Hi Werner,
There was a recent program on the History Channel about the Autobahn.
They mentioned the difference in licensing requirements for the US and
Germany. They said it usually costs ~$2000 and several years to get a
license in Germany and much emphasis is placed on driving ability and
knowledge of road laws. They also mentioned the mandatory use of the left
lane for passing with police ticketing people who pass on the right or fail
to move to the right lane after passing with fine being quite high.
I can only imagine the uproar that would results if the fees to get a
drivers license were raised to $1500 -$2000! For one thing the number of
teen drivers would be dramaticaly cut as would the number of high school
students filling the parking lots of the local schools! Teen death rates
would drop - insurance rates would drop - used car prices would drop
(because fewer teens would be buying them) along with a host of other things
happening.
Of course, the ACLU would get involved and demand the teens of this land
be granted their "right" to drive for a $15 fee rather than $2000 making it
possible for only "rich" kids to drive. Naturally, no one will be able to
find anything in the Constitution guaranteeing the right to drive but the
"interstate Commerce" clause will be further perverted to cover teen
drivers.
It would be possible for police to start enforcing the already enacted
laws that states the left lane is for passing only but the AARP crowd,
everyone from Florida with their left blinker on, the trial lawyers of the
US, would all raise hell. Because, you guessed it, it's their right to
drive anywhere they please - after all, they're Americans. ;-)
So, while there are some remote places in the US where speed laws are
not vigorishly enforced but we will never have the equivilent of an Autobahn
because we'll never raise the requirements to improve our drivers education
or enforce the road laws that actually save lives rather than those which
fill the coffers of all governments local and large -
Sorry about the rant -
Larry T ('67 MGB, '74 911, '78 240D, '91 300D)
www.youroil.net for Oil Analysis and Weber Parts
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.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Werner Fehlauer" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: "Mercedes Discussion List" <mercedes@okiebenz.com>
Sent: Monday, December 04, 2006 8:35 AM
Subject: Re: [MBZ] OT: Big Brother is Nearby
Matt - generally, the USA has a much higher accident/fatality rate, but
that
is mostly due to the negligent way the states parcel out driver's licenses
to anyone that has the few dollars fee. Rarely is any degree of actual
driving competence needed, or tested.
Most European countries require significant education, driving
instruction,
and demonstration of ability BEFORE they issue a license. In Germany, for
example, it typically takes hundreds of Euros ($$) and around 2 years to
qualify. Compare that to little or no training, perhaps an
inconsequential
written test, perhaps a parallel park, and a few $$ and your "clear to go"
with a 4000 lb deadly weapon on an interstate at speed!
Werner
----- Original Message -----
From: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: <mercedes@okiebenz.com>
Sent: Monday, December 04, 2006 2:08 AM
Subject: Re: [MBZ] OT: Big Brother is Nearby
You wrote:
"There's a lot of political resistance to smaller cars, I've noticed.
When the topic of fuel efficiency comes up Congressional reps always
make dire predictions about the piles of dead bodies we'll see if
people start driving smaller vehicles"
I wonder if anyone has ever taken a look at the countries where they
have those mini cars to see if there is any signifiant differences in
their traffic injuries/deaths. Accounting for the different type of
driving in each country.
Matt Claus
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