Yep all the safety built into modern cars, along with improved performance NVH etc has lead to a false sense of security.

Its always been reported about the false sense of security that Volvo drivers have in misunderstood levels of safety that their cars afford them. And i believe some years ago stats proved that Volvo's in the USA where involved statistically in more crashes possibly as a result of this.

I have had plods try and bait me on a few occasions, and I nearly reported a traffic plod a few weeks ago, his driving in a Jam sandwich was atrocious, for nearly 15 minutes in an urban area he never once used indicators, crossed solid white lines on 2 occasions and broke the speed limit any number of times.

 

There is also the increase in density of traffic as well as the density of drivers.

It means that Autobahn driving is increasingly frustrating; Germany is suffering many of the UK's problems of an ageing economy.

But speed limits have always been political; having realised the Germans don't gullibly buy into the safety lie, the greens now want speed limits to save the world...

 

I was under the impression ( no actual experience ) that there were not many miles of unrestricted Autobahn left?

The problem with high speed limits in general is the not the actual high limit but speed differentials, if we were to say go to a 90mph limit on M ways should we also look a proper minimum speeds, say 60, and then what about trucks etc, although there is a section of the M11 where as an experiment trucks are legally limited to the use of lane 1 on a long slope to stop them clogging up the 2 lane section.

But then there will always be complete plonkers on the roads who wander all over the place and clog up the lanes 2 & 3 dont use their mirrors and will site the speed limit as set to stay in that lane irrespective of the law and what's happening behind them.

 

in principle I don't see anything wrong with increasing the motorway speed limit

speed is obviously a factor but doesn't kill

poor driving does

so, unfortunately, when you factor in the attitude and driving standards of the many feckwits who adorn the roads, the number of vehicles on the road, etc. it would be a bad idea

the performance of modern car's braking systems may have increased dramatically compared to when the speed limit was intoduced

but "thinking" distances remain the same

when it goes wrong at speed it goes badly wrong

 

In my experience of autobahns (autoroutes and autostradas) the biggest difference is use of mirrors. However "mad" your typical Italian may be, when he's on the AS if the road is sufficiently open he'll pull out, overtake and pull in.

In this country as a whole, do we forget to use mirrors (either before pulling out or when in the overtaking lane so we don't see things approaching) or is it yet another example of the UKs "f**k you" attitude. "I don't care if you're going faster than me, I'm pulling out and I'm staying out"

 

So why were the Police baiting a guy, by tailgating, to speed up?

 

my crystal ball isn't working today

who knows what they were actually doing

IF the series of events were as stated then it's not very sporting

maybe they were low on fuel and wanted some clean air and the slipstream effect

 

Sorry, I should have said that it was a rhetorical question as there is NO justifiable reason for the Police to tailgate.

 

It's usually a lot more sensible than that; there are many sections which are unrestricted, yet have a "80 bei Nasse" limit, due to spray, or slippery (worn) surfaces or near an intersection, where poor visibility in the wet due to the foregoing might be a problem. Or the danger of tailbacks has resulted in a permanent speed limit as in my earlier post.

The German car industry has campaigned successfully against the greens; there is a good reason their cars are excellent at munching up the broing motorway miles!

But there also is the point that mostly, Germans drive properly, for fear of admonishment from other road users, or the police. The loser mentality seems to be a particularly British phenomenon, especially when driving.

And it seems, even amongst some of the police...

 

They are VERY quick to report other road users for apparent violations!