jug@whuxle.UUCP (Joseph U. Grauman) (02/29/84)
[Is European driving as fast and crazy as some say it is?]
I'll cast a resounding NAY on this issue.
Having driven through a fair portion of Europe I cannot agree with this
characterization. There is one major difference between European driving
and American driving - in general, the European drivers are much more
courteous with each other and with 'foreign' drivers.
The Autobahns are comparable to our super highways, and their equivalent
of State highways are often 2 lane roads (1 lane in each direction) but,
generally, in good condition. The posted speed limits are higher
than those in the US (Typically 130 km/hr {80 mph} on the Autobahn
and 120 km/hr {75 mph} on the state highway). I saw only one
radar trap in the 2500 miles I drove (it was in Switzerland). In fact,
the police is not very visible in general (at least in the countries
that I visited: Germany, Austria, and Switzerland). My general
impression was that Europeans are very skilled and good drivers. One
of the metrics I used in making this judgement was the fact that you
don't see as many traffic accidents there as you see here. In fact, one
hardly sees cars on the road (in the countries named above) with body
damage. (This picture changed when I took a two day side trip from
Germany into France.)
In summary, I found driving in Europe more relaxing than in most areas
of the US in which I have driven.
Joe Grauman
AT&"T-BL
whuxg!jug2141smh@aluxe.UUCP (henning) (02/29/84)
Did someone say the Autobahn had speed limits except for those brief ones near major interchanges and cities. The Deutschlanders would rather give up their political freedom than their driving freedom. Ask them and they will tell you. Also did someone say that driving was tranquil in Europe. Obviously they have never been to Rome. They have 6 lanes of Fiats driving down 3 lane streets. Fortunately, they are one-way streets. With the exception of the Autobahn and Rome, in over 12,000 miles of driving from Nord Kap, Norway to Rome, and from Vienna to Lands End, I don't think driving in Europe is much different, at least no worse, than driving in the U.S. provided you have been to the Rockies, New Jersey and New England. Their use of trains certainly helps the traffic situation. Californians usually have the most trouble.
jeffw@tekecs.UUCP (Jeff Winslow) (03/01/84)
A few random bits and pieces:
My high school German teacher grew up in Germany and visited every year
(this about 10 years ago). He used to say that the number of lanes in
city traffic there was inversely proportional to the width of the cars
negotiating it!
I understand that the per capita fatalities in traffic accidents
are higher in Germany than they are here, if not the actual number
of accidents. I believe the Germans are extremely efficient about
cleaning things up and getting traffic moving again; much more so than
here. That would explain why you don't see as many accidents. Any Germans
on the net to verify or qualify?
Jeff Winslow