Motorway driving in Germany, as opposed to the UK, is characterised by efficiency and safety. Drivers arrange themselves like clockwork in the inner two lanes to keep the fast lane clear. This attitude is almost a religion. Germany clearly believes driver training, not a speed limit, is the answer. The no speed limit approach is clearly a part of the package that makes German drivers so much better.

Ian, London, UK

Perhaps the motorists in the UK have forgotten that the 70 Mph speed limit was imposed as a way to reduce costly fuel imports. I suggest that they check up on this fact.
More importantly the Highway Code as it was known then before the limits came in stated that "drivers should drive to suit the conditions". There was no top speed limit!
Incidentally do drivers realise that engines can be tuned to give the best performance and that includes economy at highway speeds. When you add high performance tyres into the equation you get safety at speed.
So if the engine is working at maximum efficiency it puts out less pollution than when sitting in traffic jams.
As to traffic jams go to ubtsc.com.au to find intersections that allow all motorists to enter and exit without stopping.
Now this WILL reduce pollution as your car is working efficiently all the time. Save you money as well.
Imagine driving across town without stopping at a single intersection.

Jozef Goj, Colo Heights , NSW Australia

Whilst having speed limits in certain instances is perfectly reasonable, I was under the belief that one of the basic tenets of the EU is that despite the fact that we all belong to one economic market, we should all be able to retain our cultural differences.

Surely Germany has earned this cultural difference.

If countries want to reduce their carbon footprints, then perhaps governments should consider getting rid of tool-booths and red traffic lights. It seems to me that we are making even more C02 when we are not going anywhere.

max seligman, Dublin,

I regulary drive in Germany and it's a breath of fresh air. The driving standard is much better than the UK and people get out of the way as soon as possible, try hogging the centre lane and you will be flashed pretty quick. By the way driving at over 140MPH doesn't make your head explode, sudden deceleration, not speed is what kills.

Geoff, Derby,

Regardless of whether it's a good idea or not to allow unrestricted driving on the motorways there, I think the Germans should think more about the outside influence that is being imposed on the running of their own affairs and should now finally stand up to the EU - and at the same time tell Merkel to back off with her constitutional plans. Let's bring it to a speedy conclusion....The writing is on the wall, y'all...

Stuart Murray, Amsterdam, Netherlands

Somewhat off topic but, has Tony Blair even considered studying countries that have road-pricing schemes in place to see whether it eases congestion or not?

I come from Malaysia, where, I'd say about 80% of the motorways in the capital Kuala Lumpur (KL) are toll roads with quite expensive charges. So, according to Tony Blair, KL residents should have a stress free motoring experience, correct? Wrong! The tolls have done nothing for congestion. Congestion during peak hours is pathetic, hundreds of thousands spending hours gridlocked.

Like the UK outside London, KL has a quite horrid public transport system. Unlike the UK government, the Malaysian government has not tried to insult our intelligence by claiming that the tolls were to "ease congestion".

Chee, Coventry,

I don't like the unrealistically low speed limits in the UK with all those awful cameras. On the other hand, I have driven my Porsche Turbo at 120m.p.h. in Germany and if I don't watch my rear view mirror as much as the road in front of me, I find even Minis desparately impatient to overtake. Flashing lights and tail-gating indicates they are not prepared to spare a second!

Robert Holton, London,

The real issue is who has the final say in determining Germany's policies-Brussells or Berlin. Unfortunately, this is what you get when you manufacture a socialist bureacracy to dominate Europe. Isnt the EU wonderful?

Terry, N. Bergen, New Jersey, USA

Now we know the truth about the big climate change con (Ch4 dispatches), we know only 0.05% of green house gas is actually CO2. The biggest temperture change was between 1880 and 1940, volcanoes emit more CO2 than all human sourced CO2. So what diffence to the climate will slowing the Germans down to 130 kph? I drive a lot all over Europe and would rather be in Gemany than in the UK. Speed limits are low where required and make more sence than the stupid state of affairs in th UK where dual carriageways have the same limit as motorways!!!!! ????

Steffi Barnett, Bristol, UK

The common sight on German motorways of the Porsche and 'Big black BMW' brigade doing 120 Mph plus, even in atrocious weather conditions and in heavy traffic, shows just what a load of nonsense those who claim that the removal of speed limits somehow 'educates' motorists to drive at an 'appropriate' speed talk. Not surprisingly, and despite claims to the contrary, German motorways are actually amongst the most dangerous in Europe. In the UK 5.3% of road fatalities occur on motorways. (70 Mph limit). In France 7.2% of road fatalities occur on motorways. (Limit 130 Km/hr or approximately 80 Mph). In Germany 12.1% of all road fatalities occur on motorways.

Howard, Strasbourg, France

I don't agree with a speed liit on the autobahn , cause its beutiful to drive that fast on a highway, and i wanna do it myself to.

Anne Zeinstra, Burgum, The Netherlands

I don't agree with the idea to withdraw the speedlimits. Because when you drive on the autobahn you decide your own speedlimits and you go faster to your destination. On the other side the unlimited speed is also dangerous. Because some people are risky drivers on the autobahn.

Jeffrey, Franeker, The Netherlands

Speed limits in good motorways are completely inadecuate to reality. Actual limits are 30 years old and, remermber, 130 KLms/h was the real maximum speed of 80% of all the cars on the road in the seventies (with the exception of some Germans, English-happy times,and Italians top of the range cars). So, France invented this hipocrysie to protect his market-they never arived to have a good sport car- and, since than, tried to impose it to German.
I drive currently in German, Belgium and France. I feel much more secure in German than in France or Belgium by the only reason that French and Belgian drivers are very, very bad ones. Germans not. (I,m not German). And waht about the no ending files of truks and cars scotched together at 130 Klms/h. Not dangerous?!! So I have a proposal: Fix limits at, at least ,150 klms/h. This will be safer with today cars and cleaner also, once the best performance of today medium engines are reached at
3./3.500 RPM. So why all this histerics ?

Joao Rodrigues, Luxembourg, Luxembourg

High-performance BMWs and Mercedes hurtling down the fast lane at speeds in excess of that remain a common sight – and a disturbing one when they appear out of nowhere in one’s rear-view mirror with headlights flashing....

oh, you poor thing... here's an idea, buy a decent car and stop dawdling along in the fast lane...

timbo, basel, switzerland

Sigh. Germany, the last bastion of the motoring enthusiast.

Yes, but speed limits, like congestion, means that people take longer to get to where they are going.

Our Government constantly cries out about the billions of pounds lost due to congestion. How many billions of euros would be lost in Germany due to a speed limit?

Pete, Cov,

The Government will never impose a general speed limit. We don´t need speed limits, what we need are cars which run on 3 litres. Not the Autobahn is the problem , staying in traffic jam in the city causes more CO2 emission. People who can use public transportation should do it.Unnecessary car use is a major cause of the CO2 emission.

Peter Krowas, Bremen, Germany

Having lived in the Netherlands for four years and in the UK for two years I must say I am glad to be back in a country where commen sense is still there (at least traffic wise). The speed limits especially the pathetic one in the UK create rows of cars with a distant of 10 or less meters at 70 mph, which is not safe at all. Look at the statistics for deaths per driven km on the motorway and you will find Germany being not bad at all. Before anyone points a finger on Germany they should do their homework first and by the way Mark Mulligan we are drinking less beer per captia than the Brits.

Mark Boss, Bremen, Germany

If we find ten areas of life where we can cut a 'negligible' 0.6% of CO2 emissions, then we will make savings of 6%. It is unlikely that we will find one single area of human activity that will significantly cut CO2 emissions.

People are looking for a silver bullet to knock climate change dead, and they just won't find one. We must rein in our lifestyles in many ways, so that those 0.6%'s add up to bigger numbers.

Robin Lee, Edinburgh,

I hope the Germans keep their autobahns free of speed limits. Global warming is a lie. Before you believe that lie you must ask yourself these questions: What happened to the Ice Age? Where there any cars around when the ice from the Ice Age melted?? Of course not! The earth has been warming ever since it was created.........

Paul Poole, Cashiers, USA/ NC

Speed limits all over the world are broken all the time. In England there are always people driving at 100 mph in the fast lane regardless of the speed limit. Always. At least in Germany they have the honesty not to fine you when you want to make use of the most fabulous motorways Europe has to offer. Speed limits are just there to make extra revenue. And safety and emission mumbojumbo does not effect the statistics at all. Germanys motorways are safer than most. In so many environmental matters, the rest of Europe should be looking to Germany as a role model. Leave the Germans alone with one of the few pleasures left in driving on todays roads. -As for flashing lights in the fast lane - that happens everywhere else too. Englands fast lane is one of the most menacing places to drive anywhere. -As for top motorway speed of 90 kmh. That is dangerous for everyone else on the road as it forces trucks to overtake in lanes they shouldn’t be using.

english girl,, munich, germany

At least the British have taken the lead on motorway speed limits. Although that is due to a disastrous transport policy and congestion rather than any environmental reasons.

Anthony Dunn, Emmelshausen, Germany

The arguement that no limits leads to safer cars is misleading. Cars are perfectly safe nowadays as they are. What leads to fewer accidents is safer driving which of course includes driving more slowly.

Hugh9, Sassenheim, The Netherlands

It's wasteful of precious time and arrogantly inconsiderate to force all to drive at half the speed some are comfortable with. It's also frustrating to pay more than $10 in one way tolls to travel the minimum 4 lane NYS Thruway, seeing more safety guard rails, etc. than the Autobahns have, and can only putt along at 55 or 65 MPH.

I can understand why accident rates on the Autobahns (where high speed drivers are focused on driving) are lower than on the 'slow' highways in the US where many are so bored while driving that they read magazines while driving at 70 MPH.

And remember, when one drives twice as fast, their motor needs to run for only half the time.

Kropf, Hudson Valley, NY US

16% Germans work in the motor/engineering sector making the most expensive cars in the world and successfully export because of image and reputation.

They cannot beat Toyota on cost as VW knows. VW is owned by Porsche. It would be stupid for Germans to destroy their main export industry - they are, after all, not British

TomTom, Leeds, England

The German auto industry is no longer so successful,
Germany now makes some of the most unreliable models including ones from BMW, Daimler and VW.

Mark, Long Beach, Ca.

Long overdue. But a pan-European top limit of 90 km/h on ALL roads including motorways would vcut noise and exhaust pollution still more, and would go a long way to reducing fuel consumption. MY top motorway speed is 90 km/h and I AM GOING TO STICK WITH IT!!!!! (That is when I have to use the car, and a stretch of motorway, simultaneously).

MIKE BENT, UVIEU, SPAIN

as for Mark Mulligan..don't try taking away your fatty burgers!! Ha!Ha!

ek, Basel, Switzerland

Don't try taking away their beer either! Ha!

Mark Mulligan, Shepherdstown, USA/West Virginia

One has to wonder if there is a connection between the lack of a speed limit and the success of the German motor industry.

Mark Devlin, Tokyo, Japan