4S maxed out at 154 MPH

[Hirschaj]

I did! Which was why I think it must have been a mobile unit.

And speaking of which, the best impact on safety is when these are highly visible and widely known to everyone so that it changes behavior.

I don't know what good other than gathering revenue the hidden cameras bring . . .

That sucks!!! I’m glad those things are illegal here in TX.

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[magnitude]

Driving in Germany my experience is people do stick to the speed limits pretty much.

In addition to a different attitude towards rules (I'd call it "change them instead of break them"; one of the big challenges when I moved to the US was getting used to all the confusing small-ish rules here that nobody adheres to, like "no loitering"), there's also speed traps in Germany. So, you don't have to be caught by a police officer, you can be caught speeding effectively any time.

And it's not only costly, it might give you "points" in Flensburg. Collect them all, and your driver's license gone.

Now that is costly, since getting a driver's license in the first place is many thousands of Euros, and a huge time sink, because of the amount of mandatory theoretical and practical classes to take (not like in the US where you only take a short written and practical test without any mandatory schooling).

Nobody likes doing that again...

 

[Tighlines]

haha, must have jinxed myself. Just got my first photo ticket in about a decade for doing 65mph in a 40mph zone. Must have been a portable unit. Pure money grab as placed on a freeway where no entering/exiting traffic and no reasonable possibility for pedestrians or wildlife. I'm actually all for speed and stop sign cameras so long as they (1) are accurate; and (2) are placed with the intent of making known danger areas safer. I don't care much for the cash grabs when miscalibrated or placed in areas where there are no material safety issues. oh well.

My bad?‍

 

[magnitude]

Many drivers in the US think that having no limits would be the ideal. My point was that while having no limit is fun at times, it also brings its own stresses and dangers, particularly due to speed differentials, and that it can actually be more stressful driving on a road with no speed limits

I'd echo that. And here's what's different in Germany for there to be no speed limits:

• Getting a license is thousands of Euros and weeks of mandatory classes (both in a classroom and on the road).
• It is illegal to be slower than traffic in the left lane.
• It is illegal to overtake on the right lane ("slow passing" is allowed, especially if the car in the left lane is illegally staying there).
• Cars are inspected at TÜV every 2 years, thoroughly. Rust? You're out.
• Any modification to the car either needs a blanket approval certification (only for very basic stuff), or new trip to TÜV, where they have to explicitly approve it.
• Strict laws around tires, their profile, which tires to have during what season.
• Break the rules, you get points. Collect too many, your license is gone. It's hard to get back.

 

[Tighlines]

And it's not only costly, it might give you "points" in Flensburg. Collect them all, and you're driver's license gone.

I lost my license 3 times when I was younger due to points accumulated. Can't say I've slowed down much, just smarter(ish) now. Also helps to have a radar detector, it has saved me more times than I can count.

 

[magnitude]

I lost my license 3 times when I was younger due to points accumulated.

Yeah, but in all fairness, it's much, much easier to get a license in the US in the first place. Or to get it back when you lost it.

 

[Tighlines]

Yeah, but in all fairness, it's much, much easier to get a license in the US in the first place. Or to get it back when you lost it.

They will give anyone with a pulse a drivers license in the US.
Freedom is a beautiful flower with many thorns.

 

[tchavei]

I'd echo that. And here's what's different in Germany for there to be no speed limits:

• Getting a license is thousands of Euros and weeks of mandatory classes (both in a classroom and on the road).
• It is illegal to be slower than traffic in the left lane.
• It is illegal to overtake on the right lane ("slow passing" is allowed, especially if the car in the left lane is illegally staying there).
• Cars are inspected at TÜV every 2 years, thoroughly. Rust? You're out.
• Any modification to the car either needs a blanket approval certification (only for very basic stuff), or new trip to TÜV, where they have to explicitly approve it.
• Strict laws around tires, their profile, which tires to have during what season.
• Break the rules, you get points. Collect too many, your license is gone. It's hard to get back.

It's like that in most Europe, not just Germany. We pay thousands of euros for the driver's license too and you have the TÜV and we have the IPO. Basically any car over 4 years has to go to the IPO every two years until it's 8 years old. From that point on, IPO is yearly.

In other words, it forces car owners to fix their shit before going for inspection and some stuff is pretty strict. Car can't deviate more than 6m for every 100m, head lights not only have to be aligned but in the last 5 years they also started to measure intensity. There can't be over 8% deviation between left and right (and trust me, it's not just buying two bulbs and be done with it) which often requires headlight polishing and calibration. I don't even need to mention emission tests, brake tests, damper tests (lol, I wonder how a Taycan with air suspension will react to those shaker machines), etc etc.

I usually hold my breath for a ridiculous amount of time whenever I have to get a car of mine inspected and I've got "annotations" from the IPO a couple of times like "missing ball joint cover under front left strut" or headlights 34% differential. I swear they looked the same on the naked eye.

Anyway, it feels like crap when you have to do it but if one looks at it from a general perspective, it brings some minimal safety on the road. It's not like the car in front of you is gonna lose its wheels

 

[f1eng]

Basically any car over 4 years has to go to the IPO every two years until it's 8 years old. From that point on, IPO is yearly.

Here in the UK it is every year after 4 years but as long as you keep car and tyres in good condition there is no limit.
I have a 32 year old Merc which has been off the road and will be sold since the Taycan fulfills its functions but I have to get it tested before I sell it since I want to keep its registration number which can't be transferred to out Prius until I have road tax paid.

 

[f1eng]

In the event you were referring indirectly to my comment, I was referring to speed limits in the US,

I wasn't

I have driven fairly often in the US since my first visit in 1970 and don't think either the vehicle regulations or the lane discipline/rules are suited to driving really quickly safely in the parts of the US I am familiar with.

It is interesting, and often fun, to drive in countries with very different rules to home. Argentina, Brazil and Turkey are particularly interesting!

 

[feye]

Indeed - fastest stretch of Hwy in the US is here in TX but only to 85 mph and only from Austin to Seguin so only 50-60 miles (actually think less than that as not for entire distance).

That's 137km/h, how much can you go over before it's getting expensive?

 

[feye]

It is interesting, and often fun, to drive in countries with very different rules to home. Argentina, Brazil and Turkey are particularly interesting!

I was driving in Turkey and almost got caught speeding. What makes these countries particularly interesting?

 

[feye]

OK, now we are talking, 160km/h is a decent traveling speed.

 

[f1eng]

I was driving in Turkey and almost got caught speeding. What makes these countries particularly interesting?

Lack of any enforced rules. You can't go quick usually because of traffic density but it is fun and you don't get people cruising along with their brain in neutral but feeling entitled.
I loved driving on the cobbled streets of Buenos Aires

Of course it may be different now, I travelled the world for 30 odd years driving in many countries but haven't travelled much since I retired at the end of 2009, a couple of times to the US and a Barbados holiday is all.

 

[tchavei]

You guys need to try out Naples, Italy.

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