used.

It also strikes me that just because people can go a million mph if they want to, not very many do. Would I be right in guessing that cruising speeds are between 80-90mph for the majority of traffic on the un-restricted sections?

The majority of drivers do have common sense. I would not horse everywhere at 130mph because I could - I would just not be so bloody nervous of getting nicked when I travelled at 85/90mph like I usually do.

P~

dinkel

26,886 posts

257 months

Monday 29th October 2007
quotequote all
Merkel said:
'Traffic jams are at least as harmful to the climate as speeding,’ she added.
True, Germans can drive because they have the possibility to do so at high speed. Autobahn must stay limit-less.

MK4 Slowride

10,028 posts

207 months

Monday 29th October 2007
quotequote all
If only we had a prime minister like that, or at least one with common sense and ability to think.

Mr_C

2,441 posts

228 months

Monday 29th October 2007
quotequote all
I've noticed on the 'bahns that most people do drive at 80 ish, their lane discipline is usually spot on, they move over for faster cars and if you do want to drive faster they let you get on with it.

thumbup

noneedtolift

846 posts

222 months

Monday 29th October 2007
quotequote all
PhantomPH said:
I recently saw a documentary about the Autobahns and how they were efficiently managed and maintained. How any incident resulted in immediate closure od a lane and a temporary speed limit being enforced. All seemed like a lot of common sense was being used.

It also strikes me that just because people can go a million mph if they want to, not very many do. Would I be right in guessing that cruising speeds are between 80-90mph for the majority of traffic on the un-restricted sections?

The majority of drivers do have common sense. I would not horse everywhere at 130mph because I could - I would just not be so bloody nervous of getting nicked when I travelled at 85/90mph like I usually do.

P~
Absolutely right! I reckon, the average speeds here are about 130 kph - if you do 200 kph there's not an awful lot coming up behind you. I would guess that it is a max. of 5% who actually do exploit the possibility of taking their cars to the max. Interestingly, that also a lot of performance car owners rarely exploit their car's potential...

Rest assured though - German politicians are no better than any other country's. Recently, we had a minister saying, in public, "people, buy Toyota hybrid vehicles". Great for someone who is in power in a country where the automotive industry is employer No.1. Senseless...

Edited by noneedtolift on Monday 29th October 16:17

derestrictor

18,764 posts

260 months

Monday 29th October 2007
quotequote all
clap Imagine political genius like this existing in this country? It could happen, we just need to find the politico with the requisite cojones to stand up against the green lie and by jove within 5 years, it's a 150 mph reality...

Only lettuce and a bull headed refusal to build suitable uberhighways has prevented this over nearly four decades now and it is the fault, ironically, of another female politician, back when.

red_zed

2,662 posts

202 months

Monday 29th October 2007
quotequote all
good to see some common sense maintained in terms of the co2 emissions debate!


cirian75

4,245 posts

232 months

Monday 29th October 2007
quotequote all
Plan A

learn German

PhantomPH

4,043 posts

224 months

Monday 29th October 2007
quotequote all
cirian75 said:
Plan A

learn German
LOL biggrin

AlexH

2,505 posts

283 months

Monday 29th October 2007
quotequote all
derestrictor said:
clap Imagine political genius like this existing in this country? It could happen, we just need to find the politico with the requisite cojones to stand up against the green lie and by jove within 5 years, it's a 150 mph reality...

Only lettuce and a bull headed refusal to build suitable uberhighways has prevented this over nearly four decades now and it is the fault, ironically, of another female politician, back when.
Er...no. The reason they have that lovely state of affairs is because they're German and therefore capable of organising large scale festivities in an establishment given over to the production of fine ales, whereas we are not.

Hobbit123

636 posts

226 months

Monday 29th October 2007
quotequote all
The problem we have here is that there are too many numpties who pay zero attention to what they are doing. If they don't see a marked up police car with full blues & twos on the go, how will they notice an M5 doing 150+?

We will have to find a way to pick off the middle lane morons and teach lane discipline all over again. I don't see that happening anytime soon, when this government (and all the sheep) are totally focused on CO2 production and enviro-mentalism. Also, how much would the government lose in speeding fines alone?

It would be wonderful, but the cynic in me doubts it'll ever happen while humans are in charge of cars. Once cars drive themselves of course, could be a different story smile

mybrainhurts

90,809 posts

254 months

Monday 29th October 2007
quotequote all
Holy kipper...

This from the former communist official from East Germany, who wants Europe to be a single state...

As communists and europhiles are the ultimate control freaks, she must be up to something...

I smell a rat...

Martin_Hx

3,951 posts

197 months

Monday 29th October 2007
quotequote all
Good on her ! smile

cowellsj

681 posts

198 months

Monday 29th October 2007
quotequote all
Mr_C said:
I've noticed on the 'bahns that most people do drive at 80 ish, their lane discipline is usually spot on, they move over for faster cars and if you do want to drive faster they let you get on with it.

thumbup
Over here people would much rather have an accident than let someone pass them safely.