Hello from Germany. I worked in the USA for 20 years (N.Y. and Chicago) so I can compare it well. The difference is actually like night and day. It's not the highways that are bad, it's the drivers. And if there were no speed limit in the USA, the number of fatal accidents would definitely explode. It's the education that is so bad in the USA. In Germany you grow up with the motorway, you have to invest a lot of money and time in getting a driver's license, and only then are you let loose on humanity. I'm sorry to say this, but nowhere have I seen as many bad drivers as in the US, and so many people who focus on everything but driving while driving.
I agree. In Europe in general there's much more pressure on road culture and keeping to the correct lane when driving. I live in the UK and people also occasionally abuse these rules but in my mind, even if I am the passenger I always tell the driver to change the lane if they stay on the fast one for too long, I just don't feel safe if they do it.
I am from the UK where the standard of driving is definitely below that of Germany. However, driving in the USA (Indiana/Chicago/Kentucky/NY), the driving standards I saw were terrible. So many people unaware of other road users and, when they WERE aware of other drivers, it was as some sort of adversary. Aggressive drivers EVERYWHERE.
The main reason for bad drivers in the USA is the availability of automatic transmission cars, most American cars are automatics and this requires little skill to drive. The less skill u need to drive the less u are skilled at driving. Manual transmission cars tend to stop the unskilled from even attempting to get a licence. In the US a manual transmission in a car is seen as an anti theft device.
1. Better driver education 2. Strict yearly inspections and ban on mods 3. Good emergency services 4. Shorter roads, less fatigue 5. Culture of responsibility 6. Good and frequent maintenance
And in few years, I guess Germany will: 1. Remove toilets from every rest areas and service stations. 2. Introduce a law making vehicles breaking down illegal. 3. Drivers running out of fuel gets shot. 4. Force all drivers to pee at home, or pee in their pants while driving. 5. Equipping every gentry on Autobahn with machine guns that shoots people in cars for driving 1km/h over the limit. 6. Equipping spikes on every road marking. Germany is sure the strictest country in Europe.
I will make a correction here, vehicle mods are not banned in Germany, but there are not as many as there are everywhere else because all parts you fit to a vehicle must be TUV approved and you must have the paperwork for that approval or your vehicle will fail it's annual inspection and won't be road legal.
@@AngelinaJolie734There are sections w/o emergency lanes, but these usually have speeds limits applied for exactly that reason. For renewed sections, emergency lanes are mandatory. Just not let your car break down at those sections 😅
On the Autobahn there are three main rules: 1. always stay focused, keep your mind on driving. 2. there always is someone faster than you 3. keep every mirror in focus, know what is going on left, right, behind you, not only in front of you. If there is a dangerous situation unfolding, you just have to know what is going on on the lane right (left) of you, if you have to brake or change lanes you must know if the lane is free or blocked. Knowing things in advance saves lifes.
One time, in Germany, I was overtaken on the right by a Mercedes ML. I was at 130 km/h and I was overtaking two lorries. He slalomed between the two to overtake me.
@@AngelinaJolie734 Strictly and absolutely forbidden! Not legal at all. If caught by police it would result in a heavy fine. Not only financial, but loss of driving license at least for 3-6 months. Definitely reckless driver causing potentially dangerous situations. Sadly there are some people not abiding laws.
@@darkredvan exact. But in fact there are now very very few autobahn kilometres where you really could go for a long time on 100mph and beyond. Quite often the traffic is far to congested to go for high speed. I used to own and drive Mercedes Benz E class with quite some power .. commuted between Luxembourg and Muenster in NRW. Experienced a lot of silly situations had a C Class near me who wanted to pass me right because on left were stuck did not notice a 40 Ton Truck right.. Crash. my dead ankle warning went haywire.. he was less to half an inch from my car. .. Glad he survived uninjured but the Benz was ready to scrap. (Between Heidelberg and Frankfurt . Seeheim Jugenheim region)
If someone in Germany tells you, he is driving 40 years without any excident, not only means he is a good driver. It also means everybody around is paying attention.
Regardless of how confident they were before getting on the Autobahn, never ever have I met an American that wasn't terrified during their actual first half hour on the Autobahn. Rest assured, you won't be any different. The first shock is usually the realization of how much narrower the lanes are compared to US interstates and highways. The guaranteed second shock is when a seemingly unspectacular German mid-range car blasts past you with 140 mph for the first time. The third shock is the first time you'll have to fill up your tank at a Autobahn rest stop. The price of gasoline will make you wanna cry.😂 I hope you'll visit Germany soon, and I'm confident that you'll enjoy the experience. Since I've been following your channel for quite some time now, I know that you're a reasonable guy. You'll be just fine. 🤗🍻 Greetings from 🇩🇪 P.S.: don't waste your money on renting a RS6 or something crazy like that when going on the Autobahn the first time. You won't utilize the full potential of such a machine and frankly, nor should you try. Get yourself a nice regular A4 or a BMW 3-series or a nice C-class or a nice Skoda or something like that at first. The experience will essentially be exactly the same. Drive a couple of hundred kilometers and then maybe dial it up a notch. Just a tip😉
me as a dutch person reading this coment: "The first shock is usually the realization of how much narrower the lanes are compared to US interstates and highways." *what youre lanes are huge compared to ours "The guaranteed second shock is when a seemingly unspectacular German mid-range car blasts past you with 140 mph for the first time. " * change that to no matter your speed there always will be a car blasting past you like you are standing still "The third shock is the first time you'll have to fill up your tank at a Autobahn rest stop. The price of gasoline will make you wanna cry.😂" * i never tank next to the highway/autobahn always leave the highway and go to a town to tank there. also german prices are low compared to ours. but all in all yea the autobahn will humble you and the first time you might go 180KM/h but you wont hold it that long cause its exausting (also i come to resent dutch drivers there they have no regards of safely passing slower traffic on a 2 lane autobahn part. PS: dont get to comfortable with the no speed you will always drive into road maintainence in germany and that isnt a few meters like im used to they have it for multiple KM. but i love they way they do it and how safe it would feel for the roadworkers there compared to here.
@@goldendon511 Hahaha😂👍 Well, Dutch highways are a whole different kettle of fish... Parts are lightened up by lamps and there are fkn intersections with street-lights...you crazy buggers😂😘
An important fact to reflect upon is that the german driver’s license costs between 2000-3000 dollars on average with a mandatory number of driving lessons as well as a fairly strict practical and theoretical exam. If you fail the test additional driving lessons are required before you can retake the practical exam.
Btw, one minor addition: At the beginning of the video, he mentions how other people are not allowed to break for you to let you onto the Autobahn. However, if you're on the Autobahn and you see a car coming up the on-ramp, it is common courtesy to switch to the middle lane to let them on - as long as it is safe for you to do so, of course. Doesn't disrupt the flow of traffic on the Autobahn and they don't have to slow down to wait for a gap.
My driving instructor also taught me that I shouldn't stop on the acceleration lane. It is safer to stay on the shoulder and then switch to the lane on the left even though it is actually forbidden.
I would object that it's common courtesy. Best it is a matter of precaution because more and more people in Germany aren't capable of entering the autobahn safely. In general, the mutual consideration required by law in Germany is on the retreat and is giving way to an attitude of entitlement fueled by egocentrism and thoughtlessness ...
The fatality rate is not only related to the speed, but also to overall driver’s awareness and education. I lived and worked in the States for around 10 years mainly in Houston, and the way the hand out licenses like a popcorn is always mind boggling to me, here in the Netherlands we invest a lot of time, effort and money to be able to get our driver’s license. If the US applies the no speed limit policy in their highways, there is no way I’d drive side by side with American drivers, just couldnt trust them enough. So no, higher speed doesn’t mean safer driving environment.
Yep, fully agree with you. I had the same experience in the US. What also surprised me was people walking on interstates (in the middle of the night!) and the amount of tires left to rot on the side of the road
Well, the thing is in the US if you can't drive (in a lot of places) you have virtually zero chance of succeeding. There are employers that won't even hire you if you can't drive. So, states make it easier to get a driver's license. However, there are also some places that are pretty tight on things. I had a twenty-question written test and five-minute drive with an auditor in the car (really rural area). However, my mom who was from a larger city had a 100-question written test (that you couldn't miss an answer on), two weeks of driver training, audited obstacle course, and had to be able to parallel park straight and within 8 inches of the curb. Of course, in defense of us rural folk you have to realize that we often grew up driving in farm fields and on private dirt roads from an age when one could barely reach the pedals and see over the dash lol. I was driving my dad's '74 VW Beetle and my cousins old 4x4 Willies Army jeep when I was 9-10 years old or so. Not to mention all the go carts and dirt bikes everybody had. Also, in the rural areas of the US is where you'll find 95% of the population that can drive a manual transmission and bitching heavily about manuals being almost unobtainable anymore in new cars. Manual trans is SO much better in the snow and mud.
@@waynepurcell6058 My man absolutely, that’s the bigger problem in the states. No viable alternative means some people are forced to drive, from there on you can see that some don’t really care much or even pay attention to traffic and traffic rules, not all people have the ability to be a good driver. Thing as simple as indicating when turning or changing lanes, lane awareness, and speed limit awareness are just non existent there period, irony to be honest in a country that push forward in its advancement in car infrastructure. there are tons to work on. I agree with you about rural life in the States, I was lucky enough to spend a year in a tiny town close to Texas-Oklahoma border 2 hours away from Dallas-Fort Worth and I loved it. Less than 90K population, and the driving mentality is different there it’s true. no traffic, less hectic lane changes, etc. people are generally more aware of their surrounding, it was a breeze. To me it just proof that a city can indeed support private vehicles infrastructure and its system but not infinitely, once you have to many people and cars coming in, it’s simply impossible to maintain it as effectively and no, couple more lanes on each side does not fix the problem. Look, it’s nice to have the option to drive your own vehicle whenever you want. but it’s also nice if there is a better alternatives to driving too, so the people that don’t want to drive simply don’t bother the ones who want to drive, trust me there are lots of them. Especially in the States man, bullet train system and bigger reach metro system will definitely make it easier to live. I hope one day your country/states realise it. Now it’s too many auto lobbyists.
Europe is huge too, it is quite a drive from Glasgow to Istanbul... Major difference in Germany (and some other countries) is: consequent design, you know what to expect when there is a bend or an exit. You can (have to) leave with 80 mph and know the exit is safe for that speed. You go down slowly and do not meet a dangerous situation. Route indication is also systematic, you know long in advance which exit you have to take, in which lane you have to be, where to go, very unlike the US.
"You can (have to) leave with 80 mph and know the exit is safe for that speed" - well, there are exemptions... try A45 from Dortmund to Frankfurt, exit Burbach, and you´ll know why there are reinforced guard-rails...
Without knowing but I would guess the process to get a drivers license (much more difficult in Germany) is the reason you have less accidents in Germany.
That is part of it but a bigger part is attitudes and vehicle condition. In the US you are allowed to drive pretty well any piece of junk you want on the road, in Most of Europe, not just Germany, your vehicle has to pass an annual safety inspection and if it fails it's not road legal. In the US drivers only seem to care about getting where they are going as fast as possible and could not care less about any of the other drivers on the road, European drivers on the other hand are a lot more courteous then US drivers. Traffic control in Europe is aimed more it moving people than it is at moving cars, like in the US, this means European drivers spend a lot less time stuck needlessly at traffic lights and the like which means drivers are not as frustrated and prone to making mistakes. In the US uncle bob can teach you how to drive and driving tests are pretty easy to pass, however in Germany you must take professional driving instruction which is very expensive and the test is very strict. This is the same in a lot of European countries, for example my son passed his test last year here in the Netherlands and total cost was around 3,500 euro all in, this is before he even thinks about buying a car. German rules state that to obtain a drivers licence to must attend 14 theory lessons of 90 minutes each, 12 Practical lessons of which 4 are motorway, 3 are night time and 5 are country roads, and then as many regular lessons as are required for you to pass your test. You may only drive with a certified driving instructor until you have passed your test, if you pass your test at 17 then you can drive supervised by a named licensed person until you turn 18 at which point you can switch over to a full German licence and drive alone. Interesting thing to note if you visit Germany at 17 years old and your home country allows you to drive at 17 you still cannot drive in Germany as you are under 18.
The big problem is, that getting the license is nowadays excessively expensive. Since many people have to be at least able to drive, burocracy and driving schools are ripping of what they can. Next invest is of course the car, maintaining it, tax and ensurance. If I wasn't living in a rural area, I'd probably get rid of it or as a youngster wouldn't care to get a license.
13:03 im seeing this on a regular basis in germany too actually. especially if they zoom up with high speeds and cut infront of people its crazy dangerous. In driving school my instructor told me the saying "a bad driver dosent miss his exit, a good one sometimes does".
This is the thinking that a lot of drivers in EU still need to apply. It is always safer to go on when you miss your turn ( in urban areas as well as highways) that to panic and step on the breaks. If they start thinkig like this, you will not have semitrucks turning on the highways, people tryying to back up to the exit they just passed or simply people driving in oncomming traffic. Which unfortunatelly still hapens in Europe. EU is now startign to angle towards psycholigical examination before giving out a drivers license as well. I am curious to see where that leads us in the long run.
@@martinsinansky2817 I remember when was new highway tunnel opened near by and third day there was a driver reversing in it, then turned and drive back ... for that has to be life sentence "no more driving"
Something I've noticed some Americans do, is not having clear distinction between "fast lane" and "passing lane". Especially with fast lane term used, I've seen many use that phrasing as an excuse for staying in that lane simply because they're "going fast". They'll just sit above the speed limit, and then think that means the fast lane can be occupied by them for however long they wish to do so. It's one reason why people from Europe don't even use the "fast lane" term, because it truly does not matter what speed you have when you're using that lane -or any lane for that matter. The only thing that matters, is whether you're passing someone or not. Especially in places with no speed limits, your speed can't be a determining factor for how you can utilize any lane. Having one simple system that says "use outer lanes to pass, otherwise get out" is efficient, easy to understand, impossible to misinterpret, and it just works. Euro traffic laws are all about the inability to misinterpret a rule. You should never be able to question a traffic law statement or road use conduct. There should never be room for opposing arguments. You either do it right or wrong, no grey nuance. That's how you truly avoid most "dumb" accidents where two drivers both claim to be in the right -but in reality it's just the traffic rules that fail to specify a clear conduct statement in the first place. As someone who has driven on US interstates, I would say the experience matters depending on where in the US you are. Local driving cultures can be different as far as I have seen, but the overall core difference I noticed that most interstates had in common, is that it seems to me like there is a greater culture of independence and "anarchy" for lack of better word. More people in the US would drive as if the space around them was their property, saw surprisingly many drivers brake check regularly and act as "highway cops" towards other drivers, something I almost never see anywhere in Europe. In the most extreme cases I would say it felt like a higher degree of road entitlement, but again could vary from place to place. US car and driving culture is vast and surely fairly nuanced. Having to spend a lot more time filtering left and right in traffic also seemed to slow down any sense of natural flow, and especially one's ability to look ahead and predict patters was minimized a fair bit because there are far more variables you have to consider in the US system. On most European roads the traffic is very simple and easy to read, and thus easy to accommodate for in advance because drivers are more predictable and the rules are clear and easy to adhere to. I think in low traffic the US system works well and I did enjoy it especially in evening hours where most people have made it home for dinner, but any time there's just a bit of congestion things just escalate much more rapidly than what I've seen anywhere in Europe (maybe apart from Italy lol)
Four things that are missing on the American roads for an autobahn to work. 1. Maintenance of the roads 2. No passing on the right 3. Driving as much to the right as you possibly can, leaving the left for passing. 4. People willing to follow road laws.
And PLEASE, do not drive on the Autobahn with an american driving license. Just sit next to an experienced driver! That will scare the hell out of you as well! Promised!
Those were called "Kaefer-Treter" ("Bug-kicker"), and that movement still exists. It was/is quite easy to beef up a bug, since both boxer engines from either Bus or Porsche 914 fit into a bug. In the 90ies they always gathered for their first annual meeting in East Frisia, nowadays in Hannover - it is called "Maikaefertreffen" (literally "May-Bug-meeting", while correct translation for "Maikaefer" is Cockchafer). ;-)
it's not just germany, anywhere in europe are the same principals of driving. I had a huge driving shock when i moved from europe to australia. people here have no idea how to drive properly hence i made my driving channel to show idiocy of the drivers here. 9:13 also have to add that not everywhere in europe you have to always drive in the right lane when there is no traffic in far right lane. mostly those are used for slow vehicles such as trucks and buses. in some country like italy you are allowed to stay in middle lane doing 130-140 km/h if there is nobody to your right lane so long as overtaking lane is empty and you arent blocking it.
In Italy you are not allowed to stay in the middle lane.. you need to stay in the right lane if it's empty. It's true that the right lane is usually used by slow vehicle but simply because they can't reach the speed limit, so they stay always in that lane. 😄 if you stay in the middle lane (with the empty right lane), you risk a fine of €43 to €163 and 4 points on your driving license. it doesn't matter if the highway have 2 or 3 lanes, you must stay in the right lane.
@@marcorotari8832 during my drive in Italy I saw a lot of people staying in middle lane even after there was nobody there ;) and police was doing the same …
@@serbdriverAU unfortunately it's true 🤣 the average driver is just too lazy to switch lane but gets mad if somebody flashes at him while "camping" in the middle lane at 110 km/h.. i personally know people that think that the first lane it's exclusive for trucks and coaches. Oh, about the police...... they simply don't care.. 😄
If everyone break the rules it doesn't means that's ok, unfortunately in Italy they're way back in culture of respect than northern European countries.@@serbdriverAU
@@marcorotari8832I was so curious about this. Just a couple of years ago, I have been on a busines trip in Torino. I landed in Milano and drove on the highway and saw so many people just sitting in the middle lane doing 110. It was quite late and the highway was almost empty. I was doing a regular 130 in the rightmost lane and wandering what was going on... Shame on me, I have decided not to cross two lanes just to pass the guy in the middle, though I should have...
speed isn't safer but people in Germany are more serious when respecting rules. They don't drive fast for fun, they drive fast because they respect all the other rules and so, they can drive fast because evrything else is under control. If you're too close from the vehicle in front of you on the Autobhan you'll be fined. if you stay on the left lane, you'll be fined if you don't use your turn signals, you'll be fined the autobhan is safer than a lot of roads all over the world only because germans respect rules (remove speed limits on highways in my country and you'll end in a tremendous chaos)
I live in Germany sonce a few years. I drove in US in 2005 I think? i95 around Miami area. It didn't seem too bad. Last year I visited Chicago, I didn't drive but took Uber from airport to city and back and it seemed very very crazy. Did it seem to me or there are exits on left side as well? That was weird and I don't think it's very safe as it adds a layer of complexity. Here in Europe, as far as I seen, you always exit on right side. There are highway intersections where midle lane splits, it's marked at least a couple km in advance, or more several times, which lane goes where (big signs above the highway with arrows and destinations for each lane), and maybe right lane goes right, middle lane splits, and left lane goes left (continues) but it just seemed a LOT better marked and constructed than what I seen on the road from O'Hare to Chicago. Also people went with random speeds in all lanes around you. I thought to myself, if this is US then how would it be in India? Seemed wild wild west to me. About speedy cars, you don't need 500 hp to go on any road, I don't kno why americans often seem to thiunk that. My car is 150 hp petrol car and is fine to go up to 200 kph, but normally I travel 160-180 max (or lower if road is not good, night time, rain, traffic, I'm tired etc etc etc). So no you don't need an M bmw or an RS audi or a Porsche to go above 130 kph, of course. Any normal car nowadays that is over 100 hp can go a speed of say, 150 easily. Just the absolute lowest tiers of engines, the billboard price cars (complete entry level) may be a bit undersized for that, where you can still go that fast but could be too noisy and may be high consumption as it's not meant for that. Generally speed is not a problem, it's a lot more relaxing to go 150, 160 kph and not worry than going 130 and always worry to either slow down to 120, 125 or go to 140-145 to overtake and worry if I get a ticket somewhere or not. Actually I find it that it's a LOT more tiring to go 100-120 kph (full highway) when a lot of people travel, around holidays, then just set cruise control and barely ever touch it. This winter I visited my parents (about 1300 km, driven in 2 days) and I went there a week before Christmas and came back on 25th, especially that drive was very relaxing and I felt I could have came the whole way, was not tired after 900km in Vienna where I stopped at my aunt. :)
At 03:52 , that is like one of the worst on ramps with no hard shoulder on the entire section of the autobahn haha 😄 I live a few miles away from that particular on ramp, you really have to gun it to get up to speed with oncoming traffic
Hi Ian, fun fact - while you stopped that video at ~ 11:02 to talk about speed limits, from 11:31 on you could see speed trap markers on the lanes! ;-) Police usually places speed trap cameras on bridges, and records the last 200 - 300m before making a cute flash-pic of you, so they can charge you, and no oh-so smart-pants lawyer gets you out of that. ;-)) At 3:23 that silver Minivan parking on the left side was a civil patrol car (never underestimate them, you can´t outrun them, since they can call in helicopter pursuit ;-)) ), and at ~ 11:55 that silver blue van is a BAG patrol car (B_undes_A_mt für G_üterkontrolle), they bust truckers for fun. ;-) Also, as you were talking about what to use on the Autobahn - this very exit 100 (Bad Aibling) here leads DIRECTLY to Kolbermoor. And THATS were LOTECs are born! Look up the Lotec C-1000 or the Lotec Sirius. You´ll want one! And finally - yes, the A8 is one of the most scenic Highways in Germany. If that guy didn´t exit in Bad Aibling, only a few km ahead is the beautiful Chiemsee with beautiful mountain scenery, recreation areas, opportunity to go sailing, and roughly half an hour ahead is Austria and the Alps. I used to travel a lot from northern Germany to southern Europe, and i used the A8 and subsequently/seamlessly in Austria the A10 (yes, Austrians call their Highways Autobahn, too), the so-called Tauern-Autobahn to get to Yugoslavia (today Slovenia) or northern Italy. As for comparison to north America: I was in New York, Boston, Dallas, Fort Worth, and Vancouver (Canada) in the 90ies, and i always got me a big Chevy Impala as rental. I cannot complain. IDK though if that has changed in the last 30 years...
It's not for speed measurement, it's for distance measurement! They are most often flashed during distance measurement with a camera of motorway bridges. Still images or video footage of the traffic situation prove quite accurately how large your distance was.
@@karstendoerr5378 Actuallly it´s for both - sometimes "speeders" claim they "just accelerated", and by the video and the traveled distance they can be proven wrong.
Regarding point 3. I guess that has something to do regarding the process you have to go through to get a driving license in Germany compared to the US. In Germany you get way more trained on how to react and behave in certain situations. The time until you get a driving license is also way longer. We have a theoretical test and only if you pass that test you are allowed to be signed up for a practical test were you drive around with your driving school instructor and the instructor of the examination facility (e.g TÜV Instructor). To get there you have to do some driving lessons (12 hours, one hour is 90 minutes) and they are not cheap. After that, you have a probationary period of 2 years. A Driving License is also way more expensive here. Around 1500€ - 2400€ ($1600 - $2600)
You probably mean one lesson is 90 minutes, because one hour is 60 minutes! 🤪😁😉 By the way, 12 hours is on the lower end, many people need more than that! ✌🏼
@timlippert1342 Yea... the 1500€ to 2400€ are Prices are about 20 Years old (if paid 1600€ ^^; ) Most "Kids" thees Days also need way more ten 12 Lessons thees Days...
13:18 Thats exactly what i have experienced. I was in Atlanta a couple of years ago and a friend picked us up from the airport. We were somewhere on a middle lane like 2nd or 3rd and the exit approached, he turned into the exit so late that we went over the solid line already. Not to mention the constant lane swapping, accelerating and decelarating. Same thing happened when we were taking an Uber. Those were some wild rides for my german brain.
Interestingly, my brother-in-law, who was studying in US brought a friend over to UK and I took both of them for a short ride along one of our dual carriageways. The American lad was a gibbering wreck for the whole journey as he couldn't understand that we in Europe could travel so fast in traffic congestion. This lad was on his way to an interview with Porsche, Germany, I wonder whether they thought he had the aptitude for them?
@@mananaVesta You can't have driven on some of our motorways and dual carriageways at certain times of the day where it is high(ish) speed nose to tail driving i.e. congested, overcrowded. This incident was on the A3 to the west of Coombe Hill
Talking about digital road signs, the Dutch also have "Smart Traffic Lights". I´m sure other countries have them too but that´s where I first experienced them in 2018. I worked in Emmelord. Basically if there is no traffic, at the crossroads, all lights will stand on red. Once you approch them they would turn green so you don´t even need to brake. If cars from multiple directions approch the crossroads the nearest one will get green and then the lights would switch to their programmed intervals. Just amazing, no waiting in front of a red light if you´re the only person on the crossroad.
@IWrocker 3:52 "Be sure not to cross any solid lines" NOPE if you fail to merge onto the main lane before the accelerator-lane ends: if there is a shoulder available use it because every thing else is to high a risk for you and flowing traffic (~100km/h). even driving instructors will tell you to keep going, getting up to speed and merge at speed for safety reasons.
10:40 -- Actually when driving fast, you have to anticipate what other vehicles around you will do. For example, if you see a truck, chances are high that any other vehicle (other trucks included) driving or closing behind it may change lane. So you always keep view of what's in the leftside-mirror to change lane yourself or go there precautiously. Also its important to keep focus of what not only is in front of you, but behind you. If you're on the left lane, u want to check the back mirror because there is always someone faster and you want to search for a gap to make space. The most important (general) rule taught in driving school (without referencing driving without speed-limit) is: > "Only drive as fast as the circumstances around you allow it to; And as you feel comfortable with handling (without surpassing the speed limit; if applicable)." Without speed limit, the average speed of "the flow" is round about 150km/h (93mph). Some people (~20%) average at about 180-200km/h (112-124mph). People driving "fast" in those terms usually go around 230-260km/h (143-162mph), rarely (less than 1 of 100) you see people driving 300 km/h (186mph) or more. EDIT: In my point of view as a german (who below driving 200 km/h wouldn't even put both hands on the steeringwheel) having a fixed speed limit allows for better flow in dense traffic and less accidents related to overestimations, BUT significantly would increase accidents relating to getting mentally dul. When you drive a fixed speed, maybe even have lane assist etc, you no longer pay attention to driving and start doing other things like you mentioned (eating, using phone, etc.). Whereover when you have constant speed changes and have different speeds involved on all lanes so you need to accelerate, decelerate and shift lanes, you are much more mentally engaged and are "staying active". Therefore you need to take a break every few hours because to your brain, driving equals "work"; which is a good thing.
3:23 you saw the silver vw Touran standing in the opposit direction? That was a policecar. Undercover. That was at Autobahn A8 at Irschenberg. Direction to Salzburg Austria. I Drive there every week. 😂
Here in Frankfurt police uses black BMW 5 series with cameras 360 degrees inside.. .. saw it in front of a rental car near Dillenburg.. Dont try to outsmart this one.. one of the offices I meet at the range.. that one may achieve 180mph
How nice, the original flick was shot “around the corner” from where I live - the Bavarian Highlands (Bayerisches Oberland) south/southeast of Munich. Tom ("The American Guy in Germany") entered the motorway at the on-/off-slip number 99 (Irschenberg), and then drove eastwards on the slope of the Irschenberg foothills towards the town of Rosenheim; he left the motorway at off-slip no.100a (Bad Aibling). Around 5:45 one can spot the pilgrimage church of St. Marinus and Anian. With the Wendelstein mountain in the background, this one of those famous Bavarian picture postcard motifs. 😊⚪🔵⛰
The best way to drive on the autobahn is to find the right rhythm at any given time and place. Maybe there is no speed limit but intense traffic mixed with slow lorries don't allow you to maintain 200 km/h all the time. Then you end up accelerating and breaking hard all the time. That is silly and dangerous. Always adjust your speed to the situation. I love it at night. I can cruise at 200 km/h without changing my speed at all. Although I almost never go that fast. I find that 160-170 is a good cruising speed for my car
I'm from Southeast Asia and obviously got my driving licence there. I have driven the autobahn in 2018 and 2019 when visiting my relatives in Stuttgart area with a 140 Hp Giulietta at 124 mph and i have used a lot of common sense when entering and exiting the autobahn without having to research in youtube or google regarding rules in the autobahn before going to Germany. It all boils down to self discipline when driving not only in the autobahn.
This is the Autobahn from Munich to Salzburg Austria. Its very busy if you go there the wrong time and tons of trucks since its one of the main routes to Italy. But its also a very beautiful landscape there and you basicly drive into the mountains. From what i can tell the only scenery around the Autobahn that is more beautiful in the one from Munich to Garmisch-Partenkirchen where you drive head on into the mountains.
@@Hartmut-oo5ts geographical yes but you take another route from munich to get there. You take the Autobahn to Lindau and in Landsberg you exit and go south to Füssen.
My first highway experience as a young driver (since we didn't have any highways in my country back then) was in Germany, and the system is so well put together (signs and everything), so intuitive, that I had no trouble navigating even though I don't speak German and I was pretty inexperienced. They managed to make a very complex thing extremely simple. And, yes, the drivers are also very disciplined, which is refreshing.
The real scary part in US is that the heavy trucks are going that fast. In Austria and I think also in Germany the limit for them (heavier than 7,5 euro tons) is 80 km/h or 50 mp/h on the Autobahn.
@@jakob_se Varies a bit, in some countries you can do 90 kmh on the motorways. In Romania you can go even faster, but most, if not all, long haul trucks are physically limited to 90 km/h or something. Not quite sure as in UK trucks can do 96 kmh because they are limited to 60mph there.
Trucks go 89 kmh because limiter is set at that speed and 3% tolerance. Which all included fine is very little. Italians disable speed limiter so they usually go around 100 kph.
The Autobahn is probably the best example of safe and well-disciplined motorway driving in Europe, but most of western Europe does better than most of the US. Middle lane hogging is more of a problem than left- (UK/Irl right-) lane-hoggers, as you saw in the video. You only have to check the fatality rates to see how poorly the US does compared to NW Europe. One massive difference in Europe too, is that heavy goods vehicles and trailers are speed-limited and forbidden in the left (UK/Irl right) lane where there are 3 or more lanes. US truck drivers do not display the same professionalism as those in the EU, generally, IMO. Seeing multi-vehicle pile-ups in bad weather, with massive trucks just barrelling in, is far less common than in the US. In fact, is practically non-existent in Europe, while in the US it's a few times every year.
I use to live in Germany back in the 80's and it was such a joy. I'd say about 90-95% of the motorist in Germany would follow the rules of the road. When you accelerate to merge on the Autobahn the motorist will move to the middle lane if there is room to do so. I like how long the deceleration lanes and acceleration are, at approx 1000 meters. One of the unusual experiences I had was passing the Polizei at approx 120 m.p.h while zooming along in the middle lane while the Polizei was humming along in the right lane at a much slower pace, it seemed sooo weird to do that. The motorists in Germany have more respect and look out for their fellow motorists. Plus they USE their turn signals, something that needs to improve in the U.S. which is so aggravating. The motorists in Germany are more disciplined. It's amazing that in Germany, which has about almost the same amount of square miles of Montana, Germany still has about half the accidents of the whole United States. It's a beautiful experience to drive on the German Autobahn, just respect their laws while driving and respect their culture.
"It's amazing that in Germany, which has about almost the same number of square miles of Montana, Germany still has about half the accidents of the whole United States" Yeah, well, in 2023 Montana had a population of just 1.1 million, and the entirety of the U.S. had 339.99 million, compared to Germany's 83.3 million. So, by your logic, a country with just 24.5% of the population of the U.S. having roughly 50% as many accidents is considered good, which makes no sense to me.
The population doesn't matter. Statistics show the percentage of accidents per 100000 drivers in the country. In the 2018 statistics for example they show that in the US 12,4 people died in a car accident out of 100000 while in Germany there were 4,1 out of 100000. I think that's what SaturnV69 meant
On the other hand, highways and roads in general in the Netherlands are in absolute pristine condition, a lot better than even in Germany. Greetings from 🇩🇪
That speed limit has worked to an extent, as it keeps people out. On my London > Prague drives, I swing south to stay in Belgium. The roads are worse, but 100kph in Holand is just too painfully slow to be driving at the start of such a long drive 😮
@@dasmaurerle4347 It's also logical. A small country with few trucks and hardly any through traffic from other countries. In terms of transport, Germany is like a hub in Europe. I see hundreds of trucks every day and they all come from Poland, Romania, France, Bulgaria, etc.
@@audi_gaining9725 tell me about it. I live 50km north of Basel and very close to the A5. The volume of freight that's heading towards Switzerland and Italy on a daily basis is mindboggeling. The tear and wear of the A5 due to this amount of traffic is quite significant. On the other hand we should be very thankful to have so many friendly neighbors. Being in the middel of Europe with 9 friendly neighbors surrounding us is quite a privilege that we all should cherrish more often than we probably do.👍🍻
@@audi_gaining9725wait what? You do know Rotterdam is the biggest port in Europe right with almost everything going to other countries. Just because it takes the truckdrivers less then 2 hours to cross the border from the port does not mean it’s not busy with trucks
There is no such thing as “anti freeze concrete”. Concrete is solid. Water (rain) on the surface will freeze. There IS asfalt called ZOAB. It makes Rain run under the surface. So the surface won’t blow up water from the car in front of you.
3:40 also in europe in the area where acceleration lane is merging with the "autobahn"/fast lane,when is possible the car from right lane is changing to left lane to give the chance to the cars from acceleration lane to merge in safe. In that little video the traffic was quite free but in general in to the summer or winter holiday the "autobahn" in some parts of europe are crowded and does not have three lines and also left lane is occupied and the rule of "keep right" is ignored. Usually in weekends the autobahn is more free due to lack/low of big cars (18 wheels).
US guy here. The concrete with the expansion joints is virtual hell. Whenever our state rips a section of that crap up and lays down some decent asphalt (even if it's just for a twenty-mile stretch or so) it's like you've found a touch of driving heaven when you hit it.
i go to the nurburgring a few times a year and i love the autobahn, you can just drive a decent speed to get there in decent time without tickets. my car tops out around 240kph but its fine cruizing at 200 for most of the drive.
i found driving on highways in america very relaxing. its just way easier to maintain situational awareness when the speed difference between cars is like 30kmh instead of 160kmh. my goto speed in germany is 170kmh. trucks go 90kmh, the occasional porsche or motorcycle is going 250. meaning situation is changing way faster and you have to react faster aswell. in germany its common practise to change drivers or at least have a short brake after like 3-4 hours. in america i didnt even start to feel tired after 10hours, just surprised, that my audio book already ended... both makes sense, endurance for a big country, performance for a small one.
What I noticed it's usually the Skoda Octavia wagons that go crazy on the Autobahn. I don't know why but it feels that way 😂 Oh and also the "inofficial" advisory speed limit varies by the region. If you do anything less than 180 km/h near Munich you're considered a traffic block 🤣
In Germany we have also a word for those people blocking the middle lane by driving slow instead of driving on the right lane. It is Mittelspurschleicher, which translates to middle lane crawler. 😉
From My Point of view „middleSpurschleicher“are not the Problem, but more the „Schleicher“ on the left lane. I Call it „Raserstau“ wenn hundert of car block the left lane, but Nobody drives middle or right😂 therefore Nobody is able to overtake on the right Hand side.
"Speed has never killed anyone, suddenly becoming stationary, that's what gets you." ― Jeremy Clarkson In Europe drivers are just better, well, the majority of them, except italians, they are the same as americans if not worse.
IMHO Italians are the best - it is no wonder that ALL female F-1 Drivers in history were Italians! I always enjoy Italy - it is totally lawless, but i works, and no one gives a f... The worst thing is coming back to Germany - it usually takes a couple of weeks to blend in again...
Just something like merging, I've experienced how it's almost a competition in American traffic, Danes aren't bad but it's just so smooth and orderly in Germany in comparison. The right side lane simply isn't a competition, it's the peaceful lane where you get in and out and where you stay if you're not in a hurry. And because there aren't any left lane campers there will be space for you if you do want to go faster. And the Germans have the calmest way to tell you if they think that you are hogging the left lane unnecessarily: they turn on their left blinker as to say "I'd change to a further left lane, if there was any". Road rage actions like tailgating, right-side overtaking or brake testing is virtually nonexistent. (Though I'm sure people curse at other peoples driving just like anywhere else, they just understand that it doesn't justify dangerous driving).
13:30 additional info: the autobahn exits (no matter how the curves may look) are designed in a way, that they will be safe while driving 50km/h (31mph). Of course thats during normal conditions. Many exits are completly safe doing 80 or 70 km/h, but 50 is the minimum. Only exeptions: "Behelfsausfahrten" (makeshift/temporary exits [although I know two ocasions where they're not temporary, there is just to little space for a real one]) aren't design that way. Nearly no decceleration lane, sharp corners, funny terrain around. But then again, they are brought up to you as such with plenty of signs. and in the 2 occaisons they really don't look like 50km/h will work at all :D
Before you come to Germany or when you are in Germany you should go to a German driving school so that you can know the rules that protect your life on German or European roads.Many Americans know these basic rules such as right before left, which regulates traffic, was an intersection without traffic signs. They also apply in streets where there are no traffic signs when a street intersects with the main street. Especially as an American if you come to Europe and you want to drive on the autobahn in Germany, you should be trained beforehand by a German driving school instructor because that is vital to survival. The rules on the German autobahn are the only country where there is no speed limit knowledge.
Also the German driving license is on another level. And when seeing yankee driving sometimes on a trip, I'd say 40-50% of US citizens should be removed the right to drive. That would make World a much safer place. Not everybody gets a german driving License.
last week i went from austria to my hometown in the netherlands it was an 890km drive with about 800 of them on the autobahn. This was the first time i did that in a good car that reached 170km/h comfortably and there was little trafic so it was a smooth drive. I have driven it in crappy cars (not so smooth to take over other cars)
Just to little side notes about the beginning of the video. It is correct, that infrastructure is paid by taxes, but taxes are not allowed to be bound to a specific purpose. Also the amount of money collected via taxes on fuel and cars would not make up for most of the costs of the autobahn. So, it's basically paid by all the taxes. About the fatalities: there is a correlation between the speed and the number of fatalities, but that's actually not a true one. There are studies providing heavy evidence, that reduction would result in even less death per mile distance. Probably the underlying correlation is more about other factors. The mandatory checks on the state of the car (TÜV), the people sticking to the rules like glue and the state of the infrastructure would be my guesses.
I saw some documentary about the highway and autobahn. If I'm not mistaken the cost of the german highway was something like the double of the american per km of highway. So they better be smooth :D
yeah, I'm from Brazil and here is much worse than US, because the asphalt on right lanes are full of patches, so everybody stays on left lanes. the big trucks goes to left lanes to pass other trucks. and we have motorcycles on split lines goin faster than the cars. ..just watch this channel Xracing and you'll see it.
@@DSP16569 I traveled a few years back for the last time, as an passenger and there where lots of places with construction. I think there was an plan to make it an toll road, and to justify that they had to improve the roads first
@@DSP16569 I did look it up and the plan still stands partial, heavy loads must pay toll now (from 7500kg and per juli from 3500kg). The camper car does not count, the rule is more for heavy cars moving materials
Wow that’s a bad idea! Anytime I see NL on a plate I have to use extreme caution, as the driver will most likely be driving like a target fixated zombie 😮
One important detail about the autobahn design: You will be hard pressed to find parts that go straight for miles, cause a slightly curvy road forces drivers to pay attention. Obviously the opposite holds true as well, any long stretch of road that goes straight ahead "appears" easy and save... hence leads to inattention.
It’s very noticeable too! The Czech motorways are arrow straight. Then you cross into Germany, pick up speed, and the corners start immediately! Travelling over a steady 120mph requires great concentration. People think you can just go there and max out their car, but it’s not easy or sensible.
generally we use asphalt and not concrete for our roads including the autobahn but yes its a special mixture that is not as prone to cracking in the winter as the standard asphalt mix...
Hi, I live in the Czech Republic which is next to Germany and I drive on autobahn quite often - sometimes through whole Germany to other country. I think Germans are good drivers in general. Yes you can drive there very fast, sometimes I also drive. Up to 200 km/h is normal for me and I’m used to this speed, but I’m not driving faster very often. Sometimes I’m even happy that we’re driving 130 km/h when there is no speed limit simply because of the traffic. It took me about half of the year to test the max speed of my car (250 km/h), because I wanted to be safe, so it means daylight, dry and completely empty autobahn with no other cars… so it took a while 🙂 On the other hand, once I was driving about 500 km on Geman autobahn in heavy snow with heavy traffic, speed was about 60 km/h in all lanes, but I felt safe, absolutelly no issues on the way…
In 2024 you need at least 2500€ (2700$) to make a driving here in Germany, and after that you’ll be paying anywhere between 150€ to 300€ (170-340$) for car insurance monthly, it’s not cheap to drive here seriously better to pay 50€ monthly for public transportation honestly
Interesting fact: If there is any damage on the road - a deep hole in the street for exampel ca. 5 cm deep and 30 cm wide or whatever and you damage your car because of the bad road the state / city has to pay for the repairing costs!
I’ve never came across those holes. In general they maintain the road really good with regular inspections and they do not hesitate to close part of the road to repair it immediately. So you would be quitte unfortunate if it happens
What you mention at about 8 min is exactly why you guys will never learn. In Germany you move over to the right most lane even when you see the next truck. You shouldn't think, yeah well let's stay in the middle lane. Ofc often it makes sense but the norm is to move way more often. It does so much for traffic flow.
11 місяців тому+1
Been driving a very small and light car (below 1450lbs) at about 105mph when a box truck in front started to overtake another box truck. It just went well, but it almost scared the shit out of me. It's been the same autobahn as in the video in the opposite direction in a Citroën AX.
11:54 The "VW Transporter" in the Right lane belongs to the "Bundesamt für Güterverkehr" (Federal Office for freight) - They check whether the trucks have paid their tolls, the driver adheres to his rest periods, the vehicles are in a safe condition (especially trucks from abroad) and the load is properly secured.
wenn du mal hier über eine längere Zeit hohe Geschwindigkeiten fährst und dann die Autobahn verlässt, ein Blick auf´s Tacho hilft dir dann schon. PS gefühlte und reale Geschwindigkeit😉
8:42 - We have the same rule here in Portugal but many drivers, me included, don't follow it because 1) it goes against the "Keep Right" rule and 2) it contradicts the definition of overtaking: 1) If I have a clear right lane in front of me, I must comply with the "Keep Right" rule and use that lane. I'm in the right, the ones driving in the middle or left lanes are in the wrong. 2) The definition of overtaking states that it implies switching lanes to carry out that manoeuvre, so in a situation like the one in the video I wouldn't be overtaking anyone because I'm not switching lanes and therefore I'm not breaking the "No Overtaking On The Right" rule. If I was behind that white car and used the empty right lane to overtake it, then I'd be breaking the law. The way it's written, complying with our "No Overtaking On The Right" rule (meaning everyone had to switch two or three lanes to the left to overtake the idiots "planted" in the middle lane for kms and kms) just creates far more dangerous situations and disruption to the traffic flow than complying with the "Keep Right" rule and follow the definition of overtaking. 14:00 - "Annoying" is an understatement, Ian. The lack of compliance with that number 3 rule is one of my biggest pet peeves about how some portuguese drivers drive: over here, too many people slow down to 90 km/h (or even less!) a long way before their exit on a 120 km/h motorway, while still on the motorway! 😡
The fatality has not soo much to do with speed limits, but with the way how you've been educated about how to drive a car and how to act between other road-users. In Germany you have to go to a drivers school for weeks, trained by a professional driving teacher and then you have to pass a theoretical test and a practical test. The whole thing cost around 2000 -3000 €. Compaire this to the US. Allone to know, that americans are allowed to drive on the Autobahn, without having at least a test to show that they know our road rules, signs etc. scares me a lot!!
Just to add a small addition. There is indeed a toll-system in germany. But it works a bit different than in other countries. First of all, the toll system is only for industrial traffic (trucks and alike). Second thing is you don't have any toll stations directly on the Autobahn. Instead you have scanning stations (white frames with a seet of scanners spanning across the Autobahn; you can see one at 11:10 on the opposite driving lane). All trucks are equipped with a toll and time tracking system that includes a small card and on the parking lots (Rastplatz) along the Autobahn there are terminals where the drivers can manage the toll informations.
There is another difference. The police rarely stand on the side of the Autobahn to stop vehicles. But police use surveillance cameras to monitor traffic and photograph license plates. It is possible that any bad drivers will have to take responsibility later. That's why I appeal to you to drive responsibly so that no one can blame you later.
@@Hartmut-oo5ts i remember the Elzer Berg when they already had these "camera bridges" which automatically took fotos of the speeders. asked for the strangest picture of all the cops said, a guy who was playing the violin... 😄
Most of the Europes cars has a manual stick.. you get I think better control an more awareness than with a automatic transmission.. and It´s much more fun driving.
Hey, I live in Germany. Recently got my driver's license after my 1rst try. During my lessons on the autobahn. I have seen some recklessness and roadworks that have been there for years, as informed by my driving instructor. Apart from that, it's a pretty cool place to drive. But strangely, i don't have the urge i did before i got my license.
Props to your driving instructor for making you realize that you're better off taking it "slow" for now. As a new driver you still simply need the practise. When you are a few cars down the line and a bit older & wiser, then yea, just floor it as much as your spouse lets you ;)
I live in the US, and spend a summer month in Germany every year, and I love driving on the Autobahn, because it's so civilized to just 'collaborate' with other drivers who know the rules, mostly. What I observe since a few years, is that all the rental cars I have driven actually indicate the speed limit on the dash, which gives you a signal when you are up to 10% over, and gives you a gentle but irritating nudge on the steering wheel, when you are more than 10% over, because that's when it might get really expensive, when caught. If you are caught speeding, it usually doesn't mean being pulled over by some power-tripping guy, having to fear for your life if you make the wrong move, no, it's all automatic, you get a nice photo of your car, the speed you were going, and a bill to pay your fine.
Difference is there are people in the US who would collect hundreds of tickets, not pay them, and wind up with police kicking down their door anyway. There is a lack of respect for the rules here in the US. I don't see how it can be fixed either, as learning to respect law and rules begins at a young age.
Hello from Germany, at the time the Autobahn is NOT in a good condition as everybody thinks. There are a lot of construction sites which can last up to 10 miles or more. But the severest problem are the brigdes. When they were built 50, 60 or 70 years ago no one thought that there would be so many and so heavy truck driving across. Many are now closed to lorries, so that they have to take long detours. And, to be honest, most of the germans would like to have a speed limit. Drivin on highways in France or the Netherlands is more relaxing because you know that there is only a verry little chance to meet one of theese crazy speed addicts on this roads. But just come over and see for yourself.😊
Little Sidenote (sorry longer text): The German Road Traffic Regulations (StVO) stipulate that overtaking must generally be done on the left. The law stipulates precisely when overtaking on the right is permitted in exceptional cases. Overtaking on the right on the highway? Overtaking on the right is only permitted in two cases on freeways and motorway-like roads: If traffic is so dense that queues of vehicles have formed in the lanes for one direction, it is permitted to drive faster on the right than on the left. The prerequisite is that traffic is so dense in all lanes that vehicles can drive side by side. This is the case if traffic is slightly faster in one lane and then in the other lane. In addition, vehicles may be overtaken on the right at a slightly higher speed and with extreme caution if they are stationary in the left-hand lane or driving slowly (maximum 60 km/h). If traffic is stationary, you may overtake at a maximum speed of 20 km/h in the right-hand lane. If the traffic in the left-hand lane is moving slowly, you may overtake on the right at a maximum differential speed of 20 km/h, so that a maximum speed of 80 km/h is permitted on the right. White marking lines before bridges: How does bridge distance measurement work? Bridge distance measurement records both the distance between two vehicles and the speed at which vehicles are traveling on a particular stretch of road. It is also known as a video distance measurement system, or VAMA for short. Bridge distance measurement works as follows: Anyone who fails to maintain the minimum distance in the area of a bridge distance measurement system must expect a fine. There are two video cameras on a bridge spanning the highway. Both record all lanes over a distance of approximately 700 meters. A vehicle in which two police officers operate the device is parked close to the bridge. They can see on a monitor which images the two cameras are recording of the highway. If the police see a distance or speed violation on their monitor, they can trigger a speed camera, which is positioned next to the bridge. This takes a photo of the driver who has committed the offense, which serves as evidence in the misdemeanor proceedings. The actual bridge distance measurement is then carried out in the laboratory, where both the distance and speed of the car are precisely determined using the images. This is made possible by two white measuring lines that are placed on the road in the area covered by the cameras. These are located at a distance of 50 meters from each other, 90 and 40 meters from the bridge respectively. To determine the exact distance, the video recording must be stopped so that the vehicle in question is exactly on a measurement line. The speed of the vehicle can also be determined from the video recording. To do this, the video recording is stopped at the points in time when the front or rear wheels of the vehicle are exactly on the two white markings. The speed of the vehicle can be determined from the time displayed at both points in time. The time comes from a very accurate clock, which is part of the device. When is there a distance violation? A bridge distance measurement uses video cameras and the human eye. Video cameras and the human eye are used for bridge distance measurement. While there are also various other measuring devices such as speed cameras for measuring speed, the special feature of VAMA systems is their ability to detect violations of the prescribed minimum distance. But what does traffic law actually say about these violations? Section 4 (1) of the German Road Traffic Regulations (StVO) stipulates the following minimum distance: "As a rule, the distance to a vehicle in front must be large enough to allow you to stop behind it even if it brakes suddenly. The vehicle in front must not brake hard without a compelling reason." The rule of thumb for this safe minimum distance is to halve the speed indicated by the speedometer. This figure corresponds to the minimum distance to the vehicle in front in meters. At a speed of 120 km/h on the freeway, you should therefore maintain a distance of at least 60 meters from the vehicle in front of you. additional Info: To estimate your distance, you can use the lines on the road or the delineators on the side of the road Almost everything is regulated in Germany. This also applies to the intermittent longitudinal markings that separate the individual lanes on highways, country roads and in urban areas. However, very few drivers are aware of their dimensions. On most roads, the individual lanes are separated by dashed lines. Their length is usually determined by the maximum permitted speed that can be driven there. The distance between two dashes is normally set at a ratio of 1:2. This means that the gap between two markings is usually twice as long as the painted line. In concrete terms, this means Length of the line: Inner city: 3 meters Country road: 4 meters Freeway: 6 meters Length of the gap: Inner city: 6 meters Country road: 8 meters Freeway: 12 meters Delineator: The distance between the delineators is the same on all roads. On both highways and country roads, the distance is 50 meters on straight stretches. The delineators are closer together on bends and in clear places (e.g. inclines). Curve radius 20 m = 3 m distance Radius of curve 50 m = 5 m distance Curve radius 100 m = 10 m distance Curve radius 300 m = 20 m distance Radius 600 m and more = 50 m distance If a driver fails to keep the prescribed safety distance, you can expect a fine with a request to pay between 25 and 400 euros. For serious violations, two points and a three-month driving ban are also possible. However, it is permissible to keep less than the prescribed minimum distance from the vehicle in front of you if it has slowed down or otherwise reduced its speed, or if the driver has changed lanes. best regards
I forgot to mention something about safety, which is very important and one of the most reasons why accidents happen cause of distraction (i mention this as a paramedic): Using a cell phone while driving is officially prohibited under Section 23 of the German Road Traffic Act. A violation can be expensive for drivers and even result in a driving ban. Cell phone at the wheel - how high the fine is The currently valid fines for cell phone use are summarized in the catalog of fines. Currently, 100 euros are payable for using a cell phone at the wheel and the driver receives one point in Flensburg (Driving suitability register). It becomes even more expensive if there is a risk to other road users. The fine is then 150 euros and the driver receives two points in Flensburg and a one-month driving ban. If cell phone use causes damage to property, the driver will also receive two points in Flensburg, a month's driving ban and a fine of 200 euros. Cell phone use on a bicycle is also prohibited Cyclists are also not allowed to use their cell phones while riding. An offense is punishable by a fine of 55 euros. Cyclists do not receive a point in Flensburg. Flashed with a cell phone at the wheel Drivers who hold their cell phone to their ear or in their hand while speeding will be fined for both offenses. The higher fine must be paid in full and half of the lower fine. Additional penalties, such as points or a driving ban, are added together. What may a cell phone be used for while driving? The rules on the use of cell phones are very clearly formulated in the Highway Code. It is not only forbidden to make calls or send text messages, but also anything for which the cell phone has to be picked up and operated manually. Even a quick glance at the display to check the time is prohibited. This rule applies not only when driving the car, but from the moment the engine is running. It is possible to use a cell phone at a red light or in a traffic jam, provided the vehicle is stationary and the engine is switched off. Phone calls only with hands-free system If you want to make a phone call while driving, you can only do so if the car's technical functions allow it. A built-in telephone system or hands-free system allows you to make calls at the wheel without having to touch your cell phone. Using your cell phone as a navigation device - how it's legal Almost all smartphones have an app that navigates users to their desired destination. This function can also be used in the car if the cell phone is in an appropriate holder. Starting, stopping or changing the route manually while driving is prohibited. To do this, the car must be stopped and the engine switched off. How do the police prove the use of a cell phone at the wheel? If the police prosecute a driver for using a phone at the wheel, the burden of proof is on the driver. If the accused wishes to object, he must prove that he was not using the cell phone while driving.
"Overtaking on the right is only permitted in two cases on freeways and motorway-like roads: If traffic is so dense that queues of vehicles have formed in the lanes for one direction, it is permitted to drive faster on the right than on the left. The prerequisite is that traffic is so dense in all lanes that vehicles can drive side by side. This is the case if traffic is slightly faster in one lane and then in the other lane. In addition, vehicles may be overtaken on the right at a slightly higher speed and with extreme caution if they are stationary in the left-hand lane or driving slowly (maximum 60 km/h). If traffic is stationary, you may overtake at a maximum speed of 20 km/h in the right-hand lane. If the traffic in the left-hand lane is moving slowly, you may overtake on the right at a maximum differential speed of 20 km/h, so that a maximum speed of 80 km/h is permitted on the right." This is actually one case, with 2 rules. If the traffic is slow flowing in a jam like situation, you are allowed to overtake with a slightly speed difference. Those definitions with 20km/h difference, and 60/80 km/h are usually speeds the court consider as safe and within the stvo, but depending on the situation and the court the court can make a different decision.
@@mikel4879 freedom is also when xour right are safe, and your right to be healthy is quite important. Your rules lead to many accidents, which nean the injured persons can not life like they want (or never again) The jam those accidents produce, will harm the freedom of movement and jail the person in the car for an hour. Rules eho protect basic right are important for freedom, else you end up in anarchy which doesnt have rules - but most likely lead to the rules of the strongest bully.
9:15 There is a game some people play with drivers occupying the middle lane for no apparent reason: the Belgian tourniquet. Basically they overtake on the left, go back to the right lane, slow down to let the one in the middle lane pass, overtake him again etc.pp.. This they continue, and the winner is who manages the most completions of the Belgian tourniquet with the same car in the middle lane.
5:32 this is the A8 heading direction austria. that is the chiemgau region around the chiemsee. very beautyfull. i drive down there a lot during the year. the mountains are the Pre-Alps. Later the Alps follow. 12:00 i lived there for a few weeks in 2023.
Some corrections: You must always drive as far right as possible. Even if you see a slower car in the distance, you must go into the right lane and switch back to the middle one when you're caught up to the truck. My driving instructor always said that if you are not passing anyone for 500 meters, you should have been in the right lane. At 130km/h this corresponds to 14 seconds. Never switch more than one lane at a time like he does at 10:37. Instead, switch one lane, indicate again, check again over the shoulder and your mirrors, and then change the second lane. Other drivers don't expect you to switch from the rightmost lane into the leftmost lane in one go. That's exactly what can cause accidents. Just think about that fast going red cooper in the scene.
Some years ago I heard US had an Autobahn experiment in One state. I believe Montana. They got similar results, less accidents. But Most Drivers complained. Analyzing, they got the same mentality Like Roundabouts survey. They want to feel protected By laws. So when there's a traffic light, there's little skill needed and It's an easy task. Roundabouts are way faster but require personal and Group responsibility, and a level of skill. US drivers Mostly stated they don't like that. With No speed limit test, Most complained if You can drive at any speed, they always have to pay attention some moron doesn't plow into them. And although true and possible, It shows How they are keen on Not paying attention when driving and avoiding responsibility and awareness by Hiding behind a speed limit. Or different laws.
Don’t be so sad, 90% of the time on the autobahn you are stuck in traffic, traffic jam or there is road construction going on where you have to drive 70 for like 20 kilometers
"Speed limit is 70 but most people do 80" Well here in Netherlands it's the same. Provincial road with limit 80 km/h but a lot of people (including me) just go 90 when it's possible.
An example of Autobahn in Austria (Germany's neighbour). I filmed it during my travel from Poland to Italy in 2022. Enjoy ! ua-cam.com/video/f6hplaxMu8o/v-deo.html
´Mittelspursvhleicher´ (name for driving slow in the middle lane when right lane is free)´ are the worst as the mess up the flow and in some dashcam videos you can see how there then are idiot overtaking in the right lane. Or you are forced to play ´Belgischer Kreisel´ (Belgian spinning top´) as you have two switch from the right lane over to the far left, overtake the idiot in the middle and go back into the far right again. I would like to have more ´Autobahnpolizei´ out and about to hopefully prevent the increase of bad driving like overtaking on the right, camping in middle and left lane and brake checking.
As a german currently watching your video on the autobahn going 160 I can tell you a good driving assistant makes even reading and responding to my emails a breeze at these speeds. The only thing keeping me from eating is the heavy break usage to slow down to get the next exit to Mcdonalds or burgerking. Clearly not worth it ;)
4:40 This looks like Irschenberg on Autobahn A8 in good old Bavaria. Speed limit 100 km/h down the hill and a speed trap on top of the hill opposite direction ❤️😂 I know most of them that are installed fix in the bridges for the electronic signs.
The subject of highways is fundamentally misunderstood, especially in the USA. There is no general speed limit on the autobahn. There are sections on which speed limits and overtaking bans apply. It is not the case that there are sections without limits (the reverse is correct). You must drive considerately and with foresight at all times. The principles of mutual consideration StVo §1 and the principle of "good faith" apply. The speed must be adapted to road, traffic and weather conditions at all times. The distance to the vehicle in front must be 50% of the speedometer reading (km/h) in meters. At 250 km/h, a safety distance of 125 meters must be maintained. Anyone overtaking must look twice in the mirror to check whether they can overtake without forcing anyone else to brake. Only THEN should you put on your indicators and look over your shoulder. If you are driving faster than 130 km/h, you will regularly be held partly responsible in court, even if you did not cause the accident. The higher the speed, the more likely and greater the contributory negligence.
In Chicago you can enter the highway on the LEFT. I had to exit like 600 Meters later on the right. Crossing six lanes in the short distance was not easy. Especially with those other drivers not watching at all. I love Chicago!
Generally spoken: In Germany there is no speed limit on _all_ roads with four lanes, two in each direction -- or if the two lines for your direction are separated by a construction from the oncoming lanes. Generally in short: whenever you see a speed limit sign "100 km/h" the road would be open for speeds higher than 100 -- just because the general speed limit is 100 on all roads that don't fall under the no limit regulation outside of built-up areas.
Im confused, what do you mean by this " whenever you see a speed limit sign "100 km/h" the road would be open for speeds higher than 100" When there is a "Zulässige Höchstgeschwindigkeit" sign of 100 you shouldnt go faster.
@@Bennime_Once Longer answer than intended. Generally, yes, but there are some reasoned exceptions too many and too complicated for me to explain in a few words. Germany has a speed limit of 50 kph in built-up areas -- as soon as you pass the yellow rectangle de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ortstafel#/media/Datei:Zeichen_310-50_-_Ortstafel_(Vorderseite)_mit_Kreis,_StVO_1992.svg There is a speed limit of 100 kph as soon as you pass something like this: de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ortstafel#/media/Datei:Zeichen_311-50_-_Ortstafel_einseitig,_StVO_1992.svg For these two instances we don't need a speed limit sign. The speed limit is implied. A speed limit may be higher or lower than the general speed limit. The law, StVO, explains in paragraph 3 c) where there is no speed limit. dejure.org/gesetze/StVO/3.html Please use an online translator to read it in your preferred language. deepl is a good choice for that.
@@McGhinch Im German too I just didn't understand what you were saying. I guess you mean that a Autobahn or a Autobahn like Bundesstraße (so a multilane Bundesstraße) has no implied speed limit unless a sign says otherwise?
@@Bennime_Once Das muss keine Bundesstraße sein. Wenn diese Straße aufgrund ihrer Bauart eine höhere Geschwindigkeit zulässt, dann kann es sein, dass eine Geschwindigkeitsbegrenzung 100 angezeigt wird. Das ist selten wenn die folgende Voraussetzung nicht zutrifft. Generell gilt, dass vierspurige Straßen mit zwei Fahrspuren in jede Richtung nach der StVO keine Geschwindigkeitsbegrenzung haben. -- Ich habe das schon gesehen.
The older and shittier the car, the more it makes you feel the speed. It's a selling point of those super expensive sedans to make driving 200 a near noiseless and vibrationless experience. EVs even more so, I guess, but how fast can you drain a Tesla battery at 200 😂😂?
If the fokin government puts a speed limit on the autobahn....it's over. No need to stay in Germany. The one thing that makes us special in this world and they want to take that from us.
German here: There are some rules which are more habitual on the Autobahn. The right Lane is the Truck Lane, so speeds are at 80kph to 100 kph there, the Middle Lane is most of the time at the suggested speed so around 130kph You should not drive for a longer time on the Middle lane when you can't hit this speed. Which comes natural with the go over to the right lane. For the Exit of the Autobahn, it means: You go on the right lane, deaccelerate to aroun 110 to 80 kph. Most Slipways are build that they can be driven with 80 to 60 kph. I personally only knew one which has a 40kph sign mostly for trucks but most car can drive it with 60-70kph. I was on US Highway in the Bay Area for 6 weeks and by Lord my Autobahn Senses were ringing all the time on High Alert. You can see distracted Drivers on the station keeping in their Lanes, and it was literally Terrifying how sloppy most American Drivers are. (Thats an Exageration but in Germany you see only those drivers on the Autobahn-Sections which are at a big Cities. And maybe on 10km you see 2-3 of them. In the US it was literally permanently, you passed one then you have the next, even on longer Overland passages. And i got only two or three dangerous situations in the US, while i have had more clearly in Germany, driving Daily through the Northern Autobahn Cross A2/A7 but thats in Decades not in 6 weeks.)
C'mon, you're in 'muricaland. People would do their make up doing 100mph while eating a burger and texting, cause "it's their right as americans to do so."
Fun fact, there is one place that has no speed limit unless their is an actual construction site on it (baustelle) and that is the on ramps to autobahns! told to most if not all people that take the driving course in Germany.
Hi Ian many years ago I drove around Germany in a Fiat Ducato motorhome, being from Australia we drive on the left. But I had had a fair bit of left hand drive experience having covered thirty states around the US. The thing that got me was the vehicles in Europe would go past me on the motorways and rock the motorhome. I just stuck to the right lane and only if stuck behind a slow vehicle would venture to the middle lane for as short as time as possible.
2:35 there‘s a little mistake which has a huge impact: German autobahn is mostly asphalt not concrete nowadays. It needs more maintenance than concrete but it’s much better for higher speeds. Concrete is really only used on bridges (obviously) and sometimes in the right lane for the trucks because it’s more durable and you can see it on old parts of the autobahn. America uses mostly concrete or just a very thin layer of asphalt on top of concrete.
I have to slightly disagree on one thing. I like to drive fast and do it every day. If you drive 150km/h (95mph) every day, you will become tired and inattentive. Especially in a modern german car. Even if you drive at 200km/h (125mph), you get completely used to the speed after 30 seconds. So you always have to remind yourself how much faster you are going than everyone else. Otherwise you quickly misjudge situations. And most other drivers can't estimate 200km/h (125mph). A really big problem when driving fast is not the fast drivers, but the slow inattentive drivers who simply change lanes and force you to brake emergencyly.
The best place to ride a motorcycle at high speed is Germany’s Autobahn 🇩🇪 You get from A to B really fast on the Autobahn… I agree, you are fully switched on when travelling at 180/190 mph. I toured Europe on my 1100 cc motorcycle for 4 weeks 7 years ago... Germany 🇩🇪 Spain 🇪🇸 and Italy 🇮🇹 all their citizens know how to drive fast safely and correctly.. IMO it's a shame the citizens of the UK 🇬🇧 don't take a leaf out of their book...
Well, I wouldn't call 190 mph travelling, even on a big superbike :D But I totally agree, when I maxed my R6 to around 260 kph (ca 160mph), I think that was the most focused and alive I've ever been.
Hello from Germany. I worked in the USA for 20 years (N.Y. and Chicago) so I can compare it well. The difference is actually like night and day. It's not the highways that are bad, it's the drivers. And if there were no speed limit in the USA, the number of fatal accidents would definitely explode. It's the education that is so bad in the USA. In Germany you grow up with the motorway, you have to invest a lot of money and time in getting a driver's license, and only then are you let loose on humanity. I'm sorry to say this, but nowhere have I seen as many bad drivers as in the US, and so many people who focus on everything but driving while driving.
No wonder they prefer tiny-tanks as vehicle of choice, then.
I agree. In Europe in general there's much more pressure on road culture and keeping to the correct lane when driving. I live in the UK and people also occasionally abuse these rules but in my mind, even if I am the passenger I always tell the driver to change the lane if they stay on the fast one for too long, I just don't feel safe if they do it.
Can confirm.
I also like to binge on american dashcam accidents and I am SO GLAD we don't have americans on our Autobahn.
I am from the UK where the standard of driving is definitely below that of Germany.
However, driving in the USA (Indiana/Chicago/Kentucky/NY), the driving standards I saw were terrible. So many people unaware of other road users and, when they WERE aware of other drivers, it was as some sort of adversary. Aggressive drivers EVERYWHERE.
The main reason for bad drivers in the USA is the availability of automatic transmission cars, most American cars are automatics and this requires little skill to drive. The less skill u need to drive the less u are skilled at driving. Manual transmission cars tend to stop the unskilled from even attempting to get a licence. In the US a manual transmission in a car is seen as an anti theft device.
1. Better driver education
2. Strict yearly inspections and ban on mods
3. Good emergency services
4. Shorter roads, less fatigue
5. Culture of responsibility
6. Good and frequent maintenance
And in few years, I guess Germany will:
1. Remove toilets from every rest areas and service stations.
2. Introduce a law making vehicles breaking down illegal.
3. Drivers running out of fuel gets shot.
4. Force all drivers to pee at home, or pee in their pants while driving.
5. Equipping every gentry on Autobahn with machine guns that shoots people in cars for driving 1km/h over the limit.
6. Equipping spikes on every road marking.
Germany is sure the strictest country in Europe.
@@automation7295 stop whining. I guess you got a ticket?
Germany is not that strict actually, but good luck in Switzerland.
But no emergency lane. How do you stop when your car is breaking down ?
I will make a correction here, vehicle mods are not banned in Germany, but there are not as many as there are everywhere else because all parts you fit to a vehicle must be TUV approved and you must have the paperwork for that approval or your vehicle will fail it's annual inspection and won't be road legal.
@@AngelinaJolie734There are sections w/o emergency lanes, but these usually have speeds limits applied for exactly that reason. For renewed sections, emergency lanes are mandatory. Just not let your car break down at those sections 😅
On the Autobahn there are three main rules: 1. always stay focused, keep your mind on driving. 2. there always is someone faster than you
3. keep every mirror in focus, know what is going on left, right, behind you, not only in front of you. If there is a dangerous situation unfolding, you just have to know what is going on on the lane right (left) of you, if you have to brake or change lanes you must know if the lane is free or blocked. Knowing things in advance saves lifes.
One time, in Germany, I was overtaken on the right by a Mercedes ML. I was at 130 km/h and I was overtaking two lorries. He slalomed between the two to overtake me.
@@AngelinaJolie734 Strictly and absolutely forbidden! Not legal at all. If caught by police it would result in a heavy fine. Not only financial, but loss of driving license at least for 3-6 months. Definitely reckless driver causing potentially dangerous situations. Sadly there are some people not abiding laws.
Number 2 exactly! I remember 10 years ago I was driving 230km an hour and someone behind me was blinking it’s headlights that he wanted to pass😂
@AngelinaJolie734 driver was Brad Pitt
@@darkredvan exact. But in fact there are now very very few autobahn kilometres where you really could go for a long time on 100mph and beyond. Quite often the traffic is far to congested to go for high speed. I used to own and drive Mercedes Benz E class with quite some power .. commuted between Luxembourg and Muenster in NRW. Experienced a lot of silly situations had a C Class near me who wanted to pass me right because on left were stuck did not notice a 40 Ton Truck right.. Crash. my dead ankle warning went haywire.. he was less to half an inch from my car. .. Glad he survived uninjured but the Benz was ready to scrap. (Between Heidelberg and Frankfurt . Seeheim Jugenheim region)
If someone in Germany tells you, he is driving 40 years without any excident, not only means he is a good driver. It also means everybody around is paying attention.
Regardless of how confident they were before getting on the Autobahn, never ever have I met an American that wasn't terrified during their actual first half hour on the Autobahn.
Rest assured, you won't be any different.
The first shock is usually the realization of how much narrower the lanes are compared to US interstates and highways.
The guaranteed second shock is when a seemingly unspectacular German mid-range car blasts past you with 140 mph for the first time.
The third shock is the first time you'll have to fill up your tank at a Autobahn rest stop. The price of gasoline will make you wanna cry.😂
I hope you'll visit Germany soon, and I'm confident that you'll enjoy the experience. Since I've been following your channel for quite some time now, I know that you're a reasonable guy. You'll be just fine. 🤗🍻
Greetings from 🇩🇪
P.S.: don't waste your money on renting a RS6 or something crazy like that when going on the Autobahn the first time. You won't utilize the full potential of such a machine and frankly, nor should you try. Get yourself a nice regular A4 or a BMW 3-series or a nice C-class or a nice Skoda or something like that at first. The experience will essentially be exactly the same.
Drive a couple of hundred kilometers and then maybe dial it up a notch. Just a tip😉
me as a dutch person reading this coment:
"The first shock is usually the realization of how much narrower the lanes are compared to US interstates and highways."
*what youre lanes are huge compared to ours
"The guaranteed second shock is when a seemingly unspectacular German mid-range car blasts past you with 140 mph for the first time. "
* change that to no matter your speed there always will be a car blasting past you like you are standing still
"The third shock is the first time you'll have to fill up your tank at a Autobahn rest stop. The price of gasoline will make you wanna cry.😂"
* i never tank next to the highway/autobahn always leave the highway and go to a town to tank there. also german prices are low compared to ours.
but all in all yea the autobahn will humble you and the first time you might go 180KM/h but you wont hold it that long cause its exausting (also i come to resent dutch drivers there they have no regards of safely passing slower traffic on a 2 lane autobahn part.
PS: dont get to comfortable with the no speed you will always drive into road maintainence in germany and that isnt a few meters like im used to they have it for multiple KM. but i love they way they do it and how safe it would feel for the roadworkers there compared to here.
Er kann sich ja für den RS6 eine Rennstrecke mieten...aber dann würde ich auch gleich den 8er wählen 😅
@@goldendon511 Hahaha😂👍
Well, Dutch highways are a whole different kettle of fish...
Parts are lightened up by lamps and there are fkn intersections with street-lights...you crazy buggers😂😘
@@Lost-sj22 ich würd' nen 911 GT3 nehmen, aber hey...
I'd agree. Above 200 km/h, you'll have to adopt to every 10 additional km/h for some 10-20 minutes, or it gets scary. Or unsafe.
An important fact to reflect upon is that the german driver’s license costs between 2000-3000 dollars on average with a mandatory number of driving lessons as well as a fairly strict practical and theoretical exam.
If you fail the test additional driving lessons are required before you can retake the practical exam.
Btw, one minor addition:
At the beginning of the video, he mentions how other people are not allowed to break for you to let you onto the Autobahn.
However, if you're on the Autobahn and you see a car coming up the on-ramp, it is common courtesy to switch to the middle lane to let them on - as long as it is safe for you to do so, of course. Doesn't disrupt the flow of traffic on the Autobahn and they don't have to slow down to wait for a gap.
My driving instructor also taught me that I shouldn't stop on the acceleration lane. It is safer to stay on the shoulder and then switch to the lane on the left even though it is actually forbidden.
I would object that it's common courtesy. Best it is a matter of precaution because more and more people in Germany aren't capable of entering the autobahn safely. In general, the mutual consideration required by law in Germany is on the retreat and is giving way to an attitude of entitlement fueled by egocentrism and thoughtlessness ...
The fatality rate is not only related to the speed, but also to overall driver’s awareness and education. I lived and worked in the States for around 10 years mainly in Houston, and the way the hand out licenses like a popcorn is always mind boggling to me, here in the Netherlands we invest a lot of time, effort and money to be able to get our driver’s license. If the US applies the no speed limit policy in their highways, there is no way I’d drive side by side with American drivers, just couldnt trust them enough. So no, higher speed doesn’t mean safer driving environment.
Yep, fully agree with you. I had the same experience in the US. What also surprised me was people walking on interstates (in the middle of the night!) and the amount of tires left to rot on the side of the road
Well, the thing is in the US if you can't drive (in a lot of places) you have virtually zero chance of succeeding. There are employers that won't even hire you if you can't drive. So, states make it easier to get a driver's license. However, there are also some places that are pretty tight on things.
I had a twenty-question written test and five-minute drive with an auditor in the car (really rural area). However, my mom who was from a larger city had a 100-question written test (that you couldn't miss an answer on), two weeks of driver training, audited obstacle course, and had to be able to parallel park straight and within 8 inches of the curb.
Of course, in defense of us rural folk you have to realize that we often grew up driving in farm fields and on private dirt roads from an age when one could barely reach the pedals and see over the dash lol. I was driving my dad's '74 VW Beetle and my cousins old 4x4 Willies Army jeep when I was 9-10 years old or so. Not to mention all the go carts and dirt bikes everybody had.
Also, in the rural areas of the US is where you'll find 95% of the population that can drive a manual transmission and bitching heavily about manuals being almost unobtainable anymore in new cars. Manual trans is SO much better in the snow and mud.
@@waynepurcell6058 My man absolutely, that’s the bigger problem in the states. No viable alternative means some people are forced to drive, from there on you can see that some don’t really care much or even pay attention to traffic and traffic rules, not all people have the ability to be a good driver. Thing as simple as indicating when turning or changing lanes, lane awareness, and speed limit awareness are just non existent there period, irony to be honest in a country that push forward in its advancement in car infrastructure. there are tons to work on.
I agree with you about rural life in the States, I was lucky enough to spend a year in a tiny town close to Texas-Oklahoma border 2 hours away from Dallas-Fort Worth and I loved it. Less than 90K population, and the driving mentality is different there it’s true. no traffic, less hectic lane changes, etc. people are generally more aware of their surrounding, it was a breeze. To me it just proof that a city can indeed support private vehicles infrastructure and its system but not infinitely, once you have to many people and cars coming in, it’s simply impossible to maintain it as effectively and no, couple more lanes on each side does not fix the problem.
Look, it’s nice to have the option to drive your own vehicle whenever you want. but it’s also nice if there is a better alternatives to driving too, so the people that don’t want to drive simply don’t bother the ones who want to drive, trust me there are lots of them. Especially in the States man, bullet train system and bigger reach metro system will definitely make it easier to live. I hope one day your country/states realise it. Now it’s too many auto lobbyists.
Europe is huge too, it is quite a drive from Glasgow to Istanbul...
Major difference in Germany (and some other countries) is: consequent design, you know what to expect when there is a bend or an exit. You can (have to) leave with 80 mph and know the exit is safe for that speed. You go down slowly and do not meet a dangerous situation. Route indication is also systematic, you know long in advance which exit you have to take, in which lane you have to be, where to go, very unlike the US.
"You can (have to) leave with 80 mph and know the exit is safe for that speed" - well, there are exemptions... try A45 from Dortmund to Frankfurt, exit Burbach, and you´ll know why there are reinforced guard-rails...
And in Germany, unlike the rest of Europe, the motorway is free to use..
@@Hartmut-oo5ts Ausnahmen bestätigen die Regel. ;-)
80 kph is ok for almost all Autobahn exits in dry conditions but not 80mph.
Without knowing but I would guess the process to get a drivers license (much more difficult in Germany) is the reason you have less accidents in Germany.
That is part of it but a bigger part is attitudes and vehicle condition.
In the US you are allowed to drive pretty well any piece of junk you want on the road, in Most of Europe, not just Germany, your vehicle has to pass an annual safety inspection and if it fails it's not road legal.
In the US drivers only seem to care about getting where they are going as fast as possible and could not care less about any of the other drivers on the road, European drivers on the other hand are a lot more courteous then US drivers.
Traffic control in Europe is aimed more it moving people than it is at moving cars, like in the US, this means European drivers spend a lot less time stuck needlessly at traffic lights and the like which means drivers are not as frustrated and prone to making mistakes.
In the US uncle bob can teach you how to drive and driving tests are pretty easy to pass, however in Germany you must take professional driving instruction which is very expensive and the test is very strict. This is the same in a lot of European countries, for example my son passed his test last year here in the Netherlands and total cost was around 3,500 euro all in, this is before he even thinks about buying a car.
German rules state that to obtain a drivers licence to must attend 14 theory lessons of 90 minutes each, 12 Practical lessons of which 4 are motorway, 3 are night time and 5 are country roads, and then as many regular lessons as are required for you to pass your test. You may only drive with a certified driving instructor until you have passed your test, if you pass your test at 17 then you can drive supervised by a named licensed person until you turn 18 at which point you can switch over to a full German licence and drive alone.
Interesting thing to note if you visit Germany at 17 years old and your home country allows you to drive at 17 you still cannot drive in Germany as you are under 18.
The big problem is, that getting the license is nowadays excessively expensive. Since many people have to be at least able to drive, burocracy and driving schools are ripping of what they can. Next invest is of course the car, maintaining it, tax and ensurance. If I wasn't living in a rural area, I'd probably get rid of it or as a youngster wouldn't care to get a license.
Almost everyone in Europe drives a manual stick..
@@morgansjodin4859 It's abt. 85% percent but that doesn't automatically make you a better driver.
@@eudyptes7431 Better driver.. who is a better driver.. theres alot of bad drivers.. tell me here who is the best driver.
13:03 im seeing this on a regular basis in germany too actually. especially if they zoom up with high speeds and cut infront of people its crazy dangerous. In driving school my instructor told me the saying "a bad driver dosent miss his exit, a good one sometimes does".
This is the thinking that a lot of drivers in EU still need to apply. It is always safer to go on when you miss your turn ( in urban areas as well as highways) that to panic and step on the breaks. If they start thinkig like this, you will not have semitrucks turning on the highways, people tryying to back up to the exit they just passed or simply people driving in oncomming traffic. Which unfortunatelly still hapens in Europe. EU is now startign to angle towards psycholigical examination before giving out a drivers license as well. I am curious to see where that leads us in the long run.
@@martinsinansky2817 I remember when was new highway tunnel opened near by and third day there was a driver reversing in it, then turned and drive back ... for that has to be life sentence "no more driving"
Something I've noticed some Americans do, is not having clear distinction between "fast lane" and "passing lane". Especially with fast lane term used, I've seen many use that phrasing as an excuse for staying in that lane simply because they're "going fast". They'll just sit above the speed limit, and then think that means the fast lane can be occupied by them for however long they wish to do so.
It's one reason why people from Europe don't even use the "fast lane" term, because it truly does not matter what speed you have when you're using that lane -or any lane for that matter. The only thing that matters, is whether you're passing someone or not. Especially in places with no speed limits, your speed can't be a determining factor for how you can utilize any lane. Having one simple system that says "use outer lanes to pass, otherwise get out" is efficient, easy to understand, impossible to misinterpret, and it just works. Euro traffic laws are all about the inability to misinterpret a rule. You should never be able to question a traffic law statement or road use conduct. There should never be room for opposing arguments. You either do it right or wrong, no grey nuance. That's how you truly avoid most "dumb" accidents where two drivers both claim to be in the right -but in reality it's just the traffic rules that fail to specify a clear conduct statement in the first place.
As someone who has driven on US interstates, I would say the experience matters depending on where in the US you are. Local driving cultures can be different as far as I have seen, but the overall core difference I noticed that most interstates had in common, is that it seems to me like there is a greater culture of independence and "anarchy" for lack of better word. More people in the US would drive as if the space around them was their property, saw surprisingly many drivers brake check regularly and act as "highway cops" towards other drivers, something I almost never see anywhere in Europe. In the most extreme cases I would say it felt like a higher degree of road entitlement, but again could vary from place to place. US car and driving culture is vast and surely fairly nuanced.
Having to spend a lot more time filtering left and right in traffic also seemed to slow down any sense of natural flow, and especially one's ability to look ahead and predict patters was minimized a fair bit because there are far more variables you have to consider in the US system. On most European roads the traffic is very simple and easy to read, and thus easy to accommodate for in advance because drivers are more predictable and the rules are clear and easy to adhere to.
I think in low traffic the US system works well and I did enjoy it especially in evening hours where most people have made it home for dinner, but any time there's just a bit of congestion things just escalate much more rapidly than what I've seen anywhere in Europe (maybe apart from Italy lol)
Four things that are missing on the American roads for an autobahn to work.
1. Maintenance of the roads
2. No passing on the right
3. Driving as much to the right as you possibly can, leaving the left for passing.
4. People willing to follow road laws.
I would add 5. Semi truck speed limits and limiting them to the right most lane
Also, driver education.
And PLEASE, do not drive on the Autobahn with an american driving license. Just sit next to an experienced driver! That will scare the hell out of you as well! Promised!
And most important: don’t let American drivers use it!
you forgot the most important one: have alternatives to driving.
I remember back in the late 90s I was in Germany with my parents, and as we were going about 130-140kmh, an old VW Bug just flew by us 😂
Those were called "Kaefer-Treter" ("Bug-kicker"), and that movement still exists. It was/is quite easy to beef up a bug, since both boxer engines from either Bus or Porsche 914 fit into a bug. In the 90ies they always gathered for their first annual meeting in East Frisia, nowadays in Hannover - it is called "Maikaefertreffen" (literally "May-Bug-meeting", while correct translation for "Maikaefer" is Cockchafer). ;-)
it's not just germany, anywhere in europe are the same principals of driving. I had a huge driving shock when i moved from europe to australia. people here have no idea how to drive properly hence i made my driving channel to show idiocy of the drivers here.
9:13 also have to add that not everywhere in europe you have to always drive in the right lane when there is no traffic in far right lane. mostly those are used for slow vehicles such as trucks and buses. in some country like italy you are allowed to stay in middle lane doing 130-140 km/h if there is nobody to your right lane so long as overtaking lane is empty and you arent blocking it.
In Italy you are not allowed to stay in the middle lane.. you need to stay in the right lane if it's empty. It's true that the right lane is usually used by slow vehicle but simply because they can't reach the speed limit, so they stay always in that lane. 😄 if you stay in the middle lane (with the empty right lane), you risk a fine of €43 to €163 and 4 points on your driving license. it doesn't matter if the highway have 2 or 3 lanes, you must stay in the right lane.
@@marcorotari8832 during my drive in Italy I saw a lot of people staying in middle lane even after there was nobody there ;) and police was doing the same …
@@serbdriverAU unfortunately it's true 🤣 the average driver is just too lazy to switch lane but gets mad if somebody flashes at him while "camping" in the middle lane at 110 km/h.. i personally know people that think that the first lane it's exclusive for trucks and coaches.
Oh, about the police...... they simply don't care.. 😄
If everyone break the rules it doesn't means that's ok, unfortunately in Italy they're way back in culture of respect than northern European countries.@@serbdriverAU
@@marcorotari8832I was so curious about this. Just a couple of years ago, I have been on a busines trip in Torino. I landed in Milano and drove on the highway and saw so many people just sitting in the middle lane doing 110. It was quite late and the highway was almost empty. I was doing a regular 130 in the rightmost lane and wandering what was going on... Shame on me, I have decided not to cross two lanes just to pass the guy in the middle, though I should have...
speed isn't safer but people in Germany are more serious when respecting rules. They don't drive fast for fun, they drive fast because they respect all the other rules and so, they can drive fast because evrything else is under control.
If you're too close from the vehicle in front of you on the Autobhan you'll be fined.
if you stay on the left lane, you'll be fined
if you don't use your turn signals, you'll be fined
the autobhan is safer than a lot of roads all over the world only because germans respect rules (remove speed limits on highways in my country and you'll end in a tremendous chaos)
Bold of you to assume that only Germans respect rules. There are many people outside Germany out respect rules, except for Americans.
I live in Germany sonce a few years. I drove in US in 2005 I think? i95 around Miami area. It didn't seem too bad. Last year I visited Chicago, I didn't drive but took Uber from airport to city and back and it seemed very very crazy. Did it seem to me or there are exits on left side as well? That was weird and I don't think it's very safe as it adds a layer of complexity. Here in Europe, as far as I seen, you always exit on right side. There are highway intersections where midle lane splits, it's marked at least a couple km in advance, or more several times, which lane goes where (big signs above the highway with arrows and destinations for each lane), and maybe right lane goes right, middle lane splits, and left lane goes left (continues) but it just seemed a LOT better marked and constructed than what I seen on the road from O'Hare to Chicago. Also people went with random speeds in all lanes around you. I thought to myself, if this is US then how would it be in India? Seemed wild wild west to me.
About speedy cars, you don't need 500 hp to go on any road, I don't kno why americans often seem to thiunk that. My car is 150 hp petrol car and is fine to go up to 200 kph, but normally I travel 160-180 max (or lower if road is not good, night time, rain, traffic, I'm tired etc etc etc). So no you don't need an M bmw or an RS audi or a Porsche to go above 130 kph, of course. Any normal car nowadays that is over 100 hp can go a speed of say, 150 easily. Just the absolute lowest tiers of engines, the billboard price cars (complete entry level) may be a bit undersized for that, where you can still go that fast but could be too noisy and may be high consumption as it's not meant for that.
Generally speed is not a problem, it's a lot more relaxing to go 150, 160 kph and not worry than going 130 and always worry to either slow down to 120, 125 or go to 140-145 to overtake and worry if I get a ticket somewhere or not. Actually I find it that it's a LOT more tiring to go 100-120 kph (full highway) when a lot of people travel, around holidays, then just set cruise control and barely ever touch it. This winter I visited my parents (about 1300 km, driven in 2 days) and I went there a week before Christmas and came back on 25th, especially that drive was very relaxing and I felt I could have came the whole way, was not tired after 900km in Vienna where I stopped at my aunt. :)
There are a few left exits in Europe. One of them is on the A10 heading north somewhere near Villach/Austria.
At 03:52 , that is like one of the worst on ramps with no hard shoulder on the entire section of the autobahn haha 😄 I live a few miles away from that particular on ramp, you really have to gun it to get up to speed with oncoming traffic
I hate that one. Mostly we drive to munich, so we choose usually Weyarn ;-)
Danke!
Hi Ian, fun fact - while you stopped that video at ~ 11:02 to talk about speed limits, from 11:31 on you could see speed trap markers on the lanes! ;-) Police usually places speed trap cameras on bridges, and records the last 200 - 300m before making a cute flash-pic of you, so they can charge you, and no oh-so smart-pants lawyer gets you out of that. ;-))
At 3:23 that silver Minivan parking on the left side was a civil patrol car (never underestimate them, you can´t outrun them, since they can call in helicopter pursuit ;-)) ),
and at ~ 11:55 that silver blue van is a BAG patrol car (B_undes_A_mt für G_üterkontrolle), they bust truckers for fun. ;-)
Also, as you were talking about what to use on the Autobahn - this very exit 100 (Bad Aibling) here leads DIRECTLY to Kolbermoor. And THATS were LOTECs are born!
Look up the Lotec C-1000 or the Lotec Sirius. You´ll want one!
And finally - yes, the A8 is one of the most scenic Highways in Germany. If that guy didn´t exit in Bad Aibling, only a few km ahead is the beautiful Chiemsee with beautiful mountain scenery, recreation areas, opportunity to go sailing, and roughly half an hour ahead is Austria and the Alps.
I used to travel a lot from northern Germany to southern Europe, and i used the A8 and subsequently/seamlessly in Austria the A10 (yes, Austrians call their Highways Autobahn, too), the so-called Tauern-Autobahn to get to Yugoslavia (today Slovenia) or northern Italy.
As for comparison to north America: I was in New York, Boston, Dallas, Fort Worth, and Vancouver (Canada) in the 90ies, and i always got me a big Chevy Impala as rental. I cannot complain. IDK though if that has changed in the last 30 years...
It's not for speed measurement, it's for distance measurement! They are most often flashed during distance measurement with a camera of motorway bridges. Still images or video footage of the traffic situation prove quite accurately how large your distance was.
@@karstendoerr5378 Actuallly it´s for both - sometimes "speeders" claim they "just accelerated", and by the video and the traveled distance they can be proven wrong.
Regarding point 3. I guess that has something to do regarding the process you have to go through to get a driving license in Germany compared to the US. In Germany you get way more trained on how to react and behave in certain situations. The time until you get a driving license is also way longer. We have a theoretical test and only if you pass that test you are allowed to be signed up for a practical test were you drive around with your driving school instructor and the instructor of the examination facility (e.g TÜV Instructor). To get there you have to do some driving lessons (12 hours, one hour is 90 minutes) and they are not cheap. After that, you have a probationary period of 2 years. A Driving License is also way more expensive here. Around 1500€ - 2400€ ($1600 - $2600)
You probably mean one lesson is 90 minutes, because one hour is 60 minutes! 🤪😁😉
By the way, 12 hours is on the lower end, many people need more than that! ✌🏼
And the average cost for a drivers license is between 3000-4000€ nowadays. Nothing near the 1500-2400 you said.
Ps: Got my license yesterday!:D
@@timlippert1342Herzlichen Glückwunsch!
@timlippert1342 Yea... the 1500€ to 2400€ are Prices are about 20 Years old (if paid 1600€ ^^; )
Most "Kids" thees Days also need way more ten 12 Lessons thees Days...
@@timlippert1342 Glückwunsch!
13:18 Thats exactly what i have experienced. I was in Atlanta a couple of years ago and a friend picked us up from the airport. We were somewhere on a middle lane like 2nd or 3rd and the exit approached, he turned into the exit so late that we went over the solid line already. Not to mention the constant lane swapping, accelerating and decelarating. Same thing happened when we were taking an Uber. Those were some wild rides for my german brain.
Also the state that some of the cars were in is was insane. Ill never forget the guy with a bend hood that was just taped down to the car.
Interestingly, my brother-in-law, who was studying in US brought a friend over to UK and I took both of them for a short ride along one of our dual carriageways. The American lad was a gibbering wreck for the whole journey as he couldn't understand that we in Europe could travel so fast in traffic congestion. This lad was on his way to an interview with Porsche, Germany, I wonder whether they thought he had the aptitude for them?
@@clivewilliams3661How is it a congestion if you still can drive fast?
@@mananaVesta You can't have driven on some of our motorways and dual carriageways at certain times of the day where it is high(ish) speed nose to tail driving i.e. congested, overcrowded. This incident was on the A3 to the west of Coombe Hill
Talking about digital road signs, the Dutch also have "Smart Traffic Lights". I´m sure other countries have them too but that´s where I first experienced them in 2018. I worked in Emmelord. Basically if there is no traffic, at the crossroads, all lights will stand on red. Once you approch them they would turn green so you don´t even need to brake. If cars from multiple directions approch the crossroads the nearest one will get green and then the lights would switch to their programmed intervals. Just amazing, no waiting in front of a red light if you´re the only person on the crossroad.
@IWrocker
3:52
"Be sure not to cross any solid lines"
NOPE if you fail to merge onto the main lane before the accelerator-lane ends: if there is a shoulder available use it because every thing else is to high a risk for you and flowing traffic (~100km/h).
even driving instructors will tell you to keep going, getting up to speed and merge at speed for safety reasons.
10:40 -- Actually when driving fast, you have to anticipate what other vehicles around you will do. For example, if you see a truck, chances are high that any other vehicle (other trucks included) driving or closing behind it may change lane. So you always keep view of what's in the leftside-mirror to change lane yourself or go there precautiously. Also its important to keep focus of what not only is in front of you, but behind you. If you're on the left lane, u want to check the back mirror because there is always someone faster and you want to search for a gap to make space.
The most important (general) rule taught in driving school (without referencing driving without speed-limit) is:
> "Only drive as fast as the circumstances around you allow it to; And as you feel comfortable with handling (without surpassing the speed limit; if applicable)."
Without speed limit, the average speed of "the flow" is round about 150km/h (93mph). Some people (~20%) average at about 180-200km/h (112-124mph). People driving "fast" in those terms usually go around 230-260km/h (143-162mph), rarely (less than 1 of 100) you see people driving 300 km/h (186mph) or more.
EDIT: In my point of view as a german (who below driving 200 km/h wouldn't even put both hands on the steeringwheel) having a fixed speed limit allows for better flow in dense traffic and less accidents related to overestimations, BUT significantly would increase accidents relating to getting mentally dul. When you drive a fixed speed, maybe even have lane assist etc, you no longer pay attention to driving and start doing other things like you mentioned (eating, using phone, etc.).
Whereover when you have constant speed changes and have different speeds involved on all lanes so you need to accelerate, decelerate and shift lanes, you are much more mentally engaged and are "staying active". Therefore you need to take a break every few hours because to your brain, driving equals "work"; which is a good thing.
3:23 you saw the silver vw Touran standing in the opposit direction? That was a policecar. Undercover. That was at Autobahn A8 at Irschenberg. Direction to Salzburg Austria. I Drive there every week. 😂
Here in Frankfurt police uses black BMW 5 series with cameras 360 degrees inside.. .. saw it in front of a rental car near Dillenburg.. Dont try to outsmart this one.. one of the offices I meet at the range.. that one may achieve 180mph
How nice, the original flick was shot “around the corner” from where I live - the Bavarian Highlands (Bayerisches Oberland) south/southeast of Munich.
Tom ("The American Guy in Germany") entered the motorway at the on-/off-slip number 99 (Irschenberg), and then drove eastwards on the slope of the Irschenberg foothills towards the town of Rosenheim; he left the motorway at off-slip no.100a (Bad Aibling).
Around 5:45 one can spot the pilgrimage church of St. Marinus and Anian. With the Wendelstein mountain in the background, this one of those famous Bavarian picture postcard motifs. 😊⚪🔵⛰
The best way to drive on the autobahn is to find the right rhythm at any given time and place. Maybe there is no speed limit but intense traffic mixed with slow lorries don't allow you to maintain 200 km/h all the time. Then you end up accelerating and breaking hard all the time. That is silly and dangerous. Always adjust your speed to the situation. I love it at night. I can cruise at 200 km/h without changing my speed at all. Although I almost never go that fast. I find that 160-170 is a good cruising speed for my car
Keep the left lane as free as possible.
That so relaxt driving.
I'm from Southeast Asia and obviously got my driving licence there. I have driven the autobahn in 2018 and 2019 when visiting my relatives in Stuttgart area with a 140 Hp Giulietta at 124 mph and i have used a lot of common sense when entering and exiting the autobahn without having to research in youtube or google regarding rules in the autobahn before going to Germany. It all boils down to self discipline when driving not only in the autobahn.
This is the Autobahn from Munich to Salzburg Austria. Its very busy if you go there the wrong time and tons of trucks since its one of the main routes to Italy. But its also a very beautiful landscape there and you basicly drive into the mountains. From what i can tell the only scenery around the Autobahn that is more beautiful in the one from Munich to Garmisch-Partenkirchen where you drive head on into the mountains.
And next to Garmisch is Schloss Neuschwanstein (Important tourist-information ;-)) ).
@@Hartmut-oo5ts geographical yes but you take another route from munich to get there. You take the Autobahn to Lindau and in Landsberg you exit and go south to Füssen.
My first highway experience as a young driver (since we didn't have any highways in my country back then) was in Germany, and the system is so well put together (signs and everything), so intuitive, that I had no trouble navigating even though I don't speak German and I was pretty inexperienced. They managed to make a very complex thing extremely simple. And, yes, the drivers are also very disciplined, which is refreshing.
The real scary part in US is that the heavy trucks are going that fast. In Austria and I think also in Germany the limit for them (heavier than 7,5 euro tons) is 80 km/h or 50 mp/h on the Autobahn.
I think that applies to all of Europe.
It's 80 km/h in Germany.
To be able to use the Autobahn you have to be able to drive at least 60 km/ h.
@@jakob_se Varies a bit, in some countries you can do 90 kmh on the motorways. In Romania you can go even faster, but most, if not all, long haul trucks are physically limited to 90 km/h or something. Not quite sure as in UK trucks can do 96 kmh because they are limited to 60mph there.
Trucks go 89 kmh because limiter is set at that speed and 3% tolerance. Which all included fine is very little. Italians disable speed limiter so they usually go around 100 kph.
The Autobahn is probably the best example of safe and well-disciplined motorway driving in Europe, but most of western Europe does better than most of the US. Middle lane hogging is more of a problem than left- (UK/Irl right-) lane-hoggers, as you saw in the video. You only have to check the fatality rates to see how poorly the US does compared to NW Europe.
One massive difference in Europe too, is that heavy goods vehicles and trailers are speed-limited and forbidden in the left (UK/Irl right) lane where there are 3 or more lanes. US truck drivers do not display the same professionalism as those in the EU, generally, IMO. Seeing multi-vehicle pile-ups in bad weather, with massive trucks just barrelling in, is far less common than in the US. In fact, is practically non-existent in Europe, while in the US it's a few times every year.
I use to live in Germany back in the 80's and it was such a joy. I'd say about 90-95% of the motorist in Germany would follow the rules of the road. When you accelerate to merge on the Autobahn the motorist will move to the middle lane if there is room to do so. I like how long the deceleration lanes and acceleration are, at approx 1000 meters. One of the unusual experiences I had was passing the Polizei at approx 120 m.p.h while zooming along in the middle lane while the Polizei was humming along in the right lane at a much slower pace, it seemed sooo weird to do that. The motorists in Germany have more respect and look out for their fellow motorists. Plus they USE their turn signals, something that needs to improve in the U.S. which is so aggravating. The motorists in Germany are more disciplined. It's amazing that in Germany, which has about almost the same amount of square miles of Montana, Germany still has about half the accidents of the whole United States. It's a beautiful experience to drive on the German Autobahn, just respect their laws while driving and respect their culture.
"It's amazing that in Germany, which has about almost the same number of square miles of Montana, Germany still has about half the accidents of the whole United States" Yeah, well, in 2023 Montana had a population of just 1.1 million, and the entirety of the U.S. had 339.99 million, compared to Germany's 83.3 million. So, by your logic, a country with just 24.5% of the population of the U.S. having roughly 50% as many accidents is considered good, which makes no sense to me.
The population doesn't matter. Statistics show the percentage of accidents per 100000 drivers in the country.
In the 2018 statistics for example they show that in the US 12,4 people died in a car accident out of 100000 while in Germany there were 4,1 out of 100000.
I think that's what SaturnV69 meant
Driving on the Autobahn is very relaxed, the only problem I have is when I come back to the Netherlands and have to drive only at 100kmph...
On the other hand, highways and roads in general in the Netherlands are in absolute pristine condition, a lot better than even in Germany.
Greetings from 🇩🇪
That speed limit has worked to an extent, as it keeps people out.
On my London > Prague drives, I swing south to stay in Belgium. The roads are worse, but 100kph in Holand is just too painfully slow to be driving at the start of such a long drive 😮
@@dasmaurerle4347 It's also logical. A small country with few trucks and hardly any through traffic from other countries. In terms of transport, Germany is like a hub in Europe. I see hundreds of trucks every day and they all come from Poland, Romania, France, Bulgaria, etc.
@@audi_gaining9725 tell me about it. I live 50km north of Basel and very close to the A5. The volume of freight that's heading towards Switzerland and Italy on a daily basis is mindboggeling. The tear and wear of the A5 due to this amount of traffic is quite significant. On the other hand we should be very thankful to have so many friendly neighbors. Being in the middel of Europe with 9 friendly neighbors surrounding us is quite a privilege that we all should cherrish more often than we probably do.👍🍻
@@audi_gaining9725wait what? You do know Rotterdam is the biggest port in Europe right with almost everything going to other countries. Just because it takes the truckdrivers less then 2 hours to cross the border from the port does not mean it’s not busy with trucks
There is no such thing as “anti freeze concrete”. Concrete is solid. Water (rain) on the surface will freeze. There IS asfalt called ZOAB. It makes
Rain run under the surface. So the surface won’t blow up water from the car in front of you.
3:40 also in europe in the area where acceleration lane is merging with the "autobahn"/fast lane,when is possible the car from right lane is changing to left lane to give the chance to the cars from acceleration lane to merge in safe.
In that little video the traffic was quite free but in general in to the summer or winter holiday the "autobahn" in some parts of europe are crowded and does not have three lines and also left lane is occupied and the rule of "keep right" is ignored.
Usually in weekends the autobahn is more free due to lack/low of big cars (18 wheels).
All I remember from US highways is the noise. Tactac tactac tactac, the road is made of assembled plates. oO
Germany had that in Hiltler time ... old fashioned and nearly all are rebuilt ..
US guy here. The concrete with the expansion joints is virtual hell. Whenever our state rips a section of that crap up and lays down some decent asphalt (even if it's just for a twenty-mile stretch or so) it's like you've found a touch of driving heaven when you hit it.
i go to the nurburgring a few times a year and i love the autobahn, you can just drive a decent speed to get there in decent time without tickets.
my car tops out around 240kph but its fine cruizing at 200 for most of the drive.
i found driving on highways in america very relaxing. its just way easier to maintain situational awareness when the speed difference between cars is like 30kmh instead of 160kmh.
my goto speed in germany is 170kmh. trucks go 90kmh, the occasional porsche or motorcycle is going 250. meaning situation is changing way faster and you have to react faster aswell.
in germany its common practise to change drivers or at least have a short brake after like 3-4 hours. in america i didnt even start to feel tired after 10hours, just surprised, that my audio book already ended...
both makes sense, endurance for a big country, performance for a small one.
What I noticed it's usually the Skoda Octavia wagons that go crazy on the Autobahn. I don't know why but it feels that way 😂 Oh and also the "inofficial" advisory speed limit varies by the region. If you do anything less than 180 km/h near Munich you're considered a traffic block 🤣
In Germany we have also a word for those people blocking the middle lane by driving slow instead of driving on the right lane. It is Mittelspurschleicher, which translates to middle lane crawler. 😉
And I’m guessing a lot of those people have yellow plates?😂
@@Mark-vn7etGermans do that too. Austrians however have a reputation of going "pedal to the metal" once they cross the border.
From My Point of view „middleSpurschleicher“are not the Problem, but more the „Schleicher“ on the left lane. I Call it „Raserstau“ wenn hundert of car block the left lane, but Nobody drives middle or right😂 therefore Nobody is able to overtake on the right Hand side.
In Belgium you can get a fine if you stay in the middle lane too long@@AKUJA81
Someone needs to introduce the American reactor community to the Belgian roundabout game! :D
"Speed has never killed anyone, suddenly becoming stationary, that's what gets you." ― Jeremy Clarkson
In Europe drivers are just better, well, the majority of them, except italians, they are the same as americans if not worse.
Hey (offended italian noises)...no wait you are right. Not all of us are bad but a lot yea.
the frenchies their parking is also next level😁
@@josvercaemer264 Simply make it fit... if you push ten cars together number eleven can just fit in the middle.
IMHO Italians are the best - it is no wonder that ALL female F-1 Drivers in history were Italians! I always enjoy Italy - it is totally lawless, but i works, and no one gives a f... The worst thing is coming back to Germany - it usually takes a couple of weeks to blend in again...
waarom heb je anders bumpers🤔@@dutchman7623
Just something like merging, I've experienced how it's almost a competition in American traffic, Danes aren't bad but it's just so smooth and orderly in Germany in comparison.
The right side lane simply isn't a competition, it's the peaceful lane where you get in and out and where you stay if you're not in a hurry.
And because there aren't any left lane campers there will be space for you if you do want to go faster.
And the Germans have the calmest way to tell you if they think that you are hogging the left lane unnecessarily: they turn on their left blinker as to say "I'd change to a further left lane, if there was any".
Road rage actions like tailgating, right-side overtaking or brake testing is virtually nonexistent. (Though I'm sure people curse at other peoples driving just like anywhere else, they just understand that it doesn't justify dangerous driving).
13:30 additional info: the autobahn exits (no matter how the curves may look) are designed in a way, that they will be safe while driving 50km/h (31mph). Of course thats during normal conditions. Many exits are completly safe doing 80 or 70 km/h, but 50 is the minimum.
Only exeptions: "Behelfsausfahrten" (makeshift/temporary exits [although I know two ocasions where they're not temporary, there is just to little space for a real one]) aren't design that way. Nearly no decceleration lane, sharp corners, funny terrain around. But then again, they are brought up to you as such with plenty of signs. and in the 2 occaisons they really don't look like 50km/h will work at all :D
"A fast one" - Another Ferrari, Bugatti or Lambo blocking the left lane at maybe 90-100mph with an American on the steering wheel in panic ;-)
Yes, and shitting his pants for fear. And I can't pass him with my VW Golf!
Before you come to Germany or when you are in Germany you should go to a German driving school so that you can know the rules that protect your life on German or European roads.Many Americans know these basic rules such as right before left, which regulates traffic, was an intersection without traffic signs. They also apply in streets where there are no traffic signs when a street intersects with the main street.
Especially as an American if you come to Europe and you want to drive on the autobahn in Germany, you should be trained beforehand by a German driving school instructor because that is vital to survival. The rules on the German autobahn are the only country where there is no speed limit knowledge.
Also the German driving license is on another level. And when seeing yankee driving sometimes on a trip, I'd say 40-50% of US citizens should be removed the right to drive. That would make World a much safer place. Not everybody gets a german driving License.
last week i went from austria to my hometown in the netherlands it was an 890km drive with about 800 of them on the autobahn. This was the first time i did that in a good car that reached 170km/h comfortably and there was little trafic so it was a smooth drive. I have driven it in crappy cars (not so smooth to take over other cars)
If you want to see people NOT driving the way they should in Germany, I recommend any video of "Dashcam Drivers Germany".
And compared to the USA, that's still harmless haha
@@audi_gaining9725 Think the US is bad watch the ones from Russia.
Just to little side notes about the beginning of the video.
It is correct, that infrastructure is paid by taxes, but taxes are not allowed to be bound to a specific purpose. Also the amount of money collected via taxes on fuel and cars would not make up for most of the costs of the autobahn. So, it's basically paid by all the taxes.
About the fatalities: there is a correlation between the speed and the number of fatalities, but that's actually not a true one.
There are studies providing heavy evidence, that reduction would result in even less death per mile distance.
Probably the underlying correlation is more about other factors. The mandatory checks on the state of the car (TÜV), the people sticking to the rules like glue and the state of the infrastructure would be my guesses.
I saw some documentary about the highway and autobahn. If I'm not mistaken the cost of the german highway was something like the double of the american per km of highway. So they better be smooth :D
yeah, I'm from Brazil and here is much worse than US, because the asphalt on right lanes are full of patches, so everybody stays on left lanes. the big trucks goes to left lanes to pass other trucks. and we have motorcycles on split lines goin faster than the cars.
..just watch this channel Xracing and you'll see it.
I heard that lots of people from my country (NL) love to go to Germany and at least one time go the maximum speed just to see how fast the car can go.
Everytime I come back from The Nederlands to Germany (A4 -> Cologne) the first sign I see in Germany is the "Traffic Work & 80km/h" signs 🙂
@@DSP16569 I traveled a few years back for the last time, as an passenger and there where lots of places with construction. I think there was an plan to make it an toll road, and to justify that they had to improve the roads first
@@DSP16569 I did look it up and the plan still stands partial, heavy loads must pay toll now (from 7500kg and per juli from 3500kg). The camper car does not count, the rule is more for heavy cars moving materials
Wow that’s a bad idea! Anytime I see NL on a plate I have to use extreme caution, as the driver will most likely be driving like a target fixated zombie 😮
@@DontPanicDear in 2020 there was an vote to give the autobahn everywhere a speed limit, but it got rejected
One important detail about the autobahn design:
You will be hard pressed to find parts that go straight for miles, cause a slightly curvy road forces drivers to pay attention.
Obviously the opposite holds true as well, any long stretch of road that goes straight ahead "appears" easy and save... hence leads to inattention.
It’s very noticeable too!
The Czech motorways are arrow straight. Then you cross into Germany, pick up speed, and the corners start immediately!
Travelling over a steady 120mph requires great concentration.
People think you can just go there and max out their car, but it’s not easy or sensible.
generally we use asphalt and not concrete for our roads including the autobahn but yes its a special mixture that is not as prone to cracking in the winter as the standard asphalt mix...
Hi, I live in the Czech Republic which is next to Germany and I drive on autobahn quite often - sometimes through whole Germany to other country. I think Germans are good drivers in general. Yes you can drive there very fast, sometimes I also drive. Up to 200 km/h is normal for me and I’m used to this speed, but I’m not driving faster very often. Sometimes I’m even happy that we’re driving 130 km/h when there is no speed limit simply because of the traffic. It took me about half of the year to test the max speed of my car (250 km/h), because I wanted to be safe, so it means daylight, dry and completely empty autobahn with no other cars… so it took a while 🙂 On the other hand, once I was driving about 500 km on Geman autobahn in heavy snow with heavy traffic, speed was about 60 km/h in all lanes, but I felt safe, absolutelly no issues on the way…
In 2024 you need at least 2500€ (2700$) to make a driving here in Germany, and after that you’ll be paying anywhere between 150€ to 300€ (170-340$) for car insurance monthly, it’s not cheap to drive here seriously better to pay 50€ monthly for public transportation honestly
Interesting fact: If there is any damage on the road - a deep hole in the street for exampel ca. 5 cm deep and 30 cm wide or whatever and you damage your car because of the bad road the state / city has to pay for the repairing costs!
In Theory. Good luck with that in reality...
I’ve never came across those holes. In general they maintain the road really good with regular inspections and they do not hesitate to close part of the road to repair it immediately. So you would be quitte unfortunate if it happens
What you mention at about 8 min is exactly why you guys will never learn. In Germany you move over to the right most lane even when you see the next truck. You shouldn't think, yeah well let's stay in the middle lane. Ofc often it makes sense but the norm is to move way more often. It does so much for traffic flow.
Been driving a very small and light car (below 1450lbs) at about 105mph when a box truck in front started to overtake another box truck. It just went well, but it almost scared the shit out of me. It's been the same autobahn as in the video in the opposite direction in a Citroën AX.
11:54 The "VW Transporter" in the Right lane belongs to the "Bundesamt für Güterverkehr" (Federal Office for freight) - They check whether the trucks have paid their tolls, the driver adheres to his rest periods, the vehicles are in a safe condition (especially trucks from abroad) and the load is properly secured.
wenn du mal hier über eine längere Zeit hohe Geschwindigkeiten fährst und dann die Autobahn verlässt, ein Blick auf´s Tacho hilft dir dann schon.
PS gefühlte und reale Geschwindigkeit😉
8:42 - We have the same rule here in Portugal but many drivers, me included, don't follow it because 1) it goes against the "Keep Right" rule and 2) it contradicts the definition of overtaking:
1) If I have a clear right lane in front of me, I must comply with the "Keep Right" rule and use that lane. I'm in the right, the ones driving in the middle or left lanes are in the wrong.
2) The definition of overtaking states that it implies switching lanes to carry out that manoeuvre, so in a situation like the one in the video I wouldn't be overtaking anyone because I'm not switching lanes and therefore I'm not breaking the "No Overtaking On The Right" rule. If I was behind that white car and used the empty right lane to overtake it, then I'd be breaking the law.
The way it's written, complying with our "No Overtaking On The Right" rule (meaning everyone had to switch two or three lanes to the left to overtake the idiots "planted" in the middle lane for kms and kms) just creates far more dangerous situations and disruption to the traffic flow than complying with the "Keep Right" rule and follow the definition of overtaking.
14:00 - "Annoying" is an understatement, Ian. The lack of compliance with that number 3 rule is one of my biggest pet peeves about how some portuguese drivers drive: over here, too many people slow down to 90 km/h (or even less!) a long way before their exit on a 120 km/h motorway, while still on the motorway! 😡
The fatality has not soo much to do with speed limits, but with the way how you've been educated about how to drive a car and how to act between other road-users. In Germany you have to go to a drivers school for weeks, trained by a professional driving teacher and then you have to pass a theoretical test and a practical test. The whole thing cost around 2000 -3000 €. Compaire this to the US.
Allone to know, that americans are allowed to drive on the Autobahn, without having at least a test to show that they know our road rules, signs etc. scares me a lot!!
At 11:53 you see the BALM(National Bures of transportation) a Agency who looks at your Times of trucking and your loadsafety
Just to add a small addition. There is indeed a toll-system in germany. But it works a bit different than in other countries. First of all, the toll system is only for industrial traffic (trucks and alike). Second thing is you don't have any toll stations directly on the Autobahn. Instead you have scanning stations (white frames with a seet of scanners spanning across the Autobahn; you can see one at 11:10 on the opposite driving lane). All trucks are equipped with a toll and time tracking system that includes a small card and on the parking lots (Rastplatz) along the Autobahn there are terminals where the drivers can manage the toll informations.
There is another difference. The police rarely stand on the side of the Autobahn to stop vehicles. But police use surveillance cameras to monitor traffic and photograph license plates. It is possible that any bad drivers will have to take responsibility later.
That's why I appeal to you to drive responsibly so that no one can blame you later.
One famous exemption was/is "Elzer Berg", A3 near Montabaur - they had Porsche 911 Turbos for pursuit!
@@Hartmut-oo5ts i remember the Elzer Berg when they already had these "camera bridges" which automatically took fotos of the speeders. asked for the strangest picture of all the cops said, a guy who was playing the violin... 😄
Most of the Europes cars has a manual stick.. you get I think better control an more awareness than with a automatic transmission.. and It´s much more fun driving.
Hey, I live in Germany. Recently got my driver's license after my 1rst try. During my lessons on the autobahn. I have seen some recklessness and roadworks that have been there for years, as informed by my driving instructor. Apart from that, it's a pretty cool place to drive. But strangely, i don't have the urge i did before i got my license.
Props to your driving instructor for making you realize that you're better off taking it "slow" for now. As a new driver you still simply need the practise. When you are a few cars down the line and a bit older & wiser, then yea, just floor it as much as your spouse lets you ;)
I live in the US, and spend a summer month in Germany every year, and I love driving on the Autobahn, because it's so civilized to just 'collaborate' with other drivers who know the rules, mostly. What I observe since a few years, is that all the rental cars I have driven actually indicate the speed limit on the dash, which gives you a signal when you are up to 10% over, and gives you a gentle but irritating nudge on the steering wheel, when you are more than 10% over, because that's when it might get really expensive, when caught. If you are caught speeding, it usually doesn't mean being pulled over by some power-tripping guy, having to fear for your life if you make the wrong move, no, it's all automatic, you get a nice photo of your car, the speed you were going, and a bill to pay your fine.
Difference is there are people in the US who would collect hundreds of tickets, not pay them, and wind up with police kicking down their door anyway. There is a lack of respect for the rules here in the US. I don't see how it can be fixed either, as learning to respect law and rules begins at a young age.
Hello from Germany, at the time the Autobahn is NOT in a good condition as everybody thinks. There are a lot of construction sites which can last up to 10 miles or more. But the severest problem are the brigdes. When they were built 50, 60 or 70 years ago no one thought that there would be so many and so heavy truck driving across. Many are now closed to lorries, so that they have to take long detours.
And, to be honest, most of the germans would like to have a speed limit. Drivin on highways in France or the Netherlands is more relaxing because you know that there is only a verry little chance to meet one of theese crazy speed addicts on this roads.
But just come over and see for yourself.😊
The motorway in Germany is under the control of the state; the federal states have their own roads that they have to maintain (federal roads).
Little Sidenote (sorry longer text):
The German Road Traffic Regulations (StVO) stipulate that overtaking must generally be done on the left. The law stipulates precisely when overtaking on the right is permitted in exceptional cases.
Overtaking on the right on the highway?
Overtaking on the right is only permitted in two cases on freeways and motorway-like roads:
If traffic is so dense that queues of vehicles have formed in the lanes for one direction, it is permitted to drive faster on the right than on the left. The prerequisite is that traffic is so dense in all lanes that vehicles can drive side by side. This is the case if traffic is slightly faster in one lane and then in the other lane.
In addition, vehicles may be overtaken on the right at a slightly higher speed and with extreme caution if they are stationary in the left-hand lane or driving slowly (maximum 60 km/h). If traffic is stationary, you may overtake at a maximum speed of 20 km/h in the right-hand lane. If the traffic in the left-hand lane is moving slowly, you may overtake on the right at a maximum differential speed of 20 km/h, so that a maximum speed of 80 km/h is permitted on the right.
White marking lines before bridges:
How does bridge distance measurement work?
Bridge distance measurement records both the distance between two vehicles and the speed at which vehicles are traveling on a particular stretch of road. It is also known as a video distance measurement system, or VAMA for short. Bridge distance measurement works as follows:
Anyone who fails to maintain the minimum distance in the area of a bridge distance measurement system must expect a fine.
There are two video cameras on a bridge spanning the highway. Both record all lanes over a distance of approximately 700 meters.
A vehicle in which two police officers operate the device is parked close to the bridge. They can see on a monitor which images the two cameras are recording of the highway.
If the police see a distance or speed violation on their monitor, they can trigger a speed camera, which is positioned next to the bridge. This takes a photo of the driver who has committed the offense, which serves as evidence in the misdemeanor proceedings.
The actual bridge distance measurement is then carried out in the laboratory, where both the distance and speed of the car are precisely determined using the images. This is made possible by two white measuring lines that are placed on the road in the area covered by the cameras. These are located at a distance of 50 meters from each other, 90 and 40 meters from the bridge respectively. To determine the exact distance, the video recording must be stopped so that the vehicle in question is exactly on a measurement line.
The speed of the vehicle can also be determined from the video recording. To do this, the video recording is stopped at the points in time when the front or rear wheels of the vehicle are exactly on the two white markings. The speed of the vehicle can be determined from the time displayed at both points in time. The time comes from a very accurate clock, which is part of the device.
When is there a distance violation?
A bridge distance measurement uses video cameras and the human eye.
Video cameras and the human eye are used for bridge distance measurement.
While there are also various other measuring devices such as speed cameras for measuring speed, the special feature of VAMA systems is their ability to detect violations of the prescribed minimum distance. But what does traffic law actually say about these violations?
Section 4 (1) of the German Road Traffic Regulations (StVO) stipulates the following minimum distance:
"As a rule, the distance to a vehicle in front must be large enough to allow you to stop behind it even if it brakes suddenly. The vehicle in front must not brake hard without a compelling reason."
The rule of thumb for this safe minimum distance is to halve the speed indicated by the speedometer. This figure corresponds to the minimum distance to the vehicle in front in meters. At a speed of 120 km/h on the freeway, you should therefore maintain a distance of at least 60 meters from the vehicle in front of you.
additional Info:
To estimate your distance, you can use the lines on the road or the delineators on the side of the road
Almost everything is regulated in Germany. This also applies to the intermittent longitudinal markings that separate the individual lanes on highways, country roads and in urban areas. However, very few drivers are aware of their dimensions.
On most roads, the individual lanes are separated by dashed lines. Their length is usually determined by the maximum permitted speed that can be driven there. The distance between two dashes is normally set at a ratio of 1:2. This means that the gap between two markings is usually twice as long as the painted line. In concrete terms, this means
Length of the line:
Inner city: 3 meters
Country road: 4 meters
Freeway: 6 meters
Length of the gap:
Inner city: 6 meters
Country road: 8 meters
Freeway: 12 meters
Delineator:
The distance between the delineators is the same on all roads. On both highways and country roads, the distance is 50 meters on straight stretches.
The delineators are closer together on bends and in clear places (e.g. inclines).
Curve radius 20 m = 3 m distance
Radius of curve 50 m = 5 m distance
Curve radius 100 m = 10 m distance
Curve radius 300 m = 20 m distance
Radius 600 m and more = 50 m distance
If a driver fails to keep the prescribed safety distance, you can expect a fine with a request to pay between 25 and 400 euros. For serious violations, two points and a three-month driving ban are also possible.
However, it is permissible to keep less than the prescribed minimum distance from the vehicle in front of you if it has slowed down or otherwise reduced its speed, or if the driver has changed lanes.
best regards
Fantastic answer. I love when someone presents facts instead of opinions.
I forgot to mention something about safety, which is very important and one of the most reasons why accidents happen cause of distraction (i mention this as a paramedic):
Using a cell phone while driving is officially prohibited under Section 23 of the German Road Traffic Act. A violation can be expensive for drivers and even result in a driving ban.
Cell phone at the wheel - how high the fine is
The currently valid fines for cell phone use are summarized in the catalog of fines. Currently, 100 euros are payable for using a cell phone at the wheel and the driver receives one point in Flensburg (Driving suitability register).
It becomes even more expensive if there is a risk to other road users. The fine is then 150 euros and the driver receives two points in Flensburg and a one-month driving ban. If cell phone use causes damage to property, the driver will also receive two points in Flensburg, a month's driving ban and a fine of 200 euros.
Cell phone use on a bicycle is also prohibited
Cyclists are also not allowed to use their cell phones while riding. An offense is punishable by a fine of 55 euros. Cyclists do not receive a point in Flensburg.
Flashed with a cell phone at the wheel
Drivers who hold their cell phone to their ear or in their hand while speeding will be fined for both offenses. The higher fine must be paid in full and half of the lower fine. Additional penalties, such as points or a driving ban, are added together.
What may a cell phone be used for while driving?
The rules on the use of cell phones are very clearly formulated in the Highway Code. It is not only forbidden to make calls or send text messages, but also anything for which the cell phone has to be picked up and operated manually. Even a quick glance at the display to check the time is prohibited.
This rule applies not only when driving the car, but from the moment the engine is running. It is possible to use a cell phone at a red light or in a traffic jam, provided the vehicle is stationary and the engine is switched off.
Phone calls only with hands-free system
If you want to make a phone call while driving, you can only do so if the car's technical functions allow it. A built-in telephone system or hands-free system allows you to make calls at the wheel without having to touch your cell phone.
Using your cell phone as a navigation device - how it's legal
Almost all smartphones have an app that navigates users to their desired destination. This function can also be used in the car if the cell phone is in an appropriate holder. Starting, stopping or changing the route manually while driving is prohibited. To do this, the car must be stopped and the engine switched off.
How do the police prove the use of a cell phone at the wheel?
If the police prosecute a driver for using a phone at the wheel, the burden of proof is on the driver. If the accused wishes to object, he must prove that he was not using the cell phone while driving.
"Overtaking on the right is only permitted in two cases on freeways and motorway-like roads:
If traffic is so dense that queues of vehicles have formed in the lanes for one direction, it is permitted to drive faster on the right than on the left. The prerequisite is that traffic is so dense in all lanes that vehicles can drive side by side. This is the case if traffic is slightly faster in one lane and then in the other lane.
In addition, vehicles may be overtaken on the right at a slightly higher speed and with extreme caution if they are stationary in the left-hand lane or driving slowly (maximum 60 km/h). If traffic is stationary, you may overtake at a maximum speed of 20 km/h in the right-hand lane. If the traffic in the left-hand lane is moving slowly, you may overtake on the right at a maximum differential speed of 20 km/h, so that a maximum speed of 80 km/h is permitted on the right."
This is actually one case, with 2 rules.
If the traffic is slow flowing in a jam like situation, you are allowed to overtake with a slightly speed difference. Those definitions with 20km/h difference, and 60/80 km/h are usually speeds the court consider as safe and within the stvo, but depending on the situation and the court the court can make a different decision.
@@mikel4879 why?
@@mikel4879 freedom is also when xour right are safe, and your right to be healthy is quite important.
Your rules lead to many accidents, which nean the injured persons can not life like they want (or never again)
The jam those accidents produce, will harm the freedom of movement and jail the person in the car for an hour.
Rules eho protect basic right are important for freedom, else you end up in anarchy which doesnt have rules - but most likely lead to the rules of the strongest bully.
9:15 There is a game some people play with drivers occupying the middle lane for no apparent reason: the Belgian tourniquet. Basically they overtake on the left, go back to the right lane, slow down to let the one in the middle lane pass, overtake him again etc.pp.. This they continue, and the winner is who manages the most completions of the Belgian tourniquet with the same car in the middle lane.
5:32 this is the A8 heading direction austria. that is the chiemgau region around the chiemsee. very beautyfull. i drive down there a lot during the year. the mountains are the Pre-Alps. Later the Alps follow.
12:00 i lived there for a few weeks in 2023.
Some corrections:
You must always drive as far right as possible. Even if you see a slower car in the distance, you must go into the right lane and switch back to the middle one when you're caught up to the truck. My driving instructor always said that if you are not passing anyone for 500 meters, you should have been in the right lane. At 130km/h this corresponds to 14 seconds.
Never switch more than one lane at a time like he does at 10:37. Instead, switch one lane, indicate again, check again over the shoulder and your mirrors, and then change the second lane. Other drivers don't expect you to switch from the rightmost lane into the leftmost lane in one go. That's exactly what can cause accidents. Just think about that fast going red cooper in the scene.
Some years ago I heard US had an Autobahn experiment in One state. I believe Montana.
They got similar results, less accidents. But Most Drivers complained.
Analyzing, they got the same mentality Like Roundabouts survey.
They want to feel protected By laws.
So when there's a traffic light, there's little skill needed and It's an easy task.
Roundabouts are way faster but require personal and Group responsibility, and a level of skill.
US drivers Mostly stated they don't like that.
With No speed limit test, Most complained if You can drive at any speed, they always have to pay attention some moron doesn't plow into them.
And although true and possible, It shows How they are keen on Not paying attention when driving and avoiding responsibility and awareness by Hiding behind a speed limit. Or different laws.
the old problem: there's no us in the US
It sucks that in Australia we have a stupid speed limit of 100 KMPH
We should have more education,, not speed limits.
Don’t be so sad, 90% of the time on the autobahn you are stuck in traffic, traffic jam or there is road construction going on where you have to drive 70 for like 20 kilometers
How well and how often people check their rear view mirrors on the highway is a major difference between the US and Germany.
Hey cool, this section of the highway is about 30km from where I live. The mountains you saw are the beginning of the Alps in southern Bavaria.
"Speed limit is 70 but most people do 80"
Well here in Netherlands it's the same. Provincial road with limit 80 km/h but a lot of people (including me) just go 90 when it's possible.
An example of Autobahn in Austria (Germany's neighbour). I filmed it during my travel from Poland to Italy in 2022. Enjoy ! ua-cam.com/video/f6hplaxMu8o/v-deo.html
´Mittelspursvhleicher´ (name for driving slow in the middle lane when right lane is free)´ are the worst as the mess up the flow and in some dashcam videos you can see how there then are idiot overtaking in the right lane.
Or you are forced to play ´Belgischer Kreisel´ (Belgian spinning top´) as you have two switch from the right lane over to the far left, overtake the idiot in the middle and go back into the far right again.
I would like to have more ´Autobahnpolizei´ out and about to hopefully prevent the increase of bad driving like overtaking on the right, camping in middle and left lane and brake checking.
As a german currently watching your video on the autobahn going 160 I can tell you a good driving assistant makes even reading and responding to my emails a breeze at these speeds. The only thing keeping me from eating is the heavy break usage to slow down to get the next exit to Mcdonalds or burgerking. Clearly not worth it ;)
4:40 This looks like Irschenberg on Autobahn A8 in good old Bavaria. Speed limit 100 km/h down the hill and a speed trap on top of the hill opposite direction ❤️😂 I know most of them that are installed fix in the bridges for the electronic signs.
The subject of highways is fundamentally misunderstood, especially in the USA.
There is no general speed limit on the autobahn. There are sections on which speed limits and overtaking bans apply. It is not the case that there are sections without limits (the reverse is correct).
You must drive considerately and with foresight at all times. The principles of mutual consideration StVo §1 and the principle of "good faith" apply.
The speed must be adapted to road, traffic and weather conditions at all times.
The distance to the vehicle in front must be 50% of the speedometer reading (km/h) in meters. At 250 km/h, a safety distance of 125 meters must be maintained.
Anyone overtaking must look twice in the mirror to check whether they can overtake without forcing anyone else to brake. Only THEN should you put on your indicators and look over your shoulder.
If you are driving faster than 130 km/h, you will regularly be held partly responsible in court, even if you did not cause the accident. The higher the speed, the more likely and greater the contributory negligence.
at 250 km/h, 125 meters equal a heartbeat. been there.
In Chicago you can enter the highway on the LEFT. I had to exit like 600 Meters later on the right. Crossing six lanes in the short distance was not easy. Especially with those other drivers not watching at all. I love Chicago!
Generally spoken: In Germany there is no speed limit on _all_ roads with four lanes, two in each direction -- or if the two lines for your direction are separated by a construction from the oncoming lanes. Generally in short: whenever you see a speed limit sign "100 km/h" the road would be open for speeds higher than 100 -- just because the general speed limit is 100 on all roads that don't fall under the no limit regulation outside of built-up areas.
Im confused, what do you mean by this " whenever you see a speed limit sign "100 km/h" the road would be open for speeds higher than 100" When there is a "Zulässige Höchstgeschwindigkeit" sign of 100 you shouldnt go faster.
@@Bennime_Once Longer answer than intended.
Generally, yes, but there are some reasoned exceptions too many and too complicated for me to explain in a few words.
Germany has a speed limit of 50 kph in built-up areas -- as soon as you pass the yellow rectangle
de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ortstafel#/media/Datei:Zeichen_310-50_-_Ortstafel_(Vorderseite)_mit_Kreis,_StVO_1992.svg
There is a speed limit of 100 kph as soon as you pass something like this:
de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ortstafel#/media/Datei:Zeichen_311-50_-_Ortstafel_einseitig,_StVO_1992.svg
For these two instances we don't need a speed limit sign. The speed limit is implied.
A speed limit may be higher or lower than the general speed limit.
The law, StVO, explains in paragraph 3 c) where there is no speed limit. dejure.org/gesetze/StVO/3.html Please use an online translator to read it in your preferred language. deepl is a good choice for that.
@@McGhinch Im German too I just didn't understand what you were saying. I guess you mean that a Autobahn or a Autobahn like Bundesstraße (so a multilane Bundesstraße) has no implied speed limit unless a sign says otherwise?
@@Bennime_Once Das muss keine Bundesstraße sein. Wenn diese Straße aufgrund ihrer Bauart eine höhere Geschwindigkeit zulässt, dann kann es sein, dass eine Geschwindigkeitsbegrenzung 100 angezeigt wird. Das ist selten wenn die folgende Voraussetzung nicht zutrifft. Generell gilt, dass vierspurige Straßen mit zwei Fahrspuren in jede Richtung nach der StVO keine Geschwindigkeitsbegrenzung haben. -- Ich habe das schon gesehen.
One little thing. When you drive manual gearbox car you know (more-less) how fast are you going just by rememberimg gear and hearing engine.
The older and shittier the car, the more it makes you feel the speed. It's a selling point of those super expensive sedans to make driving 200 a near noiseless and vibrationless experience. EVs even more so, I guess, but how fast can you drain a Tesla battery at 200 😂😂?
If the fokin government puts a speed limit on the autobahn....it's over. No need to stay in Germany. The one thing that makes us special in this world and they want to take that from us.
German here: There are some rules which are more habitual on the Autobahn. The right Lane is the Truck Lane, so speeds are at 80kph to 100 kph there, the Middle Lane is most of the time at the suggested speed so around 130kph You should not drive for a longer time on the Middle lane when you can't hit this speed. Which comes natural with the go over to the right lane. For the Exit of the Autobahn, it means: You go on the right lane, deaccelerate to aroun 110 to 80 kph. Most Slipways are build that they can be driven with 80 to 60 kph. I personally only knew one which has a 40kph sign mostly for trucks but most car can drive it with 60-70kph.
I was on US Highway in the Bay Area for 6 weeks and by Lord my Autobahn Senses were ringing all the time on High Alert. You can see distracted Drivers on the station keeping in their Lanes, and it was literally Terrifying how sloppy most American Drivers are. (Thats an Exageration but in Germany you see only those drivers on the Autobahn-Sections which are at a big Cities. And maybe on 10km you see 2-3 of them. In the US it was literally permanently, you passed one then you have the next, even on longer Overland passages. And i got only two or three dangerous situations in the US, while i have had more clearly in Germany, driving Daily through the Northern Autobahn Cross A2/A7 but thats in Decades not in 6 weeks.)
12:10 I'm german and it makes me happy that you pronounce Porsche the correct way. Dudes name was Ferdinand Porsche not Porsh or whatever.
C'mon, you're in 'muricaland. People would do their make up doing 100mph while eating a burger and texting, cause "it's their right as americans to do so."
Fun fact, there is one place that has no speed limit unless their is an actual construction site on it (baustelle) and that is the on ramps to autobahns! told to most if not all people that take the driving course in Germany.
Hi Ian many years ago I drove around Germany in a Fiat Ducato motorhome, being from Australia we drive on the left. But I had had a fair bit of left hand drive experience having covered thirty states around the US. The thing that got me was the vehicles in Europe would go past me on the motorways and rock the motorhome. I just stuck to the right lane and only if stuck behind a slow vehicle would venture to the middle lane for as short as time as possible.
2:35 there‘s a little mistake which has a huge impact: German autobahn is mostly asphalt not concrete nowadays. It needs more maintenance than concrete but it’s much better for higher speeds. Concrete is really only used on bridges (obviously) and sometimes in the right lane for the trucks because it’s more durable and you can see it on old parts of the autobahn.
America uses mostly concrete or just a very thin layer of asphalt on top of concrete.
I have to slightly disagree on one thing. I like to drive fast and do it every day. If you drive 150km/h (95mph) every day, you will become tired and inattentive. Especially in a modern german car. Even if you drive at 200km/h (125mph), you get completely used to the speed after 30 seconds. So you always have to remind yourself how much faster you are going than everyone else. Otherwise you quickly misjudge situations. And most other drivers can't estimate 200km/h (125mph). A really big problem when driving fast is not the fast drivers, but the slow inattentive drivers who simply change lanes and force you to brake emergencyly.
The best place to ride a motorcycle at high speed is Germany’s Autobahn 🇩🇪 You get from A to B really fast on the Autobahn… I agree, you are fully switched on when travelling at 180/190 mph. I toured Europe on my 1100 cc motorcycle for 4 weeks 7 years ago... Germany 🇩🇪 Spain 🇪🇸 and Italy 🇮🇹 all their citizens know how to drive fast safely and correctly.. IMO it's a shame the citizens of the UK 🇬🇧 don't take a leaf out of their book...
Well, I wouldn't call 190 mph travelling, even on a big superbike :D
But I totally agree, when I maxed my R6 to around 260 kph (ca 160mph), I think that was the most focused and alive I've ever been.