See and experience
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When driving on the German Autobahn,
one realizes that auto racing is not confined to famous race tracks
like the Nürburgring. Germans, and the Austrians and Swiss, like to
drive fast, and they have been in love with their cars ever since Carl Benz
(1844-1927) invented the first practical motor car in 1885. The company
formed by the 1926 merger of the two firms that Benz and fellow
automobile inventor Gottlieb Daimler (1834-1900) had created would become the industrial giant Daimler-Benz AG...
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Driving on Germany’s autobahns is not always a high-speed experience. An Umleitung (detour) like this one is a common sight, especially in the summer construction season. PHOTO © Hyde Flippo
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... [Until 2006,] Germany was the third largest producer of automobiles
in the world (exceeded only by Japan and the United States).* [Germany
is] a country that takes its driving very seriously. This is
understandable when you realize that a German driver’s license costs
[over $2000], after a minimum of 25-45 hours of professional instruction
plus 12 hours of theory, and such a license is good for life. [As of
2013, the German license must conform to the EU term of 10 or 15 years.
German licences issued before 2013 will become invalid by 2033 and must
be replaced by the new European (EU) driver’s license.]
Cars marked “
Fahrschule” (driving school) mean a student driver
may be at the wheel. However, you don’t have too much to worry about; in
typical thorough German fashion,
Fahrschule cars are equipped
with dual controls so that the instructor can take over any time the
student gets into serious trouble. The practical, on-the-road training
time has to include night driving, autobahn experience, in-town driving,
and a multitude of other driving situations. The test for a German
driver’s license includes questions about the mechanical aspects of an
automobile, in addition to the usual examination on the rules of the
road...
German and European traffic law has a few variations that North
American drivers may not always be aware of. For instance, it is illegal
to pass on the right on the
Autobahn.
Slow moving vehicles must always move to the right, and faster vehicles
may pass on the left only. The only exception is when both lanes are
moving slowly (under 60 km per hour, 35 mph), as in the frequent traffic
jams (
Verkehrsstaus). In such cases drivers are allowed to pass
on the right, but at a speed no higher than 20 km per hour faster than
the traffic in the left lane.
You will see speed limit signs (round) posted much less often in
Germany than in the U.S. But German drivers are expected to know the
law. In cities and towns, the
speed limit (
Tempolimit)
is 50 km/h (31 mph) unless otherwise posted. In the last decade or so,
the “30-Zone” has gained great popularity. These are residential areas
with a posted 30 km/h (18 mph) speed limit to protect children and
pedestrians who live in the neighborhood. On normal two-lane highways
the limit is 100 km/h (62 mph). Cars towing trailers must stay under 80
km/h (50 mph). The autobahn has a “suggested” speed limit of 130 km/h
(80 mph), a suggestion widely ignored by many Mercedes and Porsche
drivers. They may suddenly appear out of nowhere, close behind, blinking
their brights to move you out of their way. Not even $8.00-per-gallon
gasoline [as of 2012] can make most German drivers slow down.
In Austria, Germany, and Switzerland, children under the age of 13 are
not allowed to sit in the front seat of any vehicle that has a back
seat. Seat belts are mandatory for the driver and all passengers in the
car, front and back.
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A new autobahn rest stop in Austria, with restrooms and vending machines. PHOTO © Hyde Flippo
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Most of Europe, including Germany, has a .05 (0.5 pro mille) blood
alcohol limit for drunk driving. ... In former East Germany the legal
limit for driving under the influence was zero until 1992. German law
deals harshly with driving under the influence. Violators may lose their
license on the first offense and must pay high fines...
It is rare to see a dented, smoking junk car in Germany. This is not
just due to typical German neatness or pride of ownership. It also has
to do with a German institution that is as feared and respected as is
perhaps the Internal Revenue Service in the U.S. The
Technische Überwachungsverein or
TÜV
is an agency that must approve the roadworthiness of German cars and
trucks. Without a TÜV (pronounced TOOF) sticker, a vehicle can’t be
licensed or driven. Cars have been known to fail TÜV inspection for
having a single rust spot or dent in a critical location. A broken light
or a malfunctioning exhaust system would be obvious reasons for
rejection. A popular bumper sticker seen on older German vehicles likely
to run afoul of TÜV reads, “Bis dass der TÜV uns scheidet.” (“Till TÜV
us do part.”)...
When I was in Germany on the last GAPP trip, Simon, his father, and I went to the Koeln cycling track. It was really fun. On the way back, we took the autobahn. We did about 200 km/h with a big diesel sedan, with three guys, bikes, and equipment. It was really fun.
ReplyDeleteI think this is a great article - it shows that although speed limits aren't regulated as much in Germany as they are in the USA, they still take (legal) measures to ensure safety on the roads, like the right-lane/left-lane speed laws on the Autobahn.
ReplyDeleteDas ist cool!! Ich finde es sehr interessante.
ReplyDeleteThe coolest part is that it's really safe to drive on that road- I never thought that would be the case!
The autobahn seems like a cool place, and safe too!
ReplyDeleteIt would be so cool to be able to drive on the autobahn. But you can't sit in the front seat of the car until you are thirteen . . . that might be annoying.
ReplyDeleteOne day I would love to do that. It would be an amazing experience.
ReplyDeleteThe autobhahn seems like a cool place to drive and I think its interesting that even though there is no speed limit, they have a lower crash rate than us. It shows how responsible they are when it comes to driving.
ReplyDeleteIch möchte in einem Flash-mob sein!
ReplyDelete