Re: 55 alive?

[Frank Deutschmann <fhd@interport.net>]

Kevin Baluha sez:
> admittedly, I have not done the speed limit since the last time a cop was
> behind me, but this doen not keep me from wondering If perhaps many of our 
> roadways are unsafe for HIGH rates of speed.

Hmmm, I'm not sure.  Construction wise, I think they are very safe -- the
major interstates (at least in the NorthEast) are very smooth, well drained,
and free of irregularities.  They also tend to be mind-numbingly straight and
flat.  However, the one area of anti-safety may be median and shoulder
construction, and signage -- many shoulders are not that wide, relatively
soft, and the trees/signs are probably capable of ripping a car in two at
speeds approaching 100 (actually, stike the probably: as an EMT-type in PA,
I saw more than one "car-opening").

So, perhaps our highways are not likely to *cause* many incidents at high
rates of speed, but the result of an incident may well be very severe.  
Especially if you factor in the fact that the US does not have a highway
medical response plan anywhere near as comprehensive as Germany's for the
Autobahn.

-frank
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