I <3 Deutschland!

[stefrrr]

Apparently, the autobahn does have a speed limit.  

I think I might have found the site for the next ISTN - but it's in France.  

[Guy]

Apparently, the autobahn does have a speed limit.  

I think I might have found the site for the next ISTN - but it's in France.  

Yeah, you gotta look for the sign that says no speed limit (white circle with diagonal lines) Did you get a ticket?

There are some very amazing places in France, I got no beef with the country.

[Mr Sunshine]

Apparently, the autobahn does have a speed limit.  

I think I might have found the site for the next ISTN - but it's in France.  

HAHAHAHA you gotta pay attention!

[Orson]

While France has great roads, Italy has everything else.

Motorcyclists are free to do whatever they please, and no one even bats an eyelash  

[stefrrr]

No, no tickets.   They go a lot slower than I expected though. I was in a diesel Peugeot and I was passing people.  

[Mr Sunshine]

No, no tickets.   They go a lot slower than I expected though. I was in a diesel Peugeot and I was passing people.  

passing a lorey doesn't count.

[MrMopar440]

You are driving on the wrong streches.   After three years, anything slower than 150 kph drives me nuts on the autobahn. The great thing is how WELL they all drive. I just wish we would institute the training that they go through back in the states. We could easily drive as fast there if people had the training (and pulling licenses for stupid moves like passing on the right).

[Global Rider]

Apparently, the autobahn does have a speed limit.  

Depends which section you are on. We were cruising along nicely at 180...legally.

[RBEmerson]

While, in the main, German drivers are more clued-in (helps that getting a license involves serious money for lessons), I have seen all manner of bone-headed maneuvers.  Couple that with a German sense of intransigence, and the roads can be sehr interesant on occasion.  

A big amen for the notion that passing on the right can mean near instant (driving) death if done in front of the funny green and white car with the blue lights.  But, damn!!!, the best way to spot a foreigner on the roads is to look for the guy who isn't tailgating.    All the posters and signs saying "Don't tailgate" are frickin' waste of time.  

[Global Rider]

A big amen for the notion that passing on the right can mean near instant (driving) death if done in front of the funny green and white car with the blue lights.

Now to be blue and white cars.  

Tailgating? I see as much of that here...caused of course by the left lane dreamer with their thumb stuck up their butt.

[MrMopar440]

Have to agree with the tailgaiting piece - whenever I feel like I have enough space in front of me, someone slides into it!

[Global Rider]

Have to agree with the tailgaiting piece - whenever I feel like I have enough space in front of me, someone slides into it!

But there are instances where it is necessary to tailgate in order to make a pass, such on mountain roads with short straights.

A vehicle can't hang back the length of a short straight (what you would consider a safe distance) because by the time they would be ready to pass after coming out of a curve, you'd be at the next curve already.

Unfortunately, there are always those few that make passing difficult even though they are holding others up.

[RBEmerson]

Another real eyepopper is seeing a train of three or four cars blasting down the fast lane at serious speeds, each car drafting the car ahead.  There's a reason why autobahn accidents tend to be particularly ugly.  

Passing in the mountains... yeah, well, some roads do force things a bit, but given that the speed limit on those roads is usually 60 MPH (100 km/hr), I don't see it as the same problem as being stuck behind some stoopid granny-mobile doing 25 on a 35 MPH road in the states.  

[FJR-UK]

Can I just add: if you dare to pull up behind a big, black Mercedes in the fast lane, you can expect to be brake-tested. They must wet themselves laughing.

[Mr Sunshine]

Can I just add: if you dare to pull up behind a big, black Mercedes in the fast lane, you can expect to be brake-tested. They must wet themselves laughing.

Really?  They just moved over for me.  

[MK96xj]

Speed limit signs

I justs cruised along with some other traffic at about 110mph (177kph) in my diesel VW Golf good times. Still got passed

[basco]

  Autobaun there is just a freeway. Speed limits are just in the towns and cities, everywhere else is generally no limit.

[FJR-UK]

Really?  They just moved over for me.  

I suppose you're right. I should change that comment to "he must have wet himself laughing". I'm sure I just pulled up behind the only self-righteous/sadistic Mercedes Benz driver in Germany.

Leaving Nurnberg for Heidelberg on my old FJR, I got into one of those trains you see where the first car peels off and the rest pass until there is only one, like the cyclists in the Tour de France. Anyway, I was on the tail of a little red Alfa Romeo at the front. He peeled off and I passed. I had a quick peek at my speed. Somewhere between 145-150 mph. That's the fastest I've ever been on a bike. This was two-up and fully loaded. I was amazed at how effortless it was. However, the slightest curve in the road looks like a hairpin at that speed and I slowed down a few miles later.

I confess I prefer sight-seeing at 50 mph better.

[stefrrr]

Speed limit signs

I justs cruised along with some other traffic at about 110mph (177kph) in my diesel VW Golf good times. Still got passed

My diesel Peugeot could only get up to about 170 if conditions were good, 175 or so on a straight downhill.

Going to rent an Audi A3 next weekend.   We're taking a good speed-limit-free section of the A5 down to the black forest.  

[RBEmerson]

Good luck with the A5.  In April it had a number of construction sites to add to the fun (didn't help the exits to Baden-Baden were blocked off for the NATO summit, either).  In July...  viel spass mit ferien Verkehr!    The Black Forest area, however... oh, my!  Wish we were back there.  [/green envy face]

[MK96xj]

 We're taking a good speed-limit-free section of the A5 down to the black forest.  

after your take the Audi as fast as it will go get off the highway and sight see the back roads in the BF.

One of the best detours yet was when the AB was closed due to an accident and i had to back road it down into Austria up into the Alps to get where needed to go. With all the rain the waterfalls were incredible and the roads had me jonesin for the bike. My wife caught me twitching.

[stefrrr]

A couple of weeks ago the A5 was blissfully construction-free. We have to take it for about 100 km to get to the black forest. And I get to drive because I'm the only one old enough to rent a car.    

[Orson]

A couple of weeks ago the A5 was blissfully construction-free. We have to take it for about 100 km to get to the black forest. And I get to drive because I'm the only one old enough to rent a car.    

someone's having way too much fun  

yer supposed to have yer nose embedded in the books, yet all we're getting is reports of autobahn burning and British tourism  

 

 

[Mr Sunshine]

Good luck with the A5.  In April it had a number of construction sites to add to the fun (didn't help the exits to Baden-Baden were blocked off for the NATO summit, either).  In July...  viel spass mit ferien Verkehr!    The Black Forest area, however... oh, my!  Wish we were back there.  [/green envy face]

Last year in June the A5 was under construction and damn that was a LONG redirect around the work.  We were going from Frankfurt to Freiburg via the Blackforest so we just needed to zip down the A5 for a short bit to make the day manageable.

[Mr Sunshine]

BTW: I didn't find the Black Forest to be anything super special other than the very nice pacement.  I always wanted to go to the Black Forest.  Now that I've been there...I realized that I live in the Black Forest (Seattle)

[throttlemeister]

Few Autobahn facts:

1) The autobahn has an advisory speed of 130kph. If you (as a German) are involved in an accident at a speed over 130kph, your insurance will demand proof the accident was not caused by you, and could not have been avoided at 130kph. If it was, they will not pay damages. This will make most Germans play nice at speeds close to 130kph

2) The autobahn is the safest highway system in the world with statisticly the least amount of accidents. Research has shown the high speeds cause people to be more alert and pay attention. On the other hand, if things do go wrong, they usually go very wrong.

3) More and more stretches of autobahn are getting restricted at 130kph or 120kph, particularly in areas close to larger cities. The only places that are still unlimited are where there are no major cities near by. The notion that the autobahn is unrestricted is quickly becoming an urban myth.

[Ant]

 
This was yesterday and apparently caused by a combination of heavy rain and excessive speed on the autobahn.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/8159290.stm

[RBEmerson]

Rather makes Thottlemeister's point, eh?  

[oprem]

Serbia got worst roads ever!

[spd2918]

I heard that the autobahn was originally designed for high speed to keep BMW final drives cool.  I'm just saying I heard it.



















 

[stefrrr]

 

[Papa Lazarou]

Are you in Deutschland?

[stefrrr]

Not at the moment. I might be in France for two weeks this May. Waiting to find out Ray's start date - I may have to cancel my study abroad trip.

[Mr Sunshine]

Good luck with the A5.  In April it had a number of construction sites to add to the fun (didn't help the exits to Baden-Baden were blocked off for the NATO summit, either).  In July...  viel spass mit ferien Verkehr!    The Black Forest area, however... oh, my!  Wish we were back there.  [/green envy face]

They are still working on that?  When I went through there in June 2008 it was under construction.  

But the Black Forest is nice...reminded me of the Pacific Northwest (of the United States)

[RBEmerson]

I don't know what's up there at the moment and, as things stand, I don't think we'll be headed that way when we go back in December.  NTL, I'm sure there's some construction just to keep everybody on their toes.  

I hadn't thought of Schwarzwald as looking like the PNW.  It just looks... well... German to me.  

[Mr Sunshine]

I hadn't thought of Schwarzwald as looking like the PNW.  It just looks... well... German to me.  

That's funny.  But actually the Black Forest does look alot like Northern California with the tree type of the Pacific Northwest (and the rain).  It was funny.  The one difference was the trees all lined up in a row through years of "organizing" the trees.

Other than the road and road markers....Germany or the PNW?  

[RBEmerson]

Die Straßen sind sowas nur in Deutchland.  (The roads are like that only in Germany)  

[Mr Sunshine]

Die Straßen sind sowas nur in Deutchland.  (The roads are like that only in Germany)  

So the hardest thing I have with translation is when they aren't direct.

For example your phrase in German literally means "The roads are only something only in Deutschland"   Your translation makes more sense though.  Oh well...need more time.

[RBEmerson]

Thanks for the correction.  My written German generally sucks, as you can see.  Na ja, so geht's...

BTW, the current MCN editorial, by Dave Searle, mentions BMW Motorrad and the Black Forest and particularly how the Black Forest has taken such a big hit due to acid rain.  Searle gives BMW an attaboy for adding a catalytic converter and anti-knock sensors to their bikes long before they were mandated.  Anyway, pictures of huge stands of wiped out trees still make the rounds on occasion.  

[Global Rider]

The great thing is how WELL they all drive. I just wish we would institute the training that they go through back in the states. We could easily drive as fast there if people had the training (and pulling licenses for stupid moves like passing on the right).

You can't train "driver attitude" and that is what makes the most difference between here and there.