Admit it; the thought of zooming at high speeds on our freeways, feeling the adrenaline and thrill, has crossed our minds at one time or another. Most of us have at least followed races, be it NASCAR or Formula One, and it is the control at high speeds that makes it so exciting. Yeah, the saying goes “Speed thrills but kills”, but it doesn’t have to be that way. The answer is the German Autobahn, a system where you can drive fast and not break a law.
Some facts about the Autobahn,
- There are no speed limits only through 50% of the road sections, though there is a recommended speed of 81 mph. By the way, if you drive above 81 mph and wreck your vehicle, the insurance company is only partially liable! Damn these insurance companies, they are the same, wherever you go!
- The roads are inspected regularly using advanced scanning machines and the entire section is replaced if a crack or fissure is found (What a contrast to developing countries like
- Research has shown that the accident and fatality rates in Autobahn roads are actually lesser than US and other European highway systems with significantly lower speed limits. This has long been a contention of mine that speed and safety don’t necessarily have a positive correlation. Thanks Autobahn for proving this!
- It is a criminal offence (not just a small fine) to run out of fuel on the Autobahn because this is considered to be a preventable offence
Now, I understand why the Germans excel in designing great cars. After all, they are only doing justice to the work of their civil engineering counterparts! Can’t wait for my turn…
No comments:
Post a Comment