German environmentalists: Limit autobahn speeds

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(CMonster @ Jan 3 2007, 12:55 PM) [snapback]370125[/snapback]</div>

Kind of sad, but the Japanese are probably amongst the worst when it comes to environmentalism. In about 20 years, I doubt there will be one river left in Japan without concrete embankments, and no more than a few miles of 'untouched' beach. Germans have a problem with speed, the Japanese have a construction industry that lives off government 'projects and handouts'.

In fact, while we in the US are taking down dams because we now know the impact that damming a river can have on the environment, the Japanese are busily damming ever river that they can. The number is staggering, but I think they're in the dozens per year.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(CMonster @ Jan 3 2007, 10:55 AM) [snapback]370125[/snapback]</div>

Too bad reality is so far from the perception Toyota has helped create. I guess Kyoto is a city in Japan that must be good for something. It is amazing how uninformed people are. Maybe next you can criticize the US record on human rights and hope the US can begin to emulate the Japanese there too! Unbelievable.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(malorn @ Jan 3 2007, 09:46 AM) [snapback]370148[/snapback]</div>

Emulating the Soviet Union, with regards to Human Rights, is not helping our image any LOL American Gulag FTL!

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(F8L @ Jan 3 2007, 11:54 AM) [snapback]370154[/snapback]</div>

emulating the Soviet Union? American Gulag? Guantanamo? Do you know much about Soviet Gulag history?

 

Limit speed????
In California the problem is getting the cars moving FASTER!
When cars are in gridlock the cause much more pollution (i think 3 to 4 times)
than a car moving at speed, even high speed!
Because the Germans can move so many cars at speed
they avoid the gridlock (for now). Should the speeds be reduced
then fewer cars could pass and gridlock would ensue, thereby
causing more pollution!

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Devil's Advocate @ Jan 3 2007, 12:08 PM) [snapback]370165[/snapback]</div>

You should keep those facts to yourself. My guess is yhey will not be very popular on here.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(malorn @ Jan 3 2007, 10:02 AM) [snapback]370158[/snapback]</div>

Enough to know that the similarities are there. Are you denying we have a network of interrogation/torture installments in use? Guntanamo is one yes, but there are hundreds of others in countries around the world. The term is used to describe a chain of islands of secret detention centers that existed hidden beneath normal society. - The Gulgag Archipelago or read the article America's Gulag from 2004.

The point is not so much that the incredible numbers of the Soviet Gulag are present but the idea is very similar. You probably know more about history than I do since I do not study it actively so I will bow out of any historical debate and let this thread continue on track.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(F8L @ Jan 3 2007, 12:18 PM) [snapback]370176[/snapback]</div>

thank you.

 

Most of the pollution is certainly not coming from cars going fast (when they can) on the german highway. Pollution comes from staying in traffic jams due to roadworks at rush hours or during the day (especially on high density highways), lack of efficient and fast/high speed (cheap) train service (even here in Germany), not buying local, not turning off things that you are not using, not walking when you can, or not taking public transportation when you can, especially for short trips.
Limiting a percentage of the german highway traffic (not everybody goes 200km/h on the highway, quite the contrary, most are going 140/150kmh which is what happens in other countries as well where there is a 130km/h speed limit - unless there are STRICT and expensive ticketing speed enforcements) does not do any significant change to the environment.
Not to mention that the faster you go, surely the more you pollute, but also the more you consume. Which in turn means using more liters of fuel, which means more taxes paid to the government. 70% of the price of fuel in Germany is taxes...and the heftiest portion of it is the Ökosteuer (Eco-tax). So, you drive fast, you pay a lot, a lot for the environment.

 

Limit autobahn speeds and you'll also limit engineering development on future cars.
German cars have pioneered almost every conceivable handling, safety improvement to cars in the last 50 years, thanks to the need their engineers have had to design cars that can handle the unlimited speeds on autobahns efficiently and safely.
Bullet trains must use more energy than equivalent slower trains so why not argue against them? Jet planes the same...
Slowing transportation is not the solution, making it more efficient is. By slowing it you are just stifling development and progress.