Guest Post by Eric Peters
It’s an affront to the right to travel freely to have to get the state’s permission to be allowed to do it – which is what having to obtain a driver’s license is nominally all about. You may not “drive” – that is, operate a motor vehicle – on the government’s roads (to call them “public” is etymologically dishonest because the “public” does not control the roads; the government does – and whoever controls something owns that thing) without the government’s permission.
It has little, if anything, to do with whether you can drive. That is, whether you can competently operate a motor vehicle. What we commonly refer to as a driver’s license is – effectively – a government-issued identity card. The government hardly bothers to hide the fact anymore. Case in point: Whether you can competently operate a motor vehicle is an irrelevance as regards your ability to occupy a seat as a passenger in a commercial airplane. Yet, try to board a commercial flight without your government ID – whoops, “driver’s” license. Or open a bank account.
Or buy cough syrup at the CVS.
The government even calls it an ID now – as in a REAL one. Facial-scan/biometric identifiers; a bar code containing everything about you. Soon you won’t be allowed to walk into government-owned buildings without one.
The “driving” part is vestigial, a kind of paperwork appendix.
In European countries like Germany the driving part is still a big part of the license, which is for that reason something much more than an ID. Obtaining one requires extensive driver training meant to impart the skills one must learn to be capable of safely driving a motor vehicle on German highways – their Autobahns – where people are expected to have the skills to safely drive on highways that do not have speed limits. Or – rather – where the speed limit is however fast the driver, in his judgment, thinks it is safe for him to drive.
And this is legal.
Right about now the Safety Cultists reading this are clutching their Rosary beads.
That’s because they consider “speed” – a term lacking precision but which roughly translates as any faster than they are comfortable allowing anyone else to drive – to be “unsafe.”
That “speed kills” – their own phrasing.
Except it doesn’t in Germany. Perhaps because a driver’s license over there has something to do with demonstrated competence behind the wheel. More finely, people must demonstrate such competence before they are granted permission to drive on German roads, including the Autobahn. They must show that they know the importance of situational awareness – in particular, being aware of what might be coming up fast, behind them. They are trained – and expected to – keep right, except to pass.
And they do.
This lane discipline allows for safe high-speed driving on German Autobahns, which have a lower accident fatality rate than American highways – where it is unlawful “speeding” in most states to drive faster than 70-75 MPH and “reckless driving” everywhere to exceed 100 MPH.
In Germany, it is common for drivers to exceed 100 MPH and maintain that speed. And it is safe, because German drivers take driving seriously. Are required to take it seriously. A driver who does not maintain situational awareness, who fails to yield to faster moving traffic, is considered the driver at fault if there is an accident.
It is not just considered obnoxious to sit in the left (passing) lane. It is regarded as unsafe. It will get such a driver pulled over, because his driving constitutes a danger to himself and others. He risks causing a catastrophic accident if he fails to get out of the way of a car closing on him from behind at 100-plus MPH whose driver assumes the car ahead is driven by a competent driver who will see him coming and get out of the way in time.
Of course, The Safety Cultists will screech that it is the “speeding” driver who is the cause of such an accident, if it occurs. He ought to have slowed down! Or – rather – not have been driving so fast that he didn’t have enough time to slow down for the driver ahead who failed to yield.
This, in a nutshell, is the ideology of dumbing down driving.
It is what new drivers in this country are taught when they aren’t taught how to drive, much less expected to demonstrate that they’ve learned how. What they are taught is that “speeding” – i.e., driving any faster than the Safety Cultists are comfortable allowing anyone else to drive – is synonymous with “unsafe” driving. They are not taught to practice lane discipline. They are encouraged to drive as part of a herd rather than judgment-exercising individuals with the competence to do just that.
And the result is guess what? More dangerous roads – as the Safety Cultists style it. American highways are more dangerous – statistically – than German Autobahns.
In fact, it’s more dangerous drivers, the result of not expecting much of them, as drivers.
It’s arguably stupendously, flippantly reckless the way the government allows almost literally anyone who has met the age requirement and answered a minimum number of questions on a multiple choice test a license to drive. If pilot’s licenses were issued on a similarly flippant basis, it wouldn’t be safe to walk outside – because of the high chance a plane might crash right on top of your head.
But then, getting a private or commercial pilot’s license entails extensive training and (ultimately) having to prove you are competent to fly an airplane. If you can’t do that, then you don’t get the pilot’s license.
But that’s because it’s not an ID pretending to be about something else.
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Illegals fly with no ID and no vetting.
In Illinois they can drive as well without a license or insurance.
But you can’t do either legally.
Time to become ungovernable.
Decades beyond the time.
The same cops we stood up for won’t reciprocate. All they want is a pension and a donut.
That’s what I say, above the “law”.
Vehicle operation of skilled drivers now, though, can take a hit by means of the pervasive jab. And licenses were initially presented for “commercial” transport.
Drive anywhere now and all you smell is weed. Giant clouds of clown cabbage billowing out of various…ahem…ghetto rides, trucks, vans, you name it.
I’ve seen grandmas puffing away behind the wheel.
No one stops this. Why???
I remember lettuce cigarettes. Anyone else? Just prior to 1970 +- , the idea was smoking lettuce was less harmful than tobacco. And one did not have to be “legal” age to buy them. Tried a pack from a 7-11. Talk about giant clouds of smoke inside the “car”…
The “fad” was short lived as I recall.
I have heard of (wild) lettuce opium going back that far, and is still a thing in certain circles for pain relieve. Smoking (wild) lettuce seem vaguely familiar too.
I think I remember them. They smelled like a fart, right? I bought a pack of those kinni-kinnik cigs one time. The smoke smelled OK, but they burned up one side like a badly rolled joint. I probably bought them IHOP, you know trying to impress some girl: In Hope Of Pussy. That’s what IHOP was code for among the idiots I ran around with pre ’70s.
Statistically they are much safer than alcohol impaired drivers. After a stint in LE I’d much rather deal with a pothead than an unruly drunk.
I don’t know about that, man! I’ve heard people say they did not realize they were driving 30 in a 70 zone. Must have been some good stuff.
Inexperience
Drunks are statistically safer than women and minorities.
Because they are getting stoned also, plus weed smokers aren’t causing them problems.
Great video of the Bugatti. Just got back from a long trip across the U.S. Must point out that America has more accidents because the highways are far more congested than the Autobahn and full of semi trailers moving goods across the country, plus most of the roads are in such bad shape they would trash any car going at those speeds.
I agree, too many damned vehicles. I’ll give mine up! /s
Don’t remind me of this “thing”. Headed for DFW Friday. Should I make it back home it takes 2-3 days to get over the round trip as if I’ve been inside a sardine can ramming 80 just to stay alive.
For damned sure Joe Biden does not need to be behind the wheel. Probably a long time since. “Just saying”.
I saw a top speed of 416 kmh, works out to a little over 258 mph. Must have been a rush.
Raven,
There are a lot of misconceptions about the autobahn system. I lived in Germany for 8 years and drove it a lot. Yes, if the roads are clear and you’re out of towns the speed limit is unlimited. Having said that…there are often huge numbers of tractor trailers on those roads. In the summer there can be traffic jams (referred to as a Stau)that are literally over 60 miles long. People break out lunch, frisbees and soccer balls on the road. Specific countries (mostly France and Holland) have their residents take summer vacations at the same time and the autobahns are slammed because they are popular ways to head south to the Alps.
There are speed cameras near towns/cities and if you blow 2 consecutive cameras your ticket can be $2000!
That doesn’t mean it can’t be a blast. A friend and I were doing 145mph in his IROC Camero (1988) and we got our doors blown in by a Porsche doing somewhere around 170? on A9 heading to Munich.
fun, fun, fun, on the autobahn…
you ever drove on european highways? semi trucks up the ass! in the US there is very little passenger rail but shitloads of freight moves by rail. in europe trains are a viable way of travelling almost anywhere , tons of passenger rail, but much less freight, which all goes by truck.
driving the length of germany one time, i kept to about 150-160 kph, about 100 mph, and that was strictly in the middle lane. the right lane was almost solid trucks, going along at about 100 -120 or so.
far fewer lane changes and in germany it is less common to encounter truck drivers pulling clown moves like trying to pass and slowing down the middle lane..
in italy on the other hand almost all drivers seem to live merely to pass the other guy, theyll speed up, flash headlights, etc, just to whiz past, and once past, will slow back down again, so that the other driver is more or less compelled to do the same and leapfrog. the only way to escape that is to stick to the left lane and keep it above 150, even then somebody in some big ass bmw or alfa romeo will flash you to get you out of the way as he passes you at 200 (and then slows back down to 150 himself). even in the right lane with the trucks the truckers will honk and flash etc to pass you if you just drive with the flow.
plenty of countries and most of germany also have speed limits, because it’s all about revenue. europe is packed full of speed cameras and the fines are sent to you automatically. theyre not going to let go of that kind of free money!
Noticed the speed limit signs at 45 1st vid. In Texas, 65 at least.
Just make sure your uninsured drivers insurance is paid up.
Who needs any insurance at all? Right?
A friend told me we don’t need auto insurance. Like being “self insured”. Yeah right…responsibility, right? The “system” sucks but imagine the cost of repairing $80,000 vehicles and that is with no “cost” if someone is bodily damaged. Yeah, right, everyone will be responsible and see to it those damaged are taken care of financially.
To be self insured your need to have a big old chunk of cash…like 30 to 50 k which must remain in a self insured savings account…held by the state.
SC has a new law, so every 10 miles on Interstates there’s a sign combo that says this:
STATE LAW (BLACK PRINT, YELLOW BACKGROUND)
SLOWER TRAFFIC MUST MOVE RIGHT (BLACK PRINT, WHITE BACKGROUND)
First offense, warning ticket.
Sign reads: Stoner’s Campground. Exit ST0NED 1 mile.
They can only regulate commerce and anyone they trick into thinking they are engaged in commerce on the roadways
If you are not getting paid while you drive?
You are not engaging in commerce.
Ergo, you are not regulatable in your wholly owned, private car while on any public road if you are not being paid at the time to drive.
Does that include claiming mileage on your taxes?
Why would anyone ever knowingly volunteer to pay income tax as a non governmental worker?
Truth
Right to travel was one of the main thing back in the day that lead me to the fountain of knowledge back in the day. It always seemed counterintuitive that they could keep you from exercising a basic right (liberty is right to travel at its core) in a supposedly free society.
There are speed limits in many places on the Autobahn as you approach more congested areas. But yes people there they drive 10x better than here. Other than that fuck Germany
UK is a joke, everyone is driving on the wrong side of the road
I love British bobbies!
I also intensely resent having to REpay every year to RE-register the same car I still own. If it’s ‘registration’, then there’s no reason but coercion and theft that it shouldn’t be register ONCE until you no longer own it.
Get a duplicate of the MOD from the manufacturer proving you own the car. [a title is where the state takes and destroys the MOD so you have to pay registration every year]
Then? cancel the registration.
Place a “Not For Hire” notice on the back of your private car and learn how to decline offers of contract made by armed, local “for profit corporation agents” when you are under duress.
So simple.
Yep.
And when they force you to sign a notice to appear?
Always ALWAYS sign
UNDER DURESS.
No contract is enforceable when made under duress.
Really? Thanks! Never heard of that at all. It’s a bit Greek to me but I’ll look into it, hope you don’t have to be the one who bought the car first. I’ve got one bought used from the original buyer, and one inherited from the original buyer.
Does this change the insurance demand too? I’ve heard of the ‘right to travel’ but never pushed it.
If you drive responsibly, why would you ever need insurance?
@CollectivelyDelusional: Can’t find MOD. Every differently worded search thinks I’m looking to modify a car. Is it different from “Manufacturer’s Certificate of Origin (MCO) or Manufacturer’s Statement of Origin (MSO) refers to the original ownership document for a vehicle“.
Again, I wasn’t the original purchaser but want to figure this out. It’s worth any effort to me to not give another penny to any of the criminal organizations.
driving licenses in europe typically do not expire (e.g. switzerland and at least germany some years back) or only do when the driver hits some age (e.g. greece at 65) where it is expected that you pass a medical before you renew the license.
however, most european countries effectively demand that people carry an id around which in recent years usually includes biometric data machine-reasable from the id and they _do_ for some curious reason expire those and demand that people go back and get new ones (probably with even more invasive biometrics etc the next time)..
conclusion from living in both places, it is still more fascist in europe than in the us.
Still no one willing to invoke the second amendment. Oh well.
Go ‘head, dog. It’s all yours.