The real reason Germans won't stop speeding

Germany could cut millions of tonnes of CO2 per year if it implemented a speed limit. All other rich countries have one. So why won’t this supposedly green power take its foot off the gas?
Credits:
Reporter: Beatrice Christofaro
Video Editor: Markus Mörtz
Supervising Editors: Kiyo Dörrer, Malte Rohwer-Kahlmann, Michael Trobdrige
#Planet A #speedlimit #Autobahn
Read more:
Speed limits on motorways clearly cut down CO2 emissions www.umweltbundesamt.de/en/pre...
The economic cost of a 130 kph speed limit in Germany www.sciencedirect.com/science...
Speed limit has hardly any noticeable climate effect www.vda.de/en/topics/mobility...
Speed tourism: The German Autobahn as a tourist destination and location of “unruly rules” journals.sagepub.com/doi/full...
Germany: Majority want autobahn speed limits www.dw.com/en/germany-majorit...
Chapters:
0:00 Intro
1:00 The facts behind an emotional debate
4:34 Freedom to drive fast - history
6:08 Freedom to drive fast - present
7:14 The car lobby’s influence
10:26 Alternatives & conclusion

[@DWPlanetA]

What do speed limits mean to you?

[@Laurynas_LTU]

Safety (Lithuania)

[@Life_42]

Safety for the general public. There are few people who can drive over the speed limits safely. Not everyone should have a car that goes over 100mph or 200mph.

[@chaosschnitzl7422]

I don't like them. Maybe one with 160 km/h would make sene or be a good compromise. You could still drive relativly fast, whichis important if you want to cover big distances and you would probably still have a reduction in emissions and higher safety.

[@mathimed]

Anoyance

[@MijnAfspeellijst1234]

i drive electric this climate argument isn't relevant to me.

[@tigertut2410]

"No matter how fast you're driving in Germany, someone is driving faster than you." - Confirmed by me as a german

[@marsmellow1589]

I remember driving home from Hamburg to the Netherlands years ago. Was doing about 280-290 during night. Still got flashed.

[@daverock7176]

Kann ich nicht bestätigen. Ich fahre fast schon wöchentlich die Strecke Nürnberg - Chemnitz. Nur in einer von ca. 6 Fahrten ist jemand anderes über die ganze Strecke schneller.

[@nate_stunting4293]

🇩🇪🇩🇪🇩🇪 i love Germany. I Cant wait to get myself a golf gti after i got my drivers license. And i love the unrestricted Autobahn. Greetings from Holland!

[@nate_stunting4293]

Kom jij ook uit Nederland? En met welke auto deed je dat? Ik hoop een dikke RS6, M5 of E63😂

[@marsmellow1589]

@@nate_stunting4293 Nee, een S600.

[@masterphoenixpraha]

My experience from last weekend - driving from Prague to Stuttgart... Honestly, from what I saw most German people tend to drive around 130, probably to save the fuel costs... Haven't seen that many driving faster as I was used to it previous years. Also, many parts of the highway already have 120 km/h speed limit anyways...

[@supermario5697]

Yes, now with fuel prices so high most people drive like that anyway. So a speedlimit is really not necessary

[@pHixiq]

Wish it was like that here in America

[@Pkari]

Exactly! I’m finding these endless debates becoming theoretical. When you actually drive on autobahns frequently you know that the majority drive at 120-130kmh

[@FennorVirastar]

Yes, most people drive 130 anyways. But that is considered in the numbers from the studies, which means only very few people cause those 6.7 million tons of co2 that could be saved.

[@nos9784]

It's the one person going 250 into the end of the traffic jam that's a big problem though. You reduce the number of those with a general speed limit, even if it is 130-160. If you wanna be faster, get a sailplane license :)

[@nickKMO]

I've had a lot of fun driving in Germany, extremely high-quality roads, polite and accurate drivers, US should take an example

[@bavariancarenthusiast2722]

Thank you from Germany, it is very nice to get positive feedback like that!

[@user-vq6hl5li5m]

Extremely high-quality roads? What? Maybe new highways in former DDR are high-quality.

[@aykutt3244]

​@@user-vq6hl5li5mit's about perspective.

[@little_lord_tam]

​@@user-vq6hl5li5m It depends on where you are. Our roads here are trash too, but especially the big cities have good roads and friendly drivers

[@nickKMO]

@@user-vq6hl5li5m I'm talking about Autobahns, honestly haven't seen bad roads. Was in East and West parts ( Berlin and Frankfurt am Main)

[@LeGentilhommeLGH]

I've been working for 8 months in Germany and I used my car to go to work. It was tremendous ! Very polite and friendly people on the road. Always putting their turn signal on, no tailgate... my fellow Frenchmen should take this as an example.

[@bengoacher4455]

Which just goes to prove my theory that speed and speeding isn't the problem. The problem is bad driving. Lane discipline, looking in mirrors, signalling, concentrating on driving instead of having phone calls or arguments. Having an argument with a passenger increases your risk of crashing to higher than being drunk. The speed limits on all motorways, highways, autobahns etc should be unlimited, but there should be strict laws against dangerous or negligent driving with bad drivers (ie using a phone, or lane hogging) being given bans from driving.

[@lucashommet9757]

@@bengoacher4455mentality of people in countries like France would just make unlimited highway a total disaster. Im french but live in Germany since 12 years. I often drive over 250kmh and I’ve only had one close call to a crash. When i drive in France though, I literally wanna loose it. mentality is so poor. Ridiculous

[@LeGentilhommeLGH]

@@lucashommet9757 I agree, there is so little discipline on French road that fewer restrictions would be so chaotic...

[@prashnaveetprasad8339]

@@lucashommet9757 USA is same as France i guess

[@jeroenvandenberg9443]

Haha yeah French are a disaster on the road

[@Awesome_Aasim]

People forget that Germany, like many US states, has a law that makes it always illegal to go faster than is safe for the current driving conditions. So if you crash, you can still be held liable for excessive speed.

[@Spinnie1]

And Insurance wont cover you if you drive above 130km/h.

[@helixx6647]

When you crash at that speed, you are most likely dead anyway and probably killed some innocent people too! A speed limit would be way clearer and an easier law to enforce on speeding drivers, collecting proof by speed and not by weather condition.

[@Name-lt2tz]

@@helixx6647 not true, if you go at 200, can crash into going 190 then damage might be not big. I had a girlfriend who was going highway at normal speed let say 130, I do not know exact. Somebody hit her to the end, going bit faster. Just a bumber, light broke but nothings serious. The one who hit ran away and she continued to drive to her destination after that. But her son took a picture of that who hit and run car and police still found him.

[@noahnoah5454]

@@Spinnie1 That is actually not true. Yes the Insurance will check more precise if it was safe to drive that Speed but if it was they will pay. Witnessed many cases where the Insurance still payed because some Moron drove into the left lane without checking his mirrors

[@EnjoyFirefighting]

as for safety and accidents: most fatal traffic accidents in Germany are NOT on the highway, but on rural roads which all have a speed limit of 100 kph / 62 mph. Most serious and fatal accidents which happen on the highway actually involve slow moving vehicles like trucks, which have a top speed limit of 80 kph / 50 mph. Most accidents on the highway result in either no injuries or minor injuries I work in EMS and live right next to some of the busiest stretches of highways in my state, both being mostly unlimited. Working for years I didn't respond to ANY traffic accident where a patient has died just due to the traffic accident - one has died due to inproper use of the seatbelt though.

[@michaelsieber98]

Yes, the most Common reason for a death is driving faster than allowed, so disregarding a limit where one already is. So more limits won't fix this

[@glorring7510]

So you're saying road crossings are more dangerous than roads with lanes separated by the direction of travel and people going at similar speeds? That is not really that surprising. On the other hand the amount of accidents under those circumstances is astonishingly high. I mean, no traffic lights, no bicycles, no pedestrians, no oncoming traffic and still people manage to crash.

[@teppichfliesestaubknauel5044]

And why are there less fatal accidents? Separated lines per direction and no trees on the side. Just because they are not the unsafest doesn’t mean we shouldn’t or couldn’t make them safer just as other countries have. I don’t know which statistic you’re talking about with the trucks. Generally speaking: More difference in speed = more danger. So 130 and a truck (which basically never stick to the limit) is already better than 150 and 80. Just because you didn’t respond to deadly accidents because of speed doesn’t mean they don’t exist or are minor. Personal experience really can obscure the view on objective facts. @Glorring is also right.

[@EnjoyFirefighting]

@@glorring7510 Although they obviously are, I didn't say that. Most accidents on rural roads don't happen anywhere near an intersection. The potentially greater hazard at intersections is minimized by the reduced speed limit at the intersections. There are also lots of both urban and rural roads where the lanes of different directions are seperated by some sort of median barrier as well, just like on a highway. "and still people manage to crash." doesn't come as a surprise to me. Often has to do with just plain dangerous driving and ignoring other traffic laws. Like hands free (keeping mobile devices out of your hand), safety distance, driving at higher speeds than legal or driving in lanes you're not allowed to drive in. Although traffic lights are rare on the highway, they do exist. Same also with idiot pedestrians and bicyclists which obviously aren't allowed there, but you still see them sometimes

[@EnjoyFirefighting]

@@teppichfliesestaubknauel5044 questionable if it actually would make things safer. I highly doubt it. Last time I've been to Belgium everyone was driving at more or less the same speed, but I saw way more close calls and other dangerous situations compared to traffic just before / after crossing the border from / back to Germany. Especially with people passing on the right and left at the same time "Just because you didn’t respond to deadly accidents because of speed doesn’t mean they don’t exist" of course they do happen. But working 12 hrs shifts for years, you kind of get an idea of the typical outcome of incidcents in your area. Not saying that a worse outcome wouldn't happen, it definetly does. But it's just far from common around here, despite being some of the busiest sections of highway in the state!

[@davidpiatto8175]

As a UK citizen I’ve only driven on the Autobahn twice on a trip down to Italy & back. What a great experience how well the traffic flows, everyone gives clear signals,stays on the right lane & overtakes on the left unlike here in the UK where it’s become a free for all lane hopping disaster. They don’t need a speed limit because there roads are less congested, have a better understanding of car control & respect one another unlike the road rage aggressive syndrome if the UK. Leave the Germans alone, they don’t heed a speed limit.

[@Rapide568]

Thanks for your kind words. I belive this comes because getting a license takes quite some time and money (mandatory lessons (e.g. driving during nighttime) in different scenarios with a licensed driving instructor). It took me 9 months and 2,500€ until I got my license (failed my practical exam once because I switched lanes without signaling).

[@RoonMian]

You'Re right, we don't need a speed limit because our drivers can't handle the speed. We need it because of climate change.

[@RainbowBier]

the driving license in germany is extremly expensive ranging between 1800 to 3000 Euros depending on Region

[@robertpatrick3350]

Obtaining a driving licence doesn’t include mandatory instruction in the Uk however the average cost including instruction is likely to be similar to Germany. The death rate per Km is significantly higher in Germany than in the Uk, however the factors are more complicated than speed as population density in the Uk is far higher and Germany is transited by larger non resident traffic volumes. More importantly I like driving in Germany…..

[@stefangebauer6741]

i think he is right, everywhere where you have speed limits you see people dont changing lines anylonger which results in quite some people overtaking on the right. A more dangeours situation then a fast car on the left

[@michasosnowski5918]

My first thought was - "What? Germans are the most well behaved drivers I know!". I was driving a truck across Europe, and my observations was that Germans usually follow the law. When there is 80, all highway is going 80. And when its 40, its the same. It was kind of annoying at times, becouse even if the situation didnt really called for it, like highway maintance forgot to put off the sign, all the cars were still following it. Maybe this is due to tickets being high.

[@Caipi2070]

as a german i can say many do roughly follow speed limits (~10 km/h faster than allowed) but ppl who like driving much faster are not uncommon.

[@supermario5697]

Exactly Germans follow the rules and that's why we have less accidents on our highway than in France or Italy. If we have these well built roades, we should be able to use them

[@thx9438]

I don't have to speed illegly when I have the possibility to do it legally. When they introduce a speed Limit, the people will do it anyways, but in inproper areas and it will be more dangerous.

[@alphastratus6623]

Plot twist: just because you don't see the danger causing a speed limit doesn't allow you to ignore it.

[@michasosnowski5918]

@@alphastratus6623 Thats true. My frustration was to few drivers who sometimes didnt know how to join the highway. They were neither speeding and joining before me, or slowing and coming after me. Kind of ride along me and went past the joining line. And then I needed to slow down.

[@assassinul95]

How about a ban on internal flights? I'm not German so limiting the autobahn wouldn't affect me that much but internal flights or even worse private jets, as far I'm aware planes don't really have emissions control devices they only rely on the efficiency of the engine. More travel by train less travel by planes

[@cx5307]

The impact would be rather small and for some people it would have a very negative impact on their lives. I also don't like the focus on domestic flights. So it would be illegal to fly from Munich to Hamburg, but no problem to fly from Munich to Zurich? What really needs to change are the prices. No one should take the plane because it is much cheaper than a train for a distance of less than 500 kilometres.

[@assassinul95]

@C X so you are suggesting a tax on the poor? Nice one, when I'm speaking of internal flights I mostly mean within Europe but some argument can be made for longer flights. But(and I know some small brain germans whom won't agree with me) I would also ban(outright ban) passengers cars with big engines (let's say anything more than a 2l engine), of course this could be seen by some as tyrannical and I don't agree with that. As for evs they're more of the same, expensive for lower income people questionable in terms of ethics (just take a look at how cobalt is extracted Congo, and no manufacturer of Lithium batteries can wipe their hands off that by blaming someone else). If we want a better future we better be reasonable and people aren't reasonable otherwise we would have invested and studied more nuclear

[@cx5307]

@@assassinul95 So we can't raise the price of airline tickets because that would be a tax on the poor who can't afford a train ticket, but we can ban flights altogether because then at least we're forcing the rich to take the train that the poor can't afford? That doesn't make much sense to me. And I don't see trains being an viable alternative for a trip from Warsaw to Lisbon any time soon. Since there are cars with a 2l engine and more than 400 hp, a ban would be purely symbolic.

[@assassinul95]

@C X I previously stated that I couldn't give a crap about outright speed on the autobhan so a ban on cars with bigger engines would certainly reduce pollution as a small engine high horsepower rated car would be more economical when driven under normal conditions unlike big engine, I would also discourage the purchase of SUV especially when these SUV aren't really meant for off road use. And also yes, I don't really care if you are the president of vw or the cashier at a lidl it's dumb to argue about flights as these are quite a huge cause for pollution, besides wouldn't that infringe on the egalitarian thing? Or in your version a rich businessman is more equal than a lonely cashier

[@pmmeurcatpics]

@@cx5307 so Warsaw and Lisbon are apparently in the same country now? Do you know what "an internal flight" means?

[@nonameguy1427]

I am a german and drive on the autobahn regulary. I think you missed a very crucial point: Driving fast makes you arrive faster. That's a price many people are willing to pay. I know during daytime the difference might often be neglible and there are many studies saying you only safe a few minutes. But from my own experience, if the roads are not full like from 10-12 or in the night I made trips that were google said 2:15 in under 1:30 and came in time for a very important family wedding. Of course you have to drive responsibly, if there's traffic, you have to slow down, comon sense. And yes, there are sadly a lot of dumm idiots who race around cornors at 250kmh without seeing anything. I have to say though (with all due repect), these are often also tourist (like you mentioned on your video) Gettting a drivers license in Germany is RIDICLOUSLY hard. I just got mine a few years ago and it took me almost a whole year. We trained to drive fast (I drove with my instructor 210kmh and we especially choose a road which lead knowwhere so it was safe and empty). That's why, as you rightfully pointed put, German autobahn deaths are really low DESPITE the high speed. Of course you can always be even safer, point taken. In summary: Good video, but I dislike how you boiled it down to just feelings. There's more to it all. Transportation is also a very pratical topic. I dont see why I should crawl on an completly empty road at 120kmh when I could drovee 150kmh completly safely. Of course, anything above 200 is a bit recless, I agree. We could do a speed limit of arpund 160kmh. But anything lower, and you just take forever on big roadtrips

[@abilazizov3215]

your comment has more value to the topic than the video itself. i would also add that, having no speed limit does not mean that everybody should drive at the limits of their vehicle. having no speed limit allows everyone to have a right and choice to drive at the speed they feel comfortable and safe at

[@pcr3896]

As a German who can relate to both perspective, I would agree with you. We should add a general upper limit at maybe 180 km/h and additionally use the modern techniques of traffic regulation systems way more. Just track the traffic and set restrictions when the roads are crowded, because that’s when the difference in speed become dangerous, and as soon as the lanes are free, mainly at nighttime, let the people drive. Especially with the low amount of cars at nighttime the CO2 exhaustions wouldn’t be considerably higher than with a general limit. Another point I would agree on are the tourists, advertising to tourists and giving them highly powered cars should simply be forbidden. Maybe even restrict the pace for cars that have a foreign license plate. But that would surely not pass as a law since it discriminates foreign drivers (just think back to the approach of establishing a Maut system)

[@nekominorinya2569]

Alles unter 220 ist verkehrsbehinderung

[@bavariancarenthusiast2722]

@@nekominorinya2569 Ha ja funny :)

[@TonyStark-mp6zv]

👏

[@kanth17]

In my last trip from FFM to Berlin, just a touch over 200 kilometers was derestricted. Considering the traffic and slow moving vehicles, i couldn’t even get close to 200 kmph. Having derestricted autobhan doesn’t mean you must (i emphasize must) drive as fast you can. It gives you the freedom to decide what is necessary and drive accordingly and that must be my prerogative.

[@1Life4Passion]

What does derestricted mean? Could you possibly explain your comment a little easier for me?

[@arneweber3989]

desrestricted=no speed limit

[@1Life4Passion]

@@arneweber3989 Thanks did think about something else

[@dennisheyes4561]

Speed limits only make a difference if they are actually followed. A lot of countries that have speed limits still have drivers that will do whatever they want anyway. So there is little difference.

[@dextercube1822]

There are speed limit cameras

[@MoritzHolzinger]

very correct, Italy for example, drive from Verona to Milano, lots of people drive 150-170km/h even tho there is a speed limit of 130km/h everywhere on highways in Italy. There even is a law in Italy that the police can't set up a speed limit camera if it's not announced with a sign a few 100 meters earlier... what a joke. Switzerland does it right!

[@teadrinkingmoron676]

@@MoritzHolzinger Well some cantons publish locations of speed cameras (e.g. Solothurn). Hope that helps!

[@grandtourerpt]

This. In Portugal the speed limit is 120km/h and the only reason drivers slowed down in the past 5 years was due to the high fuel prices. Even today at the speed limit a lot of cars will pass you by, but not as much as before. Using speed limits as a way to reduce emissions doesn't work. EVs will fix that, and most of those are already limited to 160, 180 or 200km/h

[@mardiffv.8775]

The Netherlands has installed speed cameras on kilometers of highways. And it works. The average speed is measured: camera take a picture of your car and a second camera takes another pictures and the time difference divided by the distance is your average speed. Now I must say that Dutch government has raised the fines on all traffic violations. Because the number of tickets was too low, meaning the government was not earning enough money.

[@Rebius]

I drive regularly from Switzerland to the Czech Republic and back. There are already a lot of sections limited to 120 km/h mainly because of noise pollution near cities. But in recent years the road surface is getting worse, and the number of cars on the roads has increased beyond capacity. Overfilled roads and many construction sites are causing traffic jams and slowing traffic down significantly. There are not many speed limit-free sections where you can get up to speed anymore, because of these factors. If you are lucky you can accelerate for 500m before you have to break and slow down again. In a way, there is already a general speed limit called traffic oversaturation.

[@flopunkt3665]

Some highways still have little traffic and no speed limit though. I once went to Trier and the A62 is one of those.

[@supermario5697]

That's why a general speed limit is not necessary

[@rscott2247]

Figuratively speaking, if the Deutsche auto industry can produce more EV's and recharge them via wind power, why bother mit speed limits, especially mit being carbon friendly and way less noise being driven ?

[@bavariancarenthusiast2722]

@@rscott2247 yep

[@dbclass4075]

​@@rscott2247 At highway speeds, BEVs may not provide as much noise relief as expected. Tires are noisier than ICE.

[@filtrakioldhorborn]

a speed limit would indeed not change much in regards to emissions, people still drive mostly around 120-130, those who wish to go faster tend to be either be thrill seekers or people trying to cut travel times, so overall maximum 5% of vehicles.Another important thing to consider is that many countries are raising their speed limits, as newer cars have better brakes, better tyres, more driver aids etc. therefore there's no need to keep speed limits which were put in 60-70 years ago, which took the technology of the time in mind. A good solution to increase safety and emissions would be to try pursuade people to stop buying SUV's as they are the one thing making the autobahn dangerous and polluting.

[@Youwotm8Tk]

Exactly, I don't see the point of a speed limit when cars have been getting bigger and bigger in recent years. Maybe start there and either ban or heavily tax SUVs and Crossovers to discourage people from buying them. I have a sports car that weighs 1.1T meanwhile Karen drives her kids to school in a 2.5T SUV that uses way more fuel than my car, but somehow that's completely fine. I firmly believe we could reduce our traffic emissions way more if we would reduce the fuel consumption of modern cars, because all the advancements in engine technology is completely offset by the fact that cars get heavier and more powerful every year. A normal commuter car really doesn't need to weigh over 2T and have 200+ hp.

[@AZzalor6632]

To give you some numbers: Only around 14% of germany even drive regularely faster than 130 and only ~1.3% faster than 160. If we added a speed limit of 130km/h, it would only reach at most 14% of drivers. And due to speeding tickets just being a small fine up to 20km/h over the limit, you would essentially only get those that drive faster than 150km/h, so a very small % of drivers. Also keep in mind that those drivers don't always drive faster but only sometimes and when the circumstances allow it. The reason I hate the discussion about a speed limit in combination with climate change is that it will literally have 0 impact. Germany itself only emits like 1.8% of global co2 and of those 1.8%, a speed limit would barely have an impact, considering it would save 1-6m T CO2 out of the over 760T we emit yearly. What we need is things that actually have an impact. A speedlimit is something where politicians can say "yes, we've done something" even tho they didn't really do anything and especially did not touch the big polluters.

[@zakosist]

I think some people kinda need larger cars to transport a lot of luggage or a lot of people at once, its based on each persons need. What should probably be banned is cars where you cant see where the car ends when sitting in the driver seat, had someone show me this design flaw in a car they were driving. The seat could be higher up

[@kudu2you]

I have been driving on the German autobahn regularly for the past 20 years, and I'm proud to say that I haven't been involved in any accidents during that time. One of the remarkable benefits of driving on a speed-unrestricted highway is that I can save up to an hour when covering distances over 400 km. As someone who is passionate about cars, I also prioritize caring for the environment. However, I find it difficult to understand why some environmentalists aim to dismantle the car culture entirely. I believe that a balanced approach is necessary. By allowing a small number of individuals to enjoy the freedom of driving fast or owning older cars, while encouraging the majority to explore alternative transportation options, we can minimize the impact on the environment. It's important to recognize that the environmental footprint of the automotive industry is just one piece of the larger puzzle. Industries, housing developments, and air travel, including essential trips like holidays, all contribute significantly to carbon emissions. While we should focus on addressing these sectors and advocating for better safety standards and efficient nuclear waste recycling, it's crucial to keep an eye on the future. Hydrogen technology shows great promise and can play a vital role in reducing emissions. By supporting and lobbying for advancements in this field, we can shape a cleaner and more sustainable future. Lastly, it's essential to remember that our efforts to protect the environment are not about saving the planet itself. Earth will continue to exist regardless. However, what we can strive for is preserving the beauty of nature and ensuring the well-being of humankind. Let's work together to find a harmonious balance between our love for cars, our concern for the environment, and the future of our planet.

[@dbclass4075]

What we are more accurate: preserve Earth's habitability. For one, air pollution is unpleasant.

[@MalawisLilleKanal]

@@dbclass4075 For personal cars, the pollution will be reduced drastically as they become electric, and electric cars keeps improving in range and price.

[@dbclass4075]

@@MalawisLilleKanal Then for cities, mass transit to further reduce pollution. Railed vehicles are easier to electrify.

[@MalawisLilleKanal]

@@dbclass4075 Cities needs both rail , cars and trucks. Best case all of them are electric.

[@dbclass4075]

@@MalawisLilleKanal Don't forget bicycles too. In case of slopes, consider electrically-assisted variants.

[@leonf8870]

I live in Germany and love to drive fast. Of course I don't always drive that fast but only to have the opportunity is very important to me. And we do know how to drive fast as other comments already mentioned.

[@tinihawk]

No speed limit yes but what is the actual average speed on german highways ? I highly doubt everyone is driving there 200+ km/h It's a personal freedom for the Germans and its effects are minimal especially since the accident rate is on par with other european countries.

[@DWPlanetA]

Hey there! A 2020 analysis showed that the average speed is about 130km/h or less in 75% of segments without speed limit (Find the study here 👉 www.gut.uni-wuppertal.de/de/aktuelles/ansicht/evaluation-of-driven-speed-on-german-motorways-without-speed-limits-a-new-approach/). A 2019 analysis by "Die Zeit" shows a similar result and reveals that there are segments where some speed especially. The fastest 10% had an average speed of 204 km/h in one of the segments. However, mismatched speed is still the main cause of fatal accidents in Germany (2021).

[@bavariancarenthusiast2722]

@@DWPlanetA yes correct - therefore a speed limit would not change anything - but take the eye off the ball, which is energy production - also we go more and more electric, I am driving an EV too, makes not difference whatsoever

[@Snail_Slowly_Moves]

@@DWPlanetA oh so you just want to take more freedom and choice from people but apparently it would not make such a difference… got it, get used to more regulations on everything trajectory 🤡🤡🤡

[@Ummba13]

The arguments about saving fuel and reducing emissions are pretty much the only logical arguments. But at the same time, not really, because Europe is on its way to electrifying its cars. The safety of cars is also increasing year after year, so it feels like all of the arguments of people that oppose unlimited speed lay forward will gradually become less and less relevant as we move further in to the future.

[@BruutalMoonke]

And since restrictions basicly never get abolished, there wont be a way back even if driving unlimited speed would not have any counter arguments

[@Guy-Zero]

"The only logical arguments". What about safety? Most of the people driving on the autobahn never leave enough safety distance between vehicles already and automatic system arent ready yet and they would have to be implemented in a way they can never ever be turned of but even then system fail. What about noise pollution? What about pollution from tires and streets? What about the increased cost for maintenance especially with heaver (which electric cars often are) vehicles? Its crazy how many people defend having no speed limit despite having no arguments except "I like it" or "I dont want to be discomforted in any kind of way, I dont care for all the downsides and I dont care about all the other people. I want speed."

[@user-to7ds6sc3p]

​@@Guy-Zero Safety: Germany is in the top 15 lowest deathrate through Road accidents out of 183. The UK, who would be a reasonable target has only 0.1 death per 100,000 population less. Thats less than 100 people a year and not all deadly traffic accident are caused above 120kmh reducing the numer even more. Noise Pollution: I live next to a unlimited autobahn and railroad with freight trains, it isn't that bad, like not bad at all people just love to complain about everything. Wear: Trucks cause a lot more wear than than some people driving above 120kmh We are talking about germany here, net the US, we might suck a lot of things, but driving without trying to kill everybody around is is something we are quite good at. People driving above 120kmh are way less of a factor than people love to make them look like. And there will always be people that wan't to speed, giving them a place to do it legally reduced the amout of illegal speeding, actually *increasing* safety, because the unlimited parts of the autobahn are safaer than the limited ones. And since you mentioned heavy cars, aka SUVs. They have all the same issues: fuel inefficient, heavy, more deadly to everyone not inside the Vehicle, obstructiing Vision of following cars making it harder to predict there actions. But it is the most sold type of car and therefore probably driven by a good chunk of the people arguing for a speed limit. TLDR: People driving fast are only a very small percentage in the problems people like to say they are the cause of. SUVs and Trucks for example, cause the same or similar problems but nobody wan'ts to ban or restrict them. This whole think is just people that don't want to go fast not wanting anyone to go fast and people that wan't to go fast, well wanting to go fast. All the problems are just things caused by cars in general but made look like faster cars are responsible for them.

[@simonbrunner3062]

Especially for electrified cars, speeds above 130 kph are an obsolete anachronism. You don't realise how much energy is wasted at high speeds in an ICE car, because they are so inefficient at low speeds (especially in city traffic) that they waste energy anyway. In an EV, you do. Your personal highway cruising speed makes the single biggest difference for your range and consumption. If I put the pedal to the metal on the 500 km trip from where I currently live to my hometown, I don't save any time at all. Because all the time I save on the road, I spend recharging at some truck stop. Keeping the luxury of convenient high speed driving alive for the EV age means extra investment in the charging infrastructure and the power grid. Besides, as long as the grid is not 100% renewable, the emissions argument remains very much valid. The extra emissions from speeding are just moved from the tailpipes to the power plants. So electrification is not an argument against a speed limit. Quite to the contrary.

[@pHixiq]

Idk from what I've studied, it's people who drive slower than they should and who aren't paying attention who cause the most crashes 😕. My paper came to the conclusion that people who have driving anxiety and are not confident are at a higher risk to themselves and others around them.

[@-YEET]

very true!

[@Lucas-dy4wy]

I am not German but I live there, honestly, bringing Hilter to this discussion is one of the lowest ways, and use an Adhominen fundament about the autobahn. I use the Autobahn weekly to go to Zürich. I drive in total 6 hours per week more than 600 km in total. Two situations happens to me that affected me personally. One work colleague needed to get to see his father because he was dying. I took him in my car we drove fast in the autobahn, and he was able to say goodbye to his dad and tell him that he love him (try to reach somewhere on time with the Deutsche Bahn by the way). The second one, I was working in Switzerland my girlfriend was going to give birth, and I was able also to reach 1 before and get into the OP room. I will have missed the born of my kid. Third, if the speed limit is introduced instead of spending 6 hours in the roadway I will end up spending like 9 out on the road driving. The 3 hours I spend with my family or 159 hours per year or 6.62 days... Driving at high speed is a responsibility, you can drive at whatever speed suits you better, the problem is not the car, not the road, not weather, not the speed limit, the problem of the accidents are the people behind the steering wheel, their ego, their looking at cellphones, or not respecting the law in general. And come on, if you have a drive in Germany Stuttgart or Baden Wüttemberg especially people get angry if you are driving at 30km/h or 25 km/h where the speed limit is 30, they want to drive a 40 because they know that there is no radar there. And honestly, there are problems more important in Germany than the Tempo limit in the Autobahn....

[@LS-Moto]

If Hitler is the problem for these people, than they need to demand to tear up the Autobahn alltogether, if they want that argument to have any logic at all. Because after all, he started building that network. And might as well destroy the automotive industry and other big companies like Siemens, Hochtief aso, because hey, they worked with Hitler. The moment this "mobility expert" brought Hitler into this, I have to suspect that she is very left leaning, because those people are usually the ones to stick in Hitler just about anywhere they can.

[@OlivierNovel]

Most people demanding a limit don't drive themselves... this is a clear "thy will be done... on my neighbor's fields". Limiting to 120kph causes much more distractions, so arguing that the death rate would automatically be reduced is just taking one variable into account, extrapolating, and getting the number you want, without caring for objectivity and facts.

[@zakosist]

Most people I know drive and also think the speed limit should at least be limited at the same time. The part about distraction is you just need to train yourself as a driver to focus on whats important and ignore distractions. If you cannot do that for the vast majority, you shouldn't drive either But if unlimited speed actually works in practice and causes no higher risk of car accident, I think they can keep it

[@InsEngineered]

To be honest its difficult to drive fast in Autobhan because of traffic. Most of us drive only in resonable safe speed. Also unlike US people in germany are satisfied with smaller cars which consumes less fuel.

[@daniellevin3056]

Smaller cars raise insurance rates, higher liability do to safety in comparison to larger cars.

[@MrBau007]

​@@daniellevin3056 nah,not really. Personal example my Skoda Octavia 1.8 TSI 2011, yearly tax is 110€,insurance 105€ every 3 months. My girlfriend has a VW Polo 1.4 TSI 2017, yearly tax is 80 insurance 100€ every 3 months,full casco both of course. A friend of mine has a Citroen C4 1.5 HDI 2016, yearly tax 200 and something, insurance 190€ every 3 months. So... you were saying? 😅

[@HerrMurmeltier]

Germany actually has kind of a speed limit of 130 km/h. It’s called “Richtgeschwindigkeit“ (= advisory speed limit or recommended maximum speed) and it has significant consequences. In case of an accident you get definitely a part of blame, no matter what you did, when you were faster than 130 km/h. And most of the Germans follow this Richtgeschwindigkeit of 130 km/h.

[@MrBau007]

Yep but it's still "advised" not imposed 😁👍

[@masterchinese28]

I remember renting a Mercedes and driving 210kmh (just briefly) on the Autobahn. It was one of the highlights of our trip to Germany.

[@vito1064]

I just do that everyday here in Italy

[@tomkocian6710]

Common sense is far more important that any speed limit. If the conditions are good and you can see clearly what is in front of you, it is okay to speed up. But if the conditions are bad, you slow down. It is also important to understand your vehicle and know it´s limits.

[@Satan-lb8pu]

The real reason is to pollute more so as to sink the Netherlands faster. Hope this helps

[@manubhatt3]

World War 3 will be fought between 3 peoples: Germans, Dutch and Danes.

[@27.minhquangvo76]

Then the Netherlands will sink everywhere else faster by its wind-powered pumps.

[@thatundeadlegacy2985]

If only it was france sinking they would do it in a heartbeat.

[@miles5600]

shhh don't tell them that we continue to establish ridiculous regulations for a small ass country that makes our people suffer just for them to think we will save the planet and our climate while other countries still subsidize gas.

[@verifeli]

😂😂😂

[@cosmicdebris2223]

4:41 in 40 years of Autobahn driving I have never seen such a gesture. Never.

[@MorningNapalm]

Same here. I have had someone flash their headlights once or twice, or maybe drive a little too close, but not recklessly.

[@Andrew-zv4fm]

I have family in Germany and when I am there, going fast on the German highway is a HUGE selling point.

[@stephenbanister5846]

Another point to consider, due to the Autobahn, Germany makes some of the best engineer automobiles in the world. When I think of well-engineered cars, I always think of Porsche, Mercedes and BMW.

[@kornelobajdin5889]

Yeah been driving on autobahn for 2 months. I see a lott of porches. Just today Ive seen like 6 or 8 old 80s carera porches. Such a mint look damn did they look good. Must have been some car gathering of sort. Literally I drove up to the pump and lidl. After an green one passed a red one behind him another red and white as I was leaving the gas pump. Man I love those cars.

[@kechouffe]

No, it's just building our graves with this status symbols that are slowly putting more and more CO2 in our athmosphere et due to the fact that they don't respect the regulations (VW dieselgate), our city's have more noise pollution, than if they had just followed the law. They better put those really good engineering skills to work to solve the future problem, than designing motors for frustated Germans that want to feel free for 10 minutes driving at 200 km/h.

[@xJack30t]

@@kornelobajdin5889 Were you driving through Lower Saxony by any chance?

[@kornelobajdin5889]

@@xJack30t well only to neckarsulm and to Stuttgart airport. That whole part so far. I just came for work here.

[@deebo7276]

With that logic, Toyota and Japan's 100 km/h speed limit must be cause for Toyotas being the worst cars then, right? Lol..

[@anadalet9885]

I used to travel often to Germany until 2021 so I had a car that could do high speed. With no limit I used to go over 200 km/h when possible, it is fantastic to go fast and safe with good Highway like the Autobahn. So I supported the freedom of driving fast if you are a skilled driver like most Germans. The problem is only with bad weather because there is no draining asphalt due to the cold climate but is not a problem, you just slow down a little bit

[@rickylefleur2158]

Although many Germans try they never where able to beat physics....

In Germany, we have the safest motorways (Autobahn) in the world. And then we seriously think about a speed limit?

[@roarbahamut9866]

Das passiert weil wir ne Links/Grüne Regierung gewählt haben. Umweltschutz liegt mir auch am Herzen, aber das bisschen Freiheit was wir noch in Deutschland haben, würde ich gerne bewahren. :(

[@deebo7276]

I can agree with keeping limitless highways in Germany, but it makes sense to suppose that reducing speeds makes highways safer, and should be considered along with all side effects. Your comment makes it sound like the amount of highway road deaths in Germany is acceptable just because they might be better than other countries.

[@FenrirAmon]

@@roarbahamut9866 Bruder, wie traurig ist dein Leben eigentlich, wenn du deine Freiheit darüber definierst, dass du 130+ km/h auf der Autobahn fahren kannst?

[@nomeycom]

0:26 only on the Autobahn, these signs are not only locatet on the Autobahn, but on many land roads. The only thing this sign says is: Any speedlimit indicated by a sign before does not count anymore, so the generell speedlimit of this road is applied. On the Autobahn, you have the "advisory speed limit" of 130 km/h, driving above that and you are in charge of any accident.

[@LafemmebearMusic]

One of humans favorite pass time, is controlling other humans. We like stopping others from experiencing joy , it’s an unfortunate thing we do. We seem to really enjoy taking joy from eachother. I see that there are valid statements on either side of the argument. I also know joy is important… joy is important. Everyone’s joy isn’t going be derived from the same thing. You might find someone’s form of joy reckless and foolish but they don’t. Also it’s not always realistic to control for every aspect of safety because when we do that we begin to become so policed we can’t enjoy life.

[@teodorgereb]

I drive on Autonahn almost every week. I can tell you, most if the drivers on autobahn are driving about 130 km/h and every now and then someone drives faster. Dont forget that there are just portions on Autobahn where you dont have a speed limit. Normally, you will see the 120 km/ h restriction quite often.

[@maureraerialproductions7739]

I am a professional driver and drive 400 km a day on the German autobahn. Most highways are either under construction or have speed limits around major cities. In my 30 years of driving experience in Germany, the speed situation has changed dramatically, you simply can't drive faster because of the traffic jams. If you really want to go over 200 km/h, you have to drive at 3:00 on Sunday morning, (almost) no traffic and no trucks... not on public holidays. The all discussion about speed limit is more emotional then rational.. if there is a general speed limit on the German Autobahn (120 km/h) will be the end of German car industry with unpredictable social consequences.

[@j.s.6080]

I don't even think that the car industry would suffer. However, I believe that it is the hidden agenda of the parties who want the speed limit to make the german carmakers suffer

[@notroll1279]

70% of German Autobahn unlimited?? It doesn't feel like that to me - I guess if you weight this by usage, the unlimited share will shrink to around half. The closer you get to population centers, the more restrictions you'll find. I live in downtown Berlin and I have to travel more than 20 kms (mostly on limited Autobahn) to get to an unlimited stretch. Trying to drive fast is mostly rather frustrating because after a few kilometers, you'll be forced to hit the brakes for roadworks, traffic congestion or noise reduction. I usually put the cruise control on something between 120 and 130 kph so I just let the car coast towards slower stretches. Much mote relaxing. I'd gladly accept a speed limit in return for less harrassment by parking restrictions or the intentional narrowing of urban streets.

[@MorningNapalm]

Same here, every year there is less opportunity to drive fast, because of the reduced stretches where it is allowed, and increased traffic.

[@josemiguel2611]

it blows my mind how some people fight to have their freedom taken away from them

[@mauricefritsche5756]

Gernerally Im with you, but what you are saying does actually not make sense. For them, speed restrictions is not seen as a punishment, its more like a nessicity. its the same if you are vegan and want to stop the killing of animals, they do not see killing animals as a freedom, right?

[@moppedforscher2075]

You're referring to Ukraine? ...smh

[@josemiguel2611]

@@moppedforscher2075 who tf said anything about ukraine. the world those not revolve around your american political agenda

[@josemiguel2611]

​@@mauricefritsche5756 your personal freedom should only be restricted if that same freedom colides with another person freedom which is not the case. The fact that someone wants to enjoy their car and drive 300km/h in the highway has nothing to do with you besides that no one is telling you that you have to drive fast, you just have to respect other peoples options. the argument that there should be a speed limit because of emissions (which is stupid because its proven that it would have minimal effect on total co2 emissions) is made by left wing globalist that don´t respect the countries sovereignty and it goes against their agenda that some countries are different than others

[@Name-lt2tz]

@@josemiguel2611 " if that same freedom colides with another person freedom " - I myself like the no limit, but at the same time maybe really there is a risk of you hitting me at 300kmh and I can easily die. How to solve that? I think maybe argument for this could be - if there is no good visibility and there is no cars long enough distance to stop car from going your 300 speed, then you cannot go that fast. Of course it is hard to meassure then if you exceeded or not.

[@lennika4771]

Germany should invest more in public transportation for example make trains from deutsche bahn punctual. Germany tends to forbid things instead of finding solutions in the last years. This needs to stop.

[@S7E_Siriel-Privat]

"Our time is worth more than those 2€ I would save by driving slower" - my dad. And honestly, I support this view.

[@WORLD-yd6es]

I dont think it helps road safety a lot. At least for me i drive much more concentrated when i'm going 200 KM/h than when im going 120. At 200+ i would never even dare to look at my phone or get distracted otherwise while when i'm going 120 i'd put on cruise control and grab a sandwich.

[@Gudi102]

Germany is an example of freedom to chose what speed you want to drive. It's such a pleasure to drive the Autobahns. Is such a great example for the industrialized world. KEEP GOING FAST GERMANY. We love it!!

[@Bassalicious]

Welp, but we have to deal with the TÜV and all the regulations around it. They always told me "you can't modify your car like you could in any other country of the world because we have the autobahn and you need a higher standard of safety for driving fast". Which does make sense. But I can guaran-f-ing-tee all those restrictions wouldn't change one bit if we implemented a speed limit. Laws only get more oppressive over time, very rarely do they ever get more lenient. I'd love to have a general speed limit IF that meant more freedom modifying and repairing cars for us citizens. But that won't happen.

[@HenryMidfields]

Not to mention, a type of freedom people there actually have been using responsibly too!

[@SaveMoneySavethePlanet]

3:59 the issue I have with people calling these types of emissions reductions trivial is that there simply is no “silver bullet” for emissions reductions. Our emissions come from a multitude of sources. Sure, deploying wind, solar, and nuclear power cuts our emissions the most, but even that cut isn’t enough to stick to our goals for global warming. So yes, putting speed restrictions on the autobahn will not be the biggest cut in emissions out of all of our actions…but that doesn’t mean that we don’t need to still do it.

[@CjqNslXUcM]

There is a limit in the amount of funds and political capital a government or party can expend. The best option is to go for the low-hanging fruit. If speed limits have too much opposition, a different policy would achieve a higher reduction in emissions in a shorter amount of time.

[@supermario5697]

It's a policy that MIGHT reduce some CO2, maybe just a little bit. But it's a policy that at least half of all Germans are against. So it burns a lot of political goodwill. There are better and smarter ways to reduce CO2 without making half of the population angry about it

[@germansniper5277]

The reduction in emissions is trivial because the money lost by implementing it could be better spent on planting trees or something else that could reduce even more emissions. Therefore it is bad both for the climate and the economy.

[@RAGAJALANG]

I’m an automotive enthusiast and I do care about the environment as well. In my opinion, balance approach is needed and I genuinely believe that reliable and affordable public transit is the solution. It is mentioned in the video how people tend to avoid using public transit because of delay and else, so why not? People would have the choice to travel without the hassles of driving and those who love driving can still feel engaged with their beloved cars on the autobahn. Also, having many people to use trains and buses on daily basis would solve traffic jams and reduce carbon footprint in the long run.

[@TukaihaHithlec]

They should put a 500km/h high speed rail line down the middle of the Autobahn. The land is already made for it, and if anyone can do it I’m sure German engineers can. I wonder how some of the drivers in this video would feel, pushing their car to its limits and passing everyone else, just to see public transport fly by twice as fast. I love my car too, though the environmental concern feels misplaced. They could halve the max speeds and still have the highest posted limit in the world.

[@freifahrt12]

A study by the BAST suggests that due to driving with headlights on during the day, up to 550'000 tonnes of CO2 are unnecessarily emitted in germany. Still theres more and more drivers driving with their lights on when they have DRL's that would work just fine...

[@anueyiagumichael8188]

I somehow agree with the VGAs. Since Germans see it as cultural to drive as fast as they want, then let the government set up digital signposts that will show conditional speed limits in case of bad weather. Thanks

[@stalker5299]

There are already these signposts, especially at night they monitor the traffic flow and adjust the limit as necessary

[@alexbroere2669]

Oh well as a Dutch person everytime I go into Germany I get stuck in road construction work every city has something going on so on average you go slower 😅

[@Bassalicious]

Sounds about right. I'd much rather have the freedoms you Dutchies have in modifying cars than the unrestricted Autobahn personally.

[@basmca1]

​​@@Bassalicious Still quite some restrictions on that, but they aren't enforced as much. Technically every non OEM part has to be approved for your car and with many types of modifications you technically have to 'reregister' your car and have it tested for road safety. In reality these laws aren't enforced and as long as your car isn't crazy loud, wide, crazy cosmetics ect, you'll be oke. 100kph max speed and very expensive fines though. 30kph too fast? that's around €350. 50kph too fast? Licence suspended for 2 months minimum and €650-800 euro fine. Driving with a suspended licence? 2 weeks in jail, over €1000 euro fine and 6 months more suspension.

[@HessamAyoubi]

How do you call this journalism? The reporter obviously agrees with restrictions and you can see this clearly in the narrative and how much time is dedicated to each side. Such an unprofessional piece of work!

[@ARandomDonut]

As someone who lives in South Dakota, I could never move back to a state with a lower speed limit. I love my 80 mph. On I-29 you can go 84 with no consequences, same with I-90 east of the river. Once you get west of the river, you can go even faster because no one lives out there. I generally go about 95 between Chamberlain and Wall and drop it to 90 between Wall and Rapid City. It's so nice being able to get across the state in 5 hours. You always gotta be careful though, once you get so close to Rapid City, the state troopers are everywhere, they know what's up. It's the easternmost state with a widespread 80 mph speed limit, and the only long segment of Interstate that is less than 80 is between Rapid City and the Wyoming border, where it's 75. I love driving fast.

[@SebastianWittich]

I like these discussions because it always sounds as if you were forced to drive fast, just because it is allowed. I appreciate that we do not't have a genereal speed limit on our "Autobahn" , but still I usually don't drive faster than 100km/h, since nobody forces me to and since I like cruiseing around

[@buffuniballer]

I recall being stationed in DE from 1988 to 1991. It took a while to become accustomed to NOT getting out of the throttle when I saw the Politzi on a non-limited stretch. After years of driving in the US, passing the police was a foreign (pardon the pun) concept. I did find most drivers to be well disciplined. It was interesting when the flood of Trabbies showed up in late 1989. That messed things up for a while.

[@gabeishere4990]

Also to mention the roads in Germany are very well designed. In the U.S they are old, have cracks, bumpy, everything you can think of (from my experience). The highway lanes are also more narrow in the U.S from what I see in Germany, so less room for error. Most U.S highway/freeways are not suitable at 190+kph, even with a sports car.

[@nego1erry]

I have lived in Mexico and here for a long time (literally sonce i born) we had a lot of restrictions in order to reduce emissions with cars. Like not being able to drive for 7 days at month your car based on the last number of your plate (Example if you plate ends on 2,4,6,8,0 you can't use your car every second and fourth Saturday plus you can't use it every Thursday or Wednesday or x day of the week depending on the "special" color your car's plate has. We not just had speed limiters. We had speed bumpers every 150m. And guess what. Even with all those restrictions. Every single day, the air quality is crap. At the point that sometimes the government forces all the citizens to not use their cars for one entire day (You can use it but they force a huge number or cars to not be used regardless if you were suppose to be able to use it or not). Here on Mexico, the "fastest" you can go on the city is 80km/h, but good luck reaching at least 20 with all the speed bumpers we had. On the highway is 110 km/h (and exclusively the private highways who had a high fare price. If you try to use a "free toll" highway, good luck reaching 40km/h with the bad state of the road. With all this. I just checked the air quality today May 25, 2023, and it is ONE POINT above "bad".

[@MarceloBoeira23]

Thanks for the video -- It would be interesting to know how much even the best estimate (6.7M Tons) is compared to other contributors. It feels like if all this fuzz is for 1% of pollution makes almost zero sense that it is the driver of the discussion (no pun intended). If that's is 10+% of Germany's emissions, then sure! I'd rather society would be discussing other bigger contributors, it's probably the dream of the big lobbyists that media e society are discussing this type of topics rather than the really controversial ones: Munchen/Frankfurt/...), private jets, wealth tax, CO2-emission tax... .

[@krzysztofjarzyna3194]

Majority of cars in Germany drive 120-130 km/h on highways. With annual Germany emission of about 674 milion tons of CO2, that 1-6 million tons of CO2 reduction is insignificant.

[@enricohasselhoff5936]

I drive on the Autobahn regularly (100k km+ last year) and sometimes also in neighbouring countries, and in my perception the Autobahn fulfills its original idea to move quickly between two points very well - if it's used right. The key is driving careful and paying attention, of course, but also correct lane usage. When I take the highway in a country with speed limit, I catch myself at some point not watching the traffic behind me, as there won't come anyone faster than me from behind anyway, and thus I catch myself staying on the middle lane and I also catch myself lowering my general attention. It takes me longer to get somewhere and I wouldn't be as reactive in situations that take me by surprise. On the Autobahn I just necessarily have to keep an eye on the traffic behind me, I use the lanes to stay in and support traffic flow, and it keeps me focused. Plus, It takes me less time to go a given distance. So, to me, the absence of a general speed limit and allowing people to go at high speeds responsibly aren't a misconception of the Autobahn, but people using it as if there were a speed limit (and thus not paying attention and blocking lanes) are. So if asked between which of the two models I'd choose, I'd clearly be for no general speed limit, but also for implementing the model right - on the Autobahn, going 21 kph too fast without further consequences is fined harder than not using the lanes correctly and causing a crash. Even, if on an open section a lane blocker will go at the advisory speed of 130 kph and cause a crash with someone only slightly faster, the lane blocker will not be held responsible for having caused the crash at all. I consider these reglementations a contradiction to the concept of having no general speed limit and a major misconception of the Autobahn. If you pick up a good idea, then don't do it half-hearted, but follow through and do it right...

[@rlas]

The electronic signs are a great idea but they have no function if they arent actually changed. I went to Kiel and back and had to drive through Hamburg A1 which has a lot of electronic controlled signs. The weather was beyond awful and that only in Hamburg. It was a blizzard alike situation. Hail, thunderstorm, snow, rain it all combined with heavy winds. What the real issue was though that the Speed Limit shown was a 120 kmph. The majority of people would not care about the terrible idea to go a +100 kmph on a road thats covered in hail and proceed with 120 or more. Thankfully there were no crashes but I for myself with a lot others werent going past 80 kmph and I was questioning why the speed limit wasnt set down since visibility was awful as well.

[@DeSuenner]

I would argue the other way round. Why should persisting speed limits on country roads persist, if they were made for beetles on 135 tyres, if today you break in a third of the way and are way safer in case of a accident. I would raise most of the limits.

[@ehanoldaccount5893]

This isn’t a environmental problem, rather a populist solution. A real solution would be reducing trucks and moving cargo and individuals onto the rails, yet the argument of “mehr Verkehr auf den Schienen“ seems to have been all but forgotten.. Considering the trains don’t even show up on time if at all.. Instead of addressing these issues politicians seem to have just started blaming diesel engines and cars..

[@EverythingFrank]

“Speed never kills, suddenly becoming stationary - that’s what gets you” Jeremy Clarkson

[@assai74]

I regulary drive on sundays 250km around 9pm. There is a 3 lane stretch of 50km without speed limit and minimal traffic. 160-200km/h feels responsible and save in the apropriate car. It is not about traveling fast or getting home earlier but to get home BEFORE you get tired. That is my experience. Therefore it feels more save to me in this situation. What I learned from experience driving on the autobahn 1) watch every 3 seconds in the backmirror to make way for faster cars 2) slow down early without needing to hit the brakes allows better flow for all cars I thank all my fellow autobahnusers for driving responsibly. ❤

[@zakosist]

That's actually a good point. Focus inevitably wears down over time, and then long driving time may increase the risk of accident just as much if not more than high speed, at least for roads built for high speed

[@diegoyuiop]

Speed limits to reduce emissions is the most ridiculous thing ever

[@roarbahamut9866]

Its technically correct, since your car needs more fuel when driving 200+ BUT cars need the most fuel in city traffic, in speeds between 10 and 50.

[@jean-loupborzeedelsolar4077]

With electric cars that won’t be a problem

[@kvd1m]

No speed limit ❤

[@mobilaizer]

My take, it will definitely not be safer with a limit. When you drive long distances and have to constantly check the speed by looking down at the speedometer is tiring and exhausting. 300 kilometers in distance in Switzerland equal to 600 kilometers in Germany by me. I personally rarely drive faster than 140 so for me not looking at the speedometer all the time is a matter of safety and preserving the focus exhaustion.

[@Goshosekazvam]

My experience is that non restricted sections help reduce traffic and improve experience. I was living 80 km from my job. It used to take me like 30, 35 mins to reach the place because part of my route was not restricted. High speed helped my diesel car make temperatures for DPF and catalyst to be effective. All that at the cost of 9l diesel per 100 combined 😊. If you lower the speed this will cause the dutch type of traffic. More people together, higher chances of crashes. It's perfect as it as is. Some parts restricted, some dynamic.

[@jayernoud9334]

Let’s be clear: It is much safer to have no speed limit and know that anyone can approach at any speed but only pass on the left, rather than dealing with speed traps, becoming tired and bored going 65mph. So, bottom line, if someone is unable to follow simple rules, he/she should be banned from using the autobahn. Keep it safe and fast! ❤

[@Basih]

I think the best solution is to have dynamic speed restrictions on highways.. during rush hour you might lower it to 120 km/h but when there isn't much traffic you can have it unrestricted .

[@wictor1992]

This is already the case on most autobahns, they have adaptive digital traffic signs.

[@zakosist]

People will automatically lower driving speed when there are too many people on the road anyway, often well below the normal speed limit due to queue

[@jensschroder8214]

You have to consider that trucks slink at 80 km/h, ordinary cars drive at 120 to 150 km/h and the occasional vehicle rushes by at over 200 km/h. That makes a big difference in speeds and creates hazards. On the other hand, I experience the Autobahn as a big buzz of construction sites with narrow lanes and a lot of traffic.

[@lucasmancini2]

It’s not about the thrill for me, my car only does 200kph anyways. But it’s so relaxing to not having to make sure constantly to not exeed the speed limit. In switzerland you constantly have to be aware of it because there are speed cameras everywhere and the fines are ridiculously high. Most of the time when im in germany I just enjoy it to cruise on the middle lane with 140-160kph. it’s so relaxing

[@gcvrsa]

Bans on car washing at home make a lot of environmental sense, and do not exist merely to prevent nuisances to neighbors, as the other examples presented mostly do. Even in the US, commercial car washes are strictly environmentally regulated, because of the amount of water involved, the amount of chemicals involved, and the pollutive petrochemical runoff from the vehicles themselves when they are washed. Washing cars really isn't necessary, in the first place, and is mostly a vanity practice.

[@C.I...]

What? I pay for any water I don't collect from the sky, so I can put it on my car if I want.

[@janinakowalska9615]

@@C.I...Dirty water is absorbed by soil and pollutes environment

[@miles5600]

@@C.I... well you can and no one is stopping you. it's just a norm in germany to not do much productive stuff on the sundays.

[@user-to7ds6sc3p]

@@miles5600 I germany you can't. Well technically you can, but it is illegal nearly everwhere and even if it is legal you need to follow strict regulations, like no chemicals, the water needs to be put into the public sewerage and is not allowed to go into the drain and mix with rain/ground water etc..

[@MorningNapalm]

So I can't pour water on my car (no chemicals) but the sky can? Utter nonsense, there are just too many rules. With chemicals I can understand it, but if my car stood under a maple tree in the spring, I cannot see out because of the aphids peeing on my car, and I may not wash it. These people are shallow thinkers.

[@muirfanma]

this seems missing a lot of positive points for having autobahn

[@dave_sic1365]

Yet this is propably the most unbiased take from the german Media. There are at least 3 Talkshows a week that just ask why it isnt implemented yet and how good a Speedlimit would be and they start to bring characters into the TV movies that school other often dumb,evil or conservative characters how they shouldnt be driving so fast. Public Media is in hardcore Propaganda mood so the dw take is very refreshing to me

[@SasuGamer]

The sign shown at the beginning does NOT mean no speed limit in general. This only accounts for the highways marked with a different sign showing its the Autobahn.

[@g-l8492]

When the nuclear power plans were closed down, the CDU and FDP freaked out about the additional 2 million tonnes from temporary coal replacement. But 1 to 6 million tonnes from cars seem to be just too small to talk about. I worked in the car industry and I also don't want it to crash. Every restriction is another weight on the industry. But the climate change is just too big and also, and that's just my opinion, I don't think that these big and super fast combustion cars will be so sexy anymore when the climate crisis really hits or when the fuel price rises above 2 to 3€ per liter in a few years. Maybe it would be better for our industry to focus on making good and resource saving cars? We already were late to the electric party, I think at some point, maybe around 2030, people will realize more and more that driving at 300 with an electric Porsche is still pretty unnecessarily shitty for the environment.

[@Visionery1]

Locally we have a 120kph freeway speed limit, the fastest I've driven is 170kph. Nowadays I set the cruise control at around 130kph and relax. Most people have no idea how to drive fast, speed and incompetence are a dangerous combination.

[@MorningNapalm]

Most people also don't drive fast. The majority of those going over 130 are able to do so safely. Many of them do it regularly, for business etc.

[@CjqNslXUcM]

There's this effect in psychology called "reactance" which describes a fierce opposition to any perceived restriction in behavioral freedom, which is obviously subject to the availability heuristic. The way this proposition has been publicly discussed has triggered reactance in a large part of the populace, similar to the gun control debate in the United States. These are both kind of no-brainers, and there's nothing in the German genome that makes us somehow uniquely capable of or interested in driving fast more than any other people. It's just a psychologically very accessible issue that has become emotionally charged. My suggestion would be to not waste political capital on it. If you have to push it through, do it immediately and preferably in secret, for example by simply increasing the amount of roads with a speed limit. Otherwise focus on something else. It's not worth the hassle.

[@C.I...]

Hmm, I wonder why people don't like the government telling them they are no longer allowed to do things. I propose you stop talking. Oh no, you don't want to? That just means you should stop talking sooner.

[@Liudac]

The title ... as if everyone were driving at 200 km/h on the Autobahn. Per million inhabitants, Germany is one of the countries with the fewest traffic fatalities in Europe. By the way, DW is subsidized by the Greens/Federal Government with 386 million this year alone.

[@azderian6785]

Just want to point somethings out that were not mentioned specificaly in the Video. Despite for the complex Autobahn Roadsystem and People who drive fast above 200km/h there are fewer Road accidents on the German Autobahn a Country with 82m Inhabitants+ than in Bulgaria a Land with 5-6m. The most Road accidents in Germany are from Tourists and Transit passin by testing their limits. Ive been living in Germany for almost 11 Years and got my License hier. It is extremely hard and the Driving Instructor is training you to be able to drive fast. About 90% of the Drivers ive seen on the Autobahn, drive moderately and safe going rarely above 130km/h (Richtgeschwindigkeit) slightly when overtaking. Also driving with 160km/h on the Autobahn lets say a newer Vehicle holding about 2000 to 3000/rpm will burn less Fuel and release less Co2 than a Car in a City doing Stop and Go traffic. Hope this helps :)

[@jatindedha333]

Well there should be roads for people who want to go as fast as they can . in general sppeding drivers don't create or cause accident they are most alert driver on the road .t's the fool who somehow gets driving licence. There might be some exceptions

[@naydenbonchev3957]

I think Germany should never loose its derestricted autobahn I drove through many times and can’t wait to get to Germany to just let it go a bit and to be honest to me people there are very disciplined with regards of overtake move away unlike some other countries that drive with the same speed across all lanes

[@HenryMidfields]

To be honest, I envy not only how they have the freedom to drive superfast, but also how most of them have the discipline, caution, and restraint to use such freedom responsibly so that everyone can enjoy such high speeds safely. Japan, where my family is from has mostly 80-120kmh, while the top limit in Australia (or at least in Sydney where I live) is also around the same. The former has roads that are simply too narrow, and cars that for the most part, aren't as powerful. The latter has people with atrocious manners.

[@disco.jellyfish]

From my own experience I can tell constantly driving 200km/h doesnt exactly feel exciting to me anymore. Dangerous situations are just as common as at constant 100km/h. You will just encounter different types of situations - like some Karen pulling infront of you (despite you being very visible) at a speed that is 90km/h slower than yours. Thats why you always have to adjust your speed appropriately to the situation/traffic and anticipate all maneuvers that are likely to happen within the next 10 seconds. If a car is closely following a Truck that it overtaking on the middle lane (also in unrestricted areas) it is very likely that this car will switch to the left lane very SUDDENLY and you should be aware of that already from a 300m distance (this is absolutely possible) especially, when you're going 250km/h or whatever. You might want to break down towards 200km/h already before that happens and be prepared to break down to 110km/h (having your feet hovering the breaks already) and have your horn and xenon lights ready in case they actually start overtaking while you are passing them at a much higher speed. A crash is 100% avoidable in sitautions like these but you just gotta be prepared if you're going fast. Some people are very lazy and despite knowing somebody could be passing them at 300km/h all them time they barely check their mirrors. They very often only check their mirrors if their is a car, when the correct behavior would be checking the mirror, then checking the mirror 2 seconds later so see how fast a vehicle is approaching, then checking their shoulder if someone is next to them. It is 100% possible to correctly estimate a vehicles speed by looking at it in the mirror. If you find this difficult you should 100% not be driving because you are a big safety threat in this case. Oh and you have to be mentally absolutely ready to apply maximum breaking power even at 250km/h - If you dont think you can do this - do not go this speed. In all situations, only go speeds where you are confident you can slam the breaks at without any hesitation. Hesitation can get you killed.

[@KGcitiZen]

I'm not from Germany but is it possible to make dynamic rules with changing signs? If there's rain outside or the traffic is high signs should change automatically from no-limit to 120-140 km/h and if there's no traffic and the weather is good than it's okay to drive faster.

[@bartjeuhh790]

As a Belgian I love driving fast in Germany, it's fun and safer than driving 120km/h on Belgium's roads full of pot holes and cracked asphalt. Also, many Germans drive 130. I would guess around 85% probably to save on fuel costs. And that number rises slowly each year. Although 200 is my car's speed limit I would definitely recommend not going much harder if you're inexperienced going full throttle. It's really heavy on your mind to stay 100% focused at all times.

[@thatundeadlegacy2985]

Do you have the stats, is it fast drivers causing the crashes or slow drivers?

[@miles5600]

both, but usually the really fast drivers.

[@DWPlanetA]

Hey there! Mismatched speed is the main cause of fatal accidents in Germany (2021). Being faster than allowed is part of the cause of every 20th fatal car accident. The federal statistical office publishes numbers on traffic accidents yearly. You can find more details in their database GENESIS-Online 👉 www-genesis.destatis.de/genesis/online

[@BestGamer06]

​@@DWPlanetA you say beeing faster than allowed is the cause of every 20th accident. What has that to do with the unrestricted parts of the Autobahn. You are ALLOWED to drive faster this number you are showing has nothing to do with that, its about people who speed. People who drive fast when allowed does not equal to people who drive fast when it is not allowed

[@dave_sic1365]

​@@BestGamer06 german law says you are always guilty if you are going over 130kph. This of course brings inaccuracys into the statistics. It happened often to me that cars around 100kph change lanes in front of me 180+ . French drivers are particulary dangerous because they love to tailgate trucks and change lanes without indication and checking their mirrors. I nearly crashed into one on a straight part with 2lorrys him and me and without any visual distractions. If i had crashed with him i would have been partially guilty and maybe one of those cases in the statistics.

[@BestGamer06]

@@dave_sic1365 I am german I know the law. The statistics they are using in this comment are wrong because it is for general speeding and driving over 130 on the autobahn. It is not only for over 130 on the Autobahn

[@FrozenCraftYT]

Quite funny to see an international media discuss german problems as a german. My biggest problem with having no speed Limit: i have no control over some driver loosing Control and crasing into me at 250km/h

[@MorningNapalm]

Yes, and a million other hypothetical problems. It is far more likely that someone driving slow falls asleep and takes you out.

[@MubashirullahD]

I've driven to 160 km/h as the highest and its dangerous. My university had a 40 km/h speed limit and it made an impact on my behaviour.

[@pineapplepizza5733]

Dont remove the last bit of freedom the Germans have, most people anyway don't drive that fast, the average is probably between 130 and 140kmh

[@Johnny-zt1mh]

Honestly, after having my license for like 2 years. German driving is absolutely not about going super fast all the time. But going like a constant 100mph to go quicker from point A to B is what I would definitely miss when they implement a speed limit. Being able to go up to 120mph actually safed valuable time for me and made some family reunions and surprises possible. And as long as trains are still late all the time, I will have no understanding for a speed limit.

[@andrewsimmons3874]

Driving is about understanding your vehicle ability and your skills. I can easily handle one of my cars at 130kph or corner while the other is only capable of 110kph. The same goes with driving skills. My friend bought a performance car and is hardly able to handle the car at high speed. Traffic jams caused by bad drivers, they cause delays at every traffic lights. However, with speed comes great responsibilities to be safe. Anyway, accidents happen in all situations be it slow or fast. It's just that you will have better ability to avoid it when slower and makes no difference when you drive at 100kph or 160kph unless driving at 50kph. Germany, please retain no speed limits.

[@kechouffe]

Are you serious when you write accidents happens at every speed limit ? Do you had any physics course? Imagine you crash a car at 120 or 180 km/h. The difference in energy that has to be liberated (the force of the crash) is proportional to the square of the speed. So the crash is actually 2.25 harder (1.5²). Or 4 times harder if you drive twice as fast.

[@tidditm]

I am against a speed limit. All guys who said that it save so much fuel, drives trains. Normally only 5% driving over 130/140 km/h, even when the roads are empty. Our highways are super save. The main problems are truck accidents, not cars.

[@Breadfan00]

My guess is that with a speed limit, accidents would actually go up. People would stop concentrating as much. Just look at traffic in the US, Spain or France. It looks terrible compared to Germany

[@MTO_3589]

6:24 You should not wash your car yourself if the ground it is standing on is not sufficiently sealed, otherwise chemicals or oil can seep into the ground and contaminate the groundwater. I think it's okay that you shouldn't wash your car at home, especially if the floor underneath isn't sufficiently sealed. In my opinion, this regulation should also exist in other countries.

[@IstvanOroszlan]

I would go even further. Once you have a speedlimit you won't need big engines. So i would just mandate an engine power limit of something like 120 HP (should be enough to still tow a trailer).

[@johnmccain3877]

In The Netherlands it's 100 (and in some exceptional cases somewhere up to 120) - but not 130 anymore ...

[@bbalila]

Love Autobahn ❤🇺🇸

[@gddg3641]

I live in Australia and I am coming to Germany every year just to drive fast on the Autobahn. Rent a BMW and go for the 200kmh+ wherever I can. There are many others from different countries that do the same... It is the only place where you can do it... German folk know that this is a privilege that no one else has and I am hoping they will fight the imposing of Autobahn speed limits vigorously...

[@iiiii5256]

The problem with the pro speed limit side is they're phrasing fuel use and emissions a collective decision, whereas it should be up to the individual to decide how much fuel they want to use and how much pollution they want to create. If you care about saving gas, drive slower, if you want fun, drive faster. But don't impose the same priorities on everyone who may not share it. At the end of the day it's the individuals who decides how much fuel to buy and pays for it, along with all the externalities tax it comes with. Germans already have the freedom to decide how much pollution to give off in other ways: the cars they buy, and how far they drive in a year etc. So if people will be consuming at different levels anyway, why not a less efficient driving style if you enjoy it and can afford it?

[@erdniealinik]

I’ve been living in Germany for about a year now and the Autobahn network around me has no speed for a long distance but i have rarely seen people drive faster than 120-140 kph. In my country Turkey we have 110kph restriction on highways and 130-140 kph restriction on tollways, and the amount of drivers i have seen drive over the speed limit is the same as i have seen people here drive faster than 120-140, so the only thing that makes a difference if how fast does that minority drive: here its lets say 160-200 and in Turkey its 140-160. It honestly does not make that much of a difference. Just because the limit is high(or none in this case) does not mean everyone will drive as fast as they are legally allowed to There are much more issues to be prioritized if co2 emmisson is to be taken under control

[@gerryhouska2859]

In Australia, at least, speed limit is a way to collect a lot of revenue in fines, Constantly watching your speedometer doesn't make driving safer.

[@TexMexPfanne]

Yeees, everytime im in a 30 zone i need to look at the speedometer instead of the road. Because if I don‘t somehow I drive 35-45

[@peterstockhaus2709]

My car is almost 25 years old, but there is a button which says cruise. Set it and enjoy the landscape.

[@Tom.Livanos]

@10:55 "...And revamp a train system that currently is often late and unreliable." I visited Germany in September 2008 (the Black Forest and surrounding areas for one week) and again in late November-early December 2008 (Berlin for one week and Munich for one week, often using public transport). The opportunity alone was (is) a blessing. For my level of income, the transport was expensive in Germany. That stated, I am astounded by the words I have quoted to begin this comment. I found the transport system, along with everything else I came by in Germany, to be precise. My astonishment at what you say here is so great that it casts a shadow on everything else said in this video. "...often late and unreliable." My gosh. I did not drive a car in Germany (nor anywhere else on my worldwide trip), let alone on the autobahn. It was public transport the entire way. Germany was (/is?) second to none. Austria and Switzerland in Europe may be comparable to Germany. Yeah, I am astounded. Perhaps I may be pointed to another video 'DW Planet A' or anyone else has done on the frequent lateness and lack of reliability of Germany's train system. Perhaps I was just extremely lucky? Thank-you anyway for the video. You touched upon some key points e.g. the history in Germany, accidents and fatalities, attraction of tourists, greenhouse gas emissions, a sense of freedom, the revolving door between industry and politics, the move to alternatives and some of the motivating factors. It is just... at the risk of being overly repetitive... that point of lateness/lack of reliability flies in the face of my admittedly limited experience to such an extent... well anyway I think one gets the idea. Thank-you for your time and attention. Thank-you in advance for anyone and everyone who points me to a video or some other source of information as to the lateness and unreliability of the train system in Germany.

[@BazilarMembrane]

Mate, google "German trains are unreliable" and see what you get :) they are really bad in terms of punctuality/cancellations.

[@supermario5697]

The Deutsche Bahn (Train conducter) says that only around 65% of their trains arrive on time. Arriving late means a train has to be late for more than 6 Minutes. And if a train is not going at all, it doesn't count as to late, because it didn't arrive to late

[@SolomonSunder]

The German train system has been horrible since past 10 years or so. 6 years ago, I took a night train from Austria. The train was stopped in Salzburg for 6 hours to wait for a connecting train. Then when I asked for the refund, they refused since they had conveniently registered multiple tickets to work around the EU laws. My "third world country" India had better reliability and service than that.

[@DWPlanetA]

Hey Tom! Sorry to disappoint but Deutsche Bahn is quite unreliable. You can find the current stats here 👉zbir.deutschebahn.com/2022/en/interim-group-management-report-unaudited/product-quality-and-digitalization/punctuality/ As @Super Mario already mentioned trains are only considered late with more than 6 minutes delay and freight transport with more than 16 min. It is also true that cancelled trains are not included in the statistics on punctuality.

[@ndmushroom1]

"This happened in 2008, so that can't be happening in 2023". That's great! Now do Greece.

[@corvinfrancke6854]

There is a very precise video about that topic on the channel Auto, Motor und Sport.