this post was submitted on 07 Oct 2023
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[–] blazera@kbin.social 117 points 2 years ago (6 children)

Speed limits dont work, road design determines how fast people go.

[–] Vegoon@feddit.de 79 points 2 years ago (6 children)

A section of the A24 was limited to 130 kmph for 20 years to reduce accidents. Because the reduction the speed limit was lifted early this year. Now there are 8% more accidents with injury and 42% more injured. Politicians call now to make it possible to limit the section again.

https://archive.ph/hPIpp

[–] nueonetwo@lemmy.ca 32 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago) (2 children)

For highway lowering the speed may be effective but lowering the speed limit from 50 to 30 won't stop drivers from going 50 unless the road is designed for lower speeds. So long as lanes are wide and there are little obstructions for drivers to worry about hitting, such as bumpouts, boulevards, etc., they will go as fast as they feel comfortable unless there is a cop behind them.

Edit: 50kmh to 30kmh I don't know what that is in freedom miles

[–] Valmond@lemmy.mindoki.com 32 points 2 years ago (1 children)

BTW: the mortality is around 50% if a car hits a pedestrian at 50km/h.

At 30km/h it's around 3%.

So yeah, speed in centre ville counts!

[–] wreckedcarzz@lemmy.world 24 points 2 years ago (3 children)

Damn pedestrians killing drivers for driving quickly, won't somebody do something?!

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[–] TalesFromTheKitchen@lemmy.ml 62 points 2 years ago (4 children)

The Autobahn has become very tiring to drive on. Most people somehow decided that its easiest to drive in the middle lane at slow(ish) speeds, while the right lane stays empty for long stretches. Since you are not allowed to overtake on the right lane, both the left lane and the middle lane are clogged most of the time, averaging about 100-120 Km/h. If the public transportation was a bit more reliable and cheaper I would sell my car.

[–] Username@feddit.de 22 points 2 years ago (10 children)

The problem is that even in low traffic, there is a truck on the right lane every few meters. Often, after you switch to the right lane, someone decides to drive right next to you, forcing you to brake.
It's just more comfortable to stay in the middle lane.

Now IMHO the real problem is when trucks are overtaking with 101km/h...

[–] SirQuackTheDuck@lemmy.world 22 points 2 years ago (4 children)

It's just more comfortable to stay in the middle lane.

It's stil a dick move if the rightmost lane is free. Then you're effectively overtaking a phantom car at the exact same velocity (as nobody is allowed to pass right).

[–] Obi@sopuli.xyz 9 points 2 years ago

I agree but need to have "free" defined. If there's another truck 100/200m ahead then it's a pain in the ass because like the other said, others behind you won't do the same and will do a slight acceleration when you go in the right lane (because free space in front = accelerate hurr durr), preventing you from changing lanes again when you get to the next truck and so you have to brake and hope you get a gap again soon to overtake the truck.

If it's literally empty as far as the eye can see then yeah, move over!

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[–] TWeaK@lemm.ee 6 points 2 years ago

10 seconds. If you're not overtaking anything within 10 seconds, you should pull into the inside lane.

This is what I was taught in advanced driver training. However, in practice I use 7 seconds, because I find 10 seconds a little too far to easily estimate by eye. I end up thinking "is that 10 seconds? I'm not sure, maybe" then by the time I figure out it was more than 10 seconds it is now less than 7.

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[–] TWeaK@lemm.ee 12 points 2 years ago (1 children)

Most people somehow decided that its easiest to drive in the middle lane at slow(ish) speeds, while the right lane stays empty for long stretches.

Really? In my experience driving on German roads (primarily down near Munich), lane discipline is exceptionally good. The only times I saw significantly lower driving standards was in rush hour.

Meanwhile, the UK is notorious for people sitting in the middle lane. That used to be the rule, the inside lane was the slow lane, middle for cruising and outside for overtaking, however that was changed in the 60s/70s. It's recently been made formally illegal, rather than just contrary to the highway code, but even trained police drivers are still guilty of doing it.

In the Netherlands they're very big on pulling back in. So much so they frequently cut your nose off by pulling in so early.

It's fun seeing how driving styles vary between different regions and countries.

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[–] Appoxo@lemmy.dbzer0.com 10 points 2 years ago (4 children)

Driving on occassion on the A8 near Stuttgart and can't confirm it.
Usually trucks are clogging the most right line and overtaking each on the 2nd lane.
Most PKWs drive on the 2nd/3rd lane while the racers and overtakers use the 3rd/4th lane.
Also who cares about overtaking from the right. If you drive 120kph and my lane all drive 130 kph I will naturally overtake you. No need to switch lanes if the lane is free. Just don't overtake at +30 kph but more at 10 kph in relation to base Autobahn speed.

[–] samson@aussie.zone 7 points 2 years ago (6 children)
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[–] I_Comment_On_EVERYTHING@lemmings.world 50 points 2 years ago (5 children)

Speaking as an American here... could we NOT park cars in the left lane. I've seen enough habits of drivers in other countries where the left lane is exclusively for passing, it's so simple and superior for traffic but Americans be dumb selfish shits behind the wheel.

[–] dojan@lemmy.world 38 points 2 years ago (4 children)

Left is for passing. You may not overtake in right lane. At least that’s how it works in Sweden. Thus if left lane is slow, right is slower.

[–] KairuByte@lemmy.dbzer0.com 21 points 2 years ago (1 children)

I like this in concept. The issue is that we often get asshats who want to go slow in the left lane.

When my options are to go 5 under the speed limit, or pass on the right, I’m passing on the right every time.

[–] nueonetwo@lemmy.ca 13 points 2 years ago (1 children)

You don't understand, I have to turn left in 25 km and what if I can't get back into my lane after I let you pass and I miss my turn. I'm not a confident driver so I am going to do what's safest and best for me and everyone else can just accept it. I'm going fast enough at 5km over the posted speed limit and you can just slow down, life isn't a race unless I need it to be.

-The asshole I encounter daily on my commute.

[–] tilcica@lemm.ee 7 points 2 years ago (2 children)

turn left WHERE. ON A HIGHWAY?? WAAAAAAAAAAAA

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[–] TeckFire@lemmy.world 9 points 2 years ago (1 children)

In the US, generally you cannot pass in the right lane except when the left lane refuses to move over despite having ample room

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[–] Lev_Astov@lemmy.world 7 points 2 years ago (2 children)

I've actually been pulled over for being in the left lane too long in the US, so it does happen, but not enough.

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[–] johnofthesea@lemmy.world 41 points 2 years ago (4 children)

I've been fined on German highways for going too fast. Memes like these are myths. It is based on fact that there is no default upper limit on highway. But there are speed-limit signs on German highways.

[–] ArcaneSlime@lemmy.dbzer0.com 19 points 2 years ago (1 children)

I think it's based on the (fahrt fahrt fahrt auf den) Autobahn. Now, I'm not german so I could be wrong, but here's what wikipedia says regarding speed limits on the autobahn:

Much of the system has no speed limit for some classes of vehicles.[1] However, limits are posted and enforced in areas that are urbanised, substandard, accident-prone, or under construction. On speed-unrestricted stretches, an advisory speed limit (Richtgeschwindigkeit) of 130 kilometres per hour (81 mph) applies.[2] While driving faster is not illegal in the absence of a speed limit, it can cause an increased liability in the case of a collision (which mandatory auto insurance has to cover); courts have ruled that an "ideal driver" who is exempt from absolute liability for "inevitable" tort under the law would not exceed Richtgeschwindigkeit.

So, it certainly seems there is a basis for the jokes, even if they aren't 100% historically accurate.

[–] rimjob_rainer@discuss.tchncs.de 9 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago)

An Autobahn has per default no speed limit for cars, except when there is one indicated by a speed limit sign. But there are many parts on any Autobahn without speed limit signs, so in reality you can very often drive as fast as you want.

There are many opportunities to drive with 200km/h or more if you want, but often the traffic prevents going with this speed for longer than a few seconds or minutes.

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[–] Tolstoy@lemmy.world 25 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago) (9 children)

On the other side, Germany has TÜV with a mandatory vehicle inspection every 2 years with some exceptions for new cars.

They check vital components for road safety and won't allow the car to be on public roads when it's not fixed within a month. And it's not like your tires have no rest profile anymore, it's like you have to change them when they're at 1,6mm... recommended is to change at 4mms...

Some "Prüfer" are chill but sometimes you won't pass because your winter tires you were drivimg for 5 years, are 0,3% bigger than the allowed ones in the registrationpapers... at least I heard.

[–] tilcica@lemm.ee 10 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago)

we have this every year in slovenia. you have to pass a technical inspection then register your car

my mom's car failed bexause her handbrake was 11% less efficient than new (limit being 10%). she had to get it replaced and then the car passed perfectly with 0 issues stated

i'd rather do this shit than have some jerk driving around with a car thats about to fall apart and maybe not have a working brake

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[–] Ravi@feddit.de 24 points 2 years ago (4 children)

We don't have enough signs to make a speed limit happen - Volker Wissing, German minster of transit (Sadly not a joke: source)

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[–] barttier@feddit.de 23 points 2 years ago (1 children)

Hey, we have strikt rules on a highway! For example if you're driving slower than everybody else and your IQ is under 70 you are prohibited to drive on the right lane even if it's empty.

[–] EherVielleicht@feddit.de 8 points 2 years ago

Laughing in german....

[–] Knusper@feddit.de 19 points 2 years ago

Don't go faster than the speed of light (optional).

[–] _number8_@lemmy.world 18 points 2 years ago (4 children)

if there are speed limits i usually am forced to spend more time dicking around looking for signs or cops or checking the speedometer, instead of focusing on the road and how safe my current speed actually feels

[–] AAA@feddit.de 20 points 2 years ago (1 children)

If your mental capacity is reached by checking your surroundings while all the traffic is going roughly the same speed as you, then no way youre capable of handling "no speed limit" where everyone is driving to their liking.

It's not just you who'd be suddenly free to do whatever they want, but everyone else too.

Claiming "I know better what's best for me" is the best sign of someone who absolutely doesn't.

[–] hemko@lemmy.dbzer0.com 8 points 2 years ago (1 children)

I think you're misunderstanding their message. To me it reads that places where there's low speed limits, are also places where you need to pay a lot of attention on the street and surroundings and wouldn't want to drive faster anyways

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[–] TeckFire@lemmy.world 8 points 2 years ago

100% agreed. If I don’t set cruise control, I usually speed on my commute due to me just focusing on the grip of my car, distance to/from other cars, and perceived speed. It’s just hard to gauge speed without checking often on my speedometer, which isn’t as safe. Even just trying to follow at a constant distance in the right lane is difficult because the semi trucks usually end up having wide speed differences at random times, meaning 60mph-80mph depending on the hill usually.

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[–] the_seven_sins@feddit.de 14 points 2 years ago

Fun fact: Germany is about average when it comes to road safety in Europe, which is still impressing since we’ve got the highest traffic density.

[–] Skaryon@lemmy.world 14 points 2 years ago (1 children)

German here. We do have speed limits on highways. The portions without are often not that long so you rarely get a chance to go truly wild.

Regardless, the highest I usually go is like 180kmh and that doesn't happen very often.

[–] 0Xero0@lemmy.world 10 points 2 years ago (1 children)

Vietnamese: Traffic Safety? What's that?

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[–] BachenBenno@feddit.de 9 points 2 years ago (3 children)

Biggest laugh I had in a long time I am crying omg

[–] EherVielleicht@feddit.de 6 points 2 years ago

You're welcome.

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[–] JokeDeity@lemm.ee 8 points 2 years ago (9 children)

I want to know more about the top picture, anyone know the source?

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