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Those in favour of higher speed limits are obviously owners of super cars and big-engined cars that are capable of high speed. They give examples of how “In Germany, you can drive at 200 km per hour!” Very true. However, you drive at that speed on the auto bahn, not in the city. Let us consider the following. The Europeans, in general, and the Germans in particular, are very good drivers with years of experience of high-speed driving. In India, this is a recent phenomena. In addition, they are polite, observe road manners and etiquette. They know road rules and follow them. Most important, they are disciplined. None of these traits can be found in an Indian driver. To compare Indian road conditions and driver behaviour is sheer folly.
German roads are as smooth as a billiard table. They have had them since the early 1930s. Hitler built them to move his troops. So they have 80 years of experience of high-speed driving. The signage is accurate to a millimetre. The signs will read “Exit for Berlin 20 km.” Next will be a countdown 10 km, 5km and so on. German discipline is awesome. On seeing these instructions, the driver will move out of the fast lane, after checking his rear-view mirror, into the exit lane. Which Indian driver does that? Most drivers have their outside rear-view mirrors closed. The way Europeans drive, every manoeuvre they make is a textbook move. Compare that with an Indian driver. He will flash his lights, blow his horn, overtake you and cut lanes to exit. Why? Just because he has a fast car. My friend lives in Yorkshire and has a Jaguar Sedan prepared for racing. He is on the race track every weekend. The car is capable of 300 kmph He takes his wife, daughter and grand-children shopping in the same car. “I have very precious cargo in my car, so it is 30-40 kmph in the city and 60 kmph on the highway,” he says, adding, “All-round safety is paramount at all times.” That is wisdom. Indian drivers have many kilometres to go before we get common sense. Wisdom is a far call. Another demand is that the city should have lanes for fast driving. Really? A city like Chandigarh, where space is at a premium should have a dedicated lane for the hero and his super car. As it is today, Chandigarh is not a friendly city for pedestrians or cyclists. There are hardly any facilities for wheelchairs. These should be our priorities. If you want to drive your heart out, go to Noida to the Budh International Circuit. (B.I.C). The same circuit where a stray dog stopped a F1 race. There is no speed limit on the B.I.C. Let us get one fact abundantly clear. Cities are designed and built for people not speed- crazy motorists. Consider the following: The same cars that are on European roads are on Indian roads. They obey speed limits. No crazy demands for special roads for fast cars. UK has about 31 million cars on their roads. Annual road fatalities are about 3,000 deaths. Germany and India both have about 60 millions cars on road. Fatalities in Germany: 8,700 killed. In India, 1,43,000 people are killed and this number is the highest in the world. There is nothing wrong with our roads. There is nothing wrong with our cars. There is nothing right with our drivers! That is the only problem. Tame the unruly, undisciplined drivers. Problem solved. Happy Motoring!
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There is a raging debate in town regarding the speed limits being lowered to a safe, sensible and practical limit. It is the most senseless and bizarre debate. 
