We saw how well that happened with AIG... When you're "too big to fail" you've got nothing to worry about. The poor putz who owes $50,000 goes bankrupt. The corporation that owes $50,000,000,000 gets bailed out. A mandatory negative bonus for execs sounds good, though.

The issues aren't strictly mechanical. Most roads have fixed limits. These limits don't change when traffic does or when weather conditions do. 70 /= 90 and using mechanical safety as your measurement is misleading. Even if I accept your assumptions, which I don't for a number of reasons, I don't accept the implied conclusions. Now go check the temperature ratings on your sidewalls.

These were the engineers who said "leave one car length for every ten MPH". First of all, we don't. Many roads have drivers leaving ten feet or less between cars at 60 - 65 MPH. Furthermore, distance isn't directly proportional to speed. Double your speed and you more than double your braking distance. Additionally, the number of cars on these roads far exceeds the number projected at 100 MPH. With all due respect to those highway engineers of the Eisenhower administration, they were designing roads for military transports, not high numbers of fast drivers. In the 50's they were still looking forward to flying cars.

Regarding German drivers... You will NOT get passed on the right on an autobahn. Drive slow on the left and you will be honked and flashed but other drivers will not break the law because of your rudeness/ineptitude. Compare that to the US where cars switching lanes and passing on the right can often be seen four or more times within a single mile. Many American drivers think they're terrific and are actually hazards. Allow them to bump their speed up by 30% isn't just foolish. It's reckless endangerment.