I hate tree hugging hippy socialist that want to tell everone what they should watch,listen to,and live by. The last i checked this was supposed to be the United States.<ul><li><a href="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/5605700/">http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/5605700/</a</li></ul>

It's driver's ed I tell you. We need to impose fees for driver's licenses and mandatory driving school. And I mean REAL driving school, not that go around the corner and park your car deal.

Unfortunately, there are too many sheep in this country who believe what they are told, and can't think for themselves. They believe the "speed kills" bull****, since they've been fed the line time and time again from the people who have the most to gain from speeding tickets.

The one I always liked-- back in the days of "55 Saves Lives" [sic], 94% of the people driving on New York's Interstate highways exceeded the ridiculously low 55 MPH speed limit. Then, the police claim that speeding was a factor in something like 60% of all crashes. If 94% are going over the limit, why aren't 94% of the crashes "speed-related"?

-JPC

There's a great special that runs on Discovery channel from time to time on the Autobahn and gives some GREAT comparisons between their roads and ours, as well as their driving habits, their driving regulations, and their death/accident rate. It's amazing stuff.

This so-called "safety" group was set up BY insurance company FOR insurance companies. They like to manufacture "facts" that prove that speed kills so the hand that feeds them can profit by increasing revenue from insurance surcharges to otherwise safe drivers who get speeding tickets.

Man, do they piss me off... and all the while using MY insurance fees against me...

-JPC

in front of you and do 55mph. It seems that alot of these people think that it is up to them to be the savior of us all. And if they can't do themselve they have to go cry to thegoverment.

HEHE! This is why i support freeway shootings. It's not like it the guy going down a fastlane passing somebody that gets shot. But the guy doing 35mph in the fast lane prventing the guy from passing the other guy doing 45mph with his signal on for the past 5mi. Freeway shootings are natures way of weeding out the heard by killing of the slow and weak. (diclaimer:No motorist were actually harmed in the making of this statment.This statment was ment for comical reason only.Thank You.)

If it's the one I remember, there are a few differences between the two highway systems, but the biggest by far, as you mentioned before, is that they require REAL driver education. If these safety Nazis really want our roads safer, they'd embrace driver education, with a REAL road test incorporating everything from city driving to highway driving, and re-testing at certain intervals. Anything less shows their real agenda... $$$$.

-JPC

I can't believe the proliferation of these self-righteous idiot types in the Twin Cities area... it's impossible to drive more than a couple miles on the Interstates without encountering at least one clown who thinks it's his or her divine right to sit in the passing lane. When I pass them on the right, they get all indignant and flash their lights at me... amazing!!

-JPC

Not sure American public wants to pay for that (I know I don't) since our highways are so much longer (by an order of magnitude) than the ones in Deutchland

IIRC, our Interstate system has a design speed comparable to that of the Autobahn. The lane widths, maximum grade, minimum curve radius, etc. should be comparable.

Again, this is based on my (increasingly faulty) memory, so if you have a reference to information that contradicts this, please let me konw. I used to follow these topics religiously (yeah, I'm a road geek!), but don't seem to have the time these days.

-JPC

the base of the road is deeper and the materials are somewhat different. I thought I read it would be 2 to 3x more.

certified by the DOT to get a certificate based on a passing score.This would also create competition (fight for lower price) and jobs. It is almost the same as getting a cross country truckers lic.

On most public roads however we go up to about 6 INCHES of concrete and 4" of asphalt. But still, nothing compared to the 6-8 ft of poured concrete.

And when they have cracks, they'll replace the entire strip of concrete, not just throw some tar in there.

is poured about 4-5ft deep. But most of our cross country interstates are made very well for the climates that they cross.They are also poured deep to help hold up to the heavy load that semi-trucks carry cross country.

couldn't agree more, and even moreso, are all these accidents and deaths actually "speed related?" I would almost guarantee they're more likely the cause of inattentive driving (idiots on cell phones) and poor driver skill.

"As many as two-thirds of those deaths might be blamed on "aggressive driving" behavior, including speeding and improper passing, the federal safety agency found in a 2001 study."

As many? Do they really know, or are they just making **** up to support their point. You know what study they failed to mention? This one:

<a href="http://www.hwysafety.com/hwy_montana_2001.htm">http://www.hwysafety.com/hwy_montana_2001.htm</a>

Also, it's a proven fact that people pay more attention to driving the faster they go. Speeding and laws really aren't about safety, they're about generating revenue for the states the laws are enforced in. In fact for the most part I consider a cop on the highway giving out speeding tickets a glorified meter maid.

when going to renew her license. She was able to renew her license no problem and just got a ticket. I think the system here is a little too easy.

more a road is used the more maintenance it will need.

A limit of 130 kph (~81 MPH) is being suggested...<ul><li><a href="http://www.dw-world.de/english/0,3367,1430_A_1255905,00.html">Autobahn Speed Limits may be coming soon</a></li></ul>