TIPS for driving in Germany - Drive along with a local 🚘
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- čas přidán 1. 06. 2024
- #expats #germany #expatsingermany #lifeingermany #expattips #driving
Driving in Germany does not have to scare you! Buckle up as I take you on a ride where we drive through the German roads. You will learn what traffic rules you need to be aware of and some tips on how to drive safely on the German roads and Autobahn.
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![The Autobahn in Germany [BEYOND No Speed Limit]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/1i3dLuKZwNI/mqdefault.jpg)
![The Autobahn in Germany [BEYOND No Speed Limit]](/img/tr.png)
Another unwritten rule:
If you see a taxi, stay behind and match your speed, do not pass it. They usually know where the speed traps are...
sorry to be so off topic but does someone know a way to get back into an Instagram account??
I was dumb lost my account password. I would appreciate any assistance you can give me
@@joaquincody6949did you ever find a solution my guy?
@@joaquincody6949yes
I have held a full uk driving license for 20 years and never driven in Germany. I would recommend that any tourist planning to drive in Germany for the first complete a free online theory test to familiarise themselves with the road signage and understand a few key differences when driving in Germany including the right before left scenario and other situations which does not exist in the British Highway Code.
Vice versa. You also drive on the left side in the UK. So I, as a German, would never drive there right from the start, not until I got comfortable with it and took a test.
In Germany you can also easily get by with bikes and public transport, at least in bigger cities. The European infrastruktur provides you with the essentials. Even most suburbs have bakeries and small grocery shops. We also walk lot, very differnt from US.
You sound like you have a great perspective to give recommendations on this.
There are rules in the UK?
I only had a military drivers license but I started driving at 21. Never had a problem.
You forgot to mention that you can't overtake right and that need to use your indicator on all lane changes 🙂
Trick 17 um sich nicht vor Blitzern zu erschrecken: Einfach an die Geschwindigkeitsbegrenzungen halten ;)
Yes, but sometimes you don't know the speed limit for some reason so it is doesn't help.
Well done, Jen! Oh, I can definitely see your future as a driving instructor. :-D
There is a bit of North/South and East/West with the Autobahn: Their numbering. Even numbers are predominantly east/west, whereas odd numbers are north/south.
In the USA even run from west to east. Odds run north to south as well. Also our freeways (highways) do say the direction. But they also say the city. For example 10 west freeway Santa Monica.
Funny story. I was driving my mother home and went through a light as it turned red. The camera took my picture. My mother saids oops I forgot to tell you about that camera. This was before they were digital. The next day or so my mother was reading the Hanauer Anzeiger and laughed. She said a camera was stolen. I never got a ticket. I thanked that unknown person. Lol
I lived in Germany for 16 years and you did a very good job on this driving lesson. Thanks for sharing with us and I look forward to watching more of your videos.
The "X" on the warning sign means dangerous intersection. It's not the sign for right before left, it's always right before left unless stated otherwise. For the rest it was a really good vid. Traffic light ussually follow this cycle: Red, red and orange, green and then back to orange to end with red to start all over again.
When I was at Uni in Germany, a friend of mine would drive us places in her Peugeot 205. She got blitzed several times and would say, loudly, "Mist"! To this day, I call speed limit cameras "Mist cameras".
Another rule: NO GPS which warns for speed radars, GPS maps with marker for the radar posts is forbidden.
DONT run out of fuel on the autobahn, it is forbidden and it will mean getting a ticket.
Have a warning sign, high viz clothing and a first responder set in the car at all time (and all of them easily accessible.)
Ahhh, so cool, its my hometown,....I was every sunday at the Aachener Platz for the „Trödelmarkt“ when I was younger. I grow up in Bilk. Now I live 250km away from Düsseldorf🥺.
Thanks for bringing back all the memories of my childhood 😃.
Really good video. I've driving on the autobahn alway the way from the London. Germany has the best road's. Did 120mph on the way to Stuttgart no Sat no Map. Lol.
Highways in the US that use an even number generally go East - West and odd numbered go North - South. FYI.
Schön mal wieder in die Stadt zu kommen. Danke fürs mitnehmen.
There is some general indication of directions given by the Autobahn numbers: highways with odd numbers are going north/south and Autobahns with even numbers are going west/east. The smaller the number of the Autobahn (ie. A9), the more important the highway is considered (longer, more traffic, etc). Also, in most cases, esp. for shorter highways (with longer numbers) the first digit of the highway number tells you the general area, where the highway is. The absolute speed limit for vehicles over 3.5 tons (trucks) is 80 kph on highways and 80 kph on federal roads (Bundesstraße) outside of city limits and heavier trucks than 7.5 tons must not go faster than 60 on federal roads. Within city limits, all motor vehicles are limited to 50 kph by default unless indicated otherwise by signs. Also recently introduced: when turning at an intersection within city limits, trucks must travel no faster than "walking speed" (7-11 kph). Fun fact: non-electric bicycles are not speed limit of 50 kph by default within city limits at all, but only posted signs apply :-)
WOW! Just found your channel. Very nice. I haven't looked at the rest of your content, but a few ideas just in case. Parking signs are most confusing for me as are right of way signs for intersections with non working lights. Part of your drive looked familiar. I learned a bunch! Thanks!
Wenn du in DEU bei dem 120Schild tatsächlich 120 fährst, bis du der langsamste und alle überholen dich. Faustregel ist hier, 120 plus Mehrwertsteuer 😁 und du bist, auch wenn du geblitzt wirst, auf der sicheren Seite.
The tolerances get smaller actually . It used to be 10 per cent in your favour, but it is less now, because the instruments in our cars are much more precise than they used to be in the 1960s.
Thank you so much. That was helpful
Inside towns its 50 and some big streets 60 but if its 60 its indicated. In small streets usually where people live its 30 but its always indicated when u enter the 30-zone. And its 30 until you see a sign that its over. Taking a turn inside such a 30-zone doesnt change that. There are even slower zones where you should go like 10 and its indicated by a blue sign with children playing on it. Outside towns its 100 if there is no other indication. Autobahn has no speedlimit unless its indicated. And if its no speed limit you also have a white sign with 3 stripes diagonal, this means no limit.
Right before left is at any crossing without a "right of way" or "give way" sign or traffic lights. So if there is nothing and 2 cars arrive there, the one on the right goes first. If there are cars everywhere you have to communicate who goes first.
Thank you. Your video is very useful. I plan to drive in Germany later this year, my first time.
thanks it helps a lot.. I am busy with my drivers.
4:43 There are exceptions to every rule. There are actually a few Autobahn exits to the left in Germany. I know of one in Berlin and I think there are not more than five in total.
There is one on the A81 northbound, direction Stuttgart: The exit Gärtringen is to the left. It is part of an Autobahn cloverleaf exchange which was never completed.
Hi thanks for sharing :)
Thank you for the video, considering driving there but i've only driven in Sweden before.
I was holding my breath when the cam fell down)
Just moved here! These videos are great and very helpful for nervous drivers like me
There are a few exits to the left,for example A81,Gärtringen
That is not possible. I don´t know that part of the Autobahn but I bet it will change into a Kraftfahrzeugstraße indicated by traffic signs.
@@dj1rst nein, kannst du googeln es gibt ein paar Autobahnausfahrten nach links, die A81 musste ich früher pendeln
There exist some Autobahnen with a left Exit. (A81 Gärtringen / A46 Neuss-West and some Autobahnen in cities)
Would be amazing to have more content on how to drive as there are so many more details... In any case, thanks for this short video! :)
Thanks for the suggestion Xamas! Maybe we expand on the topic 🙂
4:40 in germany there is actually one highway-exit on the left i know for sure of which is the last one of the A81 coming from Singen driving to Stuttgart right before the crossing with the A8
they exist, but usually the exits are on the right.
that left exit is not from the autobahn itself if I remember correctly, but on the on-ramp
You ALLWAYS have to indicate changing lanes/directions!
As you did but not mentioned it.
😉😊
Well done vid!
More driving videos like these, please.
Don't go over the speed limit and you're safe. Watch for the signs.
It was a very useful video. I wish I would watch it a couple days ago since I’ve came back from Germany recently. I drove there about 4,500 km in ten days without being aware of the tricky speed radars all over the streets. Now I am expecting some tickets in the mail soon. I was happier before I watched this. Lol.
Oh no!! Hope the radars won't cause too much harm 🙈
@@simplegermany Hey, my brother in law whome I visited, later told me, not all of the radars are connected or functional all the time, I can get lucky sometimes. The sure sign of being caught by them is a big flash happening when I am driving thru which clearly noticable even daylight. I can recall only one flash, I was thinking back then it was a reflection on another car's window or something. I am not 100 percent sure of it now but keep up the hope. Will see. A side note, despite the common belief the autobahn would provide fast travel because the speed is unlimited most of the time, in reality the German Autobahn is very slow because so many people using the network since it is free. So my average speed was 86 km/hour instead of being 250 Km/h Lol. So this road trip was a pain in the butt honestly, but still worth it, the country is absolutely beautiful. The Alps, Bonn, Northern Westfalia all of them well worth to visit imho.
Thanks,
Yup, we travel to Germany every year, but one year my husband got three different tickets. They were all on the smaller highways. In North America they give some buffer zone for speeding. For example, if the limit is 100k they usually allow 110. At least this is so in Canada. However, Germany is very tight on their speeds. Only three kms over the limit and he got a ticket. On the plus side the tickets there are a lot less than the tickets here in Canada
If you don't mind, how much were the tickets?
@@joshsheffield5702 two were about thirty euros but one was about 100 euros. It gets even more expensive because of added on service fees from the city issuing the fine and with our bank in Canada. So it was a pretty pricey ticket
This is extortion
@@joseph1845 Wait till you learn how expensive speeding tickets are in other EU countries, Germany is actually very lax when it comes to the cost of speeding fines. Take a look at Austria for example, fines can be over 7 times higher than the highest speeding fine in Germany
@@leDespicable Yes Germany prefers to create many disabled parking spots and have a man manning each of them, so that they can give you a ticket within 5 minutes, including the cost of towing your car away, 250 EUROS for one small mistake, quickly processed within minutes. They will even watch you get out of your car and not warn you what mistake you are making, because, this is about caring for the disabled people,
In the "Kreuz Neuss West" (highway intersection with the name "Neuss west") there actually is an exit to the left, because there is the A57 passing under the A46, you are on and you probably change to the A57. If you go straight on, you head into the city
You are right, however we don't consider that an exit, as you don't really leave the Autobahn, but just merge onto the A57 ;).
@@simplegermany actually there are signs, that say "Ausfahrt" (=exit) and show to the left
Red+orange at the same time: next colour is green, get ready. Only orange: next colour is red! Make sure you either stop your car before the crossroad or see to it that you can make it.
In the GDR we had additionally green-yellow, that indicates yellow (why do you call it orange?) is comming or last phase of green. I miss that.
@@Asgaia In Britain they call that middle colour amber, "bernsteinfarben", by the way.
Yellow/orange/amber means: stop your vehicle if you can without endangering someone (or your vehicle), so an emergency stop is not necessary.
Unfortunately, the „see that you can make it“ is the way it is lived (even by accelerating) and often missed
@@MrGophler I did not mean "press the pedal to the metal" but "make up your mind". The horror is motorists who brake, then accelerate, then brake again.
I have to say that from an American perspective, driving in Germany seems very civil. Also great that cyclists and pedestrians are respected on the roads. That’s not so true where I live.
Please make and updated video on this topic, Thank you
Nothing has changed in regards to driving rules 😉
@@simplegermany Thanks for the reply.
I was asking for another video with more tips and better video quality.
New follower here❤
Thanks for the nice & informative video! Love your channel! One question, any idea apprx how many days it takes for such letter (Bußgeld) to arrive? In Düsseldorf. Is it some days or some weeks or some months?
It depends. It could be days, weeks or months 😅. We got a fine from Portugal that took months. We got a fine from the south of Germany that took weeks.
@@simplegermany thank you! Have a great start of the year!
Actually, there is an east-west north-south binding. The Autobahn Number like A7 indicates the direction. East-west are even numbers and north-south are odd numbers. So you know A7 is going from south to north or vise versa and A6 is going from east to west.
True, but what we mean is that the signs on the highway don’t give directions like in other countries but only the names of the next cities 😉
In the USA they take a pic of the bck so it can get the plate number
I think it's funny calling immigrants expats. I am an immigrant, I came to Germany 47 years ago and decided to stay and become a naturalised German citizen.
You can usually add max. 10% onto your speed limit and still be safe from being photographed by the radar box ... one of the reasons I always use cruise control and adjust it very precisely. Modern well equipped cars detect the signs automatically and if you switch the car into speed limit-mode, it will keep you from exceeding the detected signs limitations, which is also annoying because then you have to have your foot on the pedal all the time, so manual set cruise control is the most convenient for me.
As a German I got a kick out of doing in the US what I am not allowed to in Germany, and take over slow drivers on which ever side is convenient to me. I think if you are used to drive in bigger German cities you are good almost everywhere in the world ... US friends warned me about crazy traffic in Manhattan and downtown Boston, Chicago, Washington, LA, San Francisco and lots of European countries capitals ... it was all smooth sailing, even when driving a big rental bus at night and not having slept for a day, after an exhausting travel, US traffic is very relaxing.
Though I must say I pee my pants just when thinking about left hand traffic ... I fear that all my fast reflexes could work against me in case it gets dangerous ... I have never been driving in these countries and would only do so if I had no other choice and then ideally with a localized car where everything is the other way around to remind of it every second.
When it comes of clarity, I think no countries on earth can be the Netherlands. with it's shark teeth signe where u have litterally to wait or check around, blue devider pole and so on. I saw that in Germany the shark teeth is just a stripes, like an ordinary lane divider. so its a bit confusing.
in germany the traffic light phases are
green to red
green | yellow | red
red to green
red | red yellow | green
Green to red in Austria:
green | blinking green | yellow | red. I don't know why we have that extra step. The instant switch from green to yellow in Germany always weirds me out, because here in Austria the yellow phase seems shorter and yellow almost means stop already.
@@superdau actually, that‘s what the StVO states about the yellow light: halt before the crossing and wait for the next light.
U have to come to jordan
We have so many different rules
very nice and informative video..new friend lets stay connected
So, no puedes poner polarización a los vidrios en frente de las puertas, o frente de la parabrisas?
Nope you can‘t. Only on the back windows.
@@simplegermany ! Hables muy bien inglés 👍 I worked in Mexico as a summer time job desde 15 years old, so I speak El Español igual k Ingles, aber meine oma und opa sprachen Deutsch, so yea, I’m the same way, I have three languages bouncing around in my head…
one edit, there do exist a handful of Left exits 😅
the one i know of is on A81 Singen to Stuttgart E27 towards Gärtringen.
Yes, we also saw one recently in the south! But they are rather rare 😇
@@simplegermany I can understand, I know it only because I study the German roads and map data as part of my job as a Fahrerassiatanzsysteme entwickler
Sorry I cannot find that video you talked about driving license steps, so I leave my question here: will it make any difference if I get an international driving license before my travel to Germany? I have been driving in Iran and Oman and both licenses are valid. If I have to pass classes and get German license anyhow after 6 month residency in Germany, maybe it does not make sense to get an International one prior to trip?
Hey! Generally speaking any other license than a German one is valid for the first 6 months. After that timeframe, if you would like to continue to drive in Germany, you should get a German one.
An international drivers license might be helpful if you would like to drive in Germany for the first 6 months and Germany does not recognize the license that you have from your home country.
Btw, here is our video on how to get a German drivers license: czcams.com/video/RE2bncTVro0/video.html
Also we have written a detailed guide on our website: www.simplegermany.com/german-driving-license/
The best thing you can do is double check with the local traffic office (Straßeverkehramt) from the place you will be living at in Germany.
We wish you all the best of luck 🍀
How much Age limit to take work permit visa for foreign drivers? Please.
Hi Jen & Yvonne, I was wondering about the cons of owning a car, especially finding a place to park your car. I do not know about Germany, much less about the city you live in, but I'm inquiring so as to get an idea about owning a car in Germany. Is it generally easy to find a place to park? Do you have to pay each time you need to park -excluding your residence parking and workplace? What about the cost of owning one, maintenance, insurance and fuel, with all those expenses is it still a viable option for you as compared to public transportation? I know it depends from one case to another, but having an idea is good for reference.
Thanks for the comment! We wrote your idea down for a video ☺️
Could you please suggest how to notice the City entrance and exit sign ? Sometimes, I do not notice.
They are rectangular yellow signs: de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ortstafel_%28Deutschland%29
Hi Jen & Yvonne
A bumper-bashing in Germany. What is the procedure?
Similar to any other accident. Check that no one is injured. Take pictures. Fill in an accident form and share car insurance details. If one of the two parties insists, call the police.
It would be good if you could clarify the rules regarding overtaking Trams.
BE really careful doing that ie overtaking trams !
If the tram's route is to the right.....
I don't thing the prohibition against overtaking on the right is in force if the street has tram tracks (too slow speeds.)
This right of way rule is actually the very foundation of traffic rules in Germany. This sign with the black cross is super rare, dont get confused by it. I never saw it in the region where i live. So basically if there is no other sign that indicates a right of way rule, always the car on your right has the right of way. And there is an order of traffic signs to that has to be mentioned. First rule is the right before left if not otherwise indicated, then there are the signs, followed by traffic lights which can overrule the signs in certain situations. Some traffic lights are turned off during the night, so then the signs apply, if you dont even have signs, rule one applies. And in residential areas you often have only the 30 speedlimit with no other signs, and there the right before left is dominant.
In total its straight forward, kinda "Idiotensicher"^^
anyone know if other countries have this? I've lived here many years and still can't see how it makes sense. Yes, its a rule, but when cars on what is clearly the main road have to stop to give right away to a car from a small obscure laneway seems odd and i just don't remember seeing this anywhere else
@@bruceketcheson4877 As you say if its a main road you should have always right of way. Also if its a main road then you can drive 50, there is no right before left at all, its too fast to stop. So as a rule of thumb you can count on that you find the right before left only in 30 limited areas. And some obscure side roads actually never have right of way. There may be some exceptions but never without obvoius traffic signs.
@@madrooky1398 Thats a good rule of thumb, yield to the right only applies on 30 km/h side streets.
@@madrooky1398 that‘s not always true. Most of the time it is as you described it, but there are 50 km/h streets where the „right before left“ rule applies (and yes, that‘s stupid).
Btw.: 30 km/h is also way too fast for a „right before left“ juncture, so you have to slow down as well - just not as much ;)
And another fun fact: the „right before left“ rule does not apply if the street on the right is separated by a lowered curb (basically the curb of the Street on the left continues but is lowered)
@@bruceketcheson4877 the nordic countries.
from googling around it seems i can use my us drivers license on vacation as long as I'm in germany under 6 months. Is that correct?
Yes
Great video but did not address the left turns - are they different?
They are exactly the same as in any other country that drives on the right
Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but there was speed trap pals are for trucks only?
The radars we point out in the video are for all motorized vehicles. On the highways you have 'Maut' bridges, wich are toll radars only for trucks.
Gut gamacht. 😎😁
when camera dropped i thought the car crashed with other one:)
😅
What about getting Benzin for your car? Do you pay with tarjeta or efectivo ?
Either or, however you like 😉
You wouldn't be stopping like that in america you still have the right of way they on the right would have to stop and wait
The camera falling freaked me out
make more video like this
The first sign is something like dangerous crossing... this is not used that entusiasticaly ... accident prone crossings get that.
Orange? Or yellow?
Does private liability insurance cover the damage incurred by me while driving?
No it does not. For that you need to have liability insurance for your car: czcams.com/video/Mvy7a0LN3lU/video.html
The information is great ...It just so noisy😹
👍
😍😍😍
Need to slow down at the right lane
the gas price 1,05
Can you please tell me? How can I drive in Germany with Bangladeshi licence? If not, what should I do first. I will be happy if you can Ininform me.
We answer that question in this video: czcams.com/video/RE2bncTVro0/video.htmlsi=lu81jILEHEW9Rpac 😊
Most important! For those who stay on the left lane, there is a very very high punishment if you don´t leave the left side WHILE YOU CAN !!!!!!!!!!!
Hello is good
Are u driving manual or automatic?
We drive manual.
@@simplegermany how hard is to learn manual in germany?
If you can exit on the Autobahn to the left, you are driving on the wrong side.
Or you are in Gärtringen.
Sorry hard to read signs because of the sun in front
Come to India and show your driving skills here😅
make more videos on driving
Hey Yogi, is there anything specific about driving you would like to see?
@@simplegermany Yes to cover all the trafic signs and one video with theory quesitons which I can share with all my indian fridns who are going to give driving exams.
1:14
Shouldn't you go first?
Not sure on where you have found the stay right unless over taking, German has been one of the worst countries i have driven in where it seems all the elderly and overly cautious like to drive in the center lane and they are not moving for anything.
You are right, it happens a lot and these people are very annoying but the rule still exists. I guess it is very hard to enforce so they mostly go for speeding.
wow, those right turns are so hard to do as cyclist tend to come fast from your blind angle...
You always gotta look out for those cyclists indeed 😉
I see very low luxury and good looking car on the road. Why it is.
because Germans don't value status symbols and showmanship.
why dont you call them immigrants rather than expats
The autobahn has a speed limit of 130km/h
130km/h is not the speed limit but the speed recommendation. You can find an overview about the speed limits on the Autobahn in our guide: www.simplegermany.com/german-autobahn/#How_fast_can_you_drive_on_the_Autobahn_in_Germany