UPSB v3
Serious Discussion / Why america can't have the autobahn
Wrote for an english assignment... your thoughts?
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Date: Tue, May 5 2009 23:16:29
The Reason Americans Can’t Have the Autobahn
In Germany, they have the Autobahn where they can go as fast as they want. They are totally focused on driving. Based on 2004 NTSB statistics, there were 42,636 deaths on U.S. Interstates and in Germany there were 694 deaths. That equates to almost one fatality for every mile of U.S. Interstates, while Germany has less than one death for every ten miles. If speed is the bad guy causing car crashes, why do our slower Interstates have 16.5 times as many accidents(when taking population into consideration)?
If you still think speed is the culprit, most fatal crashes occur considerably below 75-mph. The number of speed-related fatalities in the U.S. is in fact highest on arterial roads followed by local/collector roads and, finally, the Interstates. 75% of fatal crashes occur below 50 miles per hour. In fact, most automobile crash tests–and most secondary safety devices in automobiles such as airbags–are optimized to have an impact at speeds of around 35-40 miles per hour.
According to a CHP officer with 33 years of experience analyzing collisions, “inattention†and “driver inability†are the two major causes for collisions. However, thins such as “inattention†or “driver inability†are not normally allowed as primary collision factors. Thus the fix all of car accidents where this expert works, California, is the law 22350 CVC which states that drivers must maintain a speed that is safe and prudent in relation to the road and environmental conditions. This law has been used as a catch-all to explain many driving failures. In the following examples demonstrate how speed is incorrectly and routinely listed as the primary cause of collisions. (Paraphrased from Larry Walton in Motor Trend Magazine)
“Rear end collision: The front vehicle slows. The rear vehicle does not slow appropriately and runs into the rear of the front vehicle. The collision cause is attributed to the rear vehicle for maintaining an unsafe speed for the prevailing conditions. 22350 CVC listed as the primary collision factor.†(Taken directly from Larry Walton in Motor Trend Magazine)
“Running off the roadway at a curve and striking an object: Again, 22350 CVC may be posted as the primary collision factor.†(Taken directly from Larry Walton in Motor Trend Magazine)
The incorrect statistical listing of collision factors warps reality. Speed is presented as the major and primary cause of collisions thus we feel the need to condemn speed.
Next time you drive up to the stoplight, look around you. The problem isn’t speed; it is the inattentive, inept, careless, drunken, and drugged drivers. The people eating, doing make-up, and reading are the reasons we can’t have the Autobahn. -
Date: Wed, May 6 2009 00:50:17
you fail to acknowledge why the autobahn works
and it's not because germans all drive like perfect attentive angels -
Date: Wed, May 6 2009 01:44:46
Why did you write this, are you trying to encourage this to happen or is it informative?
The intent should be clear, you use sentences like you are trying to prove a point, but I have no idea what your are trying to prove, so they are kinda useless. If its informative, there is little information.
Try to clearly state the reason, it doesn't have to be like "iam writing this because..." but something that lets the reader know your view point. -
Date: Wed, May 6 2009 11:03:43
An (Arguably) Interesting Fact:
Around where I live is an auto shop called AutoBahn. The 'mascot' is a mechanic called 'Bahney' (Barney).
I felt like sharing that with everyone.
I'm guessing that a lot of car crashes in America are alcohol related. I've heard that the public transport in Europe is a lot better than that of the USA (generally speaking). It's probably not a hugely contributing factor but it's gotta count for something.
I've also heard that Germans are machines when it comes to beer
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Date: Wed, May 6 2009 12:59:58
its not just germans tho
pretty much everywhere in europe, you can go high speed on highway -
Date: Sat, May 9 2009 05:20:50QUOTE (Zombo @ May 6 2009, 02:59 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>its not just germans tho
pretty much everywhere in europe, you can go high speed on highway
That's not really true. Most of Western Europe has speed limits around 120-130km/h (roughly 80miles/h) on freeways. That might bit faster than like North America, but it is still nowhere near the unlimited speed on the German Autobahn.
The real reason why that, only Germany can have freeways without speed limits, is not that they are better drivers. No, it is because the Germans are the only people that love their cars so much, that they are willing to pay the cost (in form of taxes) of such a highly developed road system which is required for unlimited speed. No country spend as much on it's roads compared to its GDP as Germany.
So in the end what it comes back to priorities. In Germany and to some extent in the rest of Europe, the people want to pay the taxes required for proper roads. Americans don't wonna do that, they'll rather have cheap gas and big cars, which they then can sit in traffic in all day long.
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Date: Sat, May 9 2009 14:16:05
in Quebec we can't have high speed because our roads are always crap due to the winter cold which breaks the roads, they're always in repair
crap like this on almost every road -
Date: Sat, May 9 2009 14:31:28
nearly all of our streets here are like that, zumbo :]
PS: autobahnen are kewl