I subscribe to a travel newsletter put out by a travel agency in Ashland, Oregon that has some really wonderful information about travel in Europe but more specifically about Germany, Switzerland and Austria. Their website is www.gemut.com In their last newsletter they published an article about driving the Autobahns that I thought gave a clear and realistic view of what it's really like. Having lived there for four years, we were often asked what the differences are and now I can just give people this article.

I'm posting it verbatim, but contacted the agency this morning by email and have their permission. Hope someone can find this helpful.

Driving the Autobahn


The Autobahns, Autostrades and Autoroutes of Europe are serious business, especially in Germany. At speeds of 130 to 200 kilometers per hour (80 to 125 mph)—and occasionally even higher—things happen much more quickly than on our more sedate, though less predictable, freeways and turnpikes. Here are some thoughts on driving them. Though they apply mostly to Germany, where the speed has no limit, the principles are the same in most other countries, where the limit is typically about 80 mph.



• Left lane, right lane, a big difference



First-time Autobahn drivers either enjoy the fast driving or are appalled by it. Very quickly, they learn that only the fastest drivers—those traveling 100 to 225 kilometers per hour (100 to 141 mph)—can stay in the left lane. At speeds below that, they are repeatedly required to vacate the left lane by faster cars. Some will come on to you so quickly they will virtually materialize in your rearview mirror with their left turn signal blinking and, if you're slow to react, headlights flashing. It doesn't take a car going 125 mph very long to overtake one going 90 mph.



• Tips on passing



The major danger on the Autobahn is the huge difference in speed between lanes. If there are only two in your direction, the left will have vehicles traveling 50 to 80 mph faster than the big trucks in the right lane, which are plodding along at 60 miles per hour—slower on hills. Drivers traveling 75 to 100 mph are caught in a no-man's land—too slow for the left lane and much too fast for the right. Imagine this: you are in the right lane cruising at a sensible (for Germany) 140 kph (88 mph). Ahead, just as you round a long curve, is a giant truck going 60 mph in your lane. Your rearview mirror reveals a BMW closing fast in the left lane at say 120 mph. Your choice is to stand on the brakes and pray you don't rear-end the truck, or jump on the accelerator, switch to the left lane, and hope the Beamer doesn't rear-end you. A high level of concentration is required for this sort of driving, particularly if you venture in that 75 to 100 mph no-man's land. A few hours of such driving takes its toll. You will be tired.



• Rolling with the big boys



If you have a fast car and want to compete with the fliers in the left lane you'll have to be especially alert. Passing a line of traffic going 75 mph when you're hurtling along at 110 mph becomes a major problem rather quickly if someone in that line decides to change lanes in front of you. There might be room on the left shoulder, but that's your only out. Watch every vehicle in the right lane like a hawk for any sign that they have a lane change in mind.



• Etiquette



In the United States, especially California, one sees stubborn drivers camping in the left lane at precisely 55 mph. Blithely they roll along, secure in the knowledge that they're traveling the speed limit and breaking no laws. Well, in Germany they are breaking the law, and German drivers will quickly deal with them. It is difficult to imagine anyone withstanding the onslaught of flashing lights and tight tailgating that European drivers use to deal with slow left lane drivers. Almost never will they resort to passing in the right lane. Instead, they will ride the slower car's bumper, flash headlights, and even blow the horn. If you're a "left laner" who resists everyone, no matter who wants to pass, you may wish to rethink that practice. German drivers have a way of making nonconformists conform.



• Speed traps



Though you won't get a ticket on the German Autobahn for speeding (unless there is a posted speed limit), you can get fined for other violations. On lesser highways, particularly in the countryside, there are radar speed traps. You pay on the spot. We were stopped outside a tiny village by hidden radar a few years ago and escorted to a police van containing several beer-sipping polizei. They spoke no English, but the atmosphere was relaxed and friendly, particularly when they saw our U.S. passports. We had a jovial conversation about American film and music stars, and for a time I thought we would get off. But after a few minutes came a big smile and a big bill, about $50 if memory serves

Thank you sardog10! I've been planning a trip to Germany, this is very useful. I love to drive and have wanted to drive the Autobahn for some time.
How fast did you go on the Autobahn?

"In the United States, especially California, one sees stubborn drivers camping in the left lane at precisely 55 mph. Blithely they roll along, secure in the knowledge that they're traveling the speed limit and breaking no laws."


Hmmm..don't know what part of California this refers to, but in my part the only time the left-lane drivers go below 75 is when traffic jams slow them down. (Anyway, 55 hasn't been the highway speed limit for years.)

My fastest was 117 mph which was just a bit fast for my liking. I started to feel like I didn't have good control at about 110 mph, so generally tried not to go much more than 100. We drove our Volvo 850 and V70 wagons over there and they kept up very nicely, although I did notice that my gas mileage went up about 3 miles per gallon when I came home and slowed down We have a job offer to go back and are considering it now, so are holding off on buying new tires until we know if we need the higher speed-rated ones.

Driving over there was one of the things I loved the most. It wasn't so much the higher speeds, but more the predicability of the other drivers. There is definitely no eating a Big Mac while on the Autobahn, and absolutely/definitely/completely no traveling in the left lane unless you keep one eye peeled to the rear view mirror. It only took one car coming out of absolutely nowhere on a long, clear stretch to scare the pants off me and cure me of that bad habit!

I haven't been in Germany since 2000, but I hear rumors that driving really fast (&gt; 160 kph) is some what on the way out in the past few years. I <i>have</i> been back in Europe (France and Spain) this year, and I can report that driving on <i>les autoroutes</i> in France seems to have slowed down considerably from what I experienced in the 90s (a number of others give similar reports) and earlier this decade.

I'm a BIG fan of getting to drive fast in Europe, and I think this article does a disservice - - implying that driving 75 to 100 mph is some kind of dysfunctional limbo. I often drive 90-100 mph, and I don't think that it's a problem. I also think that the articles does not stress adequately... for most Americans (maybe most drivers from anywhere), driving more than 110 kph requires a very high level of concentration... like NO conversation, for example.

I hope that driving in America will become more enjoyable and more Europe-like... and that driving in Europe will NOT regress to more America-like.

I am not optimistic about either prospect.

Best wishes,

Rex

i think the article about &quot;driving in europe&quot; is written by someone overly enthralled with the lack of speed limits on some stretches of motorway in germany. in fact, this characteristic is not really even a big deal in germany. driving in germany is not much different from other countries in europe.

i think people should ignore this sort of drama and learn the regulations and signage if they are not familiar with driving in europe. perhaps not as sexy as reading about the &quot;big boys&quot; in their &quot;beamer&quot; going 200 km per hour but probably much more useful in preparing yourself for driving in europe.

I disagreee - this article makes sense to me. When you're from an area like this - with tons of traffic and highway limits of 55 (meaning the left lane does 65) and many people just don;t get that the left lane is for passing - driving in europe is substantially different.

Many people I know have NEVER driven 90 mph - would be uncomfortable with it - and if not prepared would be those poor confused souls trapped between trucks and afraid to go fast enough to pass them. Or stuck in the left lane at 85/90 - not knowing they're just going way too slow to stay there. (I have friends who will not drive in the same lane as trucks - no matter how slow they're going they think the left lane is for them.)

High speeds may not be an issue on some stretches of the Autobahn, for example Frankfurt to Heidelberg, but I can assure you that they are still driving at very high speeds on some of the less crowded areas, i.e. Saarbrucken to Trier.

We moved home to the States in January of last year and then spent three weeks there last October and nothing had changed from when we arrived in 2000. On the less crowded stretches it's still common to see cars traveling in excess of 120 mph. And yes Rex, even having a conversation with a passenger at speeds over 90-100 mph can be dicey. It all depends on how comfortable you are on the roads. When we left in January, I was an old pro but needed a couple of days to readjust when we went back in October.

As for that 75-100 mph range, it's certainly not &quot;dysfuntional&quot; but you do have to be careful. When you're doing 80 and come up on a truck doing 65, it can be a split-second decision of whether or not to stomp on your brakes or pass when there's a car in the left lane coming up fast. And it wasn't just us and the way we drove. I did extensive driving with native Germans and it is just part of the driving process on those faster stretches. (BTW, the Germans usually chose to pass, while we usually chose to slow down and wait).

I would like to see where on I-80 in California drivers go 55mph, right, middle or left lane. What a joke! Drivers do go 55 mph or slower due to auto congestion but unless that is a problem if you drive 55mph you will feel as though the traffic behind you will run you off the road.

If you have a reliable car with good tyres, and the weather conditions are right, and you're an alert and capable driver with good reactions, driving at these speeds is OK. That's a lot of &quot;ifs&quot; though, and I wouldn't trust all of the drivers I see on Australian highways to get it right.

We also suffer from the overtaking-lane slowpokes, not to mention the clowns who don't seem to understand that whatever the posted speed limit is you need to take account of driving conditions. Our freeway limit is 110 kph (68 mph), which in the minds of some citizens licenses driving behaviour that may be suitable to a fine, clear day but is much less advisable on a wet, blustery night. I'd like to think that German drivers have more sense, but stupidity is universal.

Amen, sardog10,
US drivers have no clue.
M

Hello Neil, stupidy is universal...well it sure is in California...the idiots that drive on I-80 in Northern California leave most of us wondering what their IQ is, obviously lower then the speed limit they are driving. Take good care, and safe travels to you!

We are in Germany right now and over the past couple of days, have seen VERY few drivers racing along at those soeeds, Between the traffic jams (about 6 miles yesterday, going the opposite direction we were, thankfully) and road construction, the chances of anyone whipping along at 150 kph were slim indeed.
I think autobahn driving is WAY over-rated. A good chunk of the autobahn is constantly under construction. The truck volume has increased exponentially over the last few years and when the autobahn is down to 2 lanes (consturction) it is NOT rare for a big rig to be hogging the left lane doing 100 kph solely because another truck in the right lane is going 95 kph. We were stuck behind several of those yesterday and the day before.
You do get some open stretches of autobahn where you can let it rip, but it's hardly one big raceway. It's just another highway system. I've been able to drive just as fast through Montana as I could on the autobahn.

thanks btilke...you said it better than i could. this article places an over-emphasis on the &quot;no speed limit&quot; aspect and sounds like it was written by a teenager dreaming about the end of all speed limits.

i totally agree with you that the &quot;pedal to the metal&quot; parts of the autobahn are selected areas and driving on the rest is quite mundane (and very often under speed controls). over-rating the &quot;no speed limit&quot; aspect shows a lack of real (at least recent) experience driving on these roads.

I think you can drive on the autobahns pretty much at whatever speed you feel comfortable to do.

I haven't seen the flashing of headlights, I have in the UK, instead in Germany drivers tend to use the left hand indicator to say they want to get past.

Most of the German cars are limited to 155 Mph but cars which aren't, like Porsche, Ferrari &amp; Lamborghini's, you see a lot around town but very rarely on the Autobahns which I think suggests why people buy them.

I've regularly driven up to 240 Kph (150 Mph) and it feels safe enough, but you regularly need to slow down quickly to 80 or 100 when passing towns or roadworks and this is what I find to be the biggest problem as you lose your 'driving rhythm' and I really try to concentrate more in those situations.

Geordie

Flashing the headlights is now illegal in Germany (though some drivers probably still do it)--it's considered aggressive driving subject to fines and potential loss of license--they're working to lower the injury and death rates. Keep in mind also that there are limits in the Autobahn &quot;no speed limit&quot; zones as well--you have to use proper judgement according to the road, traffic, and weather conditions.

And those lines of trucks are unbelievable in some areas.