The most important rule on the German Autobahn is: No matter how fast you drive yourself, there is always someone else who drives faster than you! Allzeit gute Fahrt und Grüße aus Deutschland
@@johnstonewall917 From which fantasy statistics do they have these numbers? Well the numbers between Germany and Great Britain are in reality comparable, only in America the accident rate per 100000 citizens is 19.7 and in Germany only 4.1 persons. I know some Americans who don't dare to drive in Germany because they know they are not educated enough and can't drive well enough.
@@gerdipediaTV Ask any German insurance company. There are also official statistics which show the same higher death rate on German roads with France somewhat higher. In general the British approach to driving tends towards caution rather than insisting that one is in the right regardless of the consequences. I have long experience of both German and French roads.
I have an urgent piece of Autobahn advice that I picked up while in Germany. This is especially important for newbies. It does not take very long to get used to the higher speeds. When you get to your exit, pay close attention to your speedometer. You might be moving a lot faster than you think you are when you hit that exit ramp.
Thanks for sharing, Joseph! Gotta watch those speeds, that's right. Technically, there should be enough length to decelerate on the exit ramp, as one should not start decelerating until reaching the deceleration lane, as I understand it. Thanks for watching!
@@TomsDoItYourself I think the point is that you might not be noticing it. And then you keep driving on the non-highway roads much faster than appropriate.
@@PauxloE yes that but also the exit ramps sometimes have pretty sharp curves you probably cant take at 80 mph...dont ask i ran out of road myself at one of those...
Faustregel (~ rule of thumb) the signaled speed limit at the exit is about 20Km lower as the physically manageable speed. So let’s say the sign is showing *30* you should have a chance to survive with entering the exit around 50Km/h. But that’s before taking snow and moisture into account Google: Angebrachte/Vorausschauende Fahrweise
Just a word of advise. Don't switch multiple lanes at once, like at 4:57. Other drivers don't expect that. Instead, change one lane, indicate again, check over your shoulder and mirrors again, and then change the second lane. And if you have to slow down doing so, then so be it. That's how we stay safe and don't surprise other drivers who might as well go 200km/h.
Not really just that though more importantly it is not possible to do a good shoulder check when moving across multiple lanes as your car is at a turning angle, so yes much better to move one lane straighten up, mirror and shoulder check once straight to move again to next lane
@@rogerkautz7441 Hello Roger, thank you so much for your suggestion! I made a new video. You can check it out on my channel page ;) Driving on the Autobahn 🛣 Part II: Rettungsgasse & TÜV
Especially since Germany dosen't have a different deffinition for outrunning like Romania does (aka when a vehicle in one lane is moving faster than a vehicle in another lane).
About those "digital traffic lights": I was one of the team members at Siemens in the 90s who programmed the standard used at Siemens for these in the early 90s (that project was the 38 km of the A9 going into Munich - and the needed traffic redirection for traffic jams). The system can do much more than just set speed limits - it also show signs for traffic jams, fog conditions, and can even direct people around a traffic jam on the Autobahn (this is the so-called "Wechselwegweisung"), which included some more digital signs on some Bundesstrassen in the area, too. The sensors and the logic behind the system was really amazing. While we were still in the last stage of the trial phase (which meant that the signs were actually already uncovered and as such valid, just a couple of months before the official "opening"), there was an accident somewhere on the A9 while I was down there in Munich in the Autobahnmeisterei headquarters. Since we programmers were in the headquarters to check if everything was working at that time, we saw that suddenly a part of the autobahn was getting a so called "speed-funnel" (which means that the signs were activated, and the speed was going down with each sign further down the road closer to the accident, so the closest ones to the accident would show "30", the next ones "50", the next ones "70" or "90", and finally the ones which showed "110" - at least I think that were the numbers), and that the traffic jam signs came on. Just 3 minutes *after* the system already had activated all these measures, the police headquarter called and asked us to please activate such a speed-funnel because there was an accident - they were quite surprised when we told them that the system already reacted, and that we were actually able to give them the nearly exact position of the accident (I think it was accurate to about 200m-300m or so, I cannot recall the exact distance between our sensors in the autobahn). In the headquarters, you basically had a graphical view (vector based, so zoomable) like Google maps did a decade or so later with their traffic display, so you always had a colour coded view of the traffic on thos 38 km (and the streets used for traffic jam detours). That system became the standard for "Verkehrsleitsysteme" from Siemens for at least a decade (no idea if it is still used as a basis for new systems, I changed to another company in 1999, but I wouldn't be surprised, since it was based on X11/Unix, not some windows garbage, and was still getting installed at that time all over Germany - an updated version, of course ;-) ).
Wow Stefan, that is a really cool comment, thanks for sharing! I am an engineer myself, so I can appreciate what you are talking about. That is quite the responsibility to develop software that affects the safety of millions of passengers each day! I wonder why this wasn't implemented in other parts of the world? Seems like a good idea and Umsetzung.
Once that system has been established around the most notorious traffic jam riddled Autobahn-section of Germany named "Frankfurter Kreuz" Rush-Hour related jams disappeared (sort of). Next best thing besides sliced bread (and roundabouts, and paper towels).
But many, unfortunately, ignore the "Rechtsfahrgebot" rule and constantly drive in the middle, regardless of whether the right is clear or not. This should be much more penalized, in my opinion.
Yes, you are probably right. We should pay attention to the rules. But if semis are constantly going just 100-120kmh in the right lane, does it make sense to weave inbetween the middle and right lanes so often? That is the only problem I see with that rule.
@@TomsDoItYourself Yes, that's true, of course. But I meant the ones that don't drive on the right at all. Of course, constantly changing lanes isn't the best thing either.
It does not matter if you have to perform several overtake manoeuvres, you have to stick to the right. That is the rule. With the speed differential between cars sticking to the central lame is quite irresponsible and dangerous.
@@ruiatalmeida I know, I do switch to the right lane, to make way for faster cars. But, with slow cars like semis in the right lane all the time, it is quite cumbersome to always have to be switching lanes, is all I'm saying. Thanks for your comment, and have a good one!
There is a tendency to hark on about the Rechtsfahrgebot as if it were a religion and to be implemented at all cost. Believe it or not, that's not the case. If you are in the middle lane you may maintain that lane (yes maintain it) if it is obvious that you are about to overtake another vehicle or vehicles given your speed in relation to theirs. This is to avoid weaving in and out which in fact is equally as dangerous. Once the right is obviously clear for an extended period, you should re-enter the far right lane. Allow me to quote (try google translate, it might work): Rechtsfahrgebot: Regeln und Ausnahmen; _Das gilt auf drei- oder mehrspurigen Autobahnen_ _"Das Rechtsfahrgebot gilt generell auch auf drei- oder mehrspurigen Autobahnen. Autofahrer dürfen nur dann davon abweichen, wenn die Verkehrsdichte dies rechtfertigt. Was heißt das? Sie dürfen den mittleren Fahrstreifen dann durchgängig befahren, wenn rechts davon hin und wieder Fahrzeuge unterwegs sind. Die ADAC Verkehrsexperten erläutern: "Diese Lockerung des Rechtsfahrgebots soll die Zahl der gefährlichen Spurwechsel und ein Fahren in Schlangenlinien vermeiden."_ _"Autofahrer, deren nächster Überholvorgang absehbar ist, müssen also nicht sofort zurück auf die rechte Spur. Wenn die rechte Spur vor dem nächsten Überholvorgang allerdings deutlich länger als 20 Sekunden befahren werden könnte, dann muss der Autofahrer wieder dorthin wechseln."_
First off: nicely done and good video. 3:40 As you can see, many Germans fail to execute the Rechtsfahrgebot as well. They SHOULD stick to it, but they don't. They had more than enough space and time to switch to the right lane, but didn't. Not really terrible and not worthy of road rage on a three lane Autobahn with enough room to pass. But on a two lane Autobahn left lane hoggers really get my dander up. I do what you did at 4:00 as well. I pull up to their rear bumper, but one lane to the right, so I don't endanger them. Then I let myself fall back very noticeably (not brake-checking, but slowing down significantly), giving them more than enough room to change lanes. If they don't do it soonish, I repeat that maneuver two more times. If they still don't get it, I pass them, with more than enough room, switch to their lanes, and demonstrably set my right blinker for a long time, then change lanes to the right again. Yeah, yeah, I know, stupid Oberlehrer that I am. :D
Hey Rusty Dust, thank you so much for your comment :-) Lately I have been more observant of middle and left lane hoggers, and trying to follow the rules better myself. It is a pain to have to switch lanes all the time, but that is the rule. Today I observed cars in front of me constantly switching between the middle and the right lanes, as they were supposed to. I think they switched five times within a minute. I did the same. I am going to get a FahrPerfektionsstunde soon, to take a deeper dive into the rules. Wishing you safe driving and a good evening!
Driving on the German Autobahn is so chill despite the average speed being much higher than the rest of the countries in Europe. German people drive very well.
The statistics would say it’s safer than the US interstate, which is good. Yes, Germans I think are good drivers with lots of training. By chill, do you mean relaxing? Compared to other European interstates?
@@TomsDoItYourself The biggest reason is, that germany has a very very dense of rescue helicopters. That save so many lifes a year. It's not the driving.
when merging on the freeway, DO NOT, by any chance, do not stop on the ramp. If necessary (you don't have enough speed or need to wait for a truck to pass), keep going on the emergency lane (this would only be the case if you fkd up by not turning the blinker early so others are aware of you or if you didn't accelerate). I've driven vans on the autobahn, old hatchbacks that can't do more than 120kmh and nice cars that can comfortably cruise at 230kmh, be aware of the car you're driving and the most important parts would be to always check the mirrors and the cars in front (not just the first, look 3 or more cars ahead of you to spot break lights or warning blinkers for traffic jams so you can break or reduce speed in time) and always do your best to not inconvenience other drivers (going for an overtake when there's clearly a faster car approaching from the rear, narrowly merging in front of trucks triggering their emergency breaking systems, acting like a macho because you have a fast car, road raging etc.). Try not to cut across 2 lanes at once, and always use blinkers to signal your intent (blinking doesn't give you the right to switch lanes, it just gives others an information that you would like to move left or right, switching can only be done when safe to do so). When passing, always accelerate, do not keep the same speed since you will just inconvenience traffic, do not go to pass someone if there is clearly a faster car behind you. If there's someone faster than you approaching in the left lane and you're in the left lane overtaking a row of cars in the middle lane, it is better for you to slow down, merge into the middle lane, let him pass and resume the passing once he's clear. Be very concentrated when driving on the autobahn (if you need to do something meticulous, it's best to pull up in a rest stop and do it there then move on), driving fast comes with heavy responsibility, be very aware of all signs even all directional signs and be aware of all other participants in traffic (trucks, vans, trailers) and know what rules apply for them as well so you're able to accommodate for how they need to drive. In case of a traffic jam, always do the Rettungsgasse (left lane cars stay as close left to the median as possible, middle and right lane cars and trucks go on the emergency stop lane and the right most lane, this is to leave a clear corridor in the middle for emergency vehicles to pass). Look at how others are driving around you, if everyone is driving fast but your keeping 80 after passing a construction zone, you might have missed the sign nullifying that speed limit. Some signs have hour intervals when they apply (like noise speed limits around cities being between 22pm and 6am), some signs apply only to some lanes or to roads that continue after driving off the autobahn (read bellow the signs if there are arrows), in other words be aware and informed of all driving signs. Driving without a purpose is actually forbidden (environmental rules, but it's hard to check). Driving with the flow of traffic gets you to your destination fast and on time. Driving fast and irresponsible will not get you to your destination faster, it will only give your family extra costs to buy a coffin. These are just some of the things and reasons why driving school and getting your license is more expensive and more strict in Germany and other European countries as well. There are countless other driving do's and dont's regarding city driving and other roads as well.
Thanks, Andrei for your input, and highlighting some more things to be aware of. Your salient point of always being aware of the traffic in front of you and behind you is very important. I frequently check my rear view mirror to be aware of the amount of traffic around me, and whether or not it is wise to pass in that moment. Often times, I wait to pass because I can see that a much faster car is coming up. The speed difference makes them catch up quickly! You are right, one must be very concentrated to drive on the Autobahn! Best greetings from Bavaria!
@@TomsDoItYourself I hope I didn't make it sound like a critique to your driving or anything, I just wanted to write some extra things out for the people in the comments. I just came back to my home in NRW from Bavaria. Greetings from Aachen and I really do hope people in Bavaria start using their blinkers more often :D hahaha
Hey there Andrei, no offense taken at all! I really do appreciate your taking the time to write out everything you did. Safety is very important! Take care, and safe travels!
@@TomsDoItYourself By the way it is technically illegal to keep going on the emergency lane if you can't merge. But to reduce the risk of accidents almost all driving instructors and the german automobile club recommend it. Just be aware that you can get a ticket if the officer is having a bad day and needs to vent his frustration. A sane person wouldn't fine you for it.
Love the videos Tom. Just one TIP about the 20sec rule for anyone not familiar with it or the Autobahn. The rule must be interpreted as: MAX 20 sec. There are states (NRW for example) where you are eligible for a ticket for not driving on the right from the 20sec mark. Rule of thumb: From 10sec gap: move to the right (or earlier). But start making that manoeuvre at the latest within 20sec. 20 sec is very long and one would by then already possibly have unnecessarily been blocking or obstructing traffic coming from behind many hundreds of meters away. Someone driving at 250km/h will have to judge traffic 250m and further up the road. There's always someone faster coming! Keep those vids coming Tom
Yes, I’m afraid that I didn’t directly perceive the stop sign, seeing as I was coming oblong towards it from the other parking lot. I won’t miss it next time, though!
Heh I am Portuguese living in Germany. In my country speed limits at 120 km/h, so that has been my standard my while life. I ride motorcycle now, and even though my bike is not that super fast bike, it maxes out at 200 km/h. One time I had a super fun feeling. Was doing 200 on the left lane, and for some reason I decided to go to the right lane and drive slower. So I did and rode the rest of the journey at 150 on the right lane, realizing that even though I was one of the "slow vehicles" on the German Autobahn, I was riding faster than the fast cars in Portuguese highways!
Dang Julia, that is fast! Especially in the 70's, right? I met a dude yesterday in Rosenheim with a BMW M6 F06, who said he can drive 280kmh top speed. That's screamin', but not that much more that the 240 you did in the 70's.
I lived and worked in Germany for 17 years, from 1957 to 1974. My home office was in Koeln, but my major customers were either in Hamburg (Lufthansa) or in the Muenchen area (BMW Aircraft Engines, MBB aircraft) I had a 220 Mercedes as a company car; and my Porsche 356B convertible. I'd get on the Autobahn, get the Porsche up to a comfortable 160 /170 kmH and cruise at that speed, for hours, to my destinations. My favorite rental cars were BMWs, that also cruised effortlessly at those speeds.
Thanks for your input, Conbert. Those were certainly different times, with less traffic, and with different cars. These days, my Hyundai i30 can cruise pretty comfortably at 160, but I guess back then you needed a very fancy car to do that 😉 I recently rented a BMW to drive to Koblenz, and that was a treat :-)
The big danger in those days were German trucks with a four wheeled trailer doing 50 kmH. If they pulled out from the right lane to pass another truck that was doing 47.6 kmH, it was like a tractor doing a 90 degree turn into your lane, and your second lane was almost totally blocked. I used to give me American visitors lectures about never, never pass German trucks with more than about a 20 kmH speed differential. In 1956 I was driving an Austin-Healey doing about 90 MPH when such a truck pulled out to pass another truck. I didn't have enough space to brake, I got through the ever diminishing space in my lane by the skin of me teeth. It made a believer out of me; and I needed a change of underwear.
@@conbertbenneck49 Oh boy, that sounds like a crazy story! Good thing it ended well. I would have needed a change of underpants, too! By the way, it is pretty neat to hear about what driving back in the 50's on the Autobahn was like. I suppose the traffic was much less back then, even if they had fewer lanes?
In those days, the Auobahn only had two lanes in each direction. The average person didn't own a car. With the trucks - limited to 50 kmH driving in the right lane, - the faster cars were in the left lane. The problem was if the truck suddenly turned to get in the left lane so he could pass a slower truck, he closed the gate on you very suddenly. Living in Koeln, my colleagues who both owned Porsches and I would declare a sunny Wednesday the afternoon to go to the Nurburg Ring and chase each other around the Ring for a few laps. Our wives were the copilots - navigators. If you go there, let me warn you to drive VERY CAREFULLY because the whole Ring is laid out to be very treacherous. You'll come up a small hill, and as you reach the top the road will either go to the right or left / sharply, or in a long sweeping curve. But you get no visual warning until you are there; now what?. Everything is green. There are no houses, buildings, signs or anything so that you know where you're at and what the next corner will be. Wreckers standing by, do a great business with people that think they are Formula-1 drivers and wrap their cars around a tree. I've put in plenty of Ring laps, but there is no way I'd try and drive faster. It's a very tricky course.
Yes, I can imagine that. These days, the semis also pull into the middle lane to pass while climbing hills, but luckily there is more space now with the leftmost lane. I have never driven a Porsche before, but that might be fun to put on the bucket list. I will likely never do the Nürnberg Ring though - I do not like going too fast - I prefer lower risk pasttimes ;)
Maybe explain that when causing an accident above the adviced 130km/h, you are always liable, even when not at fault. The liability increases the futher you exceed the advisory. Let me add; my top experience was Tilburg > Korbach in 3 hours. (310km). Top speed: 236 km/h. That is including all landstrasse and inner city travel and abiding the 130km speedlimit in the Netherlands. Cruised about 200km/h from Dortmund until Diemelstadt with alomost no traffic.
As a German, I can't resist to give further unasked lectures: Keep a distance to cars before you on the same lane. It's half the km/h speed in meters, i.e. if you are driving 140 km/h, you have to stay 70 meters away from the car before you. If somebody enters your lane before you at a shorter distance, you have 5 or 10 seconds to fix that. To have an idea about the distance, the white poles to the right of the street are 50 meters away from each other. If you violate that rule (which can happen quite easily on a crowded autobahn), you will receive a fine and an infraction point which last for a year or two if no further ones are collected. Too many infraction points --> license revoked for a few months. Passing somebody at the right is regarded as a severe violation of traffic rules and you will lose your license for a few weeks or months. Exception: If the traffic situation doesn't allow otherwise, like when it's very crowded. No exception: Some idiot is blocking the left lane, so you cannot pass him. It's advised not to pass cars at a much higher speed (by more than 30 km/h, I think) because it's very startling for the others. It's not explicitely forbidden, but if you do so and it leads to an accident, you are regarded as partially being in fault of the consequences, even if it was the action of the other one that led to the accident.
Hello Krischan, Thank you very much for your comments! I think that is interesting to hear, because I often see people in the speed lane really tailgating others. So they certainly don’t keep enough space in between themselves and the next car. Good thing that I don’t pass people on the right! I didn’t realize how severe the fine is. It’s also interesting to hear that it is generally not allowed to pass somebody up at a higher difference of 30 km/h. I’ve gotten passed up going 160 km/h , by cars doing around 250 kmh. It is for me quite a shock, and I can imagine for older people even more so.
Most of the rules are the common sense of driving. For keeping the distance I was tought to keep 2 seconds or 4 seconds "distance in time" from the car in front, depending on speed, road condition, weather. Overtaking from the right is forbidden (people don't expect that, so they might not check right mirror and move to right). As a romanian, used with much worst roads, whenever I drive in Germany it feels very relaxing. Especially, I like that, not the speed limits are enforced the most, but the "correct behavior" (no tailing, no overtaking on the right, no aggresive high beam flashes to give way, etc). For me it makes more sense to sanction these instead of a stupid speed limit excess with 10 -20 km/h....
@@mihaitod9354 Hey there Mihai, I once drove in Romania, too! I was visiting a friend in Arad, and we went to Timisoara too. I can imagine, that driving in Germany is more tranquil than in Romania, for sure. I also feel like the behavior of driving here for the most part is quite good, but you still do occasionally get the frantic guy behind you, flashing his brights and riding your butt, if you are in his passing lane. I only use the passing lane for passing, but sometimes there's a longer row of slower cars on the right, that takes a while to overtake. Anyway, thanks for your perspective, and safe driving! 👍🏻
@@TomsDoItYourself - Well, *not true* . If overtaken on your left there’s no restriction. If overtaken on your right, bc your lane is jamming but the one to your right isn’t, the drivers to your right shouldn’t overtake you faster as 30Km/h so they are able to react once you/someone wants to "jump" to the right. HTH
Nice video, not overloaded with information, easy to understand an to follow. You could've explained the 300m rule at the end a bit better: Before any exit there are 3 blue signs with white diagonnal stripes: 3 white stripes mean you're 300m before the exit, 2 white stripes = 200m and 1 white stripe = 100m before the exit.
Tom, the 365B Porsche was the hot-rodded version of a Beetle. In 1957. I ordered the "hot" one that had 75 HP (the VW Beetle had 29 HP), a friend of mine who lived in Paris got the red hot 356B Porsche that 90 HP!!!! He wanted Michelin tires, which Porsche couldn't supply so we drove from Stuttgart to Strasbourg; bought the Michelin tires, and managed to drive back to Stuttgart with five new tires in a two-seater Austin-Healey. Later, Jack and I chased each other around the map of Europe; I in my Austin-Healey and he in his 90 HP Porsche.
Hey there Conbert, wow that sounds like quite the road trip! Five tires in a sporty two seater must’ve looked funny. 29 hp only in the beetle? That’s crazy. Even my Lupo had twice that amount. Plus, the cars were heavier back than weren’t they? Was that Porsche 356 a fast car with 75hp?
I have never driven in US highways, however YT is providing a glimpse of American driving routine and skills. I don't wish to drive on the American highways, it seems like chaos for my European taste. Common aspects for the US driver that I noted: no respect for the rules and others , self awareness is close to zero, lack of common sense is wide and the self entitlement that conducts to a very special habit like "brake check" (is unheard-of on European roads, except UK). Maybe that is because the driving license is obtain in US way too easy and the driving lessons are done with parents mostly and not on a proper driving school.
Hey Sorin, well I do find that driving in the USA is more relaxed than in Germany, since there is a speed limit, and most people just drive with the flow. There are people who brake check if someone is riding them too hard, and yes that is dangerous! But, we do have driving lessons of course. It takes three months to complete. I passed on my first try, but many kids I can remember also failed and had to take the test 2-3 times. Thanks for your perspective, and have a good day!
@@TomsDoItYourself brake checking in the left lane because someone wants to go faster your saying should be normal?? You should never drive on German autobahn, most drivers who hog middle lane in Germany are tourists from Canada, U.S. and Australia
@@TomsDoItYourself so why you are defending brake checking in the left lane?? Try to hog left lane in Germany and post an video do it and post video. I'll be waiting video from you hogging left lane on German autobahn
American guy with a German accent. It stands to reason, therefore, that you've lived there for a bit. Because you have an accent. I love driving on the Autobahn when I'm visiting there. And I love this video.
Very good Video to understand the Rules on the German Autobahn for Foreigners! 👍 Many may think that it must be scary if there is no Speed Limit, but you can drive very safely and relaxed on the Highway! Some drive fast, others slower, but the regulations make it all work really well! (Other European Countries also have these Rules so it's not foreign to them on the German Autobahn and so most Drivers also comply with these Rules!) But of course, there are Idiots everywhere, even occasionally on German Highways!
That white car is a "Mittelspurschleicher"... you often have such mor**** that block traffic flow by simply staying on the middle lane forever. I hate those... As a German I'm a regular Autobahn user. In some years I've travelled more then 40,000 km only on Autobahn. The fasted I went on the Autobahn is about the classic 250 km/h with my BMW. Most cars are technical blocked to go any faster. Only with some special cars with "offener Endgeschwindigkeit" you can go faster.
Oh dang! 250kmh is really fast! I have a newer car that I feel comfortable going 160kmh, but not faster -- I am definately not a speed demon. I used to have an old Lupo, and with that thing I didn't feel really safe faster than 120kmh.
@@TomsDoItYourself Yeah, that greatly depends on the car you have. My first car was a Opel Kadett (Opel was a GM branch at that time). Top speed of that car was also 160km/h. With speeds above 140 km/h there was a rattling and shaking in some parts. So you really don't feel comfortable to go that speed. But with those cars build to go higher speeds it is no problem, you even feel "secure". My mum and dad both hated fast driving. My mother just felt uncomfortable and my dad used to curse. I once went with them on a trip to Dresden. At some point we went about 230 km/h. Neither my dad complained/cursed nor did my mother feel uncomfortable. But at that moment I didn't tell them the speed we were going. As we had arrived safely I spoke to my mother and asked her: "Did you notice we went way beyong 200 km/h?" She was astonished and declined. So yeah, there are many, many cars that can go fast, but you really don't want to. In my first car I couldn't have enough duct tape. ;) There was always that feeling it will fall apart soon. Even in my Ford or Toyota going really fast felt kind of strange. The Ford started vibrating like hell and at speeds above 180 km/h the hood was vibrating so hard... at first I thought it will be blown away. Also the Toyota was no great feeling in higher speed. IF you want to test >200 speed... try to rent a BMW, Audi, Mercedes or something like that for a day. You'll notice the difference... you'll hardly notice the speed.
Hey Lars, I can relate to that experience. When driving the Lupo, it was so loud above 120kmh, that I could hardly listen to the radio. It just vibrated, and did not feel too safe. I did rent a BMW once, a 318i, and drove to Koblenz. Now that was a fun experience! I feel safer at 160khm in my i30 than in the previous cars we had, however I do know that the nice BMWs and Mercedes make cars even much better suited for the fast driving. Maybe I'll rent something cool and try it out again, when I have a long distance to travel ;)
@@larsschmitt3826 Opel is no longer GM. Opel now belongs to Stellantis which is a new formed group for automobiles by merging PSA (Peugeot) and Fiat-Chrysler.
@@dj1rst At my time, I had my last Opel 20 years ago, they were GM. After that they also belonged to PSA for a while. I've corrected my sentence to "at that time".
As a fresh certified driving instructor with over 20 years of driving experience from germany i must say, there are so many many many things told wrong in this video!!! 0:13 1: according to the ADAC (germanys tripe A) we had under 57% of the autobahn without speed limits in 2019 and will be less in the future in cause of the "green government". 3. the fatality rate is so much less, cause we have much more rules and more specific driving licenses. and on top, you have to spend much more time in driving schools, you have to do at least 12 doubles lessons in class (not in the car, 90 minutes each in a class with other students and a certified teacher / instructor, doing worksheet after worksheet) and 15 double lessons of driving with an instructor next to you, containing 4 on the autobahn, 3 at night, 4 on specific countryside. the instructor next to you who has an additional pair of gas and brake pedals to drive the car from the passenger seat when the student isnt able to. 4. We do not use concrete on surfaces of our roads! there are some few one where still new asphalts / concretes / tars are getting tested, but most of it is a special, semipermeable tar - that sadly do crack in winter on roads with very high amount of traffic. 1:00 3. you also are not allowed to change lanes when the traffic behind you is faster then you, this is why you have to doublecheck by law before merging everywhere. this is something very much people nowadays sadly forget, but if the traffic security cams or the cops see that, it could get expensive. the more left you drive, the faster you want to / will drive, left lane ist known as the fast lane or overtake lane. actually the footage we see is a bit special, cause we do have shoulders on the right side at about 90% of the autobahn, but never on the left side, just like exits or entrys, never left, ever right. the guy we driving with does the rechtfahrgebot wrong, cause the middle is not for using it continuously, it has the same rechtsfahrgebot rule like any other lane. an overtake maneuver must be fully done within about 45 seconds by law and is there no next car right after / within 20 seconds, you have to merge right! you doing it wrong at 2:50! but as you can see at 3:40, this is a common problem. in general, it dosent matter if there are 2, 3, 4 or 5 lanes, every lane has the same rights and the same rules, if no traffic signs are telling different things. 6:36 this blue sign with the 3 diagonal bars telling you, that you are 300 meters away from your exit, so this is the time to use your turning signal. next sign got 2 bars, so its 200 meters from the exit away. pretty empty autobahn as well. 7:40 yes, and thats the reason so many people fall asleep behind the wheel if you like dont have to do a thing. you really get used to it, because its not really that hard!
I can still remember a ride in the back seat of a Citroën CX Pallas in the 80's. We drove in four and a half hours from Berlin in Germany to Helmond in the Netherlands. If you take the plane, it will take you longer.
@@TomsDoItYourself You saw that correctly. But Google adheres to the speed limit. As a passenger in such a Citroën CX Pallas you have no idea of the speed you are driving.
Ahhh the Citroen CX with its active oleopneumatic suspension. The road holding of a BMW and the comfort of an American luxo barge. Can't beat it. System was licensed to be used in some Rolls Rolls's and Mercedes.
I've driven both on the I10 and I17 when I stayed in Tempe, AZ. It was sometimes chaotic and sometimes absolutely boring to the extend I could fall asleep. Driving fast keeps me on my toes because there's no room for error. The adrenalin prevents me from falling asleep.
Hmm 🤔 never thought about it that way. I suppose you do have to be on the ball at all times when driving fast, which would keep one awake. How many lanes does the I10 have?
So glad to have found you! Subscribed and currently binging your channel. I’m a Bavarian, currently living in Colorado. You’re right about driving on the Interstate, but I do wish that the speed limits would be higher for cars and slower for trucks and cars with trailers! That’s one thing I miss about home… the speeds we’re allowed to drive on the Autobahn. Here in the US, there are thousands of miles that don’t lead through cities… let’s speed it up so we can get to the FAAAAAAAAAR away destinations faster! Another thing I miss is the “Blitzer” … getting pulled over in the US is nerve wrecking, (especially for people of color). Plus it TAKES SO FREAKING LONG. I know when I speed… so I’d rather get my ticket in the mail 🤣😂🤣😂🤣. Oh and one last thing… what is it with Americans not being able to use the acceleration lane to speed up and fall into traffic?!?!? Why do SO MANY STOP in the acceleration lane? Never stop in an acceleration lane! Um Herrgotts Willen!
Hey Susanne, that's awesome, thanks for joining the channel! I am glad to have reached someone who is in the reverse position to me 😉 Yes, that is right about the speed limits in the states - the trucks can go as fast as the cars, although many people in cars to speed much faster than trucks. AND, at least in the Midwest they have recently raised the speed limits to 70-75 mph on some highways, which is pretty fast. I generally go 9 mph over the limit, and set the cruise control, so 80mph is pretty quick (130 kmh). I totally agree that getting blitzed is a better experience than getting pulled over by the police. That is NOT fun, takes a lot of time, and sometimes they write you other tickets as well. PLUS, the speeding tickets are WAY more expensive in the USA. I haven't seen anyone stop in the acceleration lane, but one time someone blew me into the median because they didn't check their blindspot. That sucked!
@@TomsDoItYourself I do the same thing… speed limit in CO is 75 mph and I too drive 9 mph above that.., but it’s gotten me pulled over a couple of times before 🤦🏻♀️. I wish I could go up to 95 mph in some areas. And yes! Someone stopped I. The acceleration lane to merge onto the interstate before and it very frequently happens when people make a right turn at a large intersection onto a double lane road that has an acceleration lane … and they simply stop after making the right turn, instead of speeding up in order to be able to fall into traffic. It drives me mad. LOL
well as a german i used the autobahn quite a bit, it mostly is quite nice if you arnt stuck behind some middle lane hoggers or behind some trucks for many km cause one cant overtake the other...and about crazy storys? almost rear ended some ferrari wich well is a fast car, was driving maybe 75mph and merging into the left lane, probably without looking behind as i came flying with about 120mph and had to break hard and shortly lost sight of his number plate...
I love the illustration to that you must keep to the right (1:53 and 3:00) while hogging the middle lane! :-) I drive to the Alps every year (except 2020 obviously) and immediately I thought "Isn't that the A8 from Munich towards Salzburg?" Yep, it was! This is a rather old part of the Autobahn with unusually sharp curves and thus a lot of speed limits. I have only tried the US interstate once, a long time ago, but I find the Autobahn relaxing compared to my own country. I think the primary reason for this is that I don't have to worry about the speedometer, only the traffic. Also, I would really be upset if someone tries to pass me on the right, but I suppose that is habit as a European. When you drive on the Autobahn, you concentrate on driving. You don't fiddle around with other stuff like food, makeup, you-name-it but just drive. Oh, and take a break every now and then!
Haha, yes Christopher, but at least I admitted in post production that I could have shifted lanes earlier. It is something that I need to pay more attention to, also while driving in the states. I recently found out that even in the USA, you are supposed to use the left lane only for passing, but this has never been enforced, nor does it seem to be common knowledge for everyone. I think it is probably accurate, that passing only on the left, and allowing faster traffic to use the left lanes contributes to safer European roads. BUT, I have never put on make up while driving! ;) Oh and by the way, my car tells me to take a break now and again...it is part of the safety features of the i30, and I bought the car mainly for the good safety features it offers. Cheers!
No way I just found a "random" video of you talking about the german Autobahn suggested to me because some "random" person I didnt know reacted to it. I only knew you from Toms Coffee Corner...crazy
One of the funniest things I've seen (Clearly, I didn't do it too) was halfway down Irshenberg , so three quarters of the way through your video. There was a huge traffic jam (stau) and people had decided to exit the autobahn to avoid it as the traffic was going nowhere. They decided to leave across the farmer's field! Very noticeable is there's now a fence so it's no longer possible.
Oh my goodness, that’s crazy! It’s hard to imagine people doing that, but I guess if one person starts than others might follow. Thanks for your comment 😊
Merging is a bit tricky.. Especially in this video.. So small merging lane... Question.. If right lane is too busy while merging.. What's right behavior?
You have to accelerate up/down to the speed of those to your left, don’t stop at the end of the merging lane go on until you’re able to merge (but keep in mind that a broken car could block the road in front of you). Those to the left will (normally) create a gap for you to get in.
I drive a BMW ALPINA B10 V8 (E39 5-series based) and would aim to cruise between 200 and 230km/h although I have reached ~265km/h, just from curiosity. I expect to be passed quite frequently. I find the Autobahn much less stressful than British or Dutch motorways due to the excellent lane discipline. I try to avoid toll roads unless I'm in a hurry. BTW, you stay left far too long after passing!
Hey there Murray, thanks for sharing! That's pretty eye opening, that even you get passed up frequently, going that fast! I have recently reached 170kmh as a max speed, and that was plenty fast for me, in my i30. I suppose I'd feel more secure in a nice BMW or Mercedes. Yes, thanks for the tip. After having made this video, and reading all the comments, I have realized things I had not been observing correctly, and have since adjusted my driving discipline. I guess for that reason, it is a good thing I made this video. Thanks for your feedback!
Can we please have a video on what it would take to drive your american car in germany? im going to try and bring my car to germany for the Nurburgring and dont know what to do
These are the basic rules of most countries and UK are very similar and have very high standards of highway quality and maintenance. I e driven cars in many countries in this world and the US are one of the worse for under passing via the slower lanes. But I believe it’s a mix of poor knowledge and understanding of how the highway works. I’m so glad that the stats show that higher speeds don’t necessarily mean more traffic collisions. If anything it likely means more alert for danger and follow the rules!
You also need to fully use the merging lane and can’t just merge into the autobahn when there is enough room and then speed up. The merging lane is used to speed up or slow down and find the right spot.
Is it true that in Germany, if there's a break down in the middle lane, people in the right lane will stop completely as to avoid cars flying by on both sides?
I want to try driving on the autobahn one of these days. Right around when I turned 40 I hit my fastest speed of 210 km/h(130 mph) on US 54 in Kansas. I am not sure if I could do 250+ km/h(155÷ mph). My 210 km/h(130 mph) felt really fast to me. Back in April of 2019 I went on a joyride on I-135 near Wichita, KS. I actually averaged 165 km/h(103 mph) over a period of 10 to 15 mins. It is risky and I do not want to get caught by a state trooper.
@Tom Come and drive in Romania then You will love the German Autobahn. I love it it is much more respect for the orher parcipants in the trafic. An i have drove 240K/h all the way down to 60 km/h when there where construction sites but almost always you are moving. Nice clip Thanks !
The best car to pick is obviously the most sporty looking Ferrari you can find, so you can occupy the right lane at a solid 120kph for the entire drive.
@@ZenoDovahkiin I have never driven one, but I am still sympathetic to them. Also, I used to drive a Lupo, and I just love how they can sneak into little parking spots, and zoom around roundabouts!
Use the autobahn every day , always funny when coming off and driving on normal roads, especially inside cities, it feels like walking speed. Overall everything works great, I love it.
Sure thing Kerleem, that would be very cool! You can go ahead and link this video, or Part II, if you want. Let me know if I can do anything else to help. Have a good weekend, and stay cool over there in the Netherlands 🇳🇱.
@@Kerleem Awesome, Kerleem! Thanks for the shout-out. I already watched, liked, and commented on your video. I wasn't aware that the Autobahns may have limited speeds due to environmental concerns...that would be a game changer, and a lot of people would be upset, I bet!
France is horrific re tolls! My Shelby GT500 has no speed limiter, so I hit 200 MPH+ (322+kph), the roads are so smooth you don't have the sensation that you are driving that fast. On average I usually drove between 130 to 170 MPH, that is the sweet sport for m gas mileage.
In Germany, that interpretation of passing is funny. There you shouldn't drive along the right lane past anyone, while here in Finland it's allowed if you don't change from the left lane to the right. In the Nordic countries, you can pass the traffic on the left along the right lane and it does not count as passing. For passing, it is only counted if you drive on the left and change to the right lane to pass. There are 2 different terms used here: Overtaking and driving past which mean completely different things. Overtaking means that you change lanes to pass another vehicle. On the other hand, passing means that you stay in your own lane and do not change lanes. Passing is then also allowed from the right and there is no need to slow down or brake due to the speed of the traffic on the left. Admittedly, even though I live in Germany, I drive past in the right lane and I don't brake, even if the traffic on the left moves slower, I keep my speed constant.
you shouldn't drive past cars to the left of you because you might be blocking them from trying to reach the exit, which is almost exclusively on the far right. If every single car on the right was driving past this would cause problems. It's best not to pass them and allow them the possibility to move right, otherwise you're creating stress on the road.
@@catvideis We say that if you know where you are going to leave the highway, you have to choose the lane in time. It's called anticipation. It's completely stupid if you drive in the left or middle lane all the way to the end and then there's no room to exit. You can find the culprit when you look in the mirror.
Questions? What would you like to see next about cars/driving in Germany/Europe? Write into the comment section below! Thanks so much for joining me on this excursion on the Bavarian Autobahn and country roads.
@@ianwilson6417 Hello there Ian, thanks for your suggestion! I did in fact just make a video with the "rettungsgasse" in it. Feel free to check it out:) ua-cam.com/video/9glMde1-Swc/v-deo.html
I had driving lessons at the Autobahn yesterday, it was stressful because I need to keep on watching my speed the car behind me as well as changing the lane from right to left then change again from left to right with maximum speed of 130KPH only.
Yes, I suppose that would be stressful, especially if you cannot drive faster than 130, and if you are new to it too. Cars coming from behind at 250kmh will catch up very quickly to 130kmh... Thanks for your comment, and good luck on your driving test!
Hi. Saw that silver VW van with "BAG" in big letters? They observe the trucker paying the toll. Sometimes it's allowed to go faster on the right, than on the left lane. You'll find out.
Yes, I thought that was a police 👮♀️ van. Do you mean the truckers need to pay a toll? Because normal cars 🚙 don’t as far as I know. Thanks for your comment!
@@TomsDoItYourself the bag (bundesamt für güterverkehr) is a federal force but only controling shipping. so thats why they look very close to the police.
And yes, trucks or any vehicle used to transport goods with more then (I think) 7.5 tons needs to pay toll on German Autobahn and many Bundesstraßen. Those tolls are calculated electronicly by an on board device using GPS and such. So the BAG check cars pull up right to a truck and can check that on board device by a short range remote control. The toll is directly deducted from an account the truck is registered on. Passenger cars remain toll free so far in Germany.
Hey, that is a cool piece of information, thanks for that! I didn't know the semis had to pay a toll, but it makes sense since they wreak more havoc on the streets than normal PKWs.
If someone is stubbornly staying on the left lane you can pass right, but not more than 5-10 kmh faster. It may also happen that in a heavy traffic situation the left lanes are slower, there is absolute nothing to worry about if you pass on the right when swimming in traffic that is slowed down.
Yes, I have heard that in congested traffic you can move past other cars on the right. You really don’t have any other choice. But I’m not sure if there is a way to determine at what point somebody becomes a “left lane hogger.”
@@TomsDoItYourself Ok lets frame it differently, because overtaking on the right is only allowed in very distinct situations. Passing a left lane hogger is not allowed, you get 1 penalty point and a fine of about 100€. As mentioned, when the left lane is slow because of traffic jam OR is below 60 kmh for other reasons, you can pass with max 20 kmh faster. Thats what is legal. Following is no advice, its my personal experience (20 years driving) and aproach, and most people i know do it in similar ways. If i close up on the right lane and someone is sitting on the left lane who is slower than me and not faster than 120 and the right lane is free far ahead, and there is no third lane further to the left, i just stay on the righ lane, and pass carefully. But i would not slow down to the speed like the left lane hogger and just sit there helpless like an bunny. Of course you check if a police car is behind you, and if that is the case you wait until the police did something about it. Actually on time police just passed on the right themselves and i decided to follow them. In my experience police often is not very eager to engage if there is no harm for anybody. But be carefull, i had many conversations with police and this is what i learned. If they can turn a blind eye, or like they would say, they just didnt see anything, they let you get away with such minor things. But if you let them no choise but to see you doing something wrong they follow exactly the rules.
@@madrooky1398 Hey there Mad Rooky, thanks for the clarification. It is interesting also what you say about the police turning a blind eye to a minor infraction. Where I come from in the USA, the police are always looking for ways to give tickets out, especially to teenagers. Any minor infraction will be fined, and they actively look for people doing things wrong, such as underage smoking, drinking, speeding, and so on. It was so annoying. The police here are very much more relaxed, and you almost NEVER see them patrolling, like in the USA. I am thinking of doing a video about this in the future.
@@TomsDoItYourself It is definitely a huge difference and worth a video. I studied differences in crime rates, fatality rates and all these things, there are almost no similarities. But i cant say anything about real experience in the US. But i believe there are two major factors, which are guns and the culture of punishment. Good luck making a video, its certainly not an easy topic. :)
@@TomsDoItYourself And i want to share one story because you said how police was looking actively for minor infractions. I grew up in a home for children, and when i was 15, i just started an aprenticeship, it was kinda normal almost everyone was smoking, smoking weed, drinking alcohol. And we got this attendant in our group, he was a sergeant from the Bundeswehr, he was that typical german stereotype of a rule obeying person. Unflexible and annoying. lol One evening this sergeant dude had his night shift, my room mate and i went out to smoke a joint. Normally we would stay inside for that, only openeing a window, but this guy... you know. But he followed us, hiding behind trees, and when he smelled weed he went back and called the police. And that is where the fun starts. When we returned we were obviously quite high, and this guy was waiting for us with a very serious face, telling us we were in trouble now, police is coming for us. We laughed but followed him in his duty room and waited. Two officers showed up, they started to interview us seperately and made protocolls. I for myself was completely honest, i told how we smoked a joint, how high i am, how funny all that is. And the police was all professional, they aksed, listened, wrote the stuff down, then finally thanked me and sent me out. From outside then we could hear the following convo between the police and the sergeant, they asked him what he thinks they have to attend this evenening, if he believes theres nothing really important they would have to take care of. And that he should think twice before he is about to waste the time of the police next time. I mean that is not a normal case. This place was known for young adults doing stuff like this, it was in a small village, the police was coming over from a bigger town some kilometers away. But the fact is, the police couldnt have done anything than writing a report. They are not allowed to write fines for such things, that has to be done by a judge or prosecutor, and they would almost certainly drop such a case, because of "Geringfügigkeit". How i love this word. It translates to "marginality", and it is used in many minor infractions especially about drugs and young people. And that is such a case how i got to know the police. I have plenty different stories from my youth. I quite like encounters with law enforcement, i learned that they are mostly professionals and i respect them. I believe they can sense that after a few words and so i never have trouble.
Tom, another anecdote from bygone days: The MTU management had Mercedes sedans and drivers. Our VP Engineering got tired of BMWs passing him on the Autobahn so, being a former Mercedes employee, he asked his old buddies about hot-rodding his company car. They said, "Bring your car to Stuttgart, and we'll make a few mods". When his car had been modified, the game on the Autobahn now was, being passed by a BMW; he tells his driver to show the BMW who owned the Autobahn; the Mercedes accelerated, passing the BMW, at a speed that no BMW could match. Chalk up another Mercedes win over a BMW!
Whoa, that is a cool story, Conbert! Funny to think of the rivalry back then, and I bet it still exists today. I wonder which manufacturer is held in higher regard today among car enthusiasts? I see a ton of Beamers on the roads, but a good amount of Mercedes too. Thanks for posting! Oh by the way, did you see my second video? I think the second one turned out better than the first: ua-cam.com/video/9glMde1-Swc/v-deo.html Wishing you a great start to your week!
@@TomsDoItYourself Tom, there is intense rivalry between BMW and Mercedes. Back in the late '50s when I was driving My 356 Porsche, the joke among Porsche drivers was - When you buy a Mercedes you get automatic "Vorfahrt's Recht", and many Mercedes drivers drove that way. Remember, in those days, Mercedes had a Renn Abteilung. That was probably where the AMG Division originated. I'll bet that even today, Companies buy Mercedes or BMW and stick with their choices.
@@conbertbenneck49 Wow, that 356 looks pretty cool for a car from 1948. For comparison, my dad had a 1948 De Soto, and I thought that was pretty neat, but this is of course a different league. Is that right, that the 356 is the first series car that Porsche made? Hmm, if I had to choose right now between a BMW and a Mercedes, I think I'd take the former, since I do not know much about the latter. I bet they are both awesome cars though. I drove a 318i once from Rosenheim to Koblenz, and that was pretty sweet. I think you're right that people make a choice, and stick to their decisions here. People seem to be relatively brand loyal, in my estimation. Thanks for your comment, and have a good one, Conbert!
Great educational video for your fellow Americans. - Thank you! :) I was just going to say that it's a lot more fun to drive on the American Interstate (at least most of the time), unless there is a lot of traffic, or two interstates merge into one, then you gotta watch out, because "Americans" don't pay much attention to other cars, and forget to check for blinds spots, and simply pull over... Lol. At least Utahn drivers are famous for that. 😂 Sometimes it's even so empty that you can flip a u - ie, when you missed your exit, because the next one can be many MANY miles away.. Lol. I lived in Salt Lake City and when driving on Interstate 80 it was so relaxing, so I can totally relate. 😂
Hey there Witty, yes I can imagine that the roads out there in Utah must be SUPER empty. I mostly drove around the Midwest, where we don't have much traffic either. Just in Chicago - that traffic sucks! And yes you are right, sometimes people don't check their blindspots. I had a rude awakening when i was 17 on I-43, driving south towards Milwaukee. Someone just pulled from the right lane into the passing lane, without checking their blind spot, and ran me right INTO the median! That was not cool. Now, whenever I am in someone's blindspot, I have developed the reflex to put my hand on the horn, ready to beep, in case they don't check. Luckily, this only happened that one time. But, I still just love the peaceful drive on the interstate, going north to Green Bay, just cruising and enjoying the farmland scenery. 🚜
@@TomsDoItYourself I've never been to Wisconsin, but it must be very beautiful... Especially the cold winter. :) I almost grew up in the States, but my parents backed out to immigrate last minute, when I was 2 years old, so the friend had to go by himself, and open that business they both planned to open, and became very successful. - We were going to move to Milwaukee. 🙂
@@witty2u Hey there Witty! Well, I appreciate your sentiment about Wisconsin. I love it there! But, the winters are awfully cold. I mean like so cold that you don't even wanna go outside for 5 minutes. That's when it's 40° below 0, and wind chill. But other than that, Wisconsin, and Milwaukee are great 👍🏻It's cool to hear that our paths may have nearly crossed in Wisconsin. 😉
@@witty2u Yes, I probably said a prayer of thanks, right after checking my drawers, haha. In all seriousness, it did impact how observant I am of other drivers on the freeway, that's for sure.
I will let others here answer that, as I am not sure of the specifics. I have avoided showing the license plates, and that is important. You will see thousands of other car videos on YT, just FYI.
@@TomsDoItYourself ok, I heard someone in another autobahn video say that and he too blurred out all the number plates and people, so just wondering. Germans are so disciplined.
@@SharkFishSF Well, most license plates are far enough away, that you cannot read them. The ones that can be easily read, like the end of the video, I blur. I don't want to cause anyone any trouble.
Unfortunately many drivers in the Netherlands think they are alone on the road, and game rules are only for others. I love to drive in Germany, Belgium and Luxemburg, drivers there are more relaxed.
Nice video, driving on the Autobahn can be nice, but it can also be very stressful (often). US highways are mostly much more relaxing (with the exception of a few crazy drivers).
Very true, Mr. Squirrel! I find too that driving in the US is relaxing, but you DO have to watch out for a few erratic drivers. Driving on the autobahn is stressful to me when there's just 2 lanes, because the right is too slow due to the semis, and the left is too fast due to the BMWs. 😂 Autobahns with 3 lanes though, are just fine. 👍🏻
@@TomsDoItYourself Sure, most european sportscars go faster than that. Many constructors limit their family cars to 250 km/h (like Mercedes or BMW) but you can opt to have the limiter removed, their suspension is safe to about 300 km/h anyway. Even smal suburban (european or japanese) cars are build to be safe to 200 km/h. Don't try this with american cars !!!
@@peterhuys2413 Oh man, I don't know about going that fast, even if the car is designed for it. I'd need a change of underwear if I ever drove that fast, lol.
Yeah, driving on the Autobahn can be stressful. But driving any vehicle in general should not be considered "relaxing". This is a huge part of why the fatility rate on the US highway is higher than on the Autobahn. You have to be awake and actively participate in driving. You relax at home or outside of the car, not while driving!
I don’t know if it’s just me, but I find driving on US interstates boring, as you just set your cc and then sit there and do nothing. It’s so easy to get distracted whilst driving and I saw constantly people driving around with their phones on. Where as here in Germany you constantly have to be alert about your surroundings and it keeps you more in focus on your driving.
It was a thrill driving on the Autobahn. I did very little passing on the left. Quite a few of the cars passed me "flying." Germany's roads are in better condition than the U.S.
Hey Barbara, yes you are right! I recently drove on I-43 in Wisconsin, and it is so bumpy! I almost forgot about that. And yes, it is a bit terrifying, to drive 160kmh, and have someone pass you by at 250khm! I try to stay right, unless there's non-stop semi trucks blocking the lane.
Tom, my 356B Porsche convertible could cruise effortlessly all day at 170 kmH. I owned Autobahns. The only things that passed me were 300SL Mercedes or a Ferrari and both of those were not produced in quantity, so I rarely had anybody on my tail blinking his lights at me. In the late '50's most cars had far less than 100 HP. The Porsche 911 was always in the forefront, upping the horsepower one model after another. Today's horsepower race is crazy from an engineering standpoint. Do I really have to have 500 HP to move two 175 pound people? Do I really have to get from 0 to 60 MPH in 4 seconds? The ultimate example of this is the Bugatti with 1000+ HP. Are your reflexes fast enough to be able to drive this car or is it just bragging rights; mine is faster than yours! When my friend and I were chasing each other around the map of Europe, you should have seen the races between fully loaded FIAT 500s in Italy. I've seen them tuck under the belly of a tank truck as they are trying to pass it on a hill, and traffic is suddenly coming from the opposite direction. It's all what you are used to in your driving area.
Hey Conbert, thank you for the school anecdotes! Some of the sequences sound like they come out of an action movie 👍🏻 Yes, I’m sure we don’t need so much horsepower, but people love it. I have a friend who will always supe up his cars to the point that they soon break due to the extra stress on the parts. 😆 170kmh must’ve been extremely fast, especially for back then. Did the cars have seatbelts back then? I know they didn’t have air bags yet.
@@TomsDoItYourself Well. Of course, I did not dive into data. I just have seen some really disturbing crash videos from dashcams on the Internet from the USA. People driving on Highways with whatever the mph speed limit there is, but high speeds, left lane simultaneously right lane - no lane switching at all. Then one comes faster and bum. Even more disturbing where the videos of US Highways where people just crashed full speed into the end of a jam because a) they didn't pay attention or b) they did not now about the danger ahead - didn't see it through the car in front. In at least the latter, there is a so easy solution. Why not using warning lights when seeing danger ahead, like we do in Europe? It's so easy and straight forward. You push one button in your car, your lights flash, the person behind gets to know oh shit something is wrong and then is prepared to brake extensively more than he would be prepared otherwise. It's like press one button and save lives.
Hey Rexi, you make some good points. Using the warning signal would be a good start. My dad always taught me to look ahead and pay attention to the brake lights of the cars in front of me, even through the windshields of the cars in between. That way, you always know when traffic is slowing. I also always know which cars are around me, because I keep an eye on my blind spot. Thanks for commenting!
My experience in USA was they are more relaxed both inner cities and interstates while in Germany car drivers are stressed because they all "have right" and the streets are for them only. If you drive watch your speedometer! You are fasterthan you think! - Cheers, Heinz
Hey Heinz, thanks for your comment. I can agree with that. Things are more relaxed in the states I feel...especially in areas with light traffic. Have a good one! -T
@@TomsDoItYourself - I was amazed even in areas with a lot of traffic. Like New York City, where most drivers were courteous and let others slip into traffic without any problems. German drivers can learn a lot about this.
Actually driving on the German Autobahn for me as a German is relaxing in comparison to US-American highways... For you it seems to be stressful coz you are not used to it. During your video there had been MANY occasions where you forgot about the rules! 😉
There are only 2 rules. 1: You must overtake the car in front. 2: If you cannot, for some inexplicable reason, overtake the car in front then you must get as close to it as possible.
@@TomsDoItYourself If you didn’t notice it yet there are distance cameras as well. They measure how far from cars you are. Since I’m from Poland where we don’t have such a devices and many people don’t respect that distance rule (including me. Yeah I know I’m a bad guy now) I already got that ticket from Brandenburg Police. So tailgating could be expensive 🤷🏼♂️
Und schon nach 16 Sekunden Video 0:16 ein Verstoss der einen Monat Fahrverbot in Deutschland bringt. Stopschild überfahren. An Stopschildern mit Haltelinie müssen alle Räder für min 2 Sekunden zum Stillstand kommen. Machen aber auch viele Deutsche nicht ... kurz langsamer werden oder wenn man vorher gestanden hat reicht da nicht. Bei kleinlichen Ordnungshütern kann das sehr unangenehm und vor allen teuer werden ;) Topspeed auf der Autobahn waren bei mir 250km/h aber auch für einen geübten Fahrer wird es so ab 160-180 Stressig da man ständig damit rechnen muss das jemand vor einen rauszieht und bei 250 wird die Zeit zum reagieren schon knapp. Da muss man voll konzentriert sein. Ist aber nur meine Erfahrung und mag Mancher anders sehen.
Hey big bag Wolf 🐺! Thank you for your comments. You are right, and it is in the same in America. One must come to a. Before proceeding. But I would say that 80% of people don’t do it either, unless they see a policeman nearby. It is hard to be 100% disciplined on that. But, in regards to the legality you are right. I’m happy to hear that even for an experienced driver like yourself, going over 160-180 km/h become stressful, too. One really needs to be watching for cars coming up from behind, and four slower cars pulling from the right into the middle or left lanes. Best wishes from Bavaria!
@@TomsDoItYourself I totally agree that the small speed differences in the US makes driving less stressful there. In Germany you have this mixture of speeders (180+km/h) and idiots whose mental grasp extends only as far as the front bumper of their car. Besides being selfish. A pretty explosive mixture. A recommendation: If you like going really fast then hire a Ring-Taxi on the Nuremburg Ring: ua-cam.com/video/x1X92jf8s-g/v-deo.html&ab_channel=AMvantageV12
Hey there V100! Thanks for your response. Yes, I just don't get how those people who ride bumper to bumper aren't afraid of getting brake-checked, or in an accident! Oh, and no I don't like going fast...sometimes I drive like 20 years older than I am ;)
@@TomsDoItYourself people who love fast speed will never brake check each other. As I said I live in Seattle theres a lot of racers in Seattle area who meet up on weekends at the gas station then they go on a highway to race each other, same in Portland not far from Washington-Oregon border street racers meet up to race each on marine view drive in Portland doing speeds 170mph. Los Angeles and Texas even worse with street racing, if you do not know about street racers in the States then your not car enthusiast
@@TomsDoItYourself my fastest speed on the U.S. highway was 145mph-233km on bmw. I'm Ukrainian living in the States so for me its normal to drive at this speeds in the States
We had our sailboat at Prien on the Chiemsee for 7 years, till new United Aircraft top management took all of us from the International Marketing side and tossed us out the 6th floor window. My MTU-Munich friends gave me a new hme and for the next 16 years I represented them back in Hartford, CT at Pratt&Whtney Aircraft Engines. I now had German vacation times, and German employee advantages. What are you doing in Rosenheim?@@TomsDoItYourself
Hey there Conbert! That’s a cool story! Chiemsee is nice 👍🏻 I just joined a fishing club there, in the hopes of docking a boat myself. I studied in Rosenheim, and met my wife during my studies. I talk about why I’m here in my Intro video, if you’re interested. Aircraft engines sounds like a cool occupation. I’m an engineer myself. Have a good one!
@@evertdevries8814 Haha! Hmm, let me try a translation..."what's the difference between a long-ass boa constrictor, and a throng of cars? In the line of cars, the butthole is in the front!"
One thing, you are not allowed to cross lanes, going from lane 1 to lane 3 in one go. You have to mark a pose in the middle lane to sheck the mirrors before going to the 3rd lane. Except the speed limits these rooles apply in all Europe.
Hey Daniel, thanks for your comment! Switching too many lanes too quickly could be dangerous, that's right! I guess there's no written rule about how long you need to stay in the middle lane before switching to the next one, but it should be enough time to establish occupancy in that intermediate lane, I guess. Happy driving!
No passing on the right is the same (but opposite side) to the UK. In fact all the rules seem similar to the UK motorways other than the 70mph speed limit. Stick left unless overtaking. Slow vehicles must stick left. All this is theoretical... the amount of times I've been stuck behind THREE lorries on a 3 lane motorway all trying to pass each other out, middle lane hogs, etc.
In Poland we set the new rules for them (most commercial trucks in EU are Polish) and they can overpass just one car/truck at the time. They aren’t allowed to do this in convoy like you described (3 at the same time one after another). Breaking this rule could end up with very expensive ticket. Ticket is send to them, based on vehicle camera recording proof made by anyone.
If your not car enthusiast then you won't like fast speeds, car enthusiasts will never ever brake check each other on highways. I once going 120mph on my IS250 the left lane was all blocked with hoggers so I was using the far right lane to pass an car enthusiast on lowered STU moved over from far right to the left to let me pass after that he flashed lights and I turned my hazards to thank him. Remember people who like fast speeds are car enthusiasts and they will never brake each other we respect each other and love cars
Yes Sergii, brake checking is awful, and I am glad to see that this does not happen often in Germany. I think it happens too frequently in the USA. People should get in trouble for that, since its dangerouse! I like cars, but I wouldn't call myself an "enthusiast" and I don't like going crazy fast, but fast enough to get efficiently from Point A to Point B 😉
00:19 "18,115 of 25,767 km are speed limit free." Interesting claim about a road system that was only 13,121 kilometres long in 2021! Where on Earth did you get those figures from? "Fatality rate is 1.74 persons per 1 million km travelled (3.38 on US interstates)". In which year?
Really? That is good. I have never driven on a Czech highway, but I have used the country roads to go hunting once. They were good too, as far as I can remember. How are your roads financed?
Funniest is when you do flat out top speed on your normal rental car on the Autobahn at 200 kph and you get passed by some hypercar or something like you are stopped.
Switching two lanes at one is forbidden. You have to change to the first lane to your left. After that, you have to wait a little bit before you repeat this manover.
@@TomsDoItYourself Np. There is no rule how long to wait. Just dont change two lanes at the same time and take your time to watch your back before you switch to the second lane (just 2 or 3 second could be enough) . Have in mind, that sometimes you misscalculate how far some cars behind you are. That's the reason for this rule. Watch twice and you and everyone elso is safer. There are enough cars that drive with 200+ kmh. It's Hard to calculate the right speed if such a car is behind you in the left lane. Plus if the police saw you change two lanes at a time they can give you a ticket and that is easy avoidable.
Hey there Ace, thanks for the heads up! I will be sure to abide this rule, and make sure there is enough time between lane switches. And, you are right about the cars coming up fast behind you. I always check my rear view mirror to be aware of who is around me, and who's coming up to pass. Have a good one!
00:17 - those guys who told that you did not abide to rules in your previous video were right. In this video you did it again! A stop sign in Germany means that your car actually needs to stop before you can proceed on after having assured that there is no traffic on the main road. You have just carelessly passed the stop sign without actually stopping. 03:20 - lots of "Mittelspurschleicher" which is not a good example. I agree with your statement that driving in a U.S. state with a population density of 105 people per square mile and less traffic is more relaxing than in a country with 600 people per square mile with less space to build wider roads with more lanes.
Hey Gerd, thanks for your comment. Oops, I guess I have opened a can of worms when publishing a video of my driving, but I’ll still benefit from others pointing out my mistakes, to learn from. “Mittelspurschleicher” - never heard that before, makes sense though 🤔 I get that driving on the Autobahn is supposed to be efficient, but constantly changing lanes at high speeds has always felt kinda dangerous to me. Nevertheless, you’re right to point out that I have to be more observant of the Rechtsfahrgebot.
To be fair, that thing is just badly placed, if you can join the road where you can only see the sign sideways. OK, there is a solid line at the junction, but a reminder like a stop sign as an additional marking on the ground would be an improvement to make it clearer.
@@TomsDoItYourself I learned in driving school that you have to learn about the rules applicable at an intersection before you enter it. Because once in it it is difficult to impossible. Which means find out about it when you approach it. Make sure you know all the regulations and orders that apply before. Not just go and see what happens. That is the wrong approach. That is the basic mentality when driving here: Know all you have to know and not just think driving is physically easy. That is a mistake even Germans make in the US. Only because the streets and cars look similar does not mean the rules are. I learned only late in my life that in the US you have switch on the headlights (DRL) if you activate (forced by the ambient weather situation not the bugs) the windshield wipers. A quite reasonable rule many Germans are not aware of. And there are different versions in different states of the US. In Germany the rules are the same in all states. But different in different countreis of Europe. Kind of comparable to the US in that regard.
This is right. No matter where you are, you are expected to know the rules; even if you are brand new there. I got a couple of rude awakenings in this regard, also to riding a bike here. Things are different between the USA and Germany, for sure.
Some autobahns are well maintained , absolutely not all. Actually you can drive much faster in, say Scandinavia or France, because there is much less traffic and “stau”.
My highest speed was 268km/h. Doesnt make that much sense what you are saying in my opinion. You have to look every time in your back mirror because of faster cars? That would mean that your blocking the left lane. If you finished with your overtaking just get back to the right lane. In the US you have to be aware of both sides, since you can be overtaken on the right and left, no? Thats stressfull in my mind.
Hey there, thanks for your comment! Wow, 268 is fast! I haven't gone that fast. And yes, I keep an eye on the rear view mirror to be aware of the approaching traffic. I do get into the right lane if it is free, sure. But if it is occupied by semis (which is often the case), then I have to stay in the middle lane, and sometimes use the left to pass. I guess I am just used to driving in the midwest, where we generally just have two lanes, and the traffic goes about the same speed. I think everyone's mileage may vary here, depending on where he/she comes from.
Apparently, this is a somewhat polarizing topic. I like the steady flow of traffic, running at the same speed. It is relaxing for me. Others like the fast paced driving of the Autobahn. To each their own 👍🏻
Your stress is not coherent with the fatality rate you have shown at the beginning... More than twenty years ago, my cruising speed on the motorways was 160 km / h (in France), when the traffic was light, otherwise in heavy traffic I was driving slower than 130 ... It was before 'there are all those damn automatic radars! And riding was fun!
Hmmm, I suppose the stress is induced by growing up in an environment with less traffic, slower speeds, and laser but not least: regulated speeds. I didn’t know you could drive 160 in France. Is that still the case?
![The Autobahn in Germany [BEYOND No Speed Limit]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/1i3dLuKZwNI/mqdefault.jpg)
![The Autobahn in Germany [BEYOND No Speed Limit]](/img/tr.png)
The most important rule on the German Autobahn is: No matter how fast you drive yourself, there is always someone else who drives faster than you!
Allzeit gute Fahrt und Grüße aus Deutschland
Haha, yes there are always many who drive faster than me ☺️ best greetings from Bavaria!
@@TomsDoItYourself da grüße ich doch mal aus Mittelfranken zurück
Why is the accident rate on German roads twice that of the UK?
@@johnstonewall917 From which fantasy statistics do they have these numbers? Well the numbers between Germany and Great Britain are in reality comparable, only in America the accident rate per 100000 citizens is 19.7 and in Germany only 4.1 persons. I know some Americans who don't dare to drive in Germany because they know they are not educated enough and can't drive well enough.
@@gerdipediaTV Ask any German insurance company. There are also official statistics which show the same higher death rate on German roads with France somewhat higher. In general the British approach to driving tends towards caution rather than insisting that one is in the right regardless of the consequences. I have long experience of both German and French roads.
I have an urgent piece of Autobahn advice that I picked up while in Germany. This is especially important for newbies. It does not take very long to get used to the higher speeds. When you get to your exit, pay close attention to your speedometer. You might be moving a lot faster than you think you are when you hit that exit ramp.
Thanks for sharing, Joseph! Gotta watch those speeds, that's right. Technically, there should be enough length to decelerate on the exit ramp, as one should not start decelerating until reaching the deceleration lane, as I understand it.
Thanks for watching!
maybe you should open your FUCKING EYES 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
@@TomsDoItYourself I think the point is that you might not be noticing it. And then you keep driving on the non-highway roads much faster than appropriate.
@@PauxloE yes that but also the exit ramps sometimes have pretty sharp curves you probably cant take at 80 mph...dont ask i ran out of road myself at one of those...
Faustregel (~ rule of thumb) the signaled speed limit at the exit is about 20Km lower as the physically manageable speed. So let’s say the sign is showing *30* you should have a chance to survive with entering the exit around 50Km/h. But that’s before taking snow and moisture into account Google: Angebrachte/Vorausschauende Fahrweise
Just a word of advise. Don't switch multiple lanes at once, like at 4:57. Other drivers don't expect that. Instead, change one lane, indicate again, check over your shoulder and mirrors again, and then change the second lane. And if you have to slow down doing so, then so be it. That's how we stay safe and don't surprise other drivers who might as well go 200km/h.
Not really just that though more importantly it is not possible to do a good shoulder check when moving across multiple lanes as your car is at a turning angle, so yes much better to move one lane straighten up, mirror and shoulder check once straight to move again to next lane
Please talk about the "Rettungsgasse" ! It can save lives !
Hello Roger, that is a good idea, thank you for your suggestion! I plan to include it in a follow up video coming soon.
@@TomsDoItYourself thank you 😇
@@rogerkautz7441 Hello Roger, thank you so much for your suggestion! I made a new video. You can check it out on my channel page ;)
Driving on the Autobahn 🛣 Part II: Rettungsgasse & TÜV
Especially since Germany dosen't have a different deffinition for outrunning like Romania does (aka when a vehicle in one lane is moving faster than a vehicle in another lane).
About those "digital traffic lights": I was one of the team members at Siemens in the 90s who programmed the standard used at Siemens for these in the early 90s (that project was the 38 km of the A9 going into Munich - and the needed traffic redirection for traffic jams).
The system can do much more than just set speed limits - it also show signs for traffic jams, fog conditions, and can even direct people around a traffic jam on the Autobahn (this is the so-called "Wechselwegweisung"), which included some more digital signs on some Bundesstrassen in the area, too.
The sensors and the logic behind the system was really amazing. While we were still in the last stage of the trial phase (which meant that the signs were actually already uncovered and as such valid, just a couple of months before the official "opening"), there was an accident somewhere on the A9 while I was down there in Munich in the Autobahnmeisterei headquarters. Since we programmers were in the headquarters to check if everything was working at that time, we saw that suddenly a part of the autobahn was getting a so called "speed-funnel" (which means that the signs were activated, and the speed was going down with each sign further down the road closer to the accident, so the closest ones to the accident would show "30", the next ones "50", the next ones "70" or "90", and finally the ones which showed "110" - at least I think that were the numbers), and that the traffic jam signs came on. Just 3 minutes *after* the system already had activated all these measures, the police headquarter called and asked us to please activate such a speed-funnel because there was an accident - they were quite surprised when we told them that the system already reacted, and that we were actually able to give them the nearly exact position of the accident (I think it was accurate to about 200m-300m or so, I cannot recall the exact distance between our sensors in the autobahn). In the headquarters, you basically had a graphical view (vector based, so zoomable) like Google maps did a decade or so later with their traffic display, so you always had a colour coded view of the traffic on thos 38 km (and the streets used for traffic jam detours). That system became the standard for "Verkehrsleitsysteme" from Siemens for at least a decade (no idea if it is still used as a basis for new systems, I changed to another company in 1999, but I wouldn't be surprised, since it was based on X11/Unix, not some windows garbage, and was still getting installed at that time all over Germany - an updated version, of course ;-) ).
Wow Stefan, that is a really cool comment, thanks for sharing! I am an engineer myself, so I can appreciate what you are talking about. That is quite the responsibility to develop software that affects the safety of millions of passengers each day!
I wonder why this wasn't implemented in other parts of the world? Seems like a good idea and Umsetzung.
Once that system has been established around the most notorious traffic jam riddled Autobahn-section of Germany named "Frankfurter Kreuz" Rush-Hour related jams disappeared (sort of). Next best thing besides sliced bread (and roundabouts, and paper towels).
But many, unfortunately, ignore the "Rechtsfahrgebot" rule and constantly drive in the middle, regardless of whether the right is clear or not. This should be much more penalized, in my opinion.
Yes, you are probably right. We should pay attention to the rules. But if semis are constantly going just 100-120kmh in the right lane, does it make sense to weave inbetween the middle and right lanes so often? That is the only problem I see with that rule.
@@TomsDoItYourself Yes, that's true, of course. But I meant the ones that don't drive on the right at all.
Of course, constantly changing lanes isn't the best thing either.
It does not matter if you have to perform several overtake manoeuvres, you have to stick to the right. That is the rule. With the speed differential between cars sticking to the central lame is quite irresponsible and dangerous.
@@ruiatalmeida I know, I do switch to the right lane, to make way for faster cars. But, with slow cars like semis in the right lane all the time, it is quite cumbersome to always have to be switching lanes, is all I'm saying. Thanks for your comment, and have a good one!
There is a tendency to hark on about the Rechtsfahrgebot as if it were a religion and to be implemented at all cost. Believe it or not, that's not the case. If you are in the middle lane you may maintain that lane (yes maintain it) if it is obvious that you are about to overtake another vehicle or vehicles given your speed in relation to theirs. This is to avoid weaving in and out which in fact is equally as dangerous. Once the right is obviously clear for an extended period, you should re-enter the far right lane.
Allow me to quote (try google translate, it might work):
Rechtsfahrgebot: Regeln und Ausnahmen;
_Das gilt auf drei- oder mehrspurigen Autobahnen_
_"Das Rechtsfahrgebot gilt generell auch auf drei- oder mehrspurigen Autobahnen. Autofahrer dürfen nur dann davon abweichen, wenn die Verkehrsdichte dies rechtfertigt. Was heißt das? Sie dürfen den mittleren Fahrstreifen dann durchgängig befahren, wenn rechts davon hin und wieder Fahrzeuge unterwegs sind. Die ADAC Verkehrsexperten erläutern: "Diese Lockerung des Rechtsfahrgebots soll die Zahl der gefährlichen Spurwechsel und ein Fahren in Schlangenlinien vermeiden."_
_"Autofahrer, deren nächster Überholvorgang absehbar ist, müssen also nicht sofort zurück auf die rechte Spur. Wenn die rechte Spur vor dem nächsten Überholvorgang allerdings deutlich länger als 20 Sekunden befahren werden könnte, dann muss der Autofahrer wieder dorthin wechseln."_
First off: nicely done and good video.
3:40 As you can see, many Germans fail to execute the Rechtsfahrgebot as well. They SHOULD stick to it, but they don't.
They had more than enough space and time to switch to the right lane, but didn't. Not really terrible and not worthy of road rage on a three lane Autobahn with enough room to pass. But on a two lane Autobahn left lane hoggers really get my dander up.
I do what you did at 4:00 as well. I pull up to their rear bumper, but one lane to the right, so I don't endanger them.
Then I let myself fall back very noticeably (not brake-checking, but slowing down significantly), giving them more than enough room to change lanes.
If they don't do it soonish, I repeat that maneuver two more times.
If they still don't get it, I pass them, with more than enough room, switch to their lanes, and demonstrably set my right blinker for a long time, then change lanes to the right again.
Yeah, yeah, I know, stupid Oberlehrer that I am. :D
Hey Rusty Dust, thank you so much for your comment :-) Lately I have been more observant of middle and left lane hoggers, and trying to follow the rules better myself. It is a pain to have to switch lanes all the time, but that is the rule. Today I observed cars in front of me constantly switching between the middle and the right lanes, as they were supposed to. I think they switched five times within a minute. I did the same. I am going to get a FahrPerfektionsstunde soon, to take a deeper dive into the rules.
Wishing you safe driving and a good evening!
Rusty, there're probably Americans :)
Driving on the German Autobahn is so chill despite the average speed being much higher than the rest of the countries in Europe. German people drive very well.
The statistics would say it’s safer than the US interstate, which is good. Yes, Germans I think are good drivers with lots of training.
By chill, do you mean relaxing? Compared to other European interstates?
@@TomsDoItYourself Yes, more relaxing.
Gotcha! Thanks 😊 Happy trails, and best greetings!
@@TomsDoItYourself They might have lots of training but testosterone then takes over their brains while driving.
@@TomsDoItYourself The biggest reason is, that germany has a very very dense of rescue helicopters. That save so many lifes a year. It's not the driving.
when merging on the freeway, DO NOT, by any chance, do not stop on the ramp. If necessary (you don't have enough speed or need to wait for a truck to pass), keep going on the emergency lane (this would only be the case if you fkd up by not turning the blinker early so others are aware of you or if you didn't accelerate). I've driven vans on the autobahn, old hatchbacks that can't do more than 120kmh and nice cars that can comfortably cruise at 230kmh, be aware of the car you're driving and the most important parts would be to always check the mirrors and the cars in front (not just the first, look 3 or more cars ahead of you to spot break lights or warning blinkers for traffic jams so you can break or reduce speed in time) and always do your best to not inconvenience other drivers (going for an overtake when there's clearly a faster car approaching from the rear, narrowly merging in front of trucks triggering their emergency breaking systems, acting like a macho because you have a fast car, road raging etc.). Try not to cut across 2 lanes at once, and always use blinkers to signal your intent (blinking doesn't give you the right to switch lanes, it just gives others an information that you would like to move left or right, switching can only be done when safe to do so). When passing, always accelerate, do not keep the same speed since you will just inconvenience traffic, do not go to pass someone if there is clearly a faster car behind you. If there's someone faster than you approaching in the left lane and you're in the left lane overtaking a row of cars in the middle lane, it is better for you to slow down, merge into the middle lane, let him pass and resume the passing once he's clear. Be very concentrated when driving on the autobahn (if you need to do something meticulous, it's best to pull up in a rest stop and do it there then move on), driving fast comes with heavy responsibility, be very aware of all signs even all directional signs and be aware of all other participants in traffic (trucks, vans, trailers) and know what rules apply for them as well so you're able to accommodate for how they need to drive. In case of a traffic jam, always do the Rettungsgasse (left lane cars stay as close left to the median as possible, middle and right lane cars and trucks go on the emergency stop lane and the right most lane, this is to leave a clear corridor in the middle for emergency vehicles to pass). Look at how others are driving around you, if everyone is driving fast but your keeping 80 after passing a construction zone, you might have missed the sign nullifying that speed limit. Some signs have hour intervals when they apply (like noise speed limits around cities being between 22pm and 6am), some signs apply only to some lanes or to roads that continue after driving off the autobahn (read bellow the signs if there are arrows), in other words be aware and informed of all driving signs. Driving without a purpose is actually forbidden (environmental rules, but it's hard to check). Driving with the flow of traffic gets you to your destination fast and on time. Driving fast and irresponsible will not get you to your destination faster, it will only give your family extra costs to buy a coffin. These are just some of the things and reasons why driving school and getting your license is more expensive and more strict in Germany and other European countries as well. There are countless other driving do's and dont's regarding city driving and other roads as well.
Thanks, Andrei for your input, and highlighting some more things to be aware of. Your salient point of always being aware of the traffic in front of you and behind you is very important. I frequently check my rear view mirror to be aware of the amount of traffic around me, and whether or not it is wise to pass in that moment. Often times, I wait to pass because I can see that a much faster car is coming up. The speed difference makes them catch up quickly! You are right, one must be very concentrated to drive on the Autobahn!
Best greetings from Bavaria!
@@TomsDoItYourself I hope I didn't make it sound like a critique to your driving or anything, I just wanted to write some extra things out for the people in the comments. I just came back to my home in NRW from Bavaria. Greetings from Aachen and I really do hope people in Bavaria start using their blinkers more often :D hahaha
Hey there Andrei, no offense taken at all! I really do appreciate your taking the time to write out everything you did. Safety is very important! Take care, and safe travels!
@@Andrei2patrU They got used to STAU and speed limits xD
@@TomsDoItYourself By the way it is technically illegal to keep going on the emergency lane if you can't merge. But to reduce the risk of accidents almost all driving instructors and the german automobile club recommend it. Just be aware that you can get a ticket if the officer is having a bad day and needs to vent his frustration. A sane person wouldn't fine you for it.
Love the videos Tom. Just one TIP about the 20sec rule for anyone not familiar with it or the Autobahn. The rule must be interpreted as: MAX 20 sec. There are states (NRW for example) where you are eligible for a ticket for not driving on the right from the 20sec mark. Rule of thumb: From 10sec gap: move to the right (or earlier). But start making that manoeuvre at the latest within 20sec. 20 sec is very long and one would by then already possibly have unnecessarily been blocking or obstructing traffic coming from behind many hundreds of meters away. Someone driving at 250km/h will have to judge traffic 250m and further up the road. There's always someone faster coming! Keep those vids coming Tom
0:10 Why you run the STOP sign? They are the same in the US ans you should have known it!
Yes, I’m afraid that I didn’t directly perceive the stop sign, seeing as I was coming oblong towards it from the other parking lot. I won’t miss it next time, though!
Heh I am Portuguese living in Germany. In my country speed limits at 120 km/h, so that has been my standard my while life. I ride motorcycle now, and even though my bike is not that super fast bike, it maxes out at 200 km/h.
One time I had a super fun feeling. Was doing 200 on the left lane, and for some reason I decided to go to the right lane and drive slower. So I did and rode the rest of the journey at 150 on the right lane, realizing that even though I was one of the "slow vehicles" on the German Autobahn, I was riding faster than the fast cars in Portuguese highways!
I remember driving at 240 km/h with my Dad in a purble metallic Ro 80 in the mid 70s. That was fantastic.
Dang Julia, that is fast! Especially in the 70's, right? I met a dude yesterday in Rosenheim with a BMW M6 F06, who said he can drive 280kmh top speed. That's screamin', but not that much more that the 240 you did in the 70's.
I really enjoyed the scenery, Tom . . . . thanks for the ride ! :-)
Hey Robert, glad you liked it! Thanks for your input.
Maybe I'll make a longer one with just some music and nice scenery, if people might like that.
I lived and worked in Germany for 17 years, from 1957 to 1974. My home office was in Koeln, but my major customers were either in Hamburg (Lufthansa) or in the Muenchen area (BMW Aircraft Engines, MBB aircraft) I had a 220 Mercedes as a company car; and my Porsche 356B convertible.
I'd get on the Autobahn, get the Porsche up to a comfortable 160 /170 kmH and cruise at that speed, for hours, to my destinations.
My favorite rental cars were BMWs, that also cruised effortlessly at those speeds.
Thanks for your input, Conbert. Those were certainly different times, with less traffic, and with different cars. These days, my Hyundai i30 can cruise pretty comfortably at 160, but I guess back then you needed a very fancy car to do that 😉
I recently rented a BMW to drive to Koblenz, and that was a treat :-)
The big danger in those days were German trucks with a four wheeled trailer doing 50 kmH. If they pulled out from the right lane to pass another truck that was doing 47.6 kmH, it was like a tractor doing a 90 degree turn into your lane, and your second lane was almost totally blocked. I used to give me American visitors lectures about never, never pass German trucks with more than about a 20 kmH speed differential. In 1956 I was driving an Austin-Healey doing about 90 MPH when such a truck pulled out to pass another truck. I didn't have enough space to brake, I got through the ever diminishing space in my lane by the skin of me teeth. It made a believer out of me; and I needed a change of underwear.
@@conbertbenneck49 Oh boy, that sounds like a crazy story! Good thing it ended well. I would have needed a change of underpants, too! By the way, it is pretty neat to hear about what driving back in the 50's on the Autobahn was like. I suppose the traffic was much less back then, even if they had fewer lanes?
In those days, the Auobahn only had two lanes in each direction. The average person didn't own a car. With the trucks - limited to 50 kmH driving in the right lane, - the faster cars were in the left lane. The problem was if the truck suddenly turned to get in the left lane so he could pass a slower truck, he closed the gate on you very suddenly.
Living in Koeln, my colleagues who both owned Porsches and I would declare a sunny Wednesday the afternoon to go to the Nurburg Ring and chase each other around the Ring for a few laps. Our wives were the copilots - navigators. If you go there, let me warn you to drive VERY CAREFULLY because the whole Ring is laid out to be very treacherous. You'll come up a small hill, and as you reach the top the road will either go to the right or left / sharply, or in a long sweeping curve. But you get no visual warning until you are there; now what?. Everything is green. There are no houses, buildings, signs or anything so that you know where you're at and what the next corner will be. Wreckers standing by, do a great business with people that think they are Formula-1 drivers and wrap their cars around a tree. I've put in plenty of Ring laps, but there is no way I'd try and drive faster. It's a very tricky course.
Yes, I can imagine that. These days, the semis also pull into the middle lane to pass while climbing hills, but luckily there is more space now with the leftmost lane. I have never driven a Porsche before, but that might be fun to put on the bucket list. I will likely never do the Nürnberg Ring though - I do not like going too fast - I prefer lower risk pasttimes ;)
Maybe explain that when causing an accident above the adviced 130km/h, you are always liable, even when not at fault. The liability increases the futher you exceed the advisory.
Let me add; my top experience was Tilburg > Korbach in 3 hours. (310km). Top speed: 236 km/h.
That is including all landstrasse and inner city travel and abiding the 130km speedlimit in the Netherlands. Cruised about 200km/h from Dortmund until Diemelstadt with alomost no traffic.
Hey Jasper, I didn’t know that, thanks for that tip! 🤗
Very plausible rule. If you play Russian roulette, expect to be shot in the head.
Great video, will follow the rules today, in my opinion, only question that was left a bit blurry was; where does the deceleration lane start?
As a German, I can't resist to give further unasked lectures:
Keep a distance to cars before you on the same lane. It's half the km/h speed in meters, i.e. if you are driving 140 km/h, you have to stay 70 meters away from the car before you. If somebody enters your lane before you at a shorter distance, you have 5 or 10 seconds to fix that. To have an idea about the distance, the white poles to the right of the street are 50 meters away from each other. If you violate that rule (which can happen quite easily on a crowded autobahn), you will receive a fine and an infraction point which last for a year or two if no further ones are collected. Too many infraction points --> license revoked for a few months.
Passing somebody at the right is regarded as a severe violation of traffic rules and you will lose your license for a few weeks or months. Exception: If the traffic situation doesn't allow otherwise, like when it's very crowded. No exception: Some idiot is blocking the left lane, so you cannot pass him.
It's advised not to pass cars at a much higher speed (by more than 30 km/h, I think) because it's very startling for the others. It's not explicitely forbidden, but if you do so and it leads to an accident, you are regarded as partially being in fault of the consequences, even if it was the action of the other one that led to the accident.
Hello Krischan,
Thank you very much for your comments! I think that is interesting to hear, because I often see people in the speed lane really tailgating others. So they certainly don’t keep enough space in between themselves and the next car.
Good thing that I don’t pass people on the right! I didn’t realize how severe the fine is.
It’s also interesting to hear that it is generally not allowed to pass somebody up at a higher difference of 30 km/h. I’ve gotten passed up going 160 km/h , by cars doing around 250 kmh. It is for me quite a shock, and I can imagine for older people even more so.
Most of the rules are the common sense of driving. For keeping the distance I was tought to keep 2 seconds or 4 seconds "distance in time" from the car in front, depending on speed, road condition, weather. Overtaking from the right is forbidden (people don't expect that, so they might not check right mirror and move to right). As a romanian, used with much worst roads, whenever I drive in Germany it feels very relaxing. Especially, I like that, not the speed limits are enforced the most, but the "correct behavior" (no tailing, no overtaking on the right, no aggresive high beam flashes to give way, etc). For me it makes more sense to sanction these instead of a stupid speed limit excess with 10 -20 km/h....
@@mihaitod9354 Hey there Mihai, I once drove in Romania, too! I was visiting a friend in Arad, and we went to Timisoara too.
I can imagine, that driving in Germany is more tranquil than in Romania, for sure.
I also feel like the behavior of driving here for the most part is quite good, but you still do occasionally get the frantic guy behind you, flashing his brights and riding your butt, if you are in his passing lane. I only use the passing lane for passing, but sometimes there's a longer row of slower cars on the right, that takes a while to overtake.
Anyway, thanks for your perspective, and safe driving! 👍🏻
@@TomsDoItYourself - Well, *not true* . If overtaken on your left there’s no restriction. If overtaken on your right, bc your lane is jamming but the one to your right isn’t, the drivers to your right shouldn’t overtake you faster as 30Km/h so they are able to react once you/someone wants to "jump" to the right. HTH
"Exception: If the traffic situation doesn't allow otherwise, like when it's very crowded." - this is only allowed up to 60 km/h.
Everyone loves the Autobahn. I mean...our 1991 Galant did over 190 on the way to Munich this year and...man, did it feel great!
1:13
But, are they allowed to change lanes assuming it's safe to do so?
you should have mention that the lorries staying on the right liane aswell as the Elefantenrennen
Nice video, not overloaded with information, easy to understand an to follow.
You could've explained the 300m rule at the end a bit better: Before any exit there are 3 blue signs with white diagonnal stripes: 3 white stripes mean you're 300m before the exit, 2 white stripes = 200m and 1 white stripe = 100m before the exit.
3:07, I drove a 2007 Subaru Forester on the autobahn, got it up to 150 and nothing crazy to say really
Tom, the 365B Porsche was the hot-rodded version of a Beetle. In 1957. I ordered the "hot" one that had 75 HP (the VW Beetle had 29 HP), a friend of mine who lived in Paris got the red hot 356B Porsche that 90 HP!!!! He wanted Michelin tires, which Porsche couldn't supply so we drove from Stuttgart to Strasbourg; bought the Michelin tires, and managed to drive back to Stuttgart with five new tires in a two-seater Austin-Healey. Later, Jack and I chased each other around the map of Europe; I in my Austin-Healey and he in his 90 HP Porsche.
Hey there Conbert, wow that sounds like quite the road trip! Five tires in a sporty two seater must’ve looked funny.
29 hp only in the beetle? That’s crazy. Even my Lupo had twice that amount. Plus, the cars were heavier back than weren’t they? Was that Porsche 356 a fast car with 75hp?
I have never driven in US highways, however YT is providing a glimpse of American driving routine and skills. I don't wish to drive on the American highways, it seems like chaos for my European taste. Common aspects for the US driver that I noted: no respect for the rules and others , self awareness is close to zero, lack of common sense is wide and the self entitlement that conducts to a very special habit like "brake check" (is unheard-of on European roads, except UK). Maybe that is because the driving license is obtain in US way too easy and the driving lessons are done with parents mostly and not on a proper driving school.
Hey Sorin, well I do find that driving in the USA is more relaxed than in Germany, since there is a speed limit, and most people just drive with the flow. There are people who brake check if someone is riding them too hard, and yes that is dangerous! But, we do have driving lessons of course. It takes three months to complete. I passed on my first try, but many kids I can remember also failed and had to take the test 2-3 times. Thanks for your perspective, and have a good day!
@@TomsDoItYourself brake checking in the left lane because someone wants to go faster your saying should be normal?? You should never drive on German autobahn, most drivers who hog middle lane in Germany are tourists from Canada, U.S. and Australia
@@TomsDoItYourself so why you are defending brake checking in the left lane?? Try to hog left lane in Germany and post an video do it and post video. I'll be waiting video from you hogging left lane on German autobahn
@@fasthighwaydriver59732 No Sergi, I think you misunderstood me. I DO NOT defend brake checking. It is DANGEROUS!
I found driving in Italy to be at least as bad as the US.
American guy with a German accent.
It stands to reason, therefore, that you've lived there for a bit. Because you have an accent.
I love driving on the Autobahn when I'm visiting there. And I love this video.
Very good Video to understand the Rules on the German Autobahn for Foreigners! 👍
Many may think that it must be scary if there is no Speed Limit, but you can drive very safely and relaxed on the Highway!
Some drive fast, others slower, but the regulations make it all work really well!
(Other European Countries also have these Rules so it's not foreign to them on the German Autobahn and so most Drivers also comply with these Rules!)
But of course, there are Idiots everywhere, even occasionally on German Highways!
This is helpful! Thank you!
@ what is the recommended speed for Autobhan entry..?Can you please explain.
Thanks in advance bro.
That white car is a "Mittelspurschleicher"... you often have such mor**** that block traffic flow by simply staying on the middle lane forever. I hate those...
As a German I'm a regular Autobahn user. In some years I've travelled more then 40,000 km only on Autobahn. The fasted I went on the Autobahn is about the classic 250 km/h with my BMW. Most cars are technical blocked to go any faster. Only with some special cars with "offener Endgeschwindigkeit" you can go faster.
Oh dang! 250kmh is really fast! I have a newer car that I feel comfortable going 160kmh, but not faster -- I am definately not a speed demon. I used to have an old Lupo, and with that thing I didn't feel really safe faster than 120kmh.
@@TomsDoItYourself Yeah, that greatly depends on the car you have. My first car was a Opel Kadett (Opel was a GM branch at that time). Top speed of that car was also 160km/h. With speeds above 140 km/h there was a rattling and shaking in some parts. So you really don't feel comfortable to go that speed. But with those cars build to go higher speeds it is no problem, you even feel "secure".
My mum and dad both hated fast driving. My mother just felt uncomfortable and my dad used to curse. I once went with them on a trip to Dresden. At some point we went about 230 km/h. Neither my dad complained/cursed nor did my mother feel uncomfortable. But at that moment I didn't tell them the speed we were going. As we had arrived safely I spoke to my mother and asked her: "Did you notice we went way beyong 200 km/h?" She was astonished and declined.
So yeah, there are many, many cars that can go fast, but you really don't want to. In my first car I couldn't have enough duct tape. ;) There was always that feeling it will fall apart soon. Even in my Ford or Toyota going really fast felt kind of strange. The Ford started vibrating like hell and at speeds above 180 km/h the hood was vibrating so hard... at first I thought it will be blown away. Also the Toyota was no great feeling in higher speed. IF you want to test >200 speed... try to rent a BMW, Audi, Mercedes or something like that for a day. You'll notice the difference... you'll hardly notice the speed.
Hey Lars, I can relate to that experience. When driving the Lupo, it was so loud above 120kmh, that I could hardly listen to the radio. It just vibrated, and did not feel too safe. I did rent a BMW once, a 318i, and drove to Koblenz. Now that was a fun experience! I feel safer at 160khm in my i30 than in the previous cars we had, however I do know that the nice BMWs and Mercedes make cars even much better suited for the fast driving. Maybe I'll rent something cool and try it out again, when I have a long distance to travel ;)
@@larsschmitt3826 Opel is no longer GM. Opel now belongs to Stellantis which is a new formed group for automobiles by merging PSA (Peugeot) and Fiat-Chrysler.
@@dj1rst At my time, I had my last Opel 20 years ago, they were GM. After that they also belonged to PSA for a while. I've corrected my sentence to "at that time".
Great work
As a fresh certified driving instructor with over 20 years of driving experience from germany i must say, there are so many many many things told wrong in this video!!! 0:13 1: according to the ADAC (germanys tripe A) we had under 57% of the autobahn without speed limits in 2019 and will be less in the future in cause of the "green government". 3. the fatality rate is so much less, cause we have much more rules and more specific driving licenses. and on top, you have to spend much more time in driving schools, you have to do at least 12 doubles lessons in class (not in the car, 90 minutes each in a class with other students and a certified teacher / instructor, doing worksheet after worksheet) and 15 double lessons of driving with an instructor next to you, containing 4 on the autobahn, 3 at night, 4 on specific countryside. the instructor next to you who has an additional pair of gas and brake pedals to drive the car from the passenger seat when the student isnt able to. 4. We do not use concrete on surfaces of our roads! there are some few one where still new asphalts / concretes / tars are getting tested, but most of it is a special, semipermeable tar - that sadly do crack in winter on roads with very high amount of traffic. 1:00 3. you also are not allowed to change lanes when the traffic behind you is faster then you, this is why you have to doublecheck by law before merging everywhere. this is something very much people nowadays sadly forget, but if the traffic security cams or the cops see that, it could get expensive. the more left you drive, the faster you want to / will drive, left lane ist known as the fast lane or overtake lane. actually the footage we see is a bit special, cause we do have shoulders on the right side at about 90% of the autobahn, but never on the left side, just like exits or entrys, never left, ever right. the guy we driving with does the rechtfahrgebot wrong, cause the middle is not for using it continuously, it has the same rechtsfahrgebot rule like any other lane. an overtake maneuver must be fully done within about 45 seconds by law and is there no next car right after / within 20 seconds, you have to merge right! you doing it wrong at 2:50! but as you can see at 3:40, this is a common problem. in general, it dosent matter if there are 2, 3, 4 or 5 lanes, every lane has the same rights and the same rules, if no traffic signs are telling different things. 6:36 this blue sign with the 3 diagonal bars telling you, that you are 300 meters away from your exit, so this is the time to use your turning signal. next sign got 2 bars, so its 200 meters from the exit away. pretty empty autobahn as well. 7:40 yes, and thats the reason so many people fall asleep behind the wheel if you like dont have to do a thing. you really get used to it, because its not really that hard!
I can still remember a ride in the back seat of a Citroën CX Pallas in the 80's.
We drove in four and a half hours from Berlin in Germany to Helmond in the Netherlands.
If you take the plane, it will take you longer.
Boy, you must’ve been cruisin’! Even today, Google maps tells me that’s a 6 1/2 hour drive. Thanks for sharing, Leon 👍🏻
@@TomsDoItYourself You saw that correctly. But Google adheres to the speed limit. As a passenger in such a Citroën CX Pallas you have no idea of the speed you are driving.
Ahhh the Citroen CX with its active oleopneumatic suspension. The road holding of a BMW and the comfort of an American luxo barge. Can't beat it. System was licensed to be used in some Rolls Rolls's and Mercedes.
Useful information about autobahn
Thanks, Amar!
I've driven both on the I10 and I17 when I stayed in Tempe, AZ. It was sometimes chaotic and sometimes absolutely boring to the extend I could fall asleep. Driving fast keeps me on my toes because there's no room for error. The adrenalin prevents me from falling asleep.
Hmm 🤔 never thought about it that way. I suppose you do have to be on the ball at all times when driving fast, which would keep one awake. How many lanes does the I10 have?
@@TomsDoItYourself once you've left Phoenix it's only two lanes. We went to Lake Havasu to see London Bridge.
So glad to have found you! Subscribed and currently binging your channel. I’m a Bavarian, currently living in Colorado.
You’re right about driving on the Interstate, but I do wish that the speed limits would be higher for cars and slower for trucks and cars with trailers!
That’s one thing I miss about home… the speeds we’re allowed to drive on the Autobahn. Here in the US, there are thousands of miles that don’t lead through cities… let’s speed it up so we can get to the FAAAAAAAAAR away destinations faster! Another thing I miss is the “Blitzer” … getting pulled over in the US is nerve wrecking, (especially for people of color). Plus it TAKES SO FREAKING LONG.
I know when I speed… so I’d rather get my ticket in the mail 🤣😂🤣😂🤣.
Oh and one last thing… what is it with Americans not being able to use the acceleration lane to speed up and fall into traffic?!?!? Why do SO MANY STOP in the acceleration lane?
Never stop in an acceleration lane! Um Herrgotts Willen!
Hey Susanne, that's awesome, thanks for joining the channel! I am glad to have reached someone who is in the reverse position to me 😉
Yes, that is right about the speed limits in the states - the trucks can go as fast as the cars, although many people in cars to speed much faster than trucks. AND, at least in the Midwest they have recently raised the speed limits to 70-75 mph on some highways, which is pretty fast. I generally go 9 mph over the limit, and set the cruise control, so 80mph is pretty quick (130 kmh).
I totally agree that getting blitzed is a better experience than getting pulled over by the police. That is NOT fun, takes a lot of time, and sometimes they write you other tickets as well. PLUS, the speeding tickets are WAY more expensive in the USA.
I haven't seen anyone stop in the acceleration lane, but one time someone blew me into the median because they didn't check their blindspot. That sucked!
@@TomsDoItYourself I do the same thing… speed limit in CO is 75 mph and I too drive 9 mph above that.., but it’s gotten me pulled over a couple of times before 🤦🏻♀️.
I wish I could go up to 95 mph in some areas.
And yes! Someone stopped I. The acceleration lane to merge onto the interstate before and it very frequently happens when people make a right turn at a large intersection onto a double lane road that has an acceleration lane … and they simply stop after making the right turn, instead of speeding up in order to be able to fall into traffic. It drives me mad. LOL
@@susanneharvey4034 I refer to those kind of drivers as ...sissies! What the heck are they afraid of?
In the USA, BLITZED could mean driving while under the influence. Is a Blitzer a device that generates an electronic ticket?
well as a german i used the autobahn quite a bit, it mostly is quite nice if you arnt stuck behind some middle lane hoggers or behind some trucks for many km cause one cant overtake the other...and about crazy storys? almost rear ended some ferrari wich well is a fast car, was driving maybe 75mph and merging into the left lane, probably without looking behind as i came flying with about 120mph and had to break hard and shortly lost sight of his number plate...
Looks easy AND BETTER!
When we take an Exit, what should be the speed limit?
Are their speed boards always?
I love the illustration to that you must keep to the right (1:53 and 3:00) while hogging the middle lane! :-)
I drive to the Alps every year (except 2020 obviously) and immediately I thought "Isn't that the A8 from Munich towards Salzburg?" Yep, it was! This is a rather old part of the Autobahn with unusually sharp curves and thus a lot of speed limits.
I have only tried the US interstate once, a long time ago, but I find the Autobahn relaxing compared to my own country. I think the primary reason for this is that I don't have to worry about the speedometer, only the traffic. Also, I would really be upset if someone tries to pass me on the right, but I suppose that is habit as a European. When you drive on the Autobahn, you concentrate on driving. You don't fiddle around with other stuff like food, makeup, you-name-it but just drive. Oh, and take a break every now and then!
Haha, yes Christopher, but at least I admitted in post production that I could have shifted lanes earlier. It is something that I need to pay more attention to, also while driving in the states. I recently found out that even in the USA, you are supposed to use the left lane only for passing, but this has never been enforced, nor does it seem to be common knowledge for everyone.
I think it is probably accurate, that passing only on the left, and allowing faster traffic to use the left lanes contributes to safer European roads. BUT, I have never put on make up while driving! ;)
Oh and by the way, my car tells me to take a break now and again...it is part of the safety features of the i30, and I bought the car mainly for the good safety features it offers.
Cheers!
No way I just found a "random" video of you talking about the german Autobahn suggested to me because some "random" person I didnt know reacted to it. I only knew you from Toms Coffee Corner...crazy
Haha, how funny. Sometimes, it's a small world. 🍀
One of the funniest things I've seen (Clearly, I didn't do it too) was halfway down Irshenberg , so three quarters of the way through your video. There was a huge traffic jam (stau) and people had decided to exit the autobahn to avoid it as the traffic was going nowhere. They decided to leave across the farmer's field! Very noticeable is there's now a fence so it's no longer possible.
Oh my goodness, that’s crazy! It’s hard to imagine people doing that, but I guess if one person starts than others might follow. Thanks for your comment 😊
Merging is a bit tricky.. Especially in this video.. So small merging lane... Question.. If right lane is too busy while merging.. What's right behavior?
You have to accelerate up/down to the speed of those to your left, don’t stop at the end of the merging lane go on until you’re able to merge (but keep in mind that a broken car could block the road in front of you). Those to the left will (normally) create a gap for you to get in.
I drive a BMW ALPINA B10 V8 (E39 5-series based) and would aim to cruise between 200 and 230km/h although I have reached ~265km/h, just from curiosity. I expect to be passed quite frequently.
I find the Autobahn much less stressful than British or Dutch motorways due to the excellent lane discipline. I try to avoid toll roads unless I'm in a hurry.
BTW, you stay left far too long after passing!
Hey there Murray, thanks for sharing! That's pretty eye opening, that even you get passed up frequently, going that fast! I have recently reached 170kmh as a max speed, and that was plenty fast for me, in my i30. I suppose I'd feel more secure in a nice BMW or Mercedes.
Yes, thanks for the tip. After having made this video, and reading all the comments, I have realized things I had not been observing correctly, and have since adjusted my driving discipline. I guess for that reason, it is a good thing I made this video. Thanks for your feedback!
The example clips about passing/merging would be more useful if it included the rear mirror view (and maybe the turning signals).
Thanks for the suggestion! I cannot really do that while driving, but maybe I will redo the video with a passenger who can film.
Can we please have a video on what it would take to drive your american car in germany? im going to try and bring my car to germany for the Nurburgring and dont know what to do
These are the basic rules of most countries and UK are very similar and have very high standards of highway quality and maintenance. I e driven cars in many countries in this world and the US are one of the worse for under passing via the slower lanes. But I believe it’s a mix of poor knowledge and understanding of how the highway works. I’m so glad that the stats show that higher speeds don’t necessarily mean more traffic collisions. If anything it likely means more alert for danger and follow the rules!
do one on the fines for each rule
You also need to fully use the merging lane and can’t just merge into the autobahn when there is enough room and then speed up. The merging lane is used to speed up or slow down and find the right spot.
1. Look over your shoulder, set the signal (only if the following car is far behind) look over shoulder again and go
I realize there aren't any lights to light up the highway at night? Is this true?
Nice video
Is it true that in Germany, if there's a break down in the middle lane, people in the right lane will stop completely as to avoid cars flying by on both sides?
No, but you have to keep a middle lane open, the so called Rettungsweg.
I want to try driving on the autobahn one of these days. Right around when I turned 40 I hit my fastest speed of 210 km/h(130 mph) on US 54 in Kansas. I am not sure if I could do 250+ km/h(155÷ mph). My 210 km/h(130 mph) felt really fast to me. Back in April of 2019 I went on a joyride on I-135 near Wichita, KS. I actually averaged 165 km/h(103 mph) over a period of 10 to 15 mins. It is risky and I do not want to get caught by a state trooper.
@Tom Come and drive in Romania then You will love the German Autobahn. I love it it is much more respect for the orher parcipants in the trafic. An i have drove 240K/h all the way down to 60 km/h when there where construction sites but almost always you are moving. Nice clip Thanks !
The best car to pick is obviously the most sporty looking Ferrari you can find, so you can occupy the right lane at a solid 120kph for the entire drive.
Haha, are there any Ferraris, that don't look sporty? I have never driven one, but I bet it would be an experience!
If you drive at 120 km/h a Fiat 500 will be behind you flashing its lights!
@@dutchman7623 Haha, that's amusing, Dutch Man! I do like the Fiat 500 though - it's a cute little car. 👍🏻
@@TomsDoItYourself I second that.
It's good if you don't need a lot of room.
@@ZenoDovahkiin I have never driven one, but I am still sympathetic to them. Also, I used to drive a Lupo, and I just love how they can sneak into little parking spots, and zoom around roundabouts!
Use the autobahn every day , always funny when coming off and driving on normal roads, especially inside cities, it feels like walking speed. Overall everything works great, I love it.
You could have mentioned the Rettungsgasse
Hey that’s a good idea 💡, maybe l I’ll add an auxiliary video to this one. Thanks for the suggestion!
I'm planning an upcoming video about driving on the autobahn, and I'd love to link to your video, if that's ok.
Sure thing Kerleem, that would be very cool! You can go ahead and link this video, or Part II, if you want. Let me know if I can do anything else to help. Have a good weekend, and stay cool over there in the Netherlands 🇳🇱.
@@TomsDoItYourself I finally got around to making the video I wanted to make. I mentioned your channel! ua-cam.com/video/1ZgtASOdAQY/v-deo.html
@@Kerleem Awesome, Kerleem! Thanks for the shout-out. I already watched, liked, and commented on your video. I wasn't aware that the Autobahns may have limited speeds due to environmental concerns...that would be a game changer, and a lot of people would be upset, I bet!
France is horrific re tolls! My Shelby GT500 has no speed limiter, so I hit 200 MPH+ (322+kph), the roads are so smooth you don't have the sensation that you are driving that fast. On average I usually drove between 130 to 170 MPH, that is the sweet sport for m gas mileage.
In Germany, that interpretation of passing is funny.
There you shouldn't drive along the right lane past anyone, while here in Finland it's allowed if you don't change from the left lane to the right.
In the Nordic countries, you can pass the traffic on the left along the right lane and it does not count as passing.
For passing, it is only counted if you drive on the left and change to the right lane to pass.
There are 2 different terms used here: Overtaking and driving past which mean completely different things.
Overtaking means that you change lanes to pass another vehicle.
On the other hand, passing means that you stay in your own lane and do not change lanes.
Passing is then also allowed from the right and there is no need to slow down or brake due to the speed of the traffic on the left.
Admittedly, even though I live in Germany, I drive past in the right lane and I don't brake, even if the traffic on the left moves slower, I keep my speed constant.
Those finnish rules sound more logical. I would agree that overtaking and passing by ARE two different things. Thanks for sharing, and safe driving!
you shouldn't drive past cars to the left of you because you might be blocking them from trying to reach the exit, which is almost exclusively on the far right. If every single car on the right was driving past this would cause problems. It's best not to pass them and allow them the possibility to move right, otherwise you're creating stress on the road.
@@catvideis We say that if you know where you are going to leave the highway, you have to choose the lane in time.
It's called anticipation.
It's completely stupid if you drive in the left or middle lane all the way to the end and then there's no room to exit.
You can find the culprit when you look in the mirror.
Questions? What would you like to see next about cars/driving in Germany/Europe? Write into the comment section below!
Thanks so much for joining me on this excursion on the Bavarian Autobahn and country roads.
American Guy In Germany Nice vid. You should do one on how to build up an emergency lane on the autobahn.
@@ianwilson6417 Hello there Ian, thanks for your suggestion! I did in fact just make a video with the "rettungsgasse" in it. Feel free to check it out:)
ua-cam.com/video/9glMde1-Swc/v-deo.html
I had driving lessons at the Autobahn yesterday, it was stressful because I need to keep on watching my speed the car behind me as well as changing the lane from right to left then change again from left to right with maximum speed of 130KPH only.
Yes, I suppose that would be stressful, especially if you cannot drive faster than 130, and if you are new to it too. Cars coming from behind at 250kmh will catch up very quickly to 130kmh...
Thanks for your comment, and good luck on your driving test!
@@TomsDoItYourself Thanks a lot! All the best to your Ychannel!
Hi.
Saw that silver VW van with "BAG" in big letters? They observe the trucker paying the toll.
Sometimes it's allowed to go faster on the right, than on the left lane. You'll find out.
Yes, I thought that was a police 👮♀️ van. Do you mean the truckers need to pay a toll? Because normal cars 🚙 don’t as far as I know. Thanks for your comment!
@@TomsDoItYourself the bag (bundesamt für güterverkehr) is a federal force but only controling shipping. so thats why they look very close to the police.
Ach so, thanks for the Erklärung! Again what learned ;)
And yes, trucks or any vehicle used to transport goods with more then (I think) 7.5 tons needs to pay toll on German Autobahn and many Bundesstraßen. Those tolls are calculated electronicly by an on board device using GPS and such. So the BAG check cars pull up right to a truck and can check that on board device by a short range remote control. The toll is directly deducted from an account the truck is registered on. Passenger cars remain toll free so far in Germany.
Hey, that is a cool piece of information, thanks for that! I didn't know the semis had to pay a toll, but it makes sense since they wreak more havoc on the streets than normal PKWs.
If someone is stubbornly staying on the left lane you can pass right, but not more than 5-10 kmh faster. It may also happen that in a heavy traffic situation the left lanes are slower, there is absolute nothing to worry about if you pass on the right when swimming in traffic that is slowed down.
Yes, I have heard that in congested traffic you can move past other cars on the right. You really don’t have any other choice. But I’m not sure if there is a way to determine at what point somebody becomes a “left lane hogger.”
@@TomsDoItYourself Ok lets frame it differently, because overtaking on the right is only allowed in very distinct situations. Passing a left lane hogger is not allowed, you get 1 penalty point and a fine of about 100€.
As mentioned, when the left lane is slow because of traffic jam OR is below 60 kmh for other reasons, you can pass with max 20 kmh faster. Thats what is legal.
Following is no advice, its my personal experience (20 years driving) and aproach, and most people i know do it in similar ways. If i close up on the right lane and someone is sitting on the left lane who is slower than me and not faster than 120 and the right lane is free far ahead, and there is no third lane further to the left, i just stay on the righ lane, and pass carefully. But i would not slow down to the speed like the left lane hogger and just sit there helpless like an bunny. Of course you check if a police car is behind you, and if that is the case you wait until the police did something about it.
Actually on time police just passed on the right themselves and i decided to follow them. In my experience police often is not very eager to engage if there is no harm for anybody.
But be carefull, i had many conversations with police and this is what i learned. If they can turn a blind eye, or like they would say, they just didnt see anything, they let you get away with such minor things. But if you let them no choise but to see you doing something wrong they follow exactly the rules.
@@madrooky1398 Hey there Mad Rooky, thanks for the clarification. It is interesting also what you say about the police turning a blind eye to a minor infraction.
Where I come from in the USA, the police are always looking for ways to give tickets out, especially to teenagers. Any minor infraction will be fined, and they actively look for people doing things wrong, such as underage smoking, drinking, speeding, and so on. It was so annoying. The police here are very much more relaxed, and you almost NEVER see them patrolling, like in the USA. I am thinking of doing a video about this in the future.
@@TomsDoItYourself It is definitely a huge difference and worth a video. I studied differences in crime rates, fatality rates and all these things, there are almost no similarities. But i cant say anything about real experience in the US. But i believe there are two major factors, which are guns and the culture of punishment. Good luck making a video, its certainly not an easy topic. :)
@@TomsDoItYourself And i want to share one story because you said how police was looking actively for minor infractions.
I grew up in a home for children, and when i was 15, i just started an aprenticeship, it was kinda normal almost everyone was smoking, smoking weed, drinking alcohol. And we got this attendant in our group, he was a sergeant from the Bundeswehr, he was that typical german stereotype of a rule obeying person. Unflexible and annoying. lol
One evening this sergeant dude had his night shift, my room mate and i went out to smoke a joint. Normally we would stay inside for that, only openeing a window, but this guy... you know. But he followed us, hiding behind trees, and when he smelled weed he went back and called the police. And that is where the fun starts. When we returned we were obviously quite high, and this guy was waiting for us with a very serious face, telling us we were in trouble now, police is coming for us. We laughed but followed him in his duty room and waited. Two officers showed up, they started to interview us seperately and made protocolls. I for myself was completely honest, i told how we smoked a joint, how high i am, how funny all that is. And the police was all professional, they aksed, listened, wrote the stuff down, then finally thanked me and sent me out. From outside then we could hear the following convo between the police and the sergeant, they asked him what he thinks they have to attend this evenening, if he believes theres nothing really important they would have to take care of. And that he should think twice before he is about to waste the time of the police next time.
I mean that is not a normal case. This place was known for young adults doing stuff like this, it was in a small village, the police was coming over from a bigger town some kilometers away. But the fact is, the police couldnt have done anything than writing a report. They are not allowed to write fines for such things, that has to be done by a judge or prosecutor, and they would almost certainly drop such a case, because of "Geringfügigkeit". How i love this word. It translates to "marginality", and it is used in many minor infractions especially about drugs and young people.
And that is such a case how i got to know the police. I have plenty different stories from my youth. I quite like encounters with law enforcement, i learned that they are mostly professionals and i respect them. I believe they can sense that after a few words and so i never have trouble.
3:58 that's not right. if you are in your lane, you can keep your speed. That is not consider overtaking.
I heard a rumor that when passing in Germany, your signal remains on, while you are performing the pass. Can anyone confirm?
Tom, another anecdote from bygone days: The MTU management had Mercedes sedans and drivers. Our VP Engineering got tired of BMWs passing him on the Autobahn so, being a former Mercedes employee, he asked his old buddies about hot-rodding his company car. They said, "Bring your car to Stuttgart, and we'll make a few mods". When his car had been modified, the game on the Autobahn now was, being passed by a BMW; he tells his driver to show the BMW who owned the Autobahn; the Mercedes accelerated, passing the BMW, at a speed that no BMW could match. Chalk up another Mercedes win over a BMW!
Whoa, that is a cool story, Conbert! Funny to think of the rivalry back then, and I bet it still exists today. I wonder which manufacturer is held in higher regard today among car enthusiasts? I see a ton of Beamers on the roads, but a good amount of Mercedes too. Thanks for posting! Oh by the way, did you see my second video? I think the second one turned out better than the first: ua-cam.com/video/9glMde1-Swc/v-deo.html
Wishing you a great start to your week!
@@TomsDoItYourself Tom, there is intense rivalry between BMW and Mercedes. Back in the late '50s when I was driving My 356 Porsche, the joke among Porsche drivers was - When you buy a Mercedes you get automatic "Vorfahrt's Recht", and many Mercedes drivers drove that way. Remember, in those days, Mercedes had a Renn Abteilung. That was probably where the AMG Division originated. I'll bet that even today, Companies buy Mercedes or BMW and stick with their choices.
@@conbertbenneck49 Wow, that 356 looks pretty cool for a car from 1948. For comparison, my dad had a 1948 De Soto, and I thought that was pretty neat, but this is of course a different league. Is that right, that the 356 is the first series car that Porsche made?
Hmm, if I had to choose right now between a BMW and a Mercedes, I think I'd take the former, since I do not know much about the latter. I bet they are both awesome cars though. I drove a 318i once from Rosenheim to Koblenz, and that was pretty sweet.
I think you're right that people make a choice, and stick to their decisions here. People seem to be relatively brand loyal, in my estimation.
Thanks for your comment, and have a good one, Conbert!
Great educational video for your fellow Americans. - Thank you! :)
I was just going to say that it's a lot more fun to drive on the American Interstate (at least most of the time), unless there is a lot of traffic, or two interstates merge into one, then you gotta watch out, because "Americans" don't pay much attention to other cars, and forget to check for blinds spots, and simply pull over... Lol. At least Utahn drivers are famous for that. 😂
Sometimes it's even so empty that you can flip a u - ie, when you missed your exit, because the next one can be many
MANY miles away.. Lol.
I lived in Salt Lake City and when driving on Interstate 80 it was so relaxing, so I can totally relate.
😂
Hey there Witty, yes I can imagine that the roads out there in Utah must be SUPER empty. I mostly drove around the Midwest, where we don't have much traffic either. Just in Chicago - that traffic sucks! And yes you are right, sometimes people don't check their blindspots. I had a rude awakening when i was 17 on I-43, driving south towards Milwaukee. Someone just pulled from the right lane into the passing lane, without checking their blind spot, and ran me right INTO the median! That was not cool. Now, whenever I am in someone's blindspot, I have developed the reflex to put my hand on the horn, ready to beep, in case they don't check. Luckily, this only happened that one time.
But, I still just love the peaceful drive on the interstate, going north to Green Bay, just cruising and enjoying the farmland scenery. 🚜
@@TomsDoItYourself
I've never been to Wisconsin, but it must be very beautiful... Especially the cold winter. :)
I almost grew up in the States, but my parents backed out to immigrate last minute, when I was 2 years old, so the friend had to go by himself, and open that business they both planned to open, and became very successful. - We were going to move to Milwaukee. 🙂
@@TomsDoItYourself
That was a pretty dangerous situation and understandable that this experience had a lasting impact on you. - You were very lucky. 🙂
@@witty2u Hey there Witty! Well, I appreciate your sentiment about Wisconsin. I love it there! But, the winters are awfully cold. I mean like so cold that you don't even wanna go outside for 5 minutes. That's when it's 40° below 0, and wind chill. But other than that, Wisconsin, and Milwaukee are great 👍🏻It's cool to hear that our paths may have nearly crossed in Wisconsin. 😉
@@witty2u Yes, I probably said a prayer of thanks, right after checking my drawers, haha. In all seriousness, it did impact how observant I am of other drivers on the freeway, that's for sure.
It's also illegal to show other's cars in your footage right?
I will let others here answer that, as I am not sure of the specifics. I have avoided showing the license plates, and that is important. You will see thousands of other car videos on YT, just FYI.
@@TomsDoItYourself ok, I heard someone in another autobahn video say that and he too blurred out all the number plates and people, so just wondering. Germans are so disciplined.
@@SharkFishSF Well, most license plates are far enough away, that you cannot read them. The ones that can be easily read, like the end of the video, I blur. I don't want to cause anyone any trouble.
In NL drivers are merging even if it's not enough gap. Be careful!
Thanks for the heads up! I will have to be careful if I ever make it to the Netherlands 🇳🇱😉
Yeah, have the same issue with them. they drive as if they cycle - no mirrors etc..
I never knew that - I'll have to keep it in mind. Thanks!
Unfortunately many drivers in the Netherlands think they are alone on the road, and game rules are only for others.
I love to drive in Germany, Belgium and Luxemburg, drivers there are more relaxed.
Wao. Blessed be to the living God.
More grace brother
Nice video, driving on the Autobahn can be nice, but it can also be very stressful (often). US highways are mostly much more relaxing (with the exception of a few crazy drivers).
Very true, Mr. Squirrel! I find too that driving in the US is relaxing, but you DO have to watch out for a few erratic drivers. Driving on the autobahn is stressful to me when there's just 2 lanes, because the right is too slow due to the semis, and the left is too fast due to the BMWs. 😂 Autobahns with 3 lanes though, are just fine. 👍🏻
It can be so annoying that people creep along at 250 km/h (155 mph) blocking a lane
Haha, can you go faster than that? Do cars 🚗 go faster than that?
@@TomsDoItYourself Sure, most european sportscars go faster than that. Many constructors limit their family cars to 250 km/h (like Mercedes or BMW) but you can opt to have the limiter removed, their suspension is safe to about 300 km/h anyway. Even smal suburban (european or japanese) cars are build to be safe to 200 km/h.
Don't try this with american cars !!!
@@peterhuys2413 Oh man, I don't know about going that fast, even if the car is designed for it. I'd need a change of underwear if I ever drove that fast, lol.
Yeah, driving on the Autobahn can be stressful. But driving any vehicle in general should not be considered "relaxing". This is a huge part of why the fatility rate on the US highway is higher than on the Autobahn. You have to be awake and actively participate in driving. You relax at home or outside of the car, not while driving!
I don’t know if it’s just me, but I find driving on US interstates boring, as you just set your cc and then sit there and do nothing. It’s so easy to get distracted whilst driving and I saw constantly people driving around with their phones on. Where as here in Germany you constantly have to be alert about your surroundings and it keeps you more in focus on your driving.
Any problem with animals, ie: deer?
Hey Tom, not most of the time. Mainly just on the country roads on occasion. But, the deer are way smaller than in the USA.
It was a thrill driving on the Autobahn. I did very little passing on the left. Quite a few of the cars passed me "flying." Germany's roads are in better condition than the U.S.
Hey Barbara, yes you are right! I recently drove on I-43 in Wisconsin, and it is so bumpy! I almost forgot about that.
And yes, it is a bit terrifying, to drive 160kmh, and have someone pass you by at 250khm! I try to stay right, unless there's non-stop semi trucks blocking the lane.
Tom, my 356B Porsche convertible could cruise effortlessly all day at 170 kmH. I owned Autobahns. The only things that passed me were 300SL Mercedes or a Ferrari and both of those were not produced in quantity, so I rarely had anybody on my tail blinking his lights at me. In the late '50's most cars had far less than 100 HP. The Porsche 911 was always in the forefront, upping the horsepower one model after another. Today's horsepower race is crazy from an engineering standpoint. Do I really have to have 500 HP to move two 175 pound people? Do I really have to get from 0 to 60 MPH in 4 seconds? The ultimate example of this is the Bugatti with 1000+ HP. Are your reflexes fast enough to be able to drive this car or is it just bragging rights; mine is faster than yours! When my friend and I were chasing each other around the map of Europe, you should have seen the races between fully loaded FIAT 500s in Italy. I've seen them tuck under the belly of a tank truck as they are trying to pass it on a hill, and traffic is suddenly coming from the opposite direction. It's all what you are used to in your driving area.
Hey Conbert, thank you for the school anecdotes! Some of the sequences sound like they come out of an action movie 👍🏻
Yes, I’m sure we don’t need so much horsepower, but people love it. I have a friend who will always supe up his cars to the point that they soon break due to the extra stress on the parts. 😆
170kmh must’ve been extremely fast, especially for back then. Did the cars have seatbelts back then? I know they didn’t have air bags yet.
Stress-free maybe, but more dangerous, I would argue as well.
The statistics would suggest that, but I think it differs by region.
@@TomsDoItYourself Well. Of course, I did not dive into data. I just have seen some really disturbing crash videos from dashcams on the Internet from the USA. People driving on Highways with whatever the mph speed limit there is, but high speeds, left lane simultaneously right lane - no lane switching at all. Then one comes faster and bum. Even more disturbing where the videos of US Highways where people just crashed full speed into the end of a jam because a) they didn't pay attention or b) they did not now about the danger ahead - didn't see it through the car in front. In at least the latter, there is a so easy solution. Why not using warning lights when seeing danger ahead, like we do in Europe? It's so easy and straight forward. You push one button in your car, your lights flash, the person behind gets to know oh shit something is wrong and then is prepared to brake extensively more than he would be prepared otherwise. It's like press one button and save lives.
Hey Rexi, you make some good points. Using the warning signal would be a good start. My dad always taught me to look ahead and pay attention to the brake lights of the cars in front of me, even through the windshields of the cars in between. That way, you always know when traffic is slowing. I also always know which cars are around me, because I keep an eye on my blind spot. Thanks for commenting!
My experience in USA was they are more relaxed both inner cities and interstates while in Germany car drivers are stressed because they all "have right" and the streets are for them only.
If you drive watch your speedometer! You are fasterthan you think!
- Cheers, Heinz
Hey Heinz, thanks for your comment. I can agree with that. Things are more relaxed in the states I feel...especially in areas with light traffic. Have a good one! -T
@@TomsDoItYourself - I was amazed even in areas with a lot of traffic. Like New York City, where most drivers were courteous and let others slip into traffic without any problems. German drivers can learn a lot about this.
Actually driving on the German Autobahn for me as a German is relaxing in comparison to US-American highways... For you it seems to be stressful coz you are not used to it. During your video there had been MANY occasions where you forgot about the rules! 😉
Holy smokes! I WISH we had this level of expectation in Canada! I will say the American Interstates are far superior to the highways here.
There are only 2 rules. 1: You must overtake the car in front. 2: If you cannot, for some inexplicable reason, overtake the car in front then you must get as close to it as possible.
Hahaha 😝 that really made me laugh! I hate it when people tailgate, and I wonder “do they not realize how dangerous that is?”
@@TomsDoItYourself If you didn’t notice it yet there are distance cameras as well. They measure how far from cars you are. Since I’m from Poland where we don’t have such a devices and many people don’t respect that distance rule (including me. Yeah I know I’m a bad guy now) I already got that ticket from Brandenburg Police. So tailgating could be expensive 🤷🏼♂️
So far I've thought there is only a single rule: survive.
@@albertlugosi Well, yes, there is that too.
@@albertlugosi Haha, well yes that is of utmost importance! Following the rules will help with this 😉
Und schon nach 16 Sekunden Video 0:16 ein Verstoss der einen Monat Fahrverbot in Deutschland bringt. Stopschild überfahren. An Stopschildern mit Haltelinie müssen alle Räder für min 2 Sekunden zum Stillstand kommen. Machen aber auch viele Deutsche nicht ... kurz langsamer werden oder wenn man vorher gestanden hat reicht da nicht. Bei kleinlichen Ordnungshütern kann das sehr unangenehm und vor allen teuer werden ;) Topspeed auf der Autobahn waren bei mir 250km/h aber auch für einen geübten Fahrer wird es so ab 160-180 Stressig da man ständig damit rechnen muss das jemand vor einen rauszieht und bei 250 wird die Zeit zum reagieren schon knapp. Da muss man voll konzentriert sein. Ist aber nur meine Erfahrung und mag Mancher anders sehen.
Hey big bag Wolf 🐺! Thank you for your comments.
You are right, and it is in the same in America. One must come to a. Before proceeding. But I would say that 80% of people don’t do it either, unless they see a policeman nearby. It is hard to be 100% disciplined on that. But, in regards to the legality you are right.
I’m happy to hear that even for an experienced driver like yourself, going over 160-180 km/h become stressful, too. One really needs to be watching for cars coming up from behind, and four slower cars pulling from the right into the middle or left lanes.
Best wishes from Bavaria!
@@TomsDoItYourself I totally agree that the small speed differences in the US makes driving less stressful there. In Germany you have this mixture of speeders (180+km/h) and idiots whose mental grasp extends only as far as the front bumper of their car. Besides being selfish. A pretty explosive mixture.
A recommendation: If you like going really fast then hire a Ring-Taxi on the Nuremburg Ring: ua-cam.com/video/x1X92jf8s-g/v-deo.html&ab_channel=AMvantageV12
Hey there V100! Thanks for your response. Yes, I just don't get how those people who ride bumper to bumper aren't afraid of getting brake-checked, or in an accident!
Oh, and no I don't like going fast...sometimes I drive like 20 years older than I am ;)
@@TomsDoItYourself people who love fast speed will never brake check each other. As I said I live in Seattle theres a lot of racers in Seattle area who meet up on weekends at the gas station then they go on a highway to race each other, same in Portland not far from Washington-Oregon border street racers meet up to race each on marine view drive in Portland doing speeds 170mph. Los Angeles and Texas even worse with street racing, if you do not know about street racers in the States then your not car enthusiast
@@TomsDoItYourself my fastest speed on the U.S. highway was 145mph-233km on bmw. I'm Ukrainian living in the States so for me its normal to drive at this speeds in the States
0:57 A8 Irschenberg : Police in a Civil Car 😄
Hey good catch, I didn't see them there! Are they looking for speeders?
Was ist der Unterschied zwischen eine Klapperschlange und eine Auto schlange?
Antwort: Bei der Autoschlange ist das arschlock vorne
Hahaha, good one, Conbert 😆. Too bad that one doesn’t transfer into English.
We had our sailboat at Prien on the Chiemsee for 7 years, till new United Aircraft top management took all of us from the International Marketing side and tossed us out the 6th floor window. My MTU-Munich friends gave me a new hme and for the next 16 years I represented them back in Hartford, CT at Pratt&Whtney Aircraft Engines. I now had German vacation times, and German employee advantages. What are you doing in Rosenheim?@@TomsDoItYourself
Hey there Conbert! That’s a cool story! Chiemsee is nice 👍🏻 I just joined a fishing club there, in the hopes of docking a boat myself.
I studied in Rosenheim, and met my wife during my studies. I talk about why I’m here in my Intro video, if you’re interested.
Aircraft engines sounds like a cool occupation. I’m an engineer myself.
Have a good one!
@@TomsDoItYourself Translation: What is the difference between a rattlesnake and a car snake? Answer: In the car queue, the asshole is in front
@@evertdevries8814 Haha! Hmm, let me try a translation..."what's the difference between a long-ass boa constrictor, and a throng of cars? In the line of cars, the butthole is in the front!"
One thing, you are not allowed to cross lanes, going from lane 1 to lane 3 in one go. You have to mark a pose in the middle lane to sheck the mirrors before going to the 3rd lane.
Except the speed limits these rooles apply in all Europe.
Hey Daniel, thanks for your comment! Switching too many lanes too quickly could be dangerous, that's right! I guess there's no written rule about how long you need to stay in the middle lane before switching to the next one, but it should be enough time to establish occupancy in that intermediate lane, I guess. Happy driving!
No passing on the right is the same (but opposite side) to the UK. In fact all the rules seem similar to the UK motorways other than the 70mph speed limit. Stick left unless overtaking. Slow vehicles must stick left.
All this is theoretical... the amount of times I've been stuck behind THREE lorries on a 3 lane motorway all trying to pass each other out, middle lane hogs, etc.
Hahaha, yes we have all experienced that, I think. The semis love to try and pass each other, like snails on a log, when going uphill!
In Poland we set the new rules for them (most commercial trucks in EU are Polish) and they can overpass just one car/truck at the time. They aren’t allowed to do this in convoy like you described (3 at the same time one after another). Breaking this rule could end up with very expensive ticket. Ticket is send to them, based on vehicle camera recording proof made by anyone.
If your not car enthusiast then you won't like fast speeds, car enthusiasts will never ever brake check each other on highways. I once going 120mph on my IS250 the left lane was all blocked with hoggers so I was using the far right lane to pass an car enthusiast on lowered STU moved over from far right to the left to let me pass after that he flashed lights and I turned my hazards to thank him. Remember people who like fast speeds are car enthusiasts and they will never brake each other we respect each other and love cars
Yes Sergii, brake checking is awful, and I am glad to see that this does not happen often in Germany. I think it happens too frequently in the USA. People should get in trouble for that, since its dangerouse! I like cars, but I wouldn't call myself an "enthusiast" and I don't like going crazy fast, but fast enough to get efficiently from Point A to Point B 😉
00:19 "18,115 of 25,767 km are speed limit free." Interesting claim about a road system that was only 13,121 kilometres long in 2021! Where on Earth did you get those figures from?
"Fatality rate is 1.74 persons per 1 million km travelled (3.38 on US interstates)". In which year?
I don’t know, those of the figures I found when I researched it.
Try Czech highways - they are maintained even much better!
Really? That is good. I have never driven on a Czech highway, but I have used the country roads to go hunting once. They were good too, as far as I can remember. How are your roads financed?
@@TomsDoItYourself all payed by state organisations - money taken from varios taxes
Funniest is when you do flat out top speed on your normal rental car on the Autobahn at 200 kph and you get passed by some hypercar or something like you are stopped.
Hehe, yes some of those Porsches or BMWs go 300, no problem! They pass me up going 160kmh, as if I was being a slow poke.
Switching two lanes at one is forbidden. You have to change to the first lane to your left. After that, you have to wait a little bit before you repeat this manover.
Thanks for your reply, Ace! How long must you then wait before switching again?
@@TomsDoItYourself Np. There is no rule how long to wait. Just dont change two lanes at the same time and take your time to watch your back before you switch to the second lane (just 2 or 3 second could be enough) . Have in mind, that sometimes you misscalculate how far some cars behind you are. That's the reason for this rule. Watch twice and you and everyone elso is safer. There are enough cars that drive with 200+ kmh. It's Hard to calculate the right speed if such a car is behind you in the left lane.
Plus if the police saw you change two lanes at a time they can give you a ticket and that is easy avoidable.
Hey there Ace, thanks for the heads up! I will be sure to abide this rule, and make sure there is enough time between lane switches. And, you are right about the cars coming up fast behind you. I always check my rear view mirror to be aware of who is around me, and who's coming up to pass. Have a good one!
00:17 - those guys who told that you did not abide to rules in your previous video were right. In this video you did it again! A stop sign in Germany means that your car actually needs to stop before you can proceed on after having assured that there is no traffic on the main road. You have just carelessly passed the stop sign without actually stopping.
03:20 - lots of "Mittelspurschleicher" which is not a good example.
I agree with your statement that driving in a U.S. state with a population density of 105 people per square mile and less traffic is more relaxing than in a country with 600 people per square mile with less space to build wider roads with more lanes.
Hey Gerd, thanks for your comment. Oops, I guess I have opened a can of worms when publishing a video of my driving, but I’ll still benefit from others pointing out my mistakes, to learn from.
“Mittelspurschleicher” - never heard that before, makes sense though 🤔 I get that driving on the Autobahn is supposed to be efficient, but constantly changing lanes at high speeds has always felt kinda dangerous to me. Nevertheless, you’re right to point out that I have to be more observant of the Rechtsfahrgebot.
To be fair, that thing is just badly placed, if you can join the road where you can only see the sign sideways. OK, there is a solid line at the junction, but a reminder like a stop sign as an additional marking on the ground would be an improvement to make it clearer.
Yes, exiting the parking lot as I was, the stop sign wasn’t that obvious from that angle. Thanks for looking out ☺️
@@TomsDoItYourself I learned in driving school that you have to learn about the rules applicable at an intersection before you enter it. Because once in it it is difficult to impossible. Which means find out about it when you approach it. Make sure you know all the regulations and orders that apply before. Not just go and see what happens. That is the wrong approach.
That is the basic mentality when driving here: Know all you have to know and not just think driving is physically easy. That is a mistake even Germans make in the US. Only because the streets and cars look similar does not mean the rules are. I learned only late in my life that in the US you have switch on the headlights (DRL) if you activate (forced by the ambient weather situation not the bugs) the windshield wipers. A quite reasonable rule many Germans are not aware of. And there are different versions in different states of the US. In Germany the rules are the same in all states. But different in different countreis of Europe. Kind of comparable to the US in that regard.
This is right. No matter where you are, you are expected to know the rules; even if you are brand new there. I got a couple of rude awakenings in this regard, also to riding a bike here. Things are different between the USA and Germany, for sure.
Some autobahns are well maintained , absolutely not all. Actually you can drive much faster in, say Scandinavia or France, because there is much less traffic and “stau”.
I know...driving in Germany is stressful. I much prefer driving where there is less traffic.
My highest speed was 268km/h. Doesnt make that much sense what you are saying in my opinion. You have to look every time in your back mirror because of faster cars? That would mean that your blocking the left lane. If you finished with your overtaking just get back to the right lane. In the US you have to be aware of both sides, since you can be overtaken on the right and left, no? Thats stressfull in my mind.
Hey there, thanks for your comment! Wow, 268 is fast! I haven't gone that fast. And yes, I keep an eye on the rear view mirror to be aware of the approaching traffic. I do get into the right lane if it is free, sure. But if it is occupied by semis (which is often the case), then I have to stay in the middle lane, and sometimes use the left to pass. I guess I am just used to driving in the midwest, where we generally just have two lanes, and the traffic goes about the same speed. I think everyone's mileage may vary here, depending on where he/she comes from.
I agree, i like speed limits. Sure Autobahn is the paradise for the elite.. but for ppl who are just going somewhere speed limit is a must
Agreed. It’s nerve wracking when $250k cars zoom by at 250 km/hr.
Interesting final comment.
Apparently, this is a somewhat polarizing topic. I like the steady flow of traffic, running at the same speed. It is relaxing for me. Others like the fast paced driving of the Autobahn. To each their own 👍🏻
Your stress is not coherent with the fatality rate you have shown at the beginning...
More than twenty years ago, my cruising speed on the motorways was 160 km / h (in France), when the traffic was light, otherwise in heavy traffic I was driving slower than 130 ... It was before 'there are all those damn automatic radars! And riding was fun!
Hmmm, I suppose the stress is induced by growing up in an environment with less traffic, slower speeds, and laser but not least: regulated speeds.
I didn’t know you could drive 160 in France. Is that still the case?