KMII
[Montblanc Moderator]
51276
Back to the one percenters - speeds on German unlimited autobahns
The other day a Spiegel article, citing a traffic study, came out. The focus was the speed driven on speed-unlimited stretches of German autobahns and the results, while intuitively appealing, if you spend much time in the autobahns, was still somewhat surprising.
While the study relied on samples, as opposed to a general observation of traffic, the results are - from what I can tell - broadly accurate.
A number of stretches without a speed limit were monitored and the speed of cars passing measured. This was done only at times without traffic jams or accidents, so with freely flowing traffic only.
83,7% of passenger cars drove below the suggested speed of 80 mph, even though there was no limit. A further 10% stayed below 87 mph. In fact only 1% of all passenger cars drove at speeds of 100 mph and above (I guess that makes me a one percenter in this context).
While it’s been visible that speeds have dropped significantly over the years, this is probably much more drastic than I would have expected. While the 1% seem to possess enough political clout and lobbying power to ensure that general speed limits do not get introduced, it seems that the days of where you would reliably get overtaken even when you’re cruising at 150 are now few and very far between 🤷🏻♂️
Back to the one percenters - speeds on German unlimited autobahns
The other day a Spiegel article, citing a traffic study, came out. The focus was the speed driven on speed-unlimited stretches of German autobahns and the results, while intuitively appealing, if you spend much time in the autobahns, was still somewhat su...
Each of us reading this should do our part to raise the average.
Rent a car and drive it as fast as possible... even a Clio! So, anyone here have a Pagani, TVR, or Spyker in Germany i can borrow?
Finding a TVR or Spyker…
Might be as likely as completing a collection of hen’s teeth 😊 But pretty much any car will reach 100mph, if pushed.
Managed to get 215 km/h…
From a rental Golf 1.0 eTSI - so almost everything is possible 😂
Sadly none of them drive fast enough for that 😂
In the past three years I have seen only one Porsche cracking 125mph on the autobahns. They seem to be largely confined to inner cities, or to cruising leisurely 😊🤷🏻♂️
I imagine that most people drive within their comfort zone.
I generally drive at 140 kmph (87 mph) which allows me to accelerate for passing if necessary and still stay within my comfort zone. The fastest drivers I’ve witnessed are heading north on the A5 between Darmstadt and Frankfurt airport in the morning. Fiv...
Been a long time…
Since I have experienced any such effect from someone overtaking. I do remember it being more frequent back in the day, though. Driving at a pace that’s comfortable is the most important 👍🏻
Agree
I try always to be a little bit faster then others as i feel like i am more comfortable and in control of the situation on the road (especially while ridding a motor bike) . I think your also more focused on the road and can react faster in unexpected sit...
That’s why driving in…
Switzerland (on motorways) is such a drag for me, even with cruise control. I constantly feel the itch to grab a book or something, as everything is happening at a snail’s pace. The slight additional speed in Austria or France makes all the difference 😊🤷🏻...
I remember 20 years ago going flat out ...
.. on that road in my 90 hp Audi A3 doing 200 kph in the middle lane while I was constantly overtaken by loads of cars doing at least 250 kph. I guess they were also heading to the ISH fair in Frankfurt .
What a difference 20 years make 😊🤷🏻♂️
Behavior does change if you look at a slightly longer time frame…
The aging of the german population will probably be one part of the explanation. (not the only one, though)
My father did regularly drive 160-170 km/h himself up until his 60s. He‘s now in his late 80s and never exceeds 130 km/h, usually driving at around 120 km/h.
There’s that…
And many of the new generation don’t worship speed in nearly the same way.
Only now…
It’s become a habit and lowering petrol prices no longer leads to an increase in speed😊
Wait until the American tourists come...
We pass on the right. We drive way too fast or way too slow. We think we know what we're doing, and we always think we're right - even if we aren't. And we complain about the petrol prices!
It's hard to tell with so many Germans speaking English!
I see two German men speaking English to each other somewhat more often than I'd expect in Germany these days.
Interestingly, my sample of fast Euro driving has shown me you can go faster on the road than on a track
Not that tracks aren’t made for high speeds, but most cars can’t get to top speed in the length of a track’s straight. From my research, the longest straight on a US track is about 4000 feet. Fastest (for me) on a track about 140 mph in this GT40 White wi...
Of course all purely academic 😊👍🏻
You’re right on the straights. If you don’t have an oval, or a factory testing ground with an almost endless straight like Ehra Lessien, the public roads offer more - where allowed and when safe 👍🏻
Normally, I drive between 150-160 km/h(96 mp/h) on German Autobahn.
But accelerate to 210-230 km/h(137 mph/h) if possible. The max speed decreases with the age as described before, because several years ago I regularly drove faster, now with family on board it’s not important anymore to reach the speed record. I think I b...
I’m sure you didn’t…
Nor did I. And I will continue enjoying it while it lasts 😊 Still, unlike in the past, the lack of a speed limit is one of the more significant developmental detriments for the German car industry.
Didn’t read the Spiegel article, but I think this one from FAZ refers to the same data.
Empfehlenswerter Beitrag aus F.A.Z.: https://www.faz.net/aktuell/wirtschaft/auto-verkehr/studie-wie-hohe-spritpreise-die-geschwindigkeit-auf-autobahnen-senken-110283304.html?premium=0x6c1d40f8b6412deafd9f6a0c60f3bfd574d6e003f0daa28cca1abf2ad2edeb8b
It’s probably a combination of factors…
The ever more expensive fuel had something to do with it for a while, a larger environmental awareness likewise. Then there’s the usual distancing oneself from the parents’ generation (where at least the fathers saw high speeds as a value - there’s a slog...
I have been lucky enough to have driven various cars along the unrestricted stretches of the autobahns.
In the early 2000's during one of my not working stints I was helping a friend of a friend import various cars from Germany. These included Porsche GT3's a BMW X8 and various M3's and Ferrari's and once I hit the unrestricted sections of the autobahn alwa...
I’m asking myself the same question…
Even if we stay in Germany for the intermediate term, not sure my fast taxi will get replaced by another one, and if we don’t, it most certainly will not be - somewhat pointless. Rather an Alpine as a weekend toy 😊
I've already red this article... but
I'm interested in statistics how many percent of accidents on Autobahn are caused by the 1percenters? Unfortunately this article didn't gave the answer. stere
I guess one would need to look at other statistics
As the measurement method didn’t cover this. Autobahns are relatively safe, if I recall correctly most accidents happen on country roads. And incorrect speed is a frequent contributor to the accidents.