RE: PH Blog: What makes the autobahn brilliant

RE: PH Blog: What makes the autobahn brilliant

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Discussion

MC Bodge

21,552 posts

174 months

Monday 7th May 2012
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On a trip there last year I didn't partake in any tail-gating. I wasn't tail-gated by others ...until Northern Belgium, where the tail-gating was taken to the highest levels.

For me, the most interesting thing was that nobody blasted past me in hundreds of miles of autobahn. I was driving as quickly as I could, but only in a humble 2.0 diesel Mondeo estate that would just about show an indicated 130mph with the air-con off. I did see some other people in similarly-powered cars doing similar (and there were probably others just out of sight), but I was passed only once in a de-restricted section, by a bloke in a (530/5)accelerating away from me after some roadworks, before he almost immediately turned off the autobahn.

By way of comparison, 10 years ago I saw quite a few much-faster moving cars when I was travelling at similar speeds.

I assumed that fuel prices were having an effect.

I'll be crossing through Germany again later this year. I like a good road trip.

Edited by MC Bodge on Monday 7th May 14:10

CapScarlet

50 posts

146 months

Monday 7th May 2012
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ok, so I have lived in Germany for the last 13 years and am totally settled here. The Germans are a very ordered race, can drink a few pints without getting into a fight and have a healthy respect for speed.

It is not Utopia here - but put that mainly down to the Dutch and their caravans who like to clog the middle lane and forget about driving on ANY vacation.

But there are lots and lots of roads where fast and safe is the rule. Driving standards here are generally sooooooo much better than in the UK. Of course you do not drive at the max ALL the time - that would be a) bad for the nerves and b) terrible for fuel economy (especially in a C63). But I would generally average about 190-200 kmh in fairly relaxed autobahn driving.

But the best thing about living here? I have owned an RS4, three 911's and now the C63 and have NEVER had my car broken into, keyed or in some other way abused.

I won't be coming back to the UK

birdcage

2,838 posts

204 months

Monday 7th May 2012
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I recently drove to Berlin with a friend to Berlin from London in my GT3 RS, we got up to 170 MPH and stayed there for a little while and reflected that this would mean serious jail time in the UK.

Germany is a great country for many reason, this is one of them.

KM666

1,757 posts

182 months

Monday 7th May 2012
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Disastrous said:
This is starting to hurt my face.

Forget the 'confession' of dangerous driving completely. It's not relevant.

My point was that the statement that 120 in the UK is dangerous, is simply not true.

Anyway, I'm sure everyone else understands the semantic difference so it doesn't really matter...
Well thats lovely, but has nothing to do with M666EVO's comment besides sharing the number 120.
He had said he was tailgating at 120mph, thats not a safe thing to do. Theres that video on youtube of some Japanese guy doing 190mph along a UK motorway, safe as house, because he was on a clear road, not up the arse of somebody else on a clear road.
I dont disagree that speed is bad m'kay, but he said hed done something very stupid and you come out to say '120 isnt dangerous', can you not see how that appears to justify tailgating at 120mph?

Davidonly

1,080 posts

192 months

Sunday 13th May 2012
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anonymous said:
[redacted]
I have noted plod on these forums say that speed alone cannot result in a custodial sentence here. The longest ban is 3-months for speeding unless its a totting up ban then its 12-months.

F1GTRUeno

6,335 posts

217 months

Sunday 13th May 2012
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Germany is a much, much better version of this country.

That said, driving through the country using the autobahns you are aware that a lot of the road surfaces are very rough indeed. Not really as good quality as I expected.

Bodo

12,368 posts

265 months

Monday 14th May 2012
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I drove from Berlin to Frankfurt last weekend and got an average of 144km/h, including two stops to fill up rotate

All that jazz

7,632 posts

145 months

Monday 14th May 2012
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Riggers said:
Interesting to note the increase in oil temperature during sustained 140mph (speedo-indicated) running in the PH Fleet Golf GTI. would definitely make me think twice about doing it on a regular basis.

I think if I lived over there, or drove there more often I would probably get into a 95-100mph groove - much faster than that and you have to start putting your eyes on stalks...
I tend to sit at 90ish on the motorways if conditions are okay and I find it's a good speed to make 'progress' whilst also being out of the way of all the 70-80mph plodders, but it's also a speed where you have to be on the ball looking out for plod both in front (bridges, observation hills) and behind. I find that if I go slower then I quickly get annoyed with the masses not being able to drive at a constant speed so am always having to alter my own speed every 5 seconds, and if I go any faster (100+) then you start drawing some real attention to yourself and also need to have eyes on stalks like you say.

I once wound my old 330Cd up to 145 one night just for the hell of it as I'd never driven that fast (max 120ish prior) and "eyes on stalks" doesn't even come close to describing it! hehe When trucks go past your nearside like they're stood still and the street lights start becoming a blur it becomes extremely hard for the brain to "process" what's going on quick enough. Although the car felt fine and still had some ponies spare, the speed was clearly at the edge of my own limitations/abilities so backed it off to a speed within my 'comfort zone'. One thing I did notice however, is that those gentle curves that you don't even notice when you're doing 90, suddenly become like 90 degree corners when you're doing 140+ ! hehe

<awaits flak from the resident SARPs thewheelman and KM666 about how I should be banged up and it's people like me that are sending the country to the dogs etc etc yada yada.. smash >

Edited by All that jazz on Monday 14th May 07:30

KM666

1,757 posts

182 months

Tuesday 15th May 2012
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All that jazz said:


<awaits flak from the resident SARPs thewheelman and KM666 about how I should be banged up and it's people like me that are sending the country to the dogs etc etc yada yada.. smash >

Edited by All that jazz on Monday 14th May 07:30
Why, were you tailgating somebody at the time?

What is this playground crap about where by saying 'tailgating at 120mph is stupid' translates to seemingly everybody as 'driving at 120mph is the single worst crime ever commited by anybody, ever'.

Get a grip.

I bet confessing to driving beyond your abilities gets all the girls. Hey ladies I did 140mph and shat myself, form an orderly queue.


Edited by KM666 on Tuesday 15th May 16:55

anonymous-user

53 months

Wednesday 31st October 2012
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