German autobahn speed limit rejected by parliament

You can still to put the pedal to the metal on the German autobahn, as a proposal to establish a speed limit on Europe’s last unrestricted highways has failed. Germany’s Bundestag yesterday voted down a Green Party proposal to set a 130-km/h (81 mph) speed limit on the country’s roughly 8,000-mile network of autobahn highways. The proposal was a contentious one in a country where the notion of unrestricted autobahn is seen to underpin the excellence of the German auto industry (engineers do conduct high-speed testing on the more lightly trafficked sections, often at night), but also one where there is increasing pressure to reduce CO2 emissions.

The deputy of Germany’s police union had come out in favor of the proposal, saying the current situation “is crazy.” Meanwhile, the country’s transportation minister had said the establishment of a blanket speed limit “goes against all common sense.”

Already, roughly one-third of the autobahn is speed limited, and that percentage rises to half when you count the sections where speed limits can be imposed (via changeable electronic overhead signs) in response to bad weather or traffic conditions. Areas where a speed limit is in force can be subject to strict enforcement, including speed cameras, fixed and mobile radar, and laser speed measurement. Germany also uses the technology to target tailgaters.