Customer Reviews

American Autobahn

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At first glance, this book might seem like an exhortation for angry lunkheads to step on it, but it's actually a careful, thorough, and passionately principled examination of the way we drive, why, and how we might go about the whole nasty business in a more satisfying and reasonable way. Rask is no dry expert, either. His book is well written and fun to read.

This is a very well written book with prooving statistics - a very unbiased and credible book on the reasons behind America's irresponsibility and negligence for auto safety - and why we have failed in lowering death rates due to high-speed related accidents. This book explains in great detail the German philosophy of road safety and accident prevention that has gone to provide the world's safest automobiles and high speed auto networks. I'd recommend this book for a teenager beginning to drive so that he/she breaks the typical American-attitude towards auto safety.

This book tracks the history of our interstate and the autobahn highways and presents compelling statistics that prove that our system of draconian speed enforcement plus artificially low speed limits is not working. There are numerous charts and graphs that show that Germany's fatality rate on the Autobahn has been consistently below ours for a number of years, while speeds have been rising on both systems. The author points out how and why we should be trying to generate support for upgrades to our highway system while conducting an experiment to increase and/or remove speed limits on our less crowded interstates.

This book should be required reading for all current and future interstate drivers. Rask provides a compelling argument as to why our interstate system is failing us, and what we can do to change it. If I could afford it, I would send a copy to each of my Congressmen.

With excellent illustrations by Mark Stehrenberger, Mark Rask tells the history of the Interstate Highway system in the U.S. and our silly obsession of "Speed kills," despite all proof it's stupidity that kills. Then he gives the history of the German Autobahn system and how the Germans, rather than try to restrict speed everywhere, made the roads, the drivers, and the cars safer. All three are models. Their fatality rate went down 70% because of their combined efforts (and a cultural abhorrence to drinking and driving). He explains precisely how the autobahns are designed safer, their drivers are better trained, and how safe their cars are. Then he goes on to give a plan for taking the best of their system and Americanizing it. It's a good read. I recommend it. I enjoyed it. Several people to whom I've recommended it have told me they enjoyed it, and it reveals some truths you won't discover if you listen to the U.S. Safety Establishment.

Excellent work by Mr. Rask. A true study of road safety, efficiency, and usability. Any auto enthusiast, or anyone who loves the open road behind the wheel, should enjoy this work. If only this was required reading for drivers ed...

This is a well written, logical, and well supported case for why speed limits are killing millions of motorists each year. I don't know how the politicians continue to make their poorly supported case for speed limits when books like this are out there.

The first part of this book provides an interesting and fascinating history of the development of highways and vehicle technology/safety in America, which alone is a worthwhile read. This leads into the history of how the 55 mph national speed limit and its eventual repeal affected Americans' views on speed. There is also a lot of data and firsthand accounts of the German Autobahn and the different way of thinking about driving and safety in that country.

As someone who was already a strong supporter of the "keep right except to pass" rule and experiencing firsthand its benefit on the German highways as well, this book impressed by providing me with a lot of additional information and helped shape my thinking on how to approach arguments advocating the "Fast and Safe" future. Much of the book is visionary descriptions of how things would/could be with improvements to our system of driving in the United States, as well as many practical suggestions of laws, rule changes, and personal behaviors that can help to bring these things about.

Highly recommended.

A great history of the road with good photos and interesting insights. Hats off to Mr. Rask. I am sure this book was no small project.

Excellent reading for those who suffer on America's HWY systems.

How things could be if we didn't coddle the incompetent!