[SkydiveSonic]

Wow, are you serious? That's a lot of pavement. I've never noticed exactly how thick the pavement is here, but I imagine it more around 6" or so???

I think it's fine to say that going with the flow will reduce accidents, but increasing the limit I think will allow people to stretch the bar higher. So, now you'll still have 15% of people driving too slow, but "too slow" is now 10 mph faster than it was before. The people that were driving 10mph over the speed limit will continue to do so, and the wreckless drivers, will be wreckless at a higher speed too.

I was amazed that in Canada there's trenches in the roads where the car tyres pass over. Never seen that in the UK. The other thing i've noticed is that Canada uses crap paint on the roads - just seems to become invisible in the rain. No cats eyes either

I've tried going the speed limit on #1 once - lasted for all of 5 minutes. Too crazy with EVERYONE passing.

 

[grandshervee]

Nick,

Not that I disagree with you, but my last trip to Poland when I was on the highway, I had trucks in front of me at 140km/h... But ya, everyone does stay right, and when they come up fast on ya when you're in the middle or left lane, they turn on their right blinker and high-beam double-flash ya to let you know that they're coming...

Here, 90km/h in the fraser valley and even west van is really too low...Should be at least 110 IMO.

Well, I guess we can all dream...Then get a ticket...

Don't you mean to put on the left blinker? Also, wrt highbeaming, there are some European countries that have banned it and only allow the use of the left blinker to give signal that they want to pass you. Italy may even be one of them.

 

[cuski]

Don't you mean to put on the left blinker? Also, wrt highbeaming, there are some European countries that have banned it and only allow the use of the left blinker to give signal that they want to pass you. Italy may even be one of them.

In Germany, flashing high beams is illegal. That doesn't mean people don't still do it, they're just careful when they do it.

the roads in germany on the autobahn for intsance in most places are 1 meter thick

That is actually true.

I think it's fine to say that going with the flow will reduce accidents, but increasing the limit I think will allow people to stretch the bar higher. So, now you'll still have 15% of people driving too slow, but "too slow" is now 10 mph faster than it was before. The people that were driving 10mph over the speed limit will continue to do so, and the wreckless drivers, will be wreckless at a higher speed too.

I recall reading a study which claimed that the likelihood of an accident happening - due to drivers not paying attention, at least - decreases as speed increases. Generally, the slower people go, the less attention they pay.

 

[Janusz]

All very true cuski except one thing you did not know:

As of Spring 2006 IT IS legal to flash high beam and use the horn IF somebody blocks left lane and does not yeld fast enough.

These Germans are head and shoulders as far as traffic safety and common sense. It seems like all their merits are concentrated in one area and that is why all their other character features are so badly lacking.:devillook

 

[cuski]

All very true cuski except one thing you did not know:

As of Spring 2006 IT IS legal to flash high beam and use the horn IF somebody blocks left lane and does not yeld fast enough.

Are you sure? I was there less than a month ago and that's not what I heard. To my surprise though, I found out that if you're moving in the right hand lane faster than traffic in the left hand lane, it's considered passing - hence, illegal.

 

[grandshervee]

^It keeps things safer because you know where to expect the pass, on the left.

 

[Mohawk]

John,
In Europe all freeways have at least three lanes, trucks
are limited to 80 km/hr and NEVER travel in the left lane or
over the speed limit.
Trucks in Canada/US are geared to do 120km/hr @140,000lbs gvw.
They now occupy both lanes on the Trans Canada, having
'truck races' on a grade at 60k and then drive up your ass
down hill at 130k. The only thing most of them drove prior to
a class 8 truck was an ox cart...
Which brings us to the 'average' driver on the lower mainland.
In countries like Germany, France or Italy - they wouldn't
survive a single day of driving...

Hya Nick,

... and they wouldn't survive a single day of driving...

and what would be wrong with that?

:horse

 

[alternateimpact]

I could see the coquihalla (sp?) being an autobahn. nothing technical about a flat straight road. but through excessivly high speeds on any sort of technical road in BC, and the rate of crashes would increase.

 

[Janusz]

Are you sure? I was there less than a month ago and that's not what I heard.

Yes, I am sure. Read paragraph #5:

http://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/stvo/__5.html

Due to legal regulations (Straßenverkehrsordnung) you are allowed to honk and flash headlights (Lichthupe) in order to indicate your intention of overtaking.[*],Proper distance to the vehicle in front must be maintained. Driving at insufficient distances, even when flashing ones headlights, is illegal.

The right lane must be used when it is free, (Rechtsfahrgebot) and the left lane is generally intended for passing maneuvers only. Drivers using the left lane for when the other lanes are free may be fined by autobahn police.
Overtaking on the right (Undertaking) is forbidden, except in traffic jams where it may be practiced with caution. The fact that the car overtaken is illegally occupying the left-hand lane is not an acceptable excuse. In these cases the police will routinely stop and fine both drivers.

The distance between vehicles (in meters) should be at least half the speed (in km/h) at all times (e.g. at least 60 meters at 120 km/h). This corresponds to a "lead time" of just under 2 seconds. As a reference: the white-and-black reflection posts to the right have a distance of 50 m to each other. Again, the fact that the car in front is illegally occupying the left-hand lane when the right-hand lane is free does not excuse following too closely.

Fines for tailgating were increased in May 2006. At speeds of over 100 km/h, keeping less than 30 percent of the recommended distance now results in a suspension of ones driver's license for one to three months.

*
http://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/stvo/__5.html