RE: PH Blog: What makes the autobahn brilliant

[FWDRacer]

veevee said:

u obviously do'nt no how too drive m8. i'ts the 1st thing wen u learn 2 drive.

No irony smiley - conclusion - Thick as Pigsh!t.

Evn da txt spk iza givawy innit. Education of the rules of the road required. If I was a copper I'd book people for sitting in the outside lane when the inside lanes are empty. You are basically driving without due care of attention (to the prevailing traffic conditions!)

[garypotter]

Funkycoldribena said:

How are you still alive??? I thought speed kills?

So does, coke, E's, Heroin and loose women!

[marcosgt]

VictorMeldrew said:

Baryonyx said:

If only we could import German culture and economic policy to this country and get rid of our useless Conservative led nanny state.

In the interest of political balance, that nanny state was of course largely assembled by the previous government, at our vast expense, and the tories are busy trying to dismantle it. Hence the contiuous bleating and whining of the public sector over job losses, pay freezes and pay cuts.

Back on topic, I was astounded the other day when, after overtaking a car I had been stuck behind for several miles, which had rabidly adhered to the speed limits, I checked my mirror to find the overtaken vehicle now steaming up my arse (so now its OK to speed eh?) and the driver applauding in a sarcastic fashion, both hands off the wheel. WTF?

Germans are good at lane discipline, but let's not forget that the Autobahn is also the home of tailgating and massive pile-ups in the fog and/or rain.

It is great that (some of, these days) the system is unrestricted, but huge swathes are not any more. Even where it is still unrestricted, a lot is dual carriageway and you can't get anywhere near flat out even in a Vectra!

To the bloke who said the driving standards were utopian on his 1500 mile drive and maybe he was lucky, yes, you were

M

[funnyimpreza]

This is my old 328iSE trumping legally along the Autobahn, it took a few weeks to get used to being allowed to drive so fast and after seeing police cars and stamping on brakes, it took my mind blown away knowing it was legal to sit at this speed all day long (providing both tires were speed rated and there was enough fuel)



In fact the other day on the Autobahn I was travelling en route to Venlo on the unlimited section and my Impreza STI has the version 6 wing so I can't really see my behind, and even at 130-140mph there are faster cars, I had a new saloon M3 come up fast behind me so I indicated and pulled to the right and after he passed re entered the over take lane and he put on his hazards as a thank you. I would never see that behaviour and respect ANYWHERE in the UK so I agree the AUtobahn is an incredible place and my experiences liberating too. Can't wait till I'm back over again

[funnyimpreza]

Oh and another shot when I was in Germany a while ago, Just driving along the Autobahn en route to Bonn/Koln, I can't really remember but when would it be normal to see these two cars legally giving it the full beans and not having to worry about any problems with the local authorities!!!?





Ok I better get back to typing up all my work, laters

[tim-b]

Haven't read the whole 9 pages, so don't know if it's been discussed but I thought it's worth mentioning how unpleasant it is to drive on the Autobahn at night....many in my area are only 2 lane, no lighting and no cats-eyes or other reflective markers. Not really fun if you want to drive at 130kph, with the guy infront (lane 1) doing 110 and the traffic behind (lane 2) doing anywhere up to 300....very difficult to judge distances/speed.

As for accident rates, I've seen more crashes and near misses in 2 years in Germany, than in 12 years in England, but I guess it depends where in Germany or England you are...

ETA: driving standards and etiquette don't seem much, if any, better round here, but I've heard Cologne is a 'special' city and not really representative of the rest of Germany...

Edited by tim-b on Friday 4th May 10:33

[team will]

This is why the autobahn is great!

A fun Sunday am run in 2010

[Riggers]

team will said:

This is why the autobahn is great!

A fun Sunday am run in 2010

Cor, that's a quick posh VW you've got there....

[Andy ap]

Apart from the typical moronic driving we get my biggest peeve of late is the alarming amount of people who trundle up and down the sliproads at 40-50 then try and force they're way onto the motorway still going slow and then and only then will they accelerate! More often than not moving into middle lane in the proccess for no apparent reason. Does this happen in Germany?

[Bodo]

funnyimpreza said:

Oh and another shot when I was in Germany a while ago, Just driving along the Autobahn en route to Bonn/Koln, I can't really remember but when would it be normal to see these two cars legally giving it the full beans and not having to worry about any problems with the local authorities!!!?





Ok I better get back to typing up all my work, laters

Technically, this is not legal. You may drive more than 130km/h (Richtgeschwindigkeit) on derestricted sections; even 400km/h if you like. Whilst you carry more responsibility when driving more than Richtgeschwindigkeit; it is at no point allowed to race. Race meaning comparing your own speed to either a watch or another car.

ETA:

Which is good in my opinion, because I mostly make use of the speed freedom to tootle along uncongested Autobahnen at 180km/h with the tempomat set. Driving as fast as you can will at some point bore the hell out of you, since speeds over 200km/h require a multiple on concentration at traffic and road conditions.

Edited by Bodo on Friday 4th May 13:23

[Maxus]

The driving etiquette in Germany is very good. I drove back from Germany last year and the difference in motorway driving from Germany to Belgium to France was incredible. The Germans joke that on Dutch cars, NL stands for "Nur Links" (only left).
Germany in general has a very civilised feel to it and in particular their approach to motoring and appreciation of cars is refreshing.

[MC Bodge]

Maxus said:

The driving etiquette in Germany is very good. I drove back from Germany last year and the difference in motorway driving from Germany to Belgium to France was incredible.

The standard of driving in Northern Belgium

One step up from Calcutta, almost

[funnyimpreza]

Bodo said:

Technically, this is not legal. You may drive more than 130km/h (Richtgeschwindigkeit) on derestricted sections; even 400km/h if you like. Whilst you carry more responsibility when driving more than Richtgeschwindigkeit; it is at no point allowed to race. Race meaning comparing your own speed to either a watch or another car.

ETA:

Which is good in my opinion, because I mostly make use of the speed freedom to tootle along uncongested Autobahnen at 180km/h with the tempomat set. Driving as fast as you can will at some point bore the hell out of you, since speeds over 200km/h require a multiple on concentration at traffic and road conditions.

Edited by Bodo on Friday 4th May 13:23

I respect your point about racing, but I never suggested they were racing, I meant one has the power they can use it. I on a regular basis play with the latest Porsches in my Subaru, it makes the journey more fun and Germans really do have a sense of humour. I'm not suggesting I race either I'm saying the Autobahn opens up a freedom and spirit in driving that makes one enjoy a commute or a journey (until road works).

I also respect your point about it getting boring, once the honeymoon period is over I now sit at 90-100mph mainly due to the tires being really noisy on the concrete tarmac type sections and to save fuel. I also see many cars on the Autobahn sitting behind the lorries too so not everyone speeds, just the ability to be able to make progress is a feeling one can't describe.

The Autobahn is just like a dual carriageway in some sections, but the level and ability of driving have to be raised and in doing so one becomes more aware of tyre pressures, maintanence and driving tuition to cope with the demands of doing those speeds.

N.B I've never seen a modified Saxo in Germany, Colonge however I did I see a slammed Twingo give it some, and its moments like these that make the Autobahn unrivaled. I can't wait to go back again!!!

[FWDRacer]

MC Bodge said:

Maxus said:

The driving etiquette in Germany is very good. I drove back from Germany last year and the difference in motorway driving from Germany to Belgium to France was incredible.

The standard of driving in Northern Belgium

One step up from Calcutta, almost

Trips to Spa are always like the wacky races

[900T-R]

MC Bodge said:

The standard of driving in Northern Belgium

[Bodo]

funnyimpreza said:

I respect your point about racing, but I never suggested they were racing, I meant one has the power they can use it. ...

Absolutely. It's just the Polizisten that raise an eyebrow or two, when they see two powerful cars giving it the beans at the same time

These cases get prosecuted rarely though - unless it's something like Gumball et al.

let me know when you're close to Frankfurt, then I'll get the Porka out for a race

[Chris944_S2]

Typically when I get sent there for work, I stick to 160km/h (180 if its very light traffic), above those speeds I find I need to concentrate a lot more and it starts to get tiring. The novelty quickly wears off.
The most surprising (from someone who lived a long time in teh UK) was having a driving school X3 go past me while I was around 180ish. It had a young lady at the wheel, so clearly the yoof get taught the Autobahn properly too.

[funnyimpreza]

Bodo said:

Absolutely. It's just the Polizisten that raise an eyebrow or two, when they see two powerful cars giving it the beans at the same time

These cases get prosecuted rarely though - unless it's something like Gumball et al.

let me know when you're close to Frankfurt, then I'll get the Porka out for a race

I have never been to Frankfurt, I've always been meaning to try the famous Wurst and go there ;-)

Isn't there a famous section of derestricted section south of Frankfurt that a certain Mr Aldolf (I forget the Austrian last name lol) that used to run high speed trial against Audi (Auto Union) and Mercedes in the mid 30's? I've been meaning to find more about the history of this place and visit it one day.

Those guys had balls, 270mph on cross ply tyres wearing a leather skin hat!

[dcb]

Perd Hapley said:

For the people asking why we don't have motorway driving on the driving test, it's because huge chunks of the country aren't near motorways.

So a two level driving licence can't be invented, can it ?

Either you've done the motorway training or you haven't.
Either way DVLC gets to modify your licence appropriately.

Presumably lower insurance premiums for those with more training.

[dcb]

torres del paine said:

They've got you over a barrel, like everyone else and it has made driving in this country a thoroughly depressing experience.

...

Sadly, it's not like that most of the time. The average British motorist has turned into a quivering wreck on our faster roads and wish to inflict the same on me - blocking me for no good reason, driving slowly but dangerously and generally acting like a dithering, pedantic fool.

I get a strong sense of relief when I leave our shores and get to drive to Austria via Germany.

+1 Driving in the UK is mostly rubbish, in my view.

Interesting, in this http://www.abd.org.uk/motorwayspeedlimit.htm#recom...
there is described a way for the UK to stop being a
back-marker in this area, and make some progress.

UK limit up to 80 mph for a few years, to give time for
the Daily Mail and its readers to get used to it, then
up to 90 mph for a few years, then go unlimited.

All very feasible and practical, so that the Brits might
eventually get what the Germans have had for over 70 years.

You never know, they might even sell a few more high performance cars ;->