Originally Posted by British Banger

I'm not paranoid, anti big brother, delusional, pro Micheal Moore, or anything like that. I just think that it's ignorant to think that the government has your best interests in mind. *Takes off tin foil hat*

Your 3rd paragraph makes sense, but it seems like it belongs in a 1960's musical. It's lovely to think about, but a bit too positive, dare I say it, unrealistic? I've met some very intelligent, polite, down to earth cops. I've also met some of the biggest douchebags out there. As far as my percieved percentages go, most cops are not out to do good, even if they don't realize it.

I'm working on getting my panties unbunched, but any law that has the RISK of criminalizing potentially good drivers (Especially to such an extreme) for doing nothing wrong really pisses me off. Like many people on this forum have said before, the government needs to concentrate on raising driving standards instead of focusing on smaller problems. I believe that more driving related deaths occur from "Americans driving like Americans" than street racing.

Originally Posted by British Banger

the government needs to concentrate on raising driving standards instead of focusing on smaller problems. I believe that more driving related deaths occur from "Americans driving like Americans" than street racing.

Originally Posted by Jakes02

I wish we had a driving test every year, and not the hokie crap we have now. We need higher standards for getting a license. You should have to get a driving test everytime you buy a new car also, maybe this would keep some of the SUV driving gangbang soccer moms off the road.

Originally Posted by wombatsauce

I'm not sure, but I think in Germany if you don't hold a certain level of license, you cannot drive on the bigger motorways and definitely not the autobahn.

Originally Posted by Roo

Hmm, no.

According to Pleiad7, who's a German citizen, this isn't true.

They have class restrictions just like we do on commercial class vehicles like semi trucks, etc., but there is only one difference.

If you take your driving test in an automatic, your license is restricted to driving automatic transmission vehicles.

Originally Posted by wombatsauce

Hmmm.. I have heard the different level of license thing from a few people from over there (some friends, and my pop's side of our family). Definitely specific to the autobahn. No worries either way since it has no bearing on the subject matter and would prolly be hard to confirm.

The auto-manual license thing is pretty standard in a lot of Euro countries - definitely in Sweden as well.

Originally Posted by pleiad7

Here's a list of the standardized license classifications in the EU: http://www.dekra.de/dekra/show.php3?...3&_language=en

The different classes are categorized by vehicle type and weight, but there are no restrictions on the types of roads you are allowed to use.

Originally Posted by wombatsauce

Wow, seriously... I MIGHT HAVE BEEN WRONG, OK??? I even said I didn't know for sure and that this was based on stuff I have heard from friends and family. This is not a pivotal point of the conversation - I was using MY POSSIBLY WRONG AND INCORRECT STATEMENT as an example of something I thought could work well here in the USA.

I fully retract my statement on what I have previously heard of licensing vs. ability to drive on the Autobahn whether or not it was like that before '99. I will never speak of it again either way just in case, since I don't know either way for sure - and it isn't worth the time investment to find out. I apologize for any harm incurred by your friends or family as a direct result of my possible unrelated misinformation. For now I will just bask in my probable wrongness and you both should feel vindicated and superior I guess.

Originally Posted by wombatsauce

I apologize for any harm incurred by your friends or family as a direct result of my possible unrelated misinformation. For now I will just bask in my probable wrongness and you both should feel vindicated and superior I guess.