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If the limits are so artificial then why did Montana change from no speed limit to re-instating one? They had switched to "whatever speed you wanna drive" just like the Audubon in Germany. WAY too many deaths so they ditched that idea.
Like Dorver said, the only reason Montana had to issue a speed limit is because there was a threat of being cut off from federal funding not because of more accidents. I too think that high speed limits in rural and desolate areas is a good idea. Texas has some highways with a daytime speed of 80 mph. I wish South Dakota would do that with I-90.
Montana never "decided" to eliminate a speed limit either. Most rural highways didn't have a posted speed limit until the late 70s and 80s. Montana was just the last to conform.
Like Dorver said, the only reason Montana had to issue a speed limit is because there was a threat of being cut off from federal funding not because of more accidents. I too think that high speed limits in rural and desolate areas is a good idea. Texas has some highways with a daytime speed of 80 mph. I wish South Dakota would do that with I-90.
Montana never "decided" to eliminate a speed limit either. Most rural highways didn't have a posted speed limit until the late 70s and 80s. Montana was just the last to conform.
Actually federal funding has been decoupled from speed limits, which is why we've seen them raised as high as 80mph. It was a Montana judge who threw out the "reasonable and prudent" standard Montana had after the "federal" speed limit was abolished on the grounds that it was too vague.
Explain to me how driving 90+ or even 100+ mph in a car perfectly suited for such speeds constitutes a hazard to anyone? Seems to me the hazard are the people you mention who don't know how to drive rather than those who do and would prefer not to be constrained by artificially low speed limits. And it's unfortunate that we craft laws to the lowest idiot denominator rather than actually raising our expectations of driving ability before turning people loose in 3,500 pound rolling missiles.
Growing up (I'm only 22), I've driven 90-110+ at times... It's not smart. The whole becoming more mature finally kicked in. Doing that, you are endangering yourself, and others on the road. I don't see how this is so hard to understand.
If you have a car suited to drive 90+ or 100+ and want to do that, then keep it on a race track, and not on the highways that people travel on.
Again, I was young and stupid when I drove that fast.
You have yet to explain how driving 90-100+ actually endangers other drivers. You just assume it's understood. I beg to differ, because there is empirical, observable proof elsewhere that such speeds and beyond can be permitted reasonably and safely. What's not smart is believing that speed limits are a suitable substitute for requiring that people actually know how to drive and not simply point a car down the road with minimal diligence.
"Keep it on the race track" also does not address the non-necessity of speed limits on lightly traveled, grade-separated, limited-access highways. It's certainly not a very persuasive argument in favor of speed limits.
Ok you get a flat tire doing 90-100 mph and see how that endangers not only your lives but the lives around you. How ignorant to say that driving at that speed doesn't endanger anyones lives. A tie rod could break, a Flat tire could occur (and don't sit there and tell me you could control a blow out at 90+ MPH), A driveshaft could break, etc...
You can control a car at 90mph with a blowout. People do it all the time, and at even higher speeds than that. Tie rods don't just break unless you maintain your car poorly, in which case you're a danger at any speed. You mean to tell me you'll be fine if a tire rod breaks at 75mph instead of 90mph? A driveshaft breaking doesn't endanger anyone. All that happens is you start to coast. That's dangerous how?
The way some of you people dramatize the danger of higher speeds, you'd think there would be carnage all over the autobahn. And yet there isn't. You'd think there would be carnage all over the U.S. interstates ever since the stupid-assed 55mph speed limit was lifted. And yet that hasn't happened. And still you cling to the paranoia that "speed kills." Speed doesn't kill, driving like an idiot kills. And so we impose ridiculous speed limits in order to accommodate idiocy rather than demanding people not be idiots. Idiots are dangerous at any speed. Accommodating them instead of demanding higher degree of driving competence is idiotic.
I have never driven on the autobahn. But I have ''ridden'' on it.... Our Army Escorts did the driving. Thank God. Further more, I remember, from the conversations, with them, how strict the vehicle inspection is in Germany.(and how expensive a drivers Liscence is, there as well.
Well apparently you don't know much about cars. And yes I have driven on the autobahn for 6 years while stationed in Germany and I saw my fair share of pileups and believe me, they weren't very damn pretty.
Yes Tierods can go even on new cars, From personal experience, Driving a 1998 Dodge Neon, Brand New, Less than 4000 miles on it, Tie Rod Broke. Was only doing about 30 mph when it happened and it wasn't very damn pretty either.
Please Stay up there in Chicago and don't come around here and endanger anyone with your thinking that you can drive as fast as you damn well please and not endanger anyone or yourself (watch out for that deer crossing the road while your doing 90+ MPH)
I've seen pile-ups on interstates too, but I also happen to know that personal anecdotes are no match for actual data. And the data show that driving on the autobahn is considerably safer than plying America's highways.
I also know plenty about cars, thanks. I also know plenty about driving, which apparently you do not. I know that it is perfectly possible to drive at considerably higher speeds if your in a properly equipped car and you know what you're doing and the drivers around you also know what they're doing. Which I'm guessing you don't given your absolute paranoia about driving anything above the posted speed limit. Please stay up there in South Dakota if you're going to insist on clinging to ignorance and your speed-limit-induced false sense of safety.
I have never driven on the autobahn. But I have ''ridden'' on it.... Our Army Escorts did the driving. Thank God. Further more, I remember, from the conversations, with them, how strict the vehicle inspection is in Germany.(and how expensive a drivers Liscence is, there as well.
That's another reason there will always be a speed limit in the United States. Vehicle emissions and performance tests are not as strict here as they are in Europe. Heck, in South Dakota a car is considered anything that can reach speeds of 45 mph and has all regulatory lights and mirrors. You can drive just about anything in South Dakota.
Autobahn speeds are high and even though accidents happen they are very rare. Sure, they're full of carnage and your chances of dying in an Autobahn accident are high, but your chances of even getting in an accident on the Autobahn are substantially lower than they are on an American Interstate. European drivers just go through so much more training than American drivers. It's like that because in the US driving is the primary means of travel and transportation. Europe has more public transportation than we do so driving is somewhat of a last resort.
Also, having a car in Europe is very expensive. In South Dakota, $40 gets you plates and registration and a license costs you $8.
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