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As I promised , here are some pics of the German and Austrian Hwy on a sunday ...


Relaxed driving ...

... later on I see the sign I love " End of ALL restrictions " . So hit it !

Go shorty !


Nobody on the left lane ? Where are the pick-up trucks and vans to hold you up ? No one to show you the finger ? Something is wrong here ...

Slow down Herr Wolesley screams !

Hallo , Vienna calling

Oops , who's that ? It's the Kangoo !

See this is a good thing. Too bad our politicians are too bullheaded to follow these examples. Maybe if we built cars that were better made for handling and braking instead of solid axle, big block V8, awesome in a straight line but holy s*** when a curve comes, 70% vehicle weight over the front and none in the rear but our wheels spin there with no traction causing excessive oversteer crap cars, we might have a good system like they have in Deutschland!

I'm done my venting.

A larger number of people just want cheap transportation Oscar, drivability be damned :(

We are a minority, so if we want better we have to either "pay to play" or "roll our own"

NefCanuck

Oscar The Grouch,Apr 5 2010, 04:45 PM Wrote:See this is a good thing.  Too bad our politicians are too bullheaded to follow these examples.  Maybe if we built cars that were better made for handling and braking instead of solid axle, big block V8, awesome in a straight line but holy s*** when a curve comes, 70% vehicle weight over the front and none in the rear but our wheels spin there with no traction causing excessive oversteer crap cars, we might have a good system like they have in Deutschland!

I'm done my venting.
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There's nothing wrong with North American cars , they could handle . But the mentality needs a change (I don't see this happening ) . Usually drivers there know their limits and their car's limits and most of them have the common sense to stay to the right when they are not in a "hurry ". You won't see a Smart on the left lane unless it's a bumper to bumper traffic .

NefCanuck,Apr 5 2010, 04:51 PM Wrote:A larger number of people just want cheap transportation Oscar, drivability be damned :(

We are a minority, so if we want better we have to either "pay to play" or "roll our own"

NefCanuck
[right][snapback]304581[/snapback][/right]

...Or move to Germany , Ja! :lol:

Gabriel,Apr 5 2010, 04:58 PM Wrote:

NefCanuck,Apr 5 2010, 04:51 PM Wrote:A larger number of people just want cheap transportation Oscar, drivability be damned :(

We are a minority, so if we want better we have to either "pay to play" or "roll our own"

NefCanuck
[right][snapback]304581[/snapback][/right]

...Or move to Germany , Ja! :lol:
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Yeah but then it's just like the Bahamas - too many Germans there.

Seriously - there's nothing wrong with our cars (well, okay a few are underbraked for Autobahn-type driving) but with upgraded brakes my 4-banger Fusion feels solid, well controlled, unstressed and safe at 190 kph.

It's all about the drivers and a gov't mentality that continues to pander the lowest common denominator. Driver's here won't start to get better until the requirements for licensing force the change - and that's not likely to happen in my life time - or any of yours for that matter.

I want to say a lot on this subject, but I'm afraid it would backlash so much and I don't feel like getting in a flame war in my current state.

I'm just a little bit pissed and depressed.

Oscar The Grouch,Apr 5 2010, 03:45 PM Wrote:See this is a good thing.  Too bad our politicians are too bullheaded to follow these examples.  Maybe if we built cars that were better made for handling and braking instead of solid axle, big block V8, awesome in a straight line but holy s*** when a curve comes, 70% vehicle weight over the front and none in the rear but our wheels spin there with no traction causing excessive oversteer crap cars, we might have a good system like they have in Deutschland!

I'm done my venting.
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There are plenty of RWD vehicles in Europe. you're blaming the wrong culprit.

We can't have speeds like that here because you'd actually have to teach people to friggin drive and actually get cops to enforce the law instead of generating revenue through speeding tickets.

Edit: Sorry, basically repeated what Ken said -- I responded before I saw his post.

Gabriel,Apr 5 2010, 03:58 PM Wrote:

NefCanuck,Apr 5 2010, 04:51 PM Wrote:A larger number of people just want cheap transportation Oscar, drivability be damned :(

We are a minority, so if we want better we have to either "pay to play" or "roll our own"

NefCanuck
[right][snapback]304581[/snapback][/right]

...Or move to Germany , Ja! :lol:
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I'd be curious to see if they'd even issue a license to someone like me that requires adaptive controls (I want to say yes but with the Germans you never know :ph34r:)

NefCanuck

the thing that pissed me off is it all up to the cops discretion. if he feels like giving you a ticket your he needs to meet his monthly quota then you get one.


like look at the 401 you try doing 100 in all 4 lanes you'll back up traffic for 10km.


its just me but the blurry grace period that cops are allowed to yous is bulls***. there should be a set speed limit and off with you head if you exceed it.


like 401 should be 110 maby 120 in places.



we all drive that fast any way?

The 400 Series highways were designed for sustained 120kmh driving, because the limit used to be 75MPH until "the gas crunch" of the late 70's when they lowered it to what it is now.

It's not the speed that is the hazard IMO it's the "difference in speed". On a given highway you have an artifically low speed limit for its design. This, under ideal non-rush-hour driving conditions, creates a mix of people that do a speed that seems "comfortable" ie 120kmh, people that are law conscious ie 100kmh, and people that should get the f*** off the highway ie 90kmh (and in a safety-conscious European country, the police would direct them off the highway or ticket them for driving too slow).

It's this combination of varying speeds, poor road manners and poor safety enforcement that causes the issues.

Jmountney1,Apr 6 2010, 09:37 AM Wrote:the thing that pissed me off is it all up to the cops discretion.  if he feels like giving you a ticket your he needs to meet his monthly quota then you get one.


like look at the 401  you try doing 100 in all 4 lanes you'll back up traffic for 10km. 


its just me but the blurry grace period that cops are allowed to yous is bulls***.  there should be a set speed limit and off with you head if you exceed it. 


like 401 should be 110 maby 120 in places. 



we all drive that fast any way?
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Thing is though that In theory if everyone followed the rules, the leftmost lane would be free to pass at all times to allow for the slight variance in speeds amongst cars.

Did you know for example that up to a 2% varience in speed is acceptable when a speedometre is calibrated? As tires wear that also can cause a speedometre to vary its readings slightly. Add to that the fact that if you change tire sizes to anything other than OE sizes you introduce even more variance.

Given the above paragraph, if the rules were followed I could still see enough differentiation in speeds that the lanes of traffic would be markedly different no matter what the set speed was.

and that's why cops have that "fuzzy" area when travelling at such a high rate of speed.

NefCanuck

NefCanuck,Apr 5 2010, 10:10 PM Wrote:

Gabriel,Apr 5 2010, 03:58 PM Wrote:

NefCanuck,Apr 5 2010, 04:51 PM Wrote:A larger number of people just want cheap transportation Oscar, drivability be damned :(

We are a minority, so if we want better we have to either "pay to play" or "roll our own"

NefCanuck
[right][snapback]304581[/snapback][/right]

...Or move to Germany , Ja! :lol:
[right][snapback]304583[/snapback][/right]

I'd be curious to see if they'd even issue a license to someone like me that requires adaptive controls (I want to say yes but with the Germans you never know :ph34r:)

NefCanuck
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they do, i deal with a company from switzerland that does complete adaptations to vehicles called autoadapt and they have german dealers.

if you need anythin give me a call lol

Jmountney1,Apr 6 2010, 09:37 AM Wrote:we all drive that fast any way?
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Atleast that fast. The KW boys will tell you that if your on the 401 between KW and Milton and in the fast lane, you better be at 130+ or you'll get run off the road.


And here's an "atta boy" for posting your speed on a highway with no limit.

Now that is cool.

And no nights*** included.

NefCanuck,Apr 5 2010, 11:10 PM Wrote:I'd be curious to see if they'd even issue a license to someone like me that requires adaptive controls (I want to say yes but with the Germans you never know :ph34r:)

NefCanuck
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I'm sure they do . Back in the day Eastern Germany was producing the Trabant Hycomat that was actually operating through some semi-automatic transmission and the pedals were modified to suit cases like this .

ZTWsquared,Apr 5 2010, 05:12 PM Wrote:Seriously - there's nothing wrong with our cars (well, okay a few are underbraked for Autobahn-type driving) but with upgraded brakes my 4-banger Fusion feels solid, well controlled, unstressed and safe at 190 kph.

It's all about the drivers and a gov't mentality that continues to pander the lowest common denominator. Driver's here won't start to get better until the requirements for licensing force the change - and that's not likely to happen in my life time - or any of yours for that matter.
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I don't think one needs to modify the brakes for the Autobahn . The majority of cars there are stock . I had the chance to talk to people there and they told me that just because it is allowed the drive at high speed , not every does it , either for fuel consumption reason or some pure and simple are not car nuts like us , so they don't care about speed . They all agree to pass and move over , no passing to the right . I like to speed there to blow some steam :D , but I also have to use maximum caution because I am so far away from home and don't want to get stuck somewhere along the way and the credit card insurance covers only my car . I don't feel like paying , for someone to get a new one .

Gabriel,Apr 7 2010, 02:57 AM Wrote:

NefCanuck,Apr 5 2010, 11:10 PM Wrote:I'd be curious to see if they'd even issue a license to someone like me that requires adaptive controls (I want to say yes but with the Germans you never know :ph34r:)

NefCanuck
[right][snapback]304612[/snapback][/right]

I'm sure they do . Back in the day Easter Germany was producing the Trabant Hycomat that was actually operating through some semi-automatic transmission and the pedals were modified to suit cases like this .
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Dear god if I was stuck with a Trabant I think I'd rather walk :lol:

NefCanuck