The Autobahn (Germany's cool hi-way.)

I watched a show the other night on the Science channel featuring Germany's Autobahn.
The producers set up a camera in a Porsche and filmed what it was like to go 212 MPH on the highway...Wow..
It amazed me how that the driver didn't have to slow down for other traffic...I mean, the other drivers actually PAID ATTENTION to the upcoming traffic and moved out of the way!

One of the sad (and slightly cutting) statements was when a German traffic engeneer asked the American traffic engineer if the USA would benifit from such a system.
The American said "I'm afraid that such a highway would never work over there (USA) ...Americans are too busy drinking soda, talking on cell phones, watching tv and other distracting stuff to have such a system"...Ahhh!

An amazing fact is the Autobahn has about 1/2 of the accidents that our Expressways do....that speaks volumes on the American driver.

Interesting Facts:

Outside emergency shoulders and long acceleration and deceleration lanes.
Full grade-separation and access control provided by half cloverleaf interchanges at exits and cloverleafs and directional interchanges at Autobahn crossings. Interchanges are generally well-spaced, sometimes exceeding 30 km between.
4% or lesser grades. Climbing lanes are provided on most steep grades.
Gentle and well-banked curves.
Freeze-resistant concrete or bituminous surface.
Roadbed and surface measuring about 68 cm (27 inches) in thickness.

Our Roads are 1/2 as thick (so we have fix the $%#&# things constantly!)

In addition, Autobahns also feature the following amenities:

Reflector guide posts at 50 meter intervals.
Frequent parking areas, often equipped with toilet facilities.
Extensive and ample service areas featuring gas stations, restaurants, and hotels.
Automated traffic monitoring and electronic signs providing dynamic speed limits and/or advance warning of congestion or fog.
Emergency telephones at 2 km intervals.
Pre-designated detour routes to facilitate emergency closures.
Standardized signage.
Wildlife protection fencing and crossover tunnels.
Maintenance is superb. Crews inspect every meter of the system periodically, and when a fissure or other defect is found, the entire road section is replaced. Signs, barriers, and other features are also well maintained.

Heres a link to a neat site on the Autobahn:

http://home.att.net/~texhwyman/autobahn.htm

in Germany: I drove a Hummer at top speed down the autobahn! Granted, it was a military spec vehicle and we were headed for a maneuver area, but still.........funfunfun!

I don't mean authoritarian in a necessarily political manner, more in a general way of looking at things sense. One thing that was very noticeable when I lived in Germany was that rules were meant to be obeyed. I've never seen people get such dirty looks for jaywalking in any other country.

The left lane is a PASSING LANE, otherwise keep right.
I was watching a German version of "dangerous police chases" where a guy passed another car from the right hand side. It ended up that the driver being chased was fined for passing on the right, and the driver he passed was also fined for being passed on the right. What a country!

The Gas stops don't have nearly the capacity to deal with the number of vehicles. You may be able to drive fast, but when you have to sit in line for 20-30 minutes at the station to get to the fuel pump, you kind of lose time. It's better to just pull off into a town and look for a gas station.

The typical high rate of speed of drivers on the Autobahn can exacerbate traffic jams

Yes it is a good system, yes maintenance is OK. However it is not as perfect as it used to be.

Nor are all drivers perfect - in some areas people seem to believe that the use of the turn signals is optional; overtaking on the right side is another nasty habit getting more popular by each day.

Also traffic flowing at 160+ kph can be very stressing and daunting, especially for people not used to it. Going any slower (and even at that speed) means having a huge Mercedes about one foot behind your rear bumper, headlights flashing.

Also Germany has strict demands on the Driver Education and car maintenance - a Driver's License can easily cost several thousand Euros and vehicle check-ups are mandatory every other year.

Edit: Not to mention: Speeding is Germany's irrational "Freedom". Apparently every nation has such a thing.

I remember receiving our orientation when we got to Germany. When the instructor was talking about driving on the autobahn, he said that it was illegal to run out of gas. If you picked up the emergency distress phone, the Polezei would come out to your car, gas you up, and then write you a ticket! Only in Germany, huh? :-)

How are you?

Yes, it is really illegal to run out of fuel. If it happens one has to convince the ADAC (AAA) clerk not to write "out of gas" into the report...

There are lots of strange old rules, many are no longer observed. For example cruising is illegal.

If you run out of gas 200 meters from a gas station, fill up a can, gas up and go, can you still be ticketed?

BTW, I'm fine, thank you. Still miss Germany terribly and can't wait to go back.

If you go to a police station and confess, then I guess they might give you a ticket. :shrug:

As with all things: just don't get caught and you'll be fine :evilgrin:

and conserve fuel.
The idea didn't sit well at all with the people present.