German environmentalists wants the German government to impose speed limits on it’s unrestricted autobahns, saying the speed limits will cut greenhouse gas emissions and help Germany brush up it’s green credentials.
Andreas Troge, president of the German Federal Environment Agency and a government environment adviser said, “In the past few years, the reduction of greenhouse gases has stalled even in our country. A limit of 120 kilometers per hour (75 mph) would reduce carbon dioxide emissions — one of the so-called greenhouse gases that contribute to global warming — by about 30 percent.”
Wolfgang Tiefensee, Germany’s transport minister has different thoughts on the issue:
“I am committed to a reduction in emissions but a general speed limit on open stretches of road does not make sense. About one-third of Germany’s highways already have a speed limit while the rest carry a recommended speed of 130 kph. In reality, drivers and motorcyclists can, and often do, travel as fast as they like,” said Tiefensee.
I somewhat tend to agree with him, for the reasons he stated as well as the fact that the unrestricted autobahns are very much a part of Germany’s culture and appeal.
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I rather disagree with what these environmentalist talk about limiting speeds. With what data presumably did they use to say that a 120 km/h speedlimit would reduce emissions by 30%? With the current commute of Germans interstate even daily, such a reasoning would worsen matters as it would lead to congestion, late arrivals, waste of man hours, and even pure wastage of resources as German cars are designed to cruise at much higher average speeds. In fact I don't understand how the greenies think for they lack better understanding of improving technologies.
Well, i dont think speed limit is the issue here. A hybrid or hydrogen car may break the speed limit with less CO2 emission. If they even limit the speed, I doubt it will do much effect in saving the environment since most European made cars today are able to meet the toughest Euro emission regulation.
please give environment higher priority. peoples still ignore the environment change.
There is some truth to it though. Aerodynamic drag is exponential. Double the speed and you quadruple the drag, which means you need 4 times the power (and Fuel) to maintain the acceleration at speed.
Drive your car at 90kmh and you'd get excelent fuel economy, belt it at 180 and you'd see the needle drop. Let alone unrestricted highways where speeds of over 250 is fair. Once I had my Turbo DSM at over 250 for several top speed runs and it was probably averaging 20L/100Kms. I went though 1/4 tank in 10-15mins.
However, as cars become more fuel and aerodynamic efficient that argument has somewhat fallen on the way side, but the rules of aerodynamics still apply.
It is just unfortunate that the last vestiges of the speed freak will come to an end.
how i wish we have autobahn here..
Driving to Germany would be pointless if autobahn has a speed limit.
gosh…plz la…no speed limit there…wish bolehland gt autobahn also…hehehe..
speed kills……
kinwawa,
speed doesn't kill, only the change of speed over time kills.
kthxbai
ok….acceleration kills…..
kinwawa, speed ALONE, doesnt kill.. thats a fact supported by heaps of research. So please don't state stuff thats so general to the point of being an inaccurate statement. Our govt still enforces that statement, because they have no real workable ideas to reduce accidents in the country and as usual, chose the easy way out.
germany already has one of the cleanest enviroments in europe, and their new cars have some of the lowest CO2 emissions .. but being german, they will always push to improve it.
For speed freaks.. yeah.. it's cool. Not so cool if you dun know how to handle… for one.. i'm FOR speed limits. :p
Autobahn Accidents:
http://www.car-accidents.com/pages/2005-accident_…
PS… don't worry guys.. no gory stuff.. just a trashed up BMW 6 series… the drivers walked away…
also brings out the point.. great safety in a beemer… :D
Almost completely off topic, but here's an interesting read on policing the Autobahn from an old edition of Car & Driver
http://www.caranddriver.com/features/3471/the-wil…
Intriguing comments:
aliasreed: disagree with your comments. A reduction of average speeds from the 160 to the 120 area would increase mileage (and reduce emissions) significantly. 4G63T nicely explains why… Moreover, it would ease congestions. Most traffic jams over there are caused by accidents. Speed limits have significantly reduced accidents and traffic jams in congested areas there.
normal_user: about hybrid… well, a hybrid is loosing all it's advantages at highway speeds. There was a recent test with a Lexus RX 400h. That Lexus ended up at 25 L/100 KM at highspeeds in Germany. Far more than any modern diesel SUV. Hybrid is pretty useless on highways, period.
4G63T: 20L/100 KM at 250. That's not bad, sounds quite efficient… to prove your point: driving a SLR McLaren or a Bentley Continental flat out (probably any other super-fast car, too) empties the fuel tank in less than 30 minutes and probably less than 150 kilometers (about 60 – 70 liters). There really is exponential growth, and also to emissions!
KY and kinwawa: speed doesn't kill, as long as you play it safe. The acceleration kills, but the root cause is usually concentration and a safe distance.
Not to mention that at speed over 250 things happen very fast. You have to start braking well ahead of being able to even see the obstacle. A lapse of concentration and you are really really very dead.
As for empting tanks, the SRL and Continental would be going well over 200MPH (>320km/h). My DSM tops out at 255km/h limited by revs @ 5th gear and only makes just slightly over 300hp compared to those 600hp monsters.
as Jeremy Clarkson has quoted: "Speed has never killed anybody. Suddenly becoming stationary, that's what get you."
the Autobahn is part of Germany's heritage, like the volkswagen beetle, it was the brain child of Hitler.
CO2 emissions are high because of speeding vehicles, but be realistic, how many speeding supercars will there be on the autobahn compared with multitude of other slower vehicles that will dump pollution into the area as they slowly trot by. Whats more the main contributors of pollution is the multitudes of two-stroke engines powering the 3rd world. Thats us.
Furthermore the autobahn is responsible for mobilizing an entire nation very quickly. The autobahn is not like our highways here. There they will close up a whole strech of highway to fix a little irregularity in the road surface, they have that high level to attention to detail. Therefore the roads are silky smooth, making a possibility for a crash unlikely.
Furthermore road regulations and driver tests are extremely tight over there in Germany. A simple hand gesture is enough to land you in the lock-up. The reason why speed kills in Malaysia is because we are a nation inhabitated by idiots who have half a brain and twice the balls.
The Autobahn is a symbol of freedom to the motorist. It is an opportunity for everybody just in that space and time to travel as fast as they like. Im personally not a fast driver, but i think that everybody should be granted their rights.
Think about it environmentally speaking, would you rather have sections of the Autobahn which are unrestricted allowing motorists to achieve higher speeds and reaching their destinations quicker OR motorists chugging along at about 100km and congesting up the road causing a buildup of carbon monoxide which would ultimately cause even more harm?
Does the second opinion sound familiar? Sounds like Malaysia doesn't it?
In the restricted areas on the Autobahn, there are still traffic jams on a daily basis. Thats why the unrestricted areas level it out. Imagine if they were restricted. It would be hell on earth.
Plus the drivers who use the Autobahn are very disciplined. When somebody signals that they intend to go faster, they move out of the way very calmly and accurately not like the buggers here who move out of the way and give chase like rabid animals endangering others.
The environmentalists haven't really thought about it have they? Nutters.
Wolfgang Tiefensee, I salute you and shall forever be your apprentice.
True enough that anything over 250 happens very quick, but if the drivers are disciplined enough to follow the law and perform proper maintenance to their cars then it should be fine.
I once did 310km/h in a GT-R on the Autobahn but was careful enough to look out for motorists. As long as everybody co-operates on the road, things will be fine.
Malaysia still has a higher mortality rate than Germany despite the imposed speed limits and still shows no signs of improvement. Its all up to the drivers and their code of ethics on the road
Speed never kills. In fact speed lenghten your life…
So please stop making baseless statements.
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tishaban said,
January 4, 2007 @ 1:35 pm
Almost completely off topic, but here’s an interesting read on policing the Autobahn from an old edition of Car & Driver
http://www.caranddriver.com/features/3471/the-wil…
————————–
when a proton iswara doing 150kmh on bolehland hit a trailer, everything gone into pieces… when a BMW doing 200kmh on autobahn hit a trailer, driver walk away safely… malaysia can never ever have no-speed-limit highway…
u got my signal? heheh
MALAYSIA already have autobahns what ! Elite & Plus are good examples. I used to test GEN 2. 210 km/h for a 1.6 Auto (standard). Very good cannot go more already mah !
Naza Ria also can go fast what, 180 km/h as tested so far, fuel also finish fasterlah.
I loved my previous car…..Honda Inspire …. max out at 240 km/h. Nice car.
Come on our local highway 110 km/h to slowlah. Powerful cars sure wanna test their limits ! Kancil also wanna fly what about others.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=coMNm7fOYJs
let ride in this merc on autobahn
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oXbxX-vwL5U&mo…
somemore on german hi-we, impreza chased by evo 6 i guess
I dont like PLUS & KESAS highway when it comes to cruising on a concrete road surface. The noise and harshness really turn me off. Not so comfortable when driving fast. As for LDP, got too much bumps and uneven surface, really wonder if one can survive driving 180kmh plus.
Anyway, does Autobahn construction involve concrete mixture? I'm sure it's designed to provide comfort to the motorists.
cutelittlekelisa: "when a BMW doing 200kmh on autobahn hit a trailer, driver walk away safely"
i think you're missing the whole point of the discussion here.
having a highspeed highway has got nothing to do with what type of car gets into an accident.. its about disciplined drivers knowing each others roles on the highway, therefore helping reduce the incident of accidents. A bad driver in an iswara will also be a bad driver in a bmw.
IN FACT, the whole article isn't even about road safety.. they want to impose speed limits to reduce greenhouse gasses, not accidents.. that in itself shows that fatal accidents on the autobahn, isn't even a problem!!!
Concrete highways last longer and although more expensive to build initially, are more cost effective on the longer term.
However, it is noisier but only to us that have poorly sound insulated cars. Our tyres are also designed to be better in the wet ( ie big fat thread blocks) and thus also contribute to the noise problem. Try to get those Touring type tyres and you will enjoy better economy and less noise.
We can consider ourselves lucky as our highway systems are one of the BEST in the world (as much as the rest of you may tend to disagee).
The road surface and condition does effect your fuel consumption. Driving in the rain will cost you an additional 5-10% more fuel (driving in the snow is much worst, but consider yourslef lucky you dont have to). The surface condition and tyres will also contribute higher consumption as each will contribute to some rolling resistance even without aerodynamic drag.
Remember…the higher grip tyres you use, the more fuel you will burn.