[Maynard]

I think the speed limit was 85 in Kansas - so functionally almost a free-for-all American Autobahn (I hear in Texas it is 90?). I also think there is some romanticizing about the Autobahn - granted that they are better drivers in Europe, but it isn't like a gigantic country-wide track day. I've heard plenty of stories about commuters or delivery trucks on the Autobahn causing havoc by pulling out to pass or hogging lanes.

[natedog7700]

Originally Posted by Maynard

I think the speed limit was 85 in Kansas - so functionally almost a free-for-all American Autobahn (I hear in Texas it is 90?). I also think there is some romanticizing about the Autobahn - granted that they are better drivers in Europe, but it isn't like a gigantic country-wide track day. I've heard plenty of stories about commuters or delivery trucks on the Autobahn causing havoc by pulling out to pass or hogging lanes.

Texas is 85 on a certain toll road, otherwise lots of 80mph limits across the US. Can we get a 100mph sign at least?

[zentanker]

Originally Posted by natedog7700

Texas is 85 on a certain toll road, otherwise lots of 80mph limits across the US. Can we get a 100mph sign at least?

You gotta be talking about TX-130

Runs from east of San Antonio to well north of Austin. I love it.

[natedog7700]

Originally Posted by zentanker

You gotta be talking about TX-130

Runs from east of San Antonio to well north of Austin. I love it.

Very cool stuff, how fast can you guys run on that road without getting stopped? 95?

[zentanker]

Originally Posted by natedog7700

Very cool stuff, how fast can you guys run on that road without getting stopped? 95?

I'm not going to say. I'm not going to advocate for anyone to exceed the speed limit...

...but how might one get stopped if there is no one to stop you?


I may have exceeded the 85MPH limit here. Just by a couple of MPH.

I've seen BMWs, Corvettes, Porsches and other cars blow by me when I was being a good citizen and doing no more than 90MPH

er... 120?

[zentanker]

Originally Posted by natedog7700

Very cool stuff, how fast can you guys run on that road without getting stopped? 95?

I have no idea.

[Red Bread]

I remember going to the first COTA F1 event and driving on the 130.

Of course I also remember the total joy of passing my first Polizei with the cruise set at 250kph and not even worrying about it.

[DerEisbaer]

German Autobahn is very different from what most people in the world expect it to be.

We have a couple of unrestricted areas where you can good speeds throughout the day.

Being a transit-country for a lot of our European neighbours, and relying heavily on trucking for the movement of all our goods, the Autobahn is quite congested a lot of times. Also, there are speed limits in a lot of areas.

Could go on for a couple of minutes, but I think most of you have seen the videos of superspeeders-rob or Matt Farah on the Autobahn.

Germany is now again talking about limiting the speeds. Would hurt my soul tbh, but yeah. Solutions to prevent that from happening could include enforcing the existing limits stronger, limiting dangerous and/or shorter sections of unrestricted speeds as well as adjusting the limit to the actual traffic on this section (i.e. unlimited during night times or similar).

In addition we have section control being introduced in a lot of areas :/

Back to topic: as I lived in Houston/TX and Erie/PA for a while and having travelled through southern and -eastern US a lot, I don't see that any US State would delimit any interstate. Texas with 80-85 mph is quite nice, and other than that - just don't get caught.

[RM7]

We have to invade more countries and build walls, we ain't got no money for infrastructure! Do you have any idea how much an F-35 costs! Sheesh.

[Red Bread]

Originally Posted by JamesNoBrakes

We have to invade more countries and build walls, we ain't got no money for infrastructure! Do you have any idea how much an F-35 costs! Sheesh.

This is made clear every time I get in my car. I seriously consider just giving up and buying a Rubicon Wrangler nearly every day. It's just going to get worse.

[Efthreeoh]

Having just been out west on a road trip in September of 2017, several large interstates had 80 MPH speed limits (I80 being one). I found the road conditions barely adequate for that speed. Granted it was in the Z3 with a lowered suspension, but the undulations of the road surface ate up every bit of suspension travel. What I found interesting was the prevailing traffic, while mostly light in density, well behaved and going the speed limit.

Now that is in contrast to the east coast, where interstate speed limits are between 55 and 70 MPH, while most traffic is easily travelling at 85+ MPH, with traffic density at NASCAR level in Turn 4 at Daytona under last-lap white flag condition.

[Efthreeoh]

Originally Posted by JamesNoBrakes

We have to invade more countries and build walls, we ain't got no money for infrastructure! Do you have any idea how much an F-35 costs! Sheesh.

That's because it's worth it...

[david in germany]

Let me put this into perspective. The attached video is me driving to work one morning on autobahn A67 heading north. My is over 170mph in parts of the video. This would not be possible in the US.

[JasonCSU]

Originally Posted by Red Bread

This is made clear every time I get in my car. I seriously consider just giving up and buying a Rubicon Wrangler nearly every day. It's just going to get worse.

Don't get me wrong, I love driving my car, but the state of some of our infrastructure has given me a new appreciation for owning a truck. It's nice not having to worry about hitting various bumps and potholes when the tall sidewall tires and suspension can easily soak it up. I would have seriously considered a new JL Wrangler if it were available when I bought my truck.

[Z K]

Originally Posted by david in germany

Let me put this into perspective. The attached video is me driving to work one morning on autobahn A67 heading north. My is over 170mph in parts of the video. This would not be possible in the US.

^ This.

People in the US talk about "virtual Autobahns" - empty roads where you can go very fast. But in Germany, this is 100% legal, truly unlimited and you don't need to worry about police. We will not get this anywhere in the US any time soon.

[NickyC]

You'd have to build entirely new roadways in order to handle it. Will never happen unfortunately.

[Red Bread]

Originally Posted by Z K

^ This.

People in the US talk about "virtual Autobahns" - empty roads where you can go very fast. But in Germany, this is 100% legal, truly unlimited and you don't need to worry about police. We will not get this anywhere in the US any time soon.

Yeah, but their roads are about three times thicker than ours, made of concrete instead of asphalt and they're constantly repairing and replacing the surface (one lane at a time, can you imagine the carnage here?!).


Creating a similar setup for even a ridiculously small portion of the Interstate system would require a financial outlay on a level that the current 536 bozos could never achieve.

[cmyx6go]

Originally Posted by david in germany

Let me put this into perspective. The attached video is me driving to work one morning on autobahn A67 heading north. My is over 170mph in parts of the video. This would not be possible in the US.

Also not possible in the US - to have slower traffic in the left lane actually move over when you approach. Why don't people here understand keep right except to pass?

Now that right there is like dying and going to heaven. A nice open roadway. Even with speed limits, I would love to have a wide open road like that on my daily commute.

[david in germany]

Originally Posted by Red Bread

Yeah, but their roads are about three times thicker than ours, made of concrete instead of asphalt and they're constantly repairing and replacing the surface (one lane at a time, can you imagine the carnage here?!).


Creating a similar setup for even a ridiculously small portion of the Interstate system would require a financial outlay on a level that the current 536 bozos could never achieve.

Believe it or not, they are going backwards... some German states are pulling the cement topped autobahn in favor of blacktop... in some of the summer months they even had to reduce road speeds around here to 80kph because of what the heat was doing to the surface...

[Red Bread]

Ouch. Sorry to hear about that.

[IanMan]

My speed limit is 80 mph here. People usually go faster and the cops don't care.

[yousefnjr]

I don’t even trust the average asshole in a parking lot, so I certainly want no part of Texting Moron @ 140