German Autobahn: What you expect and what you get!

[Dackelone]

I saw this video and thought it was spot on, from someone who drives on the Autobahn quite a bit. I was wondering what you guys experiences have been ?

[GuidoK]

Thats why you go sundaymorning if you want ludicrous speed.
Because of the truck drive restriction
And you have to know your stretches. Not a lot is unlimited and road works can last months and span 10 miles or more.

I think the video is a bit exaggerated. On european average german highways travel quite fast and germans have on average good lane discipline. Except for the (mostly polish/bulgarian/etc) trucks; they'll cut you off whether you're doing 80 or 180mph, and foreign passengercars obviously....

What I see most is that the average german driver doesnt drive that fast even if they have the chance. Mostly 120-140kph (~75-85mph).

Also driving really fast isnt relaxing. If you drive 180kph (110mph) or faster and the journey lasts longer than an hour, you get to your destination more tired with maybe 10-15 min. time ahead.
I usually drive 150-160 (~100mph) when I need to travel long distance through germany. That speed seems to suit me if traffic allows. A little bit faster than most traffic so you're overtaking most of them at reasonable speed and its easier to anticipate for traffic in front of you overtaking (otherwise you constantly have to brake quite a bit)

But its still a strange feeling, passing policecars while doing over 150mph

[antych]

I drove in Germany last week and it was alright. This guys should see how busy UK motorways are. There were plenty of opportunities to stretch your legs and roadworks don't last forever.

[verheizer]

During daytime on crowded Autobahns driving 100-110mph is more than enough and traffic jams are expected. But if you can choose when to drive, its such a delight. I always drive in the evening, no traffic jam, not much traffic at all and I drive 120-130mph for hours. I don't feel stressed, i'm having fun and arrive earlier. Driving below below 100mph makes me mad and tired, I can't imagine driving this speed for a longer period of time when the road is free.

[Viffermike]

Originally Posted by GuidoK

Thats why you go sundaymorning if you want ludicrous speed.
Because of the truck drive restriction
And you have to know your stretches. Not a lot is unlimited and road works can last months and span 10 miles or more.

I think the video is a bit exaggerated. On european average german highways travel quite fast and germans have on average good lane discipline. Except for the (mostly polish/bulgarian/etc) trucks; they'll cut you off whether you're doing 80 or 180mph, and foreign passengercars obviously....

What I see most is that the average german driver doesnt drive that fast even if they have the chance. Mostly 120-140kph (~75-85mph).

Also driving really fast isnt relaxing. If you drive 180kph (110mph) or faster and the journey lasts longer than an hour, you get to your destination more tired with maybe 10-15 min. time ahead.
I usually drive 150-160 (~100mph) when I need to travel long distance through germany. That speed seems to suit me if traffic allows. A little bit faster than most traffic so you're overtaking most of them at reasonable speed and its easier to anticipate for traffic in front of you overtaking (otherwise you constantly have to brake quite a bit)

But its still a strange feeling, passing policecars while doing over 150mph

I lived in Germany as a teen in the early to mid-1980s. Everything above applied back then -- except that the slow drivers with no discipline were primarily Americans.

[Dackelone]

Originally Posted by Viffermike

I lived in Germany as a teen in the early to mid-1980s. Everything above applied back then -- except that the slow drivers with no discipline were primarily Americans.

I've been living here for about seventeen years now. While most drivers are very good. You do see more "bad" drivers than before. Especially when travelling to the former Eastern parts of Germany. Also on Autobahns that run East/West(A2/A3/A6)... you see lots of far Eastern block country drivers(PL/HU/BG/RO/SB etc) drive really not quite up to "Autobahn standards".

Anytime you get near American bases... the driver's are also fairly bad. Especially when it rains/snows... "we Ami's" seem to find out way into the ditch on the sides of the roads! lol

I remember years ago while driving thru Ramstein on the A6 - I saw a sign that read: "vorsichtig amerikanische Fahrer"... I was driving my rental car at 260 kph on that three lane Autobahn and I was like... WTF... did I just read what I thought I'd read? Right then some Dodge minivan that was entering the autobahn merged right into the fast lane and parked it @130 kph!! I was so shocked I just blasted past on the right at Warp 7. I know I shouldn't but WTH.

Btw... I thought this other video from the same YouTube-r was also funny...

[metrickid]

Best part about driving on the Autobahn is to see what (shitty) car that will push well over its safe limit to pass you this time.

[Viffermike]

Originally Posted by Dackelone

I remember years ago while driving thru Ramstein on the A6 - I saw a sign that read: "vorsichtig amerikanische Fahrer"... I was driving my rental car at 260 kph on that three lane Autobahn and I was like... WTF... did I just read what I thought I'd read? Right then some Dodge minivan that was entering the autobahn merged right into the fast lane and parked it @130 kph!! I was so shocked I just blasted past on the right at Warp 7. I know I shouldn't but WTH.

Ha! I remember those signs! Pretty sure they were much more numerous than they are now ... if memory serves, U.S. military in Germany had been cut by about 80 percent of its peak by the time you moved there @ 1999. Just imagine how bad it was in my time ...

... and for the record: we lived "on the economy" (father wasn't military; he was DoD) about 30km from the nearest major base. Dad bought a 633CSi for the commute 'cause the family Buick land yacht just couldn't hack German roads, much less the Autobahn ...

[ScBlacksunshine]

Oh so people in Germany drive just like asshat in SoCal? That's good to know

[Bx Tpr]

Video is pretty accurate especially when driving during the work week. The best time for me was late night and weekend mornings. I spent time in Switzerland as well and I've never seen a whole population absolutely adhere to speed limits to the T. It was amazing to experience lol

[F1HAMMY]

I was stationed there from summer of 2012 until January of this year. For almost the entire time I drove a 2013 Ford Focus ST.
I lived in Bavaria for the first 13 months and had fewer opportunities for unlimited stretches of Autobahn. About Summer of 2013 my base shut down [Bamberg/Smith Barracks] and the Brigade HQ moved to Baumholder in Rhineland Pfalz. That location is much closer to the French, Belgium and Luxembourg borders and consequently I had many more opportunities to stretch my, errrrr, legs.
German driver are far more disciplined than Americans but still no reason to not be very aware, especially at very high speeds. In short, I miss Germany and Europe every day. Im in Kansas now and it's uhhhh, okay....

[Dackelone]

Originally Posted by Bx Tpr

Video is pretty accurate especially when driving during the work week. The best time for me was late night and weekend mornings. I spent time in Switzerland as well and I've never seen a whole population absolutely adhere to speed limits to the T. It was amazing to experience lol

The Swiss have crazy high fines for speeding. One forum member here on BP recently sent me a PM that he gotten a ticket a few weeks after returning to the states in - his rental car company gave his info the Swiss Polizei. He was going 123 in a 100 kph zone... his ticket was around 130 euros!! That's nuts!!! Also for Swiss drivers... the fine is based on how much you earn per year... so fines can be crazy expensive. German fins are a relative bargain!

The Dutch are crazy too - with lots of hidden camera on their highways (behind over head signs and such). They also use time/distance cameras... that read your lic plates and issue you a fine IF your average speed is too fast(fro the last camera location).

I prefer the German system of speed cameras and rules/laws. They always "Blitz"(take your photo) from the front of the car and normally only in construction zones or Autobahn intersections.

[GuidoK]

Originally Posted by Dackelone

He was going 123 in a 100 kph zone... his ticket was around 130 euros!! That's nuts!!!

Thats actually quite low. In the netherlands that would have cost 198 euro's plus 6 euro administration fee. (127kph measured speed, 123 fined speed (4kph measuring intolerance))
And in some scandinavian countries.......loss of drivers license?

I think france is also pretty expensive.

Germany is just very low on fines.

For the netherlands there is a free phone app that warns you (based on gps) for all the fixed speedcams, and most of the portable speed cams (once drivers have noticed them and put them through with the app). Radar detection is illegal here but gps based isnt (because there is no real detection).

[fecurtis]

Originally Posted by Dackelone

I saw this video and thought it was spot on, from someone who drives on the Autobahn quite a bit. I was wondering what you guys experiences have been ?

Drive on interstate 66 in the DC area at.....any time.

I'd punt a baby to have conditions like that here.

[MrRoboto]

One thing I noticed about Germany last time I was there was the truck drivers know their place. Stay to the right!

[markymark666]

You just have to find the right Autobahn section here in Germany to check out your speed limiter - even during daylight

[DC-T]

Video is a bit over the top Lol. Not into the crazy speeds because it's too dangerous for me. Car crashes Def not my thing. Never drive a small car on the Autobahn. When a nutter in an RS6 goes past at 285km/h...

South Africa has speed limits nobody cares about, but a lot of stupid morons which can't tell slow from fast lane. Lane hogging and bizzare overtakes order of the day, and lane splitters in cars, not bikes.

[bmwperson]

Originally Posted by DC-T

Video is a bit over the top Lol. Not into the crazy speeds because it's too dangerous for me. Car crashes Def not my thing. Never drive a small car on the Autobahn. When a nutter in an RS6 goes past at 285km/h...

South Africa has speed limits nobody cares about, but a lot of stupid morons which can't tell slow from fast lane. Lane hogging and bizzare overtakes order of the day, and lane splitters in cars, not bikes.

Speed limits in europe in general are pretty decent compared to the US. In Poland the speed limit on the highway is 140kmh (90mph), that's a felony around here(IL)...

[1MOREMOD]

Originally Posted by bmwperson

Speed limits in europe in general are pretty decent compared to the US. In Poland the speed limit on the highway is 140kmh (90mph), that's a felony around here(IL)...

No speeding isn't felony!!!

[MKSixer]

Originally Posted by 1MOREMOD

No speeding isn't felony!!!

Getting caught speeding at those speeds (90+) is a felony.

[1MOREMOD]

You are shitting me i top 100 driving over pass every week for miles and miles

[DC-T]

Originally Posted by 1MOREMOD

You are shitting me i top 100 driving over pass every week for miles and miles

Dude just be safe...