To the American DMV: “You failed to prepare me for this when I was 16.” — Image courtesy of americanwolpertinger.blogspot.de
As you may already know, I am American and my wife is German (as all hell). We live in Hannover, Germany, and though we do not own a car, we sometimes get to borrow one from friends and family members. During the weekend of December 15th, 2012, we drove between the state of Hesse (Hessen) and Niedersachsen (Lower Saxony) along the A7 Autobahn.
People in Germany often drive very fast on the Autobahn. We averaged 120 km/h during our journey, which is about 75 mph. In this video, you can see cars passing us at far greater speeds, especially the first car at the very beginning.
Listen, Germans, I know you want to make it home in time for Tatort and Wiener Schnitzel, but that’s no reason to wrap your Beemer around a tree.
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Apparently I have been living in Germany too long, because I would have been one of those fools blowing past you!
Then you are braver than I. :) Right on.
We recently drove across Australia and the speed limit is 110 kpm and it was terrifying. Not so many cars overtaking us but a lot of animals trying to make it across the road!
Oh man, I can only imagine! Glad you made it safely, Mate!
Oooohhhhh. yes… how well I know!! – I like the video! :-)
Thank you Raani! I was concerned it was too dull. The only speed-racers were right at the beginning.
120 km/h is not a very fast Autobahn speed. In fact, even in the smallest cars I try to keep at least 130 km/h, which is the officially recommended speed, because I don’t want to obstruct traffic flow.
Using my own car, I choose a speed somewhere between 130 and 200 km/h on long-distance rides, depending on traffic, weather, time pressure and mood, avoiding to brake and accelerate too much.
Once I had an American couple as passengers on a ride share (Mitfahrgelegenheit) from Kassel to Berlin. It was late Sunday evening with very little traffic, so I went 200 km/h for longer sections using cruise control. They were just happy with that and felt safe enough to sleep most of the time in the back seat. Upon our arrival in Berlin, they complimented on the fast and safe ride and booked a ride back to Kassel right away.
Right on! Yeah, I just need to get used to it. It’s still so new to me.
Do you drive for a living?
No, I just visit my family quite often.
You may take a couple of driving lessons on the Autobahn (and in the city as well) with a driving instructor. Quite expensive but reeeeally useful as he will tell you the do’s and dont’s and tricks and…
Great tip! Thank you!
You are not wrong. The driving in Germany was the only mad thing that I highlighted after my first 18 months in Germany. http://tinyurl.com/b3vl79y
It was cool to read about Germany from an Englishman’s perspective. Thank you for sharing!
The one thing I noticed about the Autobahn during my only trip (so far) to the Fatherland is how orderly it seemed to be. I mean i know they have traffic jams just like we do. Our driver even had to take a detour because of one, but on the whole it seemed like a ballet, and that everyone on the road knew their part to play. Yes, it is painfully obvious how much better–on the whole–the Germans are at driving, than us Americans. My God, if you took our speed limits away even for one day, it would begin to resemble Mad Max beyond Thunderdome! Also, I love riding the Autobahn over there, and just riding around in general, because all the cars are nice and new! I’m a car guy, so my head was on a swivel the whole time! Audis, Bimmers and Mercs, oh my! :-D (Again, I wasn’t driving! :-) )
Loved the video, dude. Keep ‘em comin’!
Thanks man!
And thanks for the great comment!
I’ve got a few friends who are really into cars, and my entire attitude about them is sacrilege to their ears. But I shall not change. :)
How are things with you?
Things are great with me man, I hope they are with you. You make me jealous, though, living over there. All that beer…Mmm…and sausages…Mmm…and cars! Ha ha Sorry about the assholes, though… :-( Best wishes!
Thanks man! Best wishes to you as well!
Oh, wow! They are in a hurry. It’s not like their cars are geared for faster driving, right? I mean they’re not race cars…Be safe!!
Oh man. If only I could show this comment to my German engineer buddies working for Daimler and BMW. They’d flip! :)
Ha ha ha…just don’t tell them where I live, okay? :)
Of course. We must protect The Bumble from angry Germans.
It looked kinda like my parents’ car, a silver VW Polo, going about 160 kph, but they weren’t anywhere near Kassel and I am the only one in the family who drives that fast (which isn’t exactly fast, with those weather/traffic conditions I’d take her out to 180+)
Right? People keep telling me 120 km/hr isn’t fast at all. But it is if you’re in the States!
I would say that 140 kmh is the average low speed when there is no speed limit. You may have noticed that you can only pass a car from the left. So if you only drive 120 kmh please stay in you far right lane.
Do you have a GER/EU drivers license?
LG Anja
Not yet. My wife wants me to get one though. I think this is a terrible idea.
:)
Unless the law has changed by now, I believe you can drive up to two years with your valid foreign drivers license. You may want to check on that. The other problem is – where the drivers license has been issue – unless that has changed as well. I remember that a drivers license from California was not accepted while a license from Arizona was accepted and simply transferred. Friends from California had to retake the test and driving lessons I believe which is pretty expensive.
This indeed would be a terrible idea ….
LG Anja
Oh really? Thank you for the information!
I am secretly hoping my wife will drive me around for the rest of my life. :)
Hört sich gut an :)
:)
Please don’t make me drive a stick-shift on the crazy-bahn….
I totally hear you. I don’t drive stick shift either. :)
Haha you reminded me of the first time I visited Germany. I was sitting in the back seat of a taxi and I felt as if he was going a little too fast. So I thought he was probably going about 120 or 130 kmh but then I looked and it turned out to be 170 kmh! So I started looking for the max speed and it turned out there is no max speed…
Haw haw! Nice!
I know, we westerners are big sissies about the autobahn thing. I’ll try and post again after I’ve grown a pair. :)
“We’re headed north…”
Have you noticed that that means NOTHING to many (most) Germans? Particularly those who have not lived outside of Germany? My theory is that most of their roads (streets, bikepaths, etc.) are so old that it just doesn’t make sense to think in terms of compass points — those routes are not based on a grid carved into the land as the populations grew, but rather woven around existing pockets of people.
My God, that explains it. Whenever The Wife and I are exploring our city, I always say “We’re headed west. Toward the river,” and she gets this blank look on her face. Then she responds in terms of landmarks.
Great observation! Thank you!
Last time I was in Germany, 1997, I was in the backseat with my aunt and her German nephew was driving us to Stuttgart on the autobahn at speeds reaching 160 kph. Felt the same way as you.
Later on, I found out that the German autobahns are built to much better specs than American highways and well-maintained, which partly explains why there are no posted speed limits.
I guess high speed driving is something one gets used to if you grow up in Germany.
Exactly! Right? Thank you! Even my American brethren keep calling me a pussy for being uncomfortable with it, but I stand by my initial impression; the Autobahn is scary. Unless you’re drunk.