Peter,

I hear what you're saying, and couldn't agree more. I make my living driving visitors round an island, with a total of 14 miles of narrow, winding road. I seldom hit 30 and the trip takes 1½ hours. Our total permanent population is less than 350, yet, something like 30 "new" cars have been brought to the Island this year. It's insane - even we are having parking problems, and the odd traffic jam (usually caused by a couple of mates stopping in the middle of the road for a natter).

I haven't driven on the "mainland" in the past 5 years - too damned scared. And, I'm not talking traffic densities like you are talking.

Y'know, one of the most sobering pictures I've seen in my life was in Scientific American, late 70s from memory. It was a night photo of Europe from space. You could pick out the outline from the lights of cities AND the autobahns. What the noctural world looks like now from space, I hate to think.

On the odd occaision when I see TV and the streams of traffic on freeways in the States, sometimes slowed to a crawl, I think just as you do.

Thanks - Sam