Unlimited Speed Isn't Green In Germany

Earth-Friendly Proposal Threatens Cherished Freedom From Speed Limits On The Autobahn

(AP)  Members of one of Germany's governing parties on Saturday backed a proposal to introduce a speed limit on highways, a measure that would revoke a cherished freedom in this rule-bound country and was likely to be met with resistance.

A majority of delegates at a conference of the center-left Social Democrat party backed a resolution stating that "a fast and unbureaucratic path to climate protection is the introduction of a general speed limit of 130 kilometers per hour," or 80 mph.

Many stretches of German autobahn have no speed limits. However, the current surge in concern over carbon dioxide emissions has put that tradition under renewed scrutiny.

Earlier this year, EU Environment Commissioner Stavros Dimas suggested introducing a speed limit, drawing a cool response from Berlin.

Saturday's decision has no binding effect on government policy, and the party's conservative coalition partners, including Chancellor Angela Merkel, have regularly rejected calls for an overall speed limit.

Leading Social Democrats - including Environment Minister Sigmar Gabriel and Transport Minister Wolfgang Tiefensee - also have questioned the logic of speed limits. Gabriel has argued that they would reduce incentives for manufacturers to produce more environment-friendly engines.

Deputy party leader Andrea Nahles said in an interview with the Welt am Sonntag newspaper that she regretted the decision, arguing that what is needed are "new technologies, new (car) fleets and alternative fuels - not new rules."

[ziparmux]

In California speed limit is imposed by mexicans.
They drive 50 m/hr in the fast line, where maximum speed is 65 mhr.

Posted by mikevilkin at 01:38 PM : Oct 29, 2007

Perhaps they should feed their donkeys better food lol

[mikevilkin]

In California speed limit is imposed by mexicans.
They drive 50 m/hr in the fast line, where maximum speed is 65 mhr.

[ziparmux]

Oh no, the Ron Paul stuff here too?

Posted by fibonacci_ at 10:34 PM : Oct 28, 2007

Ja lol

[fibonacci_]

Oh no, the Ron Paul stuff here too?

[usaprophet]

I want to report a major fire, friends. CBS isn''t reporting it. Our Constitution is on fire. And it''s currently being burned in Congress. See H.R. 1955, a.k.a., Violent Radicalization and Homegrown Terrorism Prevention Act of 2007. I couldn''t believe it. Apparently, activists with Web sites are really begining to anger the elite insofar as they are publically holding officials accountable for their evil. The bill passed the house on Oct 23, in spite of Congressman, Ron Paul''s opposition. The right to free speech on the Internet is gone, my friends. Look it up for yourself, and weep for your country as I have that our rights have eroded this far. Here''s a short excerpt from the bill''s DEFINITIONS statement: "The development and implementation of methods and processes that can be utilized to prevent violent radicalization, homegrown terrorism, and ideologically based violence in the United States is critical to combating domestic terrorism." Here''s another excerpt from the bill''s FINDINGS statement: "The Internet has aided in facilitating violent radicalization, ideologically based violence, and the homegrown terrorism process in the United States by providing access to broad and constant streams of terrorist-related propaganda to United States citizens." And guess who get''s to decide what is "terrorist-related propaganda?" You got it! The Department of Homeland Insecurity, an agency that''s answerable ONLY to The President. If Ron Paul isn''t elected, our country is doomed!

[thebomb475]

zoom zoom zoom

[ziparmux]

Looooool.

I have lived in Germany for about 5 years and it is funny to see them now worried about this. Most times Germans think that they are so extremely environmentally friendly as a people but the reality is they produce millions of gas guzzling cars every year that support their economy. What a joke - the people are hypocrites.

Posted by fibonacci_ at 01:37 PM : Oct 28, 2007

Gosh, to be honest I drive a 2 ton 4 wheel drive that thinks gas is free ........and @ 10 dollars a gallon here now, costs me 5 dollars just to start it up lol

[fibonacci_]

Ich glaube es ist dir schon klar, was ich da geschrieben habe. Ihr seid scheinheilig ohne Zweifel.

[ziparmux]

Why does this comment system screw up copy and paste into ^)(()&&% and the like !!!

Ziparmux, if you''''re asking about why things like "%u2013" are showing up... it''''s because they can''''t display whatever character you actually typed in, so they display it''''s numerical unicode value. I think that Unicode 2013 is the endash. Try using a hyphen instead of an endash and you won''''t have this problem.


Posted by MyIDonCBS at 02:05 PM : Oct 28, 2007

Thank you, I copied and pasted from a webpage (English UK), would it be better that I copied it into notepad/wordpad first perhaps before pasting into this webpage do you think ? Thanks in advance (if you repy of course lol)

[rudy654-2009]

the people are hypocrites.
Posted by fibonacci_ at 01:37 PM

Wie bitte??????