European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - September 05, 1977, Darmstadt, Hesse Page 10 the stars and stripes monday september 5, 1977 car Corner Frankfurt show opens 11 Day run on sept. 15 today s column is Courtesy of colleague Bill Walker stars and stripes projects editor. Bill a car Buff of Long standing returned from the United states recently and Here s his rundown on the driving scene there. Randy Barnett he adjustment is Quick and severe. From the no holds barred Speed limit free autobahn of Germany to the highways of America where 55 Miles per hour is supposed to be tops that comes As a real Shock. This was the first in a series of driving changes i had to make during seven weeks of travel in the . This summer. The trip included about five weeks on the Road in 24 different states. I covered about 12,000 Miles altogether about 7,000 by air plane and the remainder in rental cars. The most obvious fact about driving in the United states is that the National Speed Law is the most violated statute in the coun try. Try to maintain 55 on most highways and Over half of the cars and at least 80 per cent of the Long distance trucks will pass you. National game there is a National game going on in the . Involving two familiar adversaries. On the one Side Are the Drivers who try to outwit the cops. The object is to go As fast As possible without being caught. On the other Side Are the police. They try every devious Means possible to catch speeders. The lengths they go to include the time honoured fixed Speed traps and rolling radar but now even air plane and helicopter tracking unmarked car surveillance cd monitoring and radar in residential neighbourhoods. The introduction i had to one Ameri can s approach to driving came the first Day Home when an old High school Friend picked me up for a Tennis match. Before pulling away he took a radar Detector from the Glove compartment and put it on the dash of his truck plugged it in and roared away. In a few minutes we were doing 75 Miles per hour on a Highway normally staked out by police. About five Miles Down the Road his fuzz Buster Detector let out a Wail and the red Light started flashing on the Little Black Box. He slammed on his brakes and dropped Back to 55. A minute later we rounded a curve and in his words there s Smokey we waved and kept on going. The fuzz Buster had busted another radar. The detectors Cost from $75 to $175 and Are popular throughout the United states with most usage in the South and West. Some states discourage them or have legislated against them. A travelling Salesman we met in new Orleans explained that there is no problem however even where the detectors Are illegal. He puts his super snooper another popular Brand in a tissue Box and sits that on the dash while driving 70 or better. Ridiculous turns the Battle Between police and speeders takes some ridiculous turns. In Seaside calif., near it. Ord i watched a policeman stealthily pull his car behind a camping trailer in a residential District. For oncoming motorists it was impossible to spot the police Cruiser until they were nearly along Side. The officer Hung his radar unit out the window and began tracking the cars coming through the neighbourhood. The flow of traffic was one car about every two minutes in that area. There was real irony in the situation because five minutes away on . 1 at least 250 cars every two min utes were breezing along Well in excess of the posted Speed problem of speeding is related to America s ideas on gasoline is no question that slower speeds save lives but the National Speed limit was inaugurated because of the Energy Short age not safety. Few people believe there is a crisis now if there Ever was one. In fact Energy offi the 47th International automobile show sponsored by the German Auto Industry opens its doors at the Frankfurt fair grounds on sept. 15 for an 11-Day run. As in past years the new passenger cars will be featured in Halls 5 and 5a, with trucks buses and other vehicles shown in the remaining Halls of the huge Complex. The show will be open daily from 9 . To 7 . All motor vehicle manufacturers of International standing will be represented at the Frankfurt show. The participants com prise about 1,100 firms from 26 countries including manufacturers of trailers and vehicle bodies spare parts and accessories and tools and utensils for maintaining and repairing vehicles. Signs will Mark the Way to the exhibition Fairgrounds message Mande for motorists while Street cars nos. 16, is and 21 go from the main Frankfurt railway station to the Fairgrounds. One Day tickets will Cost seven Marks. Children up to 14 years pay 2 Marks. Information on various cars in the show will appear on this Page next week. . You briefed of coup Coas vat of vials of the Federal government admit this is one of the biggest problems facing any conservation Effort. The Public is not con Vinced there is any shortage. And some people say they have grounds for disbelief. One old Friend who runs a service station in South Carolina told me his company was after him to sell More Gas not less. Operating hours had to be extended at one station so the dealer could sell enough Gas to meet his increased quota. Some status symbols big car buying habits have changed Little. The car makers Are sizing Down their full size blimps but the so called reduced size american car is still a big car compared to european or japanese Stan Dards. Dealers admit they can give the Best deals on big cars and there is a Good turnover in Pontiac Oldsmobile bricks Etc. Status Symbol cars right now Are the $15,000 Lincoln Continental the full sized Cadillac and smaller Seville and Chrysler s new Lebaron and the Small luxury Versailles. The japanese Are tightening their grip on the Small car Market with american and european entries running behind the land of the rising the Hond Accord probably the most popular Small car in America right now has buyers lineup everywhere. A disheartening fact of life about motor ing in America is the Low Standard of hand Ling on american cars. Granted . Cars Are better Over All than they were a few years ago with the marshmallow suspensions but the average american Sedan still gets Low Marks for handling on any thing but a smooth straight Road. After wallowing and rolling across America in a series of .-made rental cars it s apparent that Detroit still feels motorists would rather have novocaine like suspension than real Road feedback. The Best handling car among the makes we rented this summer was the smallest an american motors Gremlin we drove for about 2,000 Miles in Arizona. The fastest Speed observed during the five week period went to an unlikely Trio of vehicle sin new Hampshire. Shades of Convoy we were cruising at 70 Mph on a Down Hill Grade and a Peter bilt tractor trailer whizzed by first at Over 80. A Volkswagen Bug followed behind the Peter bilt by no More than a car length. A minute or so later a mighty Mack its twin stacks blowing Black smoke and its cd Rabbit ears Bent nearly horizontal in the wind blasted by at about 85 Mph. Shades of . Mccall s we drove on for nearly 100 Miles before leaving the inter state and never saw the three again. Even with the knocks on Auto suspension and the Battle Between Drivers and police i rate . Driving a lot safer than that on european roads. The traffic moves smoothly on interstates state highways and farm to Market roads and one experiences a greater feeling of safety than in Europe. The Driver behaviour is better and there Are few tight passing situations. Only on the multiple Lane interstates particularly the freeways around big California cities did i feel the same uneasiness that is often a part of superhighway driving i Europe. Porsche blasts off the most unforgettable sight on the Road was one of a frustrated porsche Turbo Driver creeping along at 65 Miles per hour behind a greyhound bus to hide from police radar. I watched for Over a mile As the porsche rumbled along apparently in second gear. Suddenly the Driver pulled into the passing Lane tweaked the tuning dial on his radar Detector for top reception and literally blasted off. I heard his change to fourth then lost sight As he zipped Over Ahill and sped away. Five minutes later i passed him As he stood by the Road talking with a califor Nia Highway patrolman. He was actually smiling. I guess he Felt five minutes in a Turbo at full throttle was better than a life time at 65 Mph. Who could blame him but score one forthe fuzz anyway. Bill Walker
