Are speed limits really necessary?

[Ash]

Many German highways have an unlimited speed limit, but there are still penalties for unsafe driving; if the conditions are poor etc.
The Autobahn is actually safer than many US highways, even though you can go 400 km/h if your car is capable of it and the conditions are good. Why shouldn't I be allowed to drive 200 with good conditions and minimal traffic?

[Siluva]

Everytime I take the highway I have to deal with people with dangerous behavior at +100 km/h, so imagine at +200 km/h...

[Morkonan]

𝒜𝓈𝒽 eredeti hozzászólása:

Sure, in residential areas and cities. But a lot of places it really doesn't seem necessary.

But, where would those places be? Maybe in the Midwest? A few long, straight, desert highways or out on the plains somewhere that doesn't have any off-ramps or much in the way of any traffic?

Traffic's a big deal... The congestion near even some small towns can get pretty serious. I've got hundreds of thousand of miles worth of driving under my belt that's not even for commercial purposes... just having to go places.'Cause 'Murica.

People are darn crazy, sometimes. Just this week while taking care of some personal business I had to dodge several morons who, for whatever reason, decided that everyone else's lives on the Interstate were expendable. And, they were only going around 90 mph or so in a 65 mph zone.

I also watched three semi-trucks "become one" because the last one in the pile attempted to aggressively mate with the first one without noticing the big one in between them. They looked like a demented accordion on wheels... That happened about ten cars in front of me. Luckily a nice dude in the other lane let me cut in so I could skirt around them before something caught on fire.:) All that traffic is probably still backed up four days later... :D

If there were no speed limits in some of these places, they'd be impossible to navigate for all the wrecks. I'd definitely start flying more...

[Devsman]

tiny E eredeti hozzászólása:

Pinky eredeti hozzászólása:

From what I hear, the roads in the USA ain't so great. Imagine hitting a pothole at 200mph.

it doesn't help that no one wants to pay to fix them

What doesn't help is them tearing up and repaving the same highway every decade, ignorong the ones that are actually screwed up.

[☎need4naiim☎]

More than 300km/h is very dangerous in Autobahns, even with an F40. Check this below video taken from the cockpit of F40 doing 330km/h. Even with all those downforce generated by engineering masterpeace F40, it is evident from the shaken camera that it is not worth the risk.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=0lieC3CM-xg

[Your_White_Knight]

𝒜𝓈𝒽 eredeti hozzászólása:

Are speed limits really necessary?

Many German highways have an unlimited speed limit, but there are still penalties for unsafe driving; if the conditions are poor etc.
The Autobahn is actually safer than many US highways, even though you can go 400 km/h if your car is capable of it and the conditions are good. Why shouldn't I be allowed to drive 200 with good conditions and minimal traffic?

I don't know about Germany.... but around here there's no common sense any more.... so yes.

[captainwiseass]

Americans have proven that we cannot be trusted to set our own speed.

[Re-oL]

Germany actually has speed limit. Only Autobahn that doesn't have speed limit. Most area still has speed limit ranging from 50km/h - 100km/h (sometimes reduced to 70-80km/h). Autobahn has recommended speed limit of 130km/h while driving above that technically is a ok, i believe there are some complicated regulation behind it.

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Speed_limits_in_Germany
It's wikipedia, so it should be true to some extent

[L1qu1dator]

Yes, otherwise crossing the street on foot would feel like being a pedestrian in Carmageddon.

[🍋 Lemonfed 🍋]

yeah , it's required ... lot's of peoples are not wise enough to understand they should not be riding over 100 KHM in a zone where they might hit someone walking by.

even on highway , peoples tend to overestimate their own skill to handle their car.

[saranacX]

Yes they're necessary. Order on the road is paramount when talking about minimally trained people driving 2000+ lb weapons amongst one another. Externalities, and so on.

[HALO_run]

yes they are slower speeds means more time to react, plus you'll be less likely to kill someone.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=69PFlfvzVek&list=PLiYs0vHr1olSmNZhm0P60O5PPYCyQAmfo&index=16

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yv0Q2AGjvNU&list=PLiYs0vHr1olSmNZhm0P60O5PPYCyQAmfo&index=58

[secuda]

Yes.

[MinionJoe]

No vehicle currently on the road in the United States would be allowed on the Autobahn. Having improper tire tread on the Autobahn will get your car towed. While I'm driving a truck that passed state inspection with a dodgy wheel hub.

[Basho]

since speed limits usually are there to account for conditions such as crossing roads, obscured corners/turns, etc, and "accidents" happen in spite of this (often because people drive above the set limit), i cant see how removing them would lessen road deaths or even keep them unchanged.

𝒜𝓈𝒽 eredeti hozzászólása:

if your car is capable of it and the conditions are good. Why shouldn't I be allowed to drive 200 with good conditions and minimal traffic?

i think this is the heart of the issue. the "me" focus.
it is not just about the specs of the car and the perceived capability of the driver.
it is about the safety of everyone, and there are other people on the road as well and unexpected things happen.
everyone involved need to be able to tell what everyone else is doing to have a chance of making safe maneuvers. you wouldnt want to try going through and intersection if someone might come barreling through at 400km/h becuase they felt it was ok for them to do so.

there is no telling what will be around the corner, someone making a safe overtake will suddenly face an incoming projectile they couldnt even see when starting the overtake, etc.
every high speed action essentially turns into a gamble that hinges on everyone else making way for you, and thinking of everyone else as some kind of predictable extras/NPCs.

also, at 200km/h you might travel over 50m before you can even hit the breaks in an emergency.
then the car has to actually stop after that as well.
the dude in the video above did not keep even 50m to the car in front.
this is why multi-car pileups happen, and i cant imagine them becoming less lethal at 200km/h.

i guess a shorter way of putting it is:
if it was safe to drive at 200+km/h, then the speed limit would already be at that level.

[Fostin4]

tiny E eredeti hozzászólása:

𝒜𝓈𝒽 eredeti hozzászólása:

The Autobahn is actually safer than many US highways,

Mad Max Fury Road is safer than most US highways.

I love this country, but we can't drive for ♥♥♥♥! 😆

And for the last time: USE YOUR TURN SIGNALS!!!!!

Yes, they are necessary. I've had people driving cars, not use a turn signal at a junction and leave me guessing where he is going to turn, while they wave their handout to me saying "what are you doing"? Such people should have their license shredded.