Americans First Time Driving on the Autobahn in Germany
Vložit
- čas přidán 17. 02. 2024
- It's our first time driving in Germany and today we are driving on the German Autobahn - the famed highway system known for having no speed limit! Join us as we experience high speeds (the fastest we've ever driven anywhere!) as we navigate this iconic roadway for the very first time. The Autobahn stretches across Germany, connecting major cities and regions, and is known for its efficiency. What sets it apart from driving experiences in the US or UK is its unrestricted speed sections and strict driving etiquette (does driving etiquette even exist in the US? lol). While speed limits exist in some stretches, the Autobahn's unrestricted zones allow you to drive very very fast legally. Join us as we experience driving on the German Autobahn for the first time, comparing and contrasting it with driving norms in the US and UK.
Watch next:
Our first time in Germany (Cologne): • Americans First Time i...
First time driving in the UK: • Americans First Time D...
24 Hours in Amsterdam (we were SHOCKED): • 24 Hours in Amsterdam ...
This video was filmed in September & October 2023.
We are sharing unique and geeky places all around the world every week, so make sure you check out the rest of our videos and subscribe. Please leave us a comment to let us know where you’d like to see a video from next!
Website: www.themagicgeekdom.com
Twitter: / magicgeekdom
Instagram: / themagicgeekdom
TikTok: / themagicgeekdom
Facebook: / themagicgeekdom
Join us on Patreon: / themagicgeekdom
#Autobahn #Germany #RoadTrip
Watch our video about our first time in Germany (Cologne): czcams.com/video/ZnyxuE8atWA/video.html&t
First time driving in the UK: czcams.com/video/1f6GH9GIEf0/video.html&t
24 Hours in Amsterdam (we were SHOCKED): czcams.com/video/pCLajW48rfs/video.html&t
As a matter of fact - in many states in the US you also have to drive on the right lane and the left lane is just for overtaking. Depending on the state overtaking on the right side may or may not be prohibited as well.
Many US americans are actually violating US traffic laws all the time - and for whatever reasons the police is not enforcing some of these laws in the US.
Passing on the right lane is strictly prohibited in Germany btw. If you do that and are caught you'll get into trouble.
Red circle with a number inside is a speed limit. It is not the minimum, it is the maximum.
@@HH-hd7ndiirc it is mandatory to drive on the most outer lane in the US if you are slow, it's not just enforced by the authorities.
Welcome to Germany and enjoy your stay.
Okay, the fact that americans can just rent a car and drive here in europe without any tests before getting the keys has just unlocked a new fear.
And without knowing the traffic signs it can get expensive or worse. Not to mention general rules like the 50/100km/h and Right before Left.
I hear you! When I went to live in Germany I took a few driving lessons before buying my car and letting myself loose on the road. There are so many oddities which Americans (or Brits like me) would not expect......like the right of way at traffic lights when there are double tram lines in the middle of the road!!
Depends very much on the driver. I did the opposite 2 years ago, travelled the US for 3 months. Took 15 min to get used to the automatic and about a day for the streetsigns etc. No issues at all. Tho i have to admit it seemed Americans were NOT the best drivers and speedlimits are just a suggestion.
As a tourist you do the same in the US. Soooo. It should be a no brainer, that I do familiarize myself with the local traffic rules before I go drive around in a foreign country.
There are bigger worries than a few Americans driving on our roads like people who don't know or are willing to accept our rules and culture.
She is more aware of the road rules than natiive drivers especially regarding our Rechtsfahrgebot.
same can be said about Germans visiting the US, they have rules we don't.
choosing a fiat 500 for the Autobahn would not have been the first thing that came to my mind 😂
Fair. It was an inexpensive rental. 😂😂😂
An Abarth would have been better
Liebe Mausi Lugner...DIE Mausi Lugner? Lol ...genau das hab ich mir auch gedacht, wenn deutsche Autobahn, dann bitte ein gscheites Auto 😛😁
@@TheMagicGeekdom Inexpensive, yes, and a good choice to feel the speed. In bigger cars you don't feel the speed by noise or anything, and they have more horse power. So no wonder if some drivers want to go faster but the majority drives between 60 and 90 mph. Following the rules makes the Autobahn double save as US speed limited highways.
@@TheMagicGeekdom was it the 1 litre 3 cylinder petrol "hybrid"? It felt pretty slow after being used to a Cooper S Clubman, although I had to make sure I didn't "money shift" whilst overtaking as the gear ratios are shorter in the lower gears.
Don't talk about the "strange street signs". Only the US have strange street signs - other world has these.
in the USA, you need to read the signs, in the rest of the world you just look at them!
Please learn about the rules of the road BEFORE you get in the car. That includes the speed limits for cities. Which is 50km/h unless posted otherwise, just fyi.
Also why would we call it either gas station or petrol station? We call it Tankstelle! 😅
My usual cruising speed is 150km/h, unless I have a reason to go faster.
You remarked on the lack of acceleration of that car. With a stick shift it can be usefull to shift back a gear or two to get better acceleration.
The system works so well (mkre or less) because people usually know what they're doing. Which is why I may have been a bit harsh at the beginning ... sorry...
But people who don't have the training and (more importantly) experience are usually the most dangerous thing on the road...
Thanks for all the info.
"It´s a lot less intensive to get your license in the US"
Germany 2022: 2782 traffic fatalities
USA 2022: 42795 traffic fatalities
Unfortunately, this means that the USA has 15 times more traffic fatalities than Germany with just 4 times more citizens.
Maybe it shouldn't be so easy to get a driver's license in the USA.
Three times more citizens (84 mio + 3 x 84 mio)
You need to look at fatalities per mile. People drive a lot more there.
Re: Traffic lights above you on a second lane. Just bend your head slightly and look to the right, there's your main traffic light. The traffic lights above are always additional lights so that you can see them from a distance.
Oh, thank you!
@@TheMagicGeekdom Also lights on your side is more save since you focus on what is right in front of you and not 50m afar on the other side of the crossing
Having the traffic lights on the opposite side of the crossing does not work in many places in Germany, as many crossings are so irregular, that there is no clear opposite side, and drivers might confuse their lights with the lights from a neigboring street coming in at a sharp angle.
It is kind of weird.
Basically: inner city/town roads = 50km/h general
Outside cities/towns = 100km/h general
Autobahn = no speed limit in GENERAL.
Obviously local speed limits ALWAYS have precedence over general speed limits.
Four basic Autobahn rules:
1. no passing to the right. PERIOD!
2. if you can drive in a lane to your right for roughly 30 seconds at the same speed without going into unsafe distance driving or constantly weaving in and out, do it. This is the Rechtsfahrgebot, the drive right ordinance. This opens up the left lanes for passing and keeps traffic flowing homogenously.
3. always drive according to the limits of skill, vehicle, traffic, and road conditions. This includes safe distance for your speed, which is AT LEAST half your speedomter in meters to the next vehicle.
4. always check your mirrors before setting your blinker/indicator, take a shoulder check into your blind spot, and only change lanes if there is no one advancing on that lane at significantly higher speeds, and you are not cutting off someone.
With that you've covered 90% of all cases you will encounter. Obviously know the road signs and adhere to them. No, if you see a speed limit you DON'T have to slam on your brakes but you should slow down to the marked speed limit within a reasonable distance without endagering traffic which includes yourself.
One of the most important road signs to know are SPEED LIMITS. Which unfortunately are the ones you claimed to be recommended speeds. Nope, the white background, red borders, plus numbers inside are the international sign for speed limits, with America being the odd one out. I know no other country except the USA that use rectangular signs with ENGLISH spelling inside which tell you the speed limit.
yes, instead of lots and lots of different speed limit signs, germany (europe) has general default speed limits vor towns/roads/highways, and you find big signs with those national default limits at borders when you enter a different country. For germany, they are 50 kph (31 mph) and 100 kph (62 mph), and no general limit on the _Autobahn_ (but a recommended limit of 130 kph = 80 mph). these limits all are for normal cars, and cars with trailers and trucks have their own lower limits, eg trucks on highways 80 kph (50 mph) or with tolerances mostly driving 90 kph (56 mph) so that you shouldn't go slower either to not block them.
traffic signs also are shaped and colored quite systematically: white circles with red border for prohibitions (including speed limits), white triangles with red borders for warnings, blue circles for orders (including minimum speed, but mostly arrows for directions like "turn right" or arrow pointing down-left to "pass this on the left"). few other signs have different shapes or colors, eg square blue for recommended speed (eg on that sign at the border), triangle with corner at bottom for "yield", red big octagon for "stop" (no 4way stops, and stop signs only where it is dangerous and yield might not be good enough, otherwise without signs always "right before left"), the "fried egg" is a priority road where you usually can expect all sideroads to have yield or stop signs, _"Einbahnstrasse"_ = "one way", etc
I would mention: Sometimes you will come in situations, where these rules will not work or cause a deadlock. For example if all left lanes are blocked, you can of course pass on the right. But then as usual: Drive slow and carefully, be friendly to others and expect them to do stupid things. Slow progress is still better than none at all.
Thank you for this break down.
Checking the blind spot can be challenging when going atspeeds, what I do is to take a long time to change lanes so the signal stays long enough, if I'm not certain no one is coming I just don't
I used to drive to Europe with my work. A wonderful 1.8 BMW. From Calais, into and across Belgium, crossing into Germany via Aachen and then up to Koln and the Nordrhein Westphalia region. Then down to Frankfurt and Mainz, my hotel was a small place in Bingen am Rhein. Then down towards Munich Nuremberg, Augsburg , Heidelberg and all places nearby. Germany is a fantastic country, so clean warm and friendly. Also several trips by car up to Hamburg and Hannover. Went there in September with my wife who had never been and she adored Germany.. Enjoy Bavaria ....it is beautiful.
Sounds lovely!
not driven on autobahn for decades, but my main memory was if you need to pull into the fast lane, if you see a merc coming with lights on about a mile back, just wait a few seconds and it will be past you, then pull out.
Yeah and watch out for the Porsche that’s normally up the Mercs arse..
Cara did really well!
@@pashvonderc381 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 and mad that the sucker doesn´t leave the damn fast lane
....unless of course an Audi, a Mercedes and Porsche "found" each other, meaning: ´hey, they drive my style at my preferred speed, so let´s tackle this together and the one in front shovels the snails out of the way
Fun times, fun times indeed 😉
A red ring around a speedlimit sign is always a maximum.
called TANKSTELLE ✌🏽
Thanks!
Only ever drive as fast as you are comfortable with. Never feel that you should have to "keep up with the traffic" It's your funeral!!
Good advice!
Regarding car maintenance: Cold starts are what ages your engine and city driving puts a higher strain on your brakes than driving at a constant, albeit high velocity. So maintenance costs aren't really much higher. There are some risk factors (e.g. a tiny pebble hitting your windshield at 130 mph will most likely crack the glass, which would not happen at half the speed), also the paint will suffer more if you drive fast. But overall it's not a big difference.
Regarding "fill up first, pay later" at petrol stations. The reasons are twofold. Petrol stations in Europe make most of their money selling you a candy bar or a bottle of Pepsi. So they want you to enter the "shop" section of the gas station. Secondly, everyone is videotaped and if you don't pay they have your license plate. The police will then show up at your door later. Same with speeding: Most of the times you will not be pulled over. Instead, you will either get a huge fine in the mail or are being summoned to court.
Thanks for all the extra info!
Recommended speed is 130 km/h, which is about 80 mi/h I think. And if you want to accelerate quickly, just shift down a gear or two. And also, like others said before, please make sure that you know the rules and how to read traffic sings before getting on the road!
Thanks!
I thought she WAS shifting down haha.
Says the German, flashing lights on his Audi in the mirror because 170kmh on the left lane is considered being a „snail“.
The way you sit in this car, shows everything
She could be a few decimeters closer to driving wheel.
I agree. Too close to the window. Just relax and slip the seat back!!!
A minimum speed limit is shown in white on a blue background, and this is extremely rare.
A number in a red circle is always a maximum speed limit, whether it's a fixed sign or a variable limit.
Variable speed limits when used well can keep traffic moving freely, sometimes you might think they are pointless because the traffic is flowing comfortably and it doesn't feel congested but that probably means that they have done their job by stopping the traffic from bunching up.
2:00 *German Speaker call it "Tankstelle" because they can "auftanken/tanken" (refuel) their Cars.* 😁
Well, I´ve been quite hopeful when I heared there was "some research" done before driving on the Autobahn.
But not knowing the recommended speed (starting within the city and then as well on the Autobahn) and what the speed signs look like combined with wanting to drive at least 110mph (almost 180km/h) made me fear for everybody invovled.
One can say, at least you didn´t rent an Audi R8 "to have some fun".
But overall: Good job! Just always stay aware of the traffic in front, behind and next to you and you will be fine. Oh, and catch up on general rules like right-before-left and max speeds. I drive for decades from Germany to Croatia and still have a post it for the first day with the speed limits in cities and on the highways per country I travel through attached on my dashboard.
There is a kind of speed limit on the Autobahn.
130 km/h. If you go faster, it is possible, that your insurance denies to pay under some bad circumstsnces...
And you have to drive on the right lane und overtaking is only allowed on the left.
Thanks for clearing that up.
The reason for pumping first is easy:gas stations don't make a lot of money selling gas,so they want customers to come in,maybe purchasing something on the way.
That makes sense.
They woul pump and go in Florida. We have to pay first.
Enjoy your experience in Germany, fabulous country!
It really is! Thank you for watching!
If you can't comfortably see the traffic light you are two close to the intersection, it is a feature not a bug.
In town there is a speed limit of 50 km/h. Sometimes there are signs on bigger streets, that allow to drive f.e.
70 km/h.
I was under the impression the top speed was 80 mph/130kph on the autobahn, but it seems there are unrestricted zones where you can drive as fast as you’d like, WOW!!😅
I have spent a lot of time driving all over Germany,Autobahns with no speed limit are not in the majority,there are some sections with no speed limit but mostly it's 130k's.
The reason why 150km/h (about 90mph) felt fast was that you were driving a Fiat 500, which is designed as a city car, an urban runabout!
Oppenheim is quite a famous name these days. I am german and I didnt know about this small town. Cool video! You managed the Autobahn pretty well and I liked your style presenting it not to over excited, just handeling it :P
Jezzer had brown hair before the autobahn 😂😂😂
I wish I had brown hair at the beginning. 😂
You will love Bavaria❤❤! Be sure to visit Heidelberg. and legendary castle.
Great job on Autobahn. It is a bit of hair-raising experience first time, especially as people flash high beams to "move over" and speed by, like , how many MPH???
I can't wait for the new videos 🎉
Thank you so much, Karen.
Welcome to Germany
That's a decent speed in a 500, you did well, its all about lane discipline and keeping your eyes open!
You're in a beautiful part of the world, I've been a few times and really liked it.
Thank you! It is beautiful.
Had been driving on a Sunday mornin with 300 km/h!
Just fun!!!❤❤❤❤❤
Driving on the Autobahn for the first time as an American can be a thrilling and somewhat nerve-wracking experience. The Autobahn is renowned for its high speeds and lack of speed limits in some sections, which can be quite a shock for those used to driving on strictly regulated roads back home.
One of the first things that Americans notice when driving on the Autobahn is the fast-moving traffic. Cars zip past at speeds well above what they are used to, and it can take some time to get used to navigating through such high-speed flows of traffic.
Another major difference is the concept of the "fast lane" on the Autobahn. In Germany, the left lane is reserved for passing only, and drivers are expected to move back to the right once they have completed their pass. This can be a bit of an adjustment for American drivers, who are used to cruising in the left lane for long distances.
Additionally, the Autobahn is known for its strict adherence to driving etiquette and rules. Tailgating and aggressive driving are frowned upon, and drivers are expected to maintain a safe distance between cars and signal their intentions well in advance.
Despite these differences, many Americans find driving on the Autobahn to be a thrilling experience. The smooth, well-maintained roads and lack of congestion make for a much more enjoyable driving experience than what they may be used to back home.
Overall, driving on the Autobahn for the first time as an American can be a memorable and exciting experience, as long as drivers remember to stay alert, follow the rules of the road, and respect the other drivers around them.
Great video!
Glad you enjoyed it
The highway in Germany is not a lawless area. There is a speed limit of 130 km/h as a guideline and the penal provision in the German Criminal Code (StGB) § 315d Prohibited motor vehicle racing. If you are involved in an accident at a speed of 130 km/h or more through no fault of your own, the insurance company may hold you jointly responsible and not pay for the entire accident damage. You can find § 315d (StGB) under "Gesetze im Internet". Please read this and use the translator if you have problems with the German language. Trying to reach the highest possible speed with your own car is also considered illegal car racing. And in the event of personal injury and death, this can mean one to ten years in prison.
That makes sense.
The 130 km/h ist not a speed limit.
1:34 'ok, that guy is going way faster than me. I don't know what the speed limit is right here now.' oh, that's not good. you should know the speed limit, ideally everywhere you go. at least you should have a general idea. you are within city limits. there is a general speed limit you should always know! and then there are situational speed limits depending on location.
I'm glad that you made the observatin about lane usage in the US - same in Canada : this is one of the reasons for the large amount of highway deaths in NA. Glad you enjoyed driving a bit fast.
Visited Germany for work in the past, something I used to love that might sound weird is being woke up early in the morning in my hotel by traffic noise. It was the noise of commerce happening to me & I liked it!
The recommended Speed Limit is 130 on the Autobahn, thats why There Are no Speed Limit Signs above 130
Thank you.
Yes there are sections on the Autobahn that have no speed limit however there are strict rules of the road and general driving behavior requirements, just like in the rest of Europe btw. More importantly we have real driving tests that require both theoretical and practical lessons before you’re considered ready to take the test and qualify.
I would recommend traveling to Switzerland whilst you are in Europe. Interlaken is one of the most beautiful places in the world, situated on two turquoise lakes, lake Thun and Lake Brienz. Interlaken is also the gateway to the Jungfrau mountain region and there is so much to do! The whole Jungfrau is connected by Gondolas, trains and funiculars so you can visit different mountain peaks. There are restaurants at the top of most mountain peaks and there are lots of walks and hikes along the mountain tops and down the mountain sides connecting charming villages along the way like Wengen and Grindelwald. Grindelwald is probably the most beautiful place I've ever travelled to in the world! Also in Switzerland, a lovely town called Spiez is about 15 mins from Interlaken and has two lovely outdoor pools right next to the lake and there is a beach on the lake. A medieval town called Gruyere is definitely worth a visit. It has a castle with lots of charming pubs and eating places. Also Lake Lucerne is beautiful. The Golden circle is highly recommended around Mount Pilatus. Montreux is also lovely on Lake Geneva. There is so much to do in Switzerland and it is honestly breathtaking scenery. I've travelled to Canada several times for the mountains and lakes but Switzerland has become my new favorite. I really hope you include it on your trip - it won't disappoint!
We would love to see Switzerland!
The original FIAT 500 was described as a "motorized ping-pong ball"; even the smal size of the modern version makes any speed seem fast!
True! 😂
I really advise to familiarize yourself with all the rules and signs before you start driving in Germany. We Germans really tend to enforce rules when they favor us 😀
In Germany only 50 allowed within urban areas. These are marked at the town, village and city limits by yellow square signs on the right side of the road with the name of the town, village or city on them. You also have to watch out for marked 30 zones and play streets where you're only allowed to crawl. Basically, if there are buildings along the road and street lights, the limit will most probably be 50 or lower.
The recommended speed limit for the Autobahn, if no other speed limit is give, is 130, but you are allowed to drive faster if you want to. Only in theory are you allowed to drive as fast as your car manages. You will most certainly be pulled over if you do 300 or over and at the very least given a good ticking off for dangerous driving.
That's fair.
Easiest way to convert between MPH and KPH, 100 MPH is around 160 KPH -> 50 MPH is 80.
From that you can get close to whatever reading you might need.
Thank you!
I have been commuting about 25 miles to work for over 20 years now. Under regular circumstances, there isn't a day where I wouldn't hit 120/130 miles per hour.
Hello Cara and Jeremy. I saw JPS go to Germany on CZcams and started watching videos by Feli as CZcams recommended them, after I saw the reactions to a couple.
It is years since I was there, but sometimes watch football ⚽️ in German, which I can remember a bit from school, despite being from Yorkshire.
I got asked if I was "Holländer" when there, as everyone thinks that English speakers do not speak any other languages.
My girlfriend's Austrian relatives say I speak German like a German, but I reckon there is an Austrian joke in there somewhere.
German cars are built for that speed. They advertise Audi in UK with the phrase "Vorsprung durch Technik".
Nürburgring next?
Funny, Yorkshire lass Catherine Warr just did a video featuring old German speed machines winning Grand Prix.
Thanks for watching @alansmithee8831!
Great video guys. Hugs Ian & Charlotte, Cheltenham uk
Thanks 👍Hope you both are doing well!
I actually stayed in one of the castles that was also a youth hostel in the Rhine valley, in a little village called Bacharach
That's so cool!
Thanks!
Greetings from a wine village near Bad Kreuznach, Germany (about a half an hour drive from Mainz).
Hope you have a lovely stay in Bavaria.
Just found your videos and subscribed. 🙂
Thank you so much!
Is that where the famous Kreuznach lenses are made ? Heard they are some of the best lenses after Carl Zeiss lenses!
@@gregorygant4242
Yes, Schneider Optische Werke!
NASA used their lenses.
There are no permanent speed limits on 66 percent of the German motorway network. However, a study by the German economic institute IW shows that few Germans drive faster than 130 km/h. In many sections where there are actually no speed limits, there are still speed limits. Particularly on sections of road where work is taking place, and there are many of those in Germany.
We kept it lower than that most of the time.
If no speed limit is posted, there are general (implicit) speed limits: Within towns and villages, it's 50 kph, outside of towns and villages, it is 100 kph,. and on the Autobahn, there is none. Please take care: yellow signs showing city limits (both entering and leaving the town) are at the same time ending the previously set speed limit, both explicit and implicit.
Thank you!
I love driving on the Autobahn but my husband only lets me drive if he is sleepy. Cara, you do fab driving everywhere. Does Jeremy not like to drive? My husband did TDY in Oberammergau and Garmisch. So beautiful there.
I do not enjoy driving. Thankfully, Cara does most of the time.
That's a very impressive speed for such a small car.
No GENERAL speed limit, but there are many signs restricting the max speed. The recommended speed is 130 kph (80 mph). It has some legal implications if you're involved in an accident while driving faster.
As somebody that drives in the US in my holidays, I get a panic attack, that US citizens which are used to a max speed of 80mph, are allowed to drive here without speedlimit
there are no minimum speed signs on the autobahn . if you see a speed sign you must adhere to the speed shown there
The otterbarn?
Germany for me is the best kept secret in plain sight.Love it there.
Most german car manufacturers include up to 10-speed gearboxes in their high, and lately also their mid end cars, which keeps gas consumption low even if you are going 150 mph, because the motor is only doing between 2k-3k rpm. Accelerating to that speed is what initially costs a lot of gas, but staying at that speed is quite efficient. That is also why it is important to give way to faster cars on the Autobahn, they like to not be slowed down, because then they have to spend extra gas to get back up to speed. 😂
Well done Aah Kid! I’m a veteran from the RAF and served in Germany for 10years driving my own car and driving forces heavy trucks with trailer carrying practice and training munitions, mostly in the North on a line with Düsseldorf west to East. We lived within the community and drove on both sides of the forces fence. You did well Aah kid.
Cheers Both
Thanks!
German here. Your whole seat is way to close to the steering wheel. If both arms are nearly streched and can grab the steering wheel, while your shoulders are still have contact to the back of the seat, you are fine. Try it, it's way more relaxing.
The near side traffic lights ensure waiting cars don't encroach the cross roads.
That makes sense.
You can put these German (& other european) place names into Google Translate and click the speak icon. It will give you the correct local pronunciation and the English equivalent.
Oh, wow! That's very cool. Thank you.
it’s shocking how many people have no clue how to use a Motorway.
Plenty of people in the US don't.
@@TheMagicGeekdom I don’t know about the US but in the UK you don’t go on Motorways to get a Licence. it should be implemented immediately haha. Great Video 👍
@04:35 Yea in the UK we're only supposed to use the outer lanes for overtaking too, but there are so many bad or entitled drivers that don't use the inside lane. Everyone hates them.
I never found any great difficulty driving in Germany, as the urban and rural speed limits are very similar to those in the UK. It's easy if you have a UK-registered car as the speedometers are always dual-scaled in miles and kilometres. The scary bit on a two-lane autobahn is that heavy lorries are still restricted to the same speeds as the UK, 56 mph or equivalent, whereas the bloke in the Porsche can be screaming along as fast as the car will go. If you try to drive at a British 70 mph or thereabouts you are forever changing lanes.
Dear Lady
as a german I will have to say, you did great 👍👍
Thanks!
At BMW World in Munich you can hire demo cars by the hour to try them out. 2 years ago I rented an M4 (a 500bhp beast) for 110EUR for a whole day (which I thought very reasonable for an expensive, high performance car) and drove it to the Austrian border (Garmisch) and back at 140mph - because you can!
Oh, wow!
a lot of German food is no-nonsense and all the better for it. Eg a bread roll and Bockwurst for breakfast - nothing fancy just does the job and sets you up for the day. Don't get me wrong they do fine dining too but sometimes basic is what you want and need.
We enjoyed their simple nice quality breakfasts.
What I like about German roads is that they will indicate 60, 80, 100, 120 just for short stretches where lanes are merging or something similar, and German drivers keep to those speeds religiously. Because it’s for short distances with a reason. In the UK set speeds last for longer distances, often when you don’t know why (it’s slower) and we tend not to follow speed restrictions so well.
Very true!
Do a better resurch before you drive on the streets. It is: inside towns = 50km/h, outside at countryside = 100km/h, on the Autobahn = Richtgeschwindigkeit 130km/h. Drive slow at the right lane, don't overtake at right lanes! Drive the speed the other drivers do... is the best. Enjoy
Thanks for the information!
Go for a blast around the nurburgring.
2:40 Recommended speed on the Autobahn: 130 km/h (~80.8 mph)
Thanks!
I go around 100mph on the autobahn. My car is a 3 liter diesel, so milage is really good (around 7,5l/100km or 30mpg)
Nice!
That's pretty good mileage for 100.
Jeremy: Boy! Bring me my brown pants, so that the viewers will not see me panic at Portland driving on the autobahn.
Cara: Hush your mouth, sonny, else you will have to host a second vid about eating Indian cuisine in UK all by your little itsy-bitsy self
Jeremy:: Deal! :(
gas (pump) station in germany is tankstelle
Driving license cost with mandated practice and theory class around 2500-3000 Euro
The thing i don't get about the American system of paying for the petrol before you pump, is how do you know how much you need? Here i just fill up the tank, if i were in America how am i meant to know how much it'll take to do that? And what happens if i pay for more than i need, do i just lose that extra money?
If you are using a card, you select the dollar amount or "fill". If you don't get to the dollar amount you only get charged the correct amount.
If you are using cash, you give the cashier the amount of cash you think you will need and they will authorize the pump for that amount. If you don't reach that amount you have to go back in to the cashier for your change.
@@bradmcmahon3156 ok cool, thanks for the explanation. The card part doesn't sound too bad, but having to go back in to get a refund with cash sounds like a PITA.
@@markc1793 same PITA that americans feel when they can't pay directly by card at the pump and have to go inside at all.
but there are reasons for everything ... besides more trust (and better security cameras?) german gas stations like to sell additional things like beverages, snacks, cigarettes or newspapers, instead of only gas with lower profit margins. And germans are also used to authorize each and every larger card payment after seeing the amount (instead of giving blank authorizations) by entering their PIN which can't really be done in advance, or at least would feel like a security risk, or they pay with cash anyway.
Looks like someone answered for us. Thanks, @bradmcmahon3156
111MPH??? 😱 The scenery reminds me of the movie The Zone of Interest.
that's about the max speed my car is able to go 😢 but in germany it's still a normal travel speed 😅 if there is no speed limit people here just drive any velocity they prefer 🤷♀️ sometimes i feel so slow driving 180km/h with my car struggling to keep the speed while others just fly by 🥺
Interesting. We haven't seen that movie, but it's from A24. We'll have to check it out.
It just Won 3 Bafta Awards including Best film not in the English language and Outstanding British film of the year. @@TheMagicGeekdom
This is scary. How is that even possible, i always thought that you need at least a short refresher course about default speed limits, signs, etc. when you come to another country (and have a vaild driving license for your own country).
Cara had a valid US license, an international driving permit, and watched some videos. People from the UK and Europe can come to the US and rent a car with just a license.
11:56 and you mentioned drivers license.. with usual USA license you aren't allowed to drive in The Netherlands.. automatic doesn't allow you to drive a manual. If you have a manual license, then you are alowed to drive automatic aswell.. but in Europe automatics are luxuery, hurses, or for elderly or diabled, like one missing a leg or somthing like that.
Does Jeremy drive? I don’t think I’ve ever seen him drive in a video. 🚙 💨
I do not enjoy driving. Cara thankfully does.
I believe towns and cities it is 50KPH and autobahn anything from 70 up
Omg… as a New Zealander, where our motorway speed is 100km/h I can’t even imagine going 160… I think the fastest I’ve ever been is 110km/h…. That kind of speed just seems insane to me. I know I’ve been on the autobahn (as a passenger) and probably gone pretty high speeds…. But as a driver? No way in hell would I be going that fast. It can’t be safe!
found the following numbers on Wikipedia for 2016
Germany: 4.1 deaths per 100,000 residents (5.7 per 100,000 cars, 4.4 per 1 billion km driven)
New Zealand: 7.8 deaths per 100,000 residents (8.9 per 100,000 cars, 7.7 per 1 billion km driven)
Most traffic deaths (~58%) occur on country roads (with a speed limit of 100 kph), ~30% within cities and only 12% on the Autobahn.
Driving on the Autobahn is way less dangerous than driving on country roads.
Yep, going over 200km/h is a regular thing on the autobahn in Germany .
Not many countries you can do that in without getting a ticket !
I used to live in Australia and the speed limit there was 110-120 km/h !
german here 😊 the speed one's comfortable with depends on what you're used to 🤔 i'm driving for over 20 years now and i love driving fast but i still remember the first time i drove when even 50km/h felt fast. and the first time i drove 210km/h i had an adrenaline rush 😅 but a few tours later it just felt normal 🤷♀️
also driving fast and safety don't correlate that much. there are many other factors intertwining. just look up the statistics for germany. we're very disciplined especially while driving fast, so as long as everyone sticks to the rules and pays attention it's pretty safe 😊
160 is ok, just gotta keep your eye on the rear view mirror, always guarantee there’s a Porsche, Audi,Merc etc wanting to Warp Factor 9 past you..
Depends what you compare it to. Compared to the US, Germany gets pretty low traffic fatalities per distance driven, but I think compared with other countries in Europe, German roads are typically a bit less safe, though not much. But 120 or 130 km/h is generally the speed limit for most European countries on the motorway, 100 km/h seems pretty slow to us. But with drivers who actually learn how to drive, and people having to take a lot of driving lessons before being able to get their license, safety isn't really a problem. There is a debate to include a general speed limit in Germany, but the reason most prominently given are higher emmissions, because going faster needs more energy; safety isn't a concern for the most part.
There is no *general* speed limit. But there local speed limits, temporary speed limits and limits that arise from the fact that you are obligated to adapt your speed to the current traffic and weather situation. You may only drive as fast so that you can completely stop within your sight.
And there is a recommended speed of 130 km/h if you go faster, you won't get booked for speeding, but you will get the guilt if an accident happened which could have been avoided it you drove slower.
Thank you for the information!
Fascinating, how much space is in a Fiat 500cc
Autobahn. Recommended speed 130 kph ,red circle with number in it maximum speed limit, white circle with diagonal lines and no number in it no speed limit, inside cities or villages 50kph max (or indicated different with Red circle +number inside) outside villages 100kph or indicated different, + inside villages or cities is a additional sign blue square with a house, two people adult and kid with a ball and a car behind that means walking speed 5-7 kph (traffic reduced area)
And careful when driving over to Austria. Everything looks the same, but the "recommended" speed instantly is the "max allowed" speed, and speeding is very cost intensive.
Thanks!
@@TheMagicGeekdom 😊👋
It's not about how much wear there'll be on your car if you drive really fast on the Autobahn. It's about whether you can afford a car which is safe enough to drive really fast on the Autobahn. I wouldn't drive regularly at 180 km/h on the Autobahn in that particular car, and probably not even at 150 when it's a rental. 130 is more than fast enough, unless you own a car you know can handle high speed.
i went 290 kmh on my motorbike, all kinds of fun
You made a 'challenging' choice in that little Fiat for the Autobahn! The pedals in the floor should have alerted you to that! ;-)
Looking forward to your videos of the towns and countryside in Germany, which hopefully you have done?
Very true! Hope you enjoy the videos!
I loved you told us it was 50 euro to fill. We see the Americans on base with those big gas guzzlers and gas on base is not much cheaper than on the economy. I loved my smart car.
I am German and I want to say:
every tourist (including me) makes the one mistake in thinking:
You see something in the visited country that is unusual for you and you think "Why are they all doing this, is this a habit or why?" The truth is: just some are doing this ... and all the others just don't stand out or just don't get the attention or don't show up at all in that moment or they do this and that sometimes and at other times just not, simply according to the individual circumstance. But we as tourists say "oh, they do this... everywhere in the country". 🙂
I drive mostly 110 to 140 km/h and sometimes 160 to 170 if I am in a hurry. Faster as 180 I consider not as save although I am German and used to see this speed at the Autobahn and many Germans claim they were driving super safe with 200 and 250 km/h but this is objectively impossible to be really safe. No matter how few accidents happen on the German Autobahn, 200 and especially more is definitely less safe. There are enogh terrible accidents happening with people going too fast on the motorway (or too slow... is also very dangerous).
Have watched your vlogs the last few months and have slowly noticed Jeremy does not seem as enthusiastic and there is a sadness about him , it was very telling in the Q&A when you left the U.K and he said how he was ready to go home. I wonder is it could be home sickness or just tiredness as you have been on the go a lot and it is probably taking its toll on him. Take care
It was a bit of tiredness, but I'm doing fine. Thank you for thinking about me!
We call them "Tankstelle".
Thank you!
Greetings from Chile, saludos desde Chile
I drive fom the UK to Bavarian 2 or 3 times a year. Where there is no speed shown, you should keep to 130, if you go above and have an accident, your speed is taken into consideration. When you drive into a town or village, indicated by a sign, speed limt is 50 (30mph) when you leave a town, you see a yellow sign with a red line, which means you can speed up again.. The yellow diamond sign is mean that you have to yeld to traffic from the left, this is in built up areas. Speed cameras are very sneaky, so stick to the speed limit. I have a UK sticker on the back of my car, I think locals believe we can't drive on the right hand side. Enjoy your time in Bayern, it is a beautiful area of Germany.
Thankfully, we were under 130 the vast majority of the time.
The thing to remember about the "no speed limit" thing is that autobahns have a speed "advisory" or recommendation of 130kph (80 mph). *IF* you exceed that recommendation and you have an accident, you will find yourself in a legal and insurance nightmare. It is simply not worth doing more than 130kph. I lived in Germany for ten years and don't think I ever went over 130kph. Just not worth the risk.
yes, 130 is a nice traveling speed. But i like that with no general limit, i don't have to watch speed too closely and can just "go with the flow", eg being a bit slower uphill (with a weaker car) and faster downhill (with no need to break to go exactly 130). thus usually doing 120-140 or 110-150 (68-93 mph) with no fear of being fined.
That makes a lot of sense. Thankfully, we didn't generally go over that speed. We mostly stayed in the slow lane.
About the gas stations: You are on video. Driving away without having paid is no good idea. The cops will be waiting at your frontdoor before you get home.And people like to fill the tank up to capacity when gas is cheaper than usual or to work out their fuel consumption.