Shutting down the Autobaun?

[Scooter]

It sounds like the environmentalists want to. See this.

[the]

Haven't the Greens been trying to put limits on the Autobahn (with some successes) for 30+ years now?

[Racerbvd]

Originally posted by the
Haven't the Greens been trying to put limits on the Autobahn (with some successes) for 30+ years now?

Are they going to kill all the cows too???

[LakeCleElum]

There's so much traffic in most of Germany now, driving wide open is almost a thing of the past....

[Jeff Higgins]

I spend some time in Germany (my mom is German; all of my cousins, aunts, and uncles on her side are still there) and have never been able to find an open enough stretch to really go for it. Yeah, there are places where we do cruise much faster than here, with traffic moving at 90-110mph or so if it is light enough. Near any city, however, it's bumper-to-bumper just like here. The wide-open 150 mph + stuff is more legend than fact (except maybe for very short bursts), from what I have seen.

[legion]

On a recent (last few years) show on the History Chanel about the Autobahn, there was a segment where they tested a RUF car. I noticed that it was shot in what appeared to be the middle of the night.

[Joeaksa]

Lived in Germany for over 10 years and the greens have been trying to do this forever. It will not happen anytime soon but as Jeff mentions, there is so much traffic that even on the open sections you are lucky to get over 150 anyway.

Too boot, they now have a new insurance law that if two cars are involved in ANY accident and one of them was going over 130 klicks that the faster driver is assigned 30% of the cost. This means that even if the faster driver is "t-boned" by another car, he will pay just because he is going fast, so its slowed many drivers down a bit.

[DaveE]

I've never been there to experience the autobahn. Are there huge speed differentials on those highways or does everyone drive pretty fast, when they can of course?

[Joeaksa]

Dave,

Until the Berlin Wall fell and opened up Germany to all the people from East Germany, whose cars could barely drive 100 klicks, (62 mph) almost everyone drove AT LEAST 130 klicks per hour (about 80 mph) on the autobahn.

As well you ALWAYS drove watching your rear view mirror, especially when passing as it was just a question of time before a 911, Benz or BMW came up on you doing 200 kph plus.

A few years ago I went to the Formula One race in Monaco with family and friends. Wife and I got in our 911 and started for our home in Germany. Ended up driving with a group of Porsche's, couple of Ferarri's and a Lambo or three. This group stayed together for 5-6 hours and we CRUISED at 230-250 kph all of this time on the autobahn.

Was a trip passing a group of police on the side of the road and they just waved. As long as you drive safely and there are no complaints they could have cared less how fast we drove.

Now you usually drive 120 or so, possibly 150 for a while but there are so many trucks and other cars on the 'bahn that unlimited speed for hours is a thing of the past.

[LakeCleElum]

Originally posted by DaveE
I've never been there to experience the autobahn. Are there huge speed differentials on those highways or does everyone drive pretty fast, when they can of course?

Dave - I'm not expert, but driven there twice, latest was in '03. When traffic allows, it's not uncommon for traffic to roll at 80-90 with the occassional Benz or something blowing past at 120 or more.

Everyone drives like they should; staying in the right lane, except to pass. Trucks almost never get in the left lane. The whole west side of the country is on large city after another. I've thought I was out in the country and dead stopped in a a 10 mile backup. It was time to trust the GPS, get off and hit the back roads. A lot more pleasant.

An exception to the crowds is a stretch I was on north of Munich; Was wide open there....

[gaijindabe]

Maybe they could pack up the whole thing and move it to Arizona like the London Bridge...

[Jeff Higgins]

Bob, I believe it is actually illegal for trucks over a certain weight to get in the left lane. That's what my relatives have told me, anyway. Should be the law here as well.

Yes, "drive right, pass left" is much more strictly observed and enforced. Wish it were that way here. Our insane emphasis on speed enforcement does nothing for safety compared to this and other common sense habits.

[Moneyguy1]

Friend of mine makes relatively frequent trips with his German born wife. They rent a typical european sedan and his comment to me was "Looking in the rear view mirror, I start to say: 'Here comes a' and by that time it's 'There goes a...'"

[Joeaksa]

Originally posted by Jeff Higgins
Bob, I believe it is actually illegal for trucks over a certain weight to get in the left lane. That's what my relatives have told me, anyway. Should be the law here as well.

Yes, "drive right, pass left" is much more strictly observed and enforced. Wish it were that way here. Our insane emphasis on speed enforcement does nothing for safety compared to this and other common sense habits.

Jeff,

Its illegal to pass ANYTHING on the right side and everyone stays right unless passing in Europe. They have a bit more courtesy when driving over there and no one sits in the left hand lane and blocks everyone like happens here ALL THE TIME it seems.

If you were to do this in Germany you would get a ticket and fast. People do not get a drivers license out of a box of post toasties there like we do in America. They train for at least 6 months and it costs over $1500, so when they have a there they know how to drive. Still have my German license!

[Rikao4]

Heavy trucks must park by midnight Friday, and cannot roll again until Sunday midnight.
It was fun in the old days, traffic has changed it.
Lane discipline was amazing, no cell-phone bit$ches in mini-vans.
Rika