Re: Autobahn in the US?

[ScharfR@aol.com]

In a message dated 96-02-23 17:12:01 EST, rmyers@wvit.wvnet.edu (Robert
Myers) writes:

>Having experienced the Autobahn a couple of years back I can say that it's a
>great way to get from point A to point B quickly. 

With the increased traffic congestion and perpetual construction currently
afflicting German roads, the fastest way from point A to point B is often the
trains. Especially the ICE, which is the sub-sonic way to go.  Given their
price for gasoline, the trains are also a pretty economical alternative.

Problem is that we should have done some infrastructure investment here a few
decades ago and then quadrupled the price of gas.  Oh well, now we have to
pay the price for all that failed social engineering (it's a joke, OK?).

But while everybody would like to see other people using mass transportation,
it still seems that the bast transportation for the masses still has four
wheels and (usually) one driver.

The most important missing ingredient in the U.S. fast driving equation is
adaquate driver training. (more social pontificating here)  In Germany,
driver training is expensive, difficult, and not conducted until the teenage
hormones have reached the eighteenth year.  Darwin would like that.  The
relatively poor training n the U.S., and the lack of disciplin on the part of
most drivers are two of the scariest things on the road today. The third
would be adding unlimited speed discretion to the mix.  OTOH, maybe we should
just let natural selection take care of the problem.