BERLIN (Reuters) - Nearly two in three Germans believe a speed limit should be introduced on the car-loving nation's notoriously fast autobahns, according to a new poll.

The European Union's environment commissioner Stavros Dimas and environmental activists in Germany have said speeding on the autobahn wastes energy and called for a speed limit. German Transport Minister Wolfgang Tiefensee has rejected the idea.

The poll for ZDF television published on Friday showed 54 percent of Germans favor a speed limit of 130 kph (80 mph) while another 10 percent would like a limit below that level. Some 35 percent said they did not want any speed limit.

At least a third of German motorways have a speed limit while the rest carry only a recommended top speed of 130 kph where legally drivers can, and often do, travel as fast as they like.

Most Germans want speed limit on autobahn? - Yahoo! News

If Cops enforce this i swear Crime will go up in germany.Police have better things to enforce the speed limit at the autobahn.Germans dont realize just good they have it then in america.Germans should ask americans how we feel about sheriffs Deputies and state troopers.

I don't know. I guess I'm for a speed limt. It should not be too low. Something like 160 km/h really seems OK imho. It's kind of cool to drive really fast, but you can't do that very often anyway, because there is too much traffic in most parts of the country. And it can be dangerous.

150 km would be fast enough on the autobahn.But if you Cops shouldnt give you a ticket instead they would put you on notice.Like keep putting you on notice but if you get involved in a accident and if youre on their notice list you go to jail.This way germans can still like their police and not hate them like we do in the US.

Cops don't spend much time enforcing speed limits in Europe because there are speed cameras all over the place. They still pull people over ever now and then, but that is more likely to be for tailgating than for other traffic offenses.

Just because YOU hate police (along with Doniston), don't assume that you speak for America.

See, there's no need for a speed limit.
80 MPH on an empty Freeway, miles behind and ahead of you nothing and once in a while some cops to check that you're really creeping down that freeway

Speak for yourself. It's been my experience that people that hate cops are the ones that are caught breaking the laws. I happen to have the utmost respect for most cops for having to put up with law breaking morons.

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"Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, chardonnay in one hand, chocolate in the other, body
thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and screaming 'WOO HOO, what a ride!'"

I think the idea of speed limits on public property is kind of stupid anyway. It's a victimless crime. If they crash while going at unsafe speeds into someone going at a safe speed, it'll be the "speeder's" fault anyway, unless the other guy also did something very stupid, in which case it could be considered both their faults, depending on the case.

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A federal judge ruled today that graphic pictures of detainee abuse at Iraq's Abu Ghraib prison must be released over government claims that they could damage America's image.

Someone should tell them that bad press can be prevented by not abusing prisoners in the first place. Censorship is only needed to preserve the good reputation of those who have tortured and/or murdered already.

It's not
No speed limit on residential streets or even in cities won't work
If your in a crashed car it won't help you to know that it's the other's fault.
A speed limit prevents from going to fast and causing those accidents, -for the main part-
On freeways and highways, there's no reason or a speed limit

Well, that's basically the law in Germany today. I still think a speed limit would make sense. I'm all for less regulation. There are thousands of totally senseless rules of the "nanny state". But a speed limit would at least make some kind of sense. It would increase security, save energy and probably even improve the traffic flow.

Why not?Yes, it will. Namely the fact that he will be forced to pay for damages.A speed limit might reduce the occurrences of going unsafely fast. That's basically all it does, plus it gives a lot of people tickets for going a few miles over a ridiculously low speed limit.

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A federal judge ruled today that graphic pictures of detainee abuse at Iraq's Abu Ghraib prison must be released over government claims that they could damage America's image.

Someone should tell them that bad press can be prevented by not abusing prisoners in the first place. Censorship is only needed to preserve the good reputation of those who have tortured and/or murdered already.

Personally I think a few miles to fast is not the problem. The problem is the great gap between slow moving cars and trucks and guys that drive 150 or more mph. That's just dangerous, especially in a densely populated country like Germany. Personally I would like to see a general speed limit of 160 km/h or 100 mph or so.

The problem is people who think they are capable driving at high speeds but who simply can't drive safely at high speed and that goes for most of anyone's population.

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"There were no D-Day Heroes in 1973" - Cold Chisel Khe Sanh

In the US that statement needs to include the additional complication of misuse of equipment. A lumbering SUV at high speed has all the handling characteristics of a conestoga wagon in the middle of passenger vehicles designed to operate at higher speeds.

Too many cars. Why would you have to drive that fast in a city or residential area? For the traffic and the people living there it's just bugging or even dangerous.

An accident by high speed is not about damages but about life and injuries


Aye
But that's not the case in residential areas, fore any other place you're right