Good video as always! So many things to love about Germany and Bavaria in particular...Autobahn, festivals, beer, food and lets not forget the people. Most Americans have been mislead to think that Germans are harsh unwelcoming people. My wife and I have had the opposite experience where we have met and befriended so many Germans in our local town. Thanks again for the content. We can't wait to see what/where you're going to explore next.
Considering the road signs. They are similar on almost all countries around the world. Except, of course, the USA and some other countries. It is a standard set long time ago and the USA didn’t want to comply.
Thank you for the great videos. This was one of the best videos on the autobahn. I have a bumper sticker on my car that says “if I just passed you on the right you’re an idiot “. I was raised in the Miami area but I was stationed in Würzburg and Stuttgart for most of my 20’s, so I really learned to drive in Germany. I was in Stuttgart when the wall fell so that gives you a timeframe. American drivers are horrible! I try to go back to Germany about every 18 months. The reason I watch all of your videos is because when I’m not in Germany, I miss it. And also you always show me something new that I haven’t seen yet. I’ll be there April 2025 and I’ll be renting a car for half my trip. I usually just take the train but I felt like it has been awhile since I drove over there and driving in Germany was always a pleasure compared to the US because you always knew what the other driver was going to do. Nothing like the US where you have no idea what other drivers are going to do. Thanks for the videos and that restaurant you recommended in Munich was great!
I very much like your German singing, Ben. I always love seeing you enjoying yourselves. It puts me in a good mood myself. It is a pitty, the beer Festival season is over. Next year you could go to the Gäubodenfest, Bavaria's second biggest beer festival, after the Oktoberfest of course. I think the Gäubodenfest is realy under-represented on TH-cam and that is such a pitty. When I saw the title of your video, I was really sceptical. Being German, I never thought that driving on the motorway could be perceived as being scary. I get scared by driving in Munich instead. So that aspect I thought was very interesting. However, for me at least, NEAR FROM HOME is public transport travel vlog and I really think that it is so cool to promote the idea of holidaying using public transport, because in Germany it is so easy, inexpensive and environmentally friendly to do so. Yet, most people would automatically go for a rental car, as they are unfamiliar with the idea of how easy it is to go "public transport". So it is great that you show them. Very much enjoyed your video again, thanks Ben and Camille.
Thank you so much! We will keep Gäubodenfest in mind for next year! I have never heard of it, but it sounds pretty famous. yes! We find a lot of people default to renting a car, when it's so much cheaper and easier to take the train. That being said, there are some things you really need a car for. Not many, but some!
Your video was excellent! I LOVE driving on the Autobahn, and I have taken delivery of 3 cars in Germany over the years. Most recently in 2018 I took my delivery at BMW Welt of my 2019 330Xi Sport Wagon! It's a real experience to be treated something near royalty there!
@@NearFromHome Fastest I've driven on the Autobahn was in 2018 in my rental car whilst awaiting my BMW to be ready for delivery: that was on the Autobahn between the Eastern border towards Munich; I got into a convoy between a big Mercedes and a top line Audi, with a BMW behind me--all of us traveling ar 248 kph. I was driving a turbodiesel Ford, that was rattling like a POS!
9:00 Well, in my opinion roundabouts in Germany usually have one major flaw: Even if they have two (or more) circular lanes, usually they exit into single lane roads. Judging from what I've seen in Spain, traffic flow is much better if you have two-lane exits.
3:45 Germany had an unbroken series of Bavarian men (Peter Ramsauer, Alexander Dobrindt, Christian Schmidt (comm.), Andreas Scheuer) heading the Ministry for Traffic in Germany. So where did they funnel all the road construction money to?
Managed 174mph on the Autobahn this summer driving down to Austria, bottled it at those speeds, especially when you can see a mile downbthe road a lorry indicating to overtake, and you need to be ready on those brakes.
I visited Bavaria about 2 months ago and although our itenerary left us mostly on provincial roads, we drove some stretches on the Autobahn. Only one part (from Garmisch to München) had no speed restrictions. Unfortunately, our rental car was pretty underpowered and wouldn't get over 155 km/h. It was still a nice change from driving in the Netherlands, which the day time speed limit is 100 km/h.
Nice video regarding the ease of driving in Germany. One of highlights of my trip to Germany last year was driving the autobahn in my little Hyundai Turbo A-20. It loved to cruise at about 160-170 and I hit 190 briefly. I had to laugh as it had a sticker on the dash to not exceed 210km/hr. Your roads all over Bavaria were a joy to ride and so smooth compared to our crap Toronto/Ontario roads. Appreciated the high quality of drivers and the high discipline while on the roads. What a great festival!
@@MrFreezeYo Well I'm not sure that little 3 cylinder motor could get it to 210 but it did better than I first thought when I got the car. Anyway those roads were a joy to travel on.
@@MrFreezeYohi, not only into rental cars. It s also mandated if the car goes faster as the tyres allow it s not the case to summer tyres they have mostly the speed allowance(?)/capability , but it s most if you drive on winter tyres and these are somehow speed restricted.
Autobahn quality is fairly consistent as it’s federally controlled. However, some sections in East Germany still have the original surface built during GDR times and you can definitely notice the difference.
Many of the northern autobahns aren't built with flüsterasphalt aka whisper Asphalt as well. So you always notice it immediately when you cross a federal state border.
@@lewst yeah, I'd say it's often also a function of how old the surface is, e.g. newly renovated sections have better quality surface in terms of evenness, noise and water absorbtion
Oh yeah. I knew about 'under-taking'. There is a sticker you can get that has an arrow to the 'overtaking side' and the 'undertaking side' with a coffin next to it. IE, play on the words 'Undertaker'.
Leberkäs' gehört in ein Brötchen, um ein LKW zu machen (Leberkäsewecken). 'Leberkäse' belongs inside a bread roll, to create a 'truck' (LKW means 'heavy load vehicle', so an acronym for a truck - but it can also mean 'bread roll with Leberkäse') Just FYI: Even though the name Leberkäse looks like 'Leber' (=liver) and 'Käse' (=cheese), it typically contains neither of those. The name derives from 'Laib', which has the same roots as 'loaf', and 'Kas', which has the same roots as 'case'. So 'Leberkäse' literally comes from 'a loaf in a case', which is how it is made. It is basically an extremely fine meatloaf baked in a case/box to give it a rectangular shape.
I love Germany . We could move there tomorrow. We took the kids there 20 years ago, and the kids were yelling faster, Dad faster. We got up 195 till the wife said that's it .
@@NearFromHome Tbh... Drivin' a longer time at a speed faster than 180, is exausting. My crusin' speed with my Bavarin friend is normaly 150. That's perfect fine for me. But the fastest I drove myself, was 240. At least only for 4 or 5 minutes. It's to much stress, but it was an expirience, which is good to have. It put things in the right perspective. And the longest time, I drove (only with short breakes) on a row, was from my home region (near Frankfurt) to behind Bordeaux on the French atlantic cost, around 14 hours. After this, I was done...
I enjoyed driving the autobahn from Munich to points south while on vacation last month. I’m from the USA and found the autobahn rules intuitive and somewhat refreshing. I wonder how Germans think of driving in the USA? I’m guessing they will find it quite annoying.
For a country that relies so much on driving, it is sad to admit that US drivers are horrid and badly trained. We do have a few roundabouts, and too many treat them like four way stops! 😡 Where I live (near Mickey Mouse), we get the added bonus of lost tourists mixed with locals in a hurry and that just invites accidents. Quick question-if undertaking is illegal (& I did know it), how does you handle drivers going slow in the left lane (like you described happened in the video)? I know tailgating is illegal there too, so do you just suffer until they move over? Just curious. Excellent purpose to the video and good advice-ask yourself the purpose of the video. Yours: autobahn isn’t scary and has GREAT destinations! “Alive with the sound of beer festivals” 😂😂 Now that’s a song I can listen to! What a great festival! (I need little schnapps bottles on my next Board!) Looking forward to the next great video! Rob
Driving slow in the left or middle lane is illegal in most European counties for which you can get fines. Once you have overtaken you need to move back to the most right lane (that is available). Also, if the fines don't scare you, then flashing lights, honking and tailgating pressure will make you move to the right lane.
I would think you drive close behind and flash your lights at them, but honestly, when I undertook in the US, it was always zigzagging around others on the highway Thanks so much for watching. Glad you liked the festival!
A bit late 😊. I was in Germany in Jul, visiting my cousins in Sonnenbuhl, near Stuttgart. I drove in the Autobahn and it was a bit of a change from my experiences in Canada. My opinion about the no yield sign though is opposite to yours. I also found German drivers a bit entitled. Roads close to Sonnenbuhl wind around hills and they expect you to drive at 100K and try to put you under pressure as those are single lane roads. To add, I am a pro transit guy. I drive here in Canada due to lack of choice and not due to my love for driving.
Interesting, I drove already in 1952 on the Autobahn without speed limit and much less traffic at that time in Germany. But I enjoy much more flying with my own little airplane.
The "no speed limit" is not quite what it seems. The correct terminology for the autobahn would be "recommended speed of 130" If you drive faster and have an accident, you will have problems with your insurance which will claim that you are partly to blame because of being faster than the recommended speed.
@@mariokart6488 In what way? Because while not quite correct, it is close enough imo to at least not be called BS. The full truth is that if on a section of the Autobahn whithout a speed-limit, if you do drive over 130km/h and have an accident, they will check wether you driving at or below 130km/h would've prevented that accident (if someone sideswipes you for example, the speed almost never matters, and so they pay in full). And even then, all you usually get is partial responsibilty, the amount of which is discussed between the insurances (or in rare cases the courts). Unless ofc you were going too fast for the situation (for example, driving 300 around a blind corner on a 2-lane part of the Autobahn violates the vision-rule even during day-time [that rule says that you have to be able to stop in half the distance you can see on the road, else if you have an accident you're officially going too fast no matter what you're allowed to drive; it officially doesn't apply on the Autobahn at night], so at that point it would almost certainly be judged to be 100% your fault if you crash into someone), which in Germany is recorded as an accident due to excess speed (this is the reason so many accidents are recorded as such, even if at first glance you wouldn't think so as the crashed car was driving within the speed limit).
@mariokart6488 no it's not bullshit. If you drive faster than 130, it's your responsibility to make sure that it's safe. In case of an accident you are held (partially) responsible, even if the accident was caused by someone else. The only possibility to avoid this is, when you can prove that the accident could not have been avoided and would not have caused less damage at 130. You are also not allowed to drive as fast as you want. You are only allowed to drive as fast as it is 'reasonable' given the current road, weather and traffic conditions. If you drive too crazy (that is not tied to a specific speed), your insurance might not even need to pay in case of an accident.
Pretty normal if you drive a lot job wise. 235 km/h is the fastest I went but that's only possible in some special Parts of the Autobahn. Normally 200-210 is max.
@@sonyphotoguy6601 Yes, for some people it is normal, but in general this really is not normal. Many cars on the German roads are not even able to drive 235 km/h. And it's quite rare to have a traffic situation where it is safe to drive that fast for a longer period of time.
Hi, ich sehe das sie eine dicke Jacke an hat aber den Sicherheitsgurt nicht angelegt hat. Beides ist " falsch " , die dicke Jacke " behindert " das Fahrgefühl/Gefühl für das Fahrzeug und würde mich stören aber der Sicherheitsgurt sollte/muss schon angelegt sein.
The roads in Germany, including the motorways, are so good because they are built and repaired using tax money from vehicle taxes. They are designed for high speeds and are even better constructed than North America's roads. The quality of Europe's roads is also higher than in the United States. GERMANY'S biggest lobby is the car manufacturers and drivers. The taxes are also higher than in the United States.Even the driving license is expensive, OK, but that's also because the driving students learn it and are trained in a real driving school. You could say that they get better training than North Americans, with the 9,000 different traffic signs and rules in Europe, where you really have to learn everything because a lot of things are different to North America and you really have to have it down before you can get behind the wheel. That's why it takes an average of six months in a driving school in Europe to get a driving license. European driving license holders are better drivers than most North Americans because their training is more extensive than that of a North American driving license. Europeans have to pass a first aid course before they start, they learn where fluids go in the car, how to change a tire, windshield wipers and bulbs for the lights, and much more.Anyone who gets a driving licence in Europe knows how expensive it is and doesn't want to risk losing it again by doing stupid things in traffic! Following the rules also keeps traffic flowing and anyone who camps in the left lane and middle lane on the German Autobahn can be severely punished. The same goes for overtaking on the right and creeping along the Autobahn. Heavy fines that can also be collected abroad! So, dear Americans, be assured that you will also be punished at home if you mess up on Germany's roads.
yes well said! I think a lot of Germans are frustrating with this level of interference in getting a driver's license, but it makes driving so much safer and pleasant.
@@NearFromHome : No, we are not frustrated or negative about getting a driver's license like this! That's a false assumption. Instead, we are annoyed about the annual increase in the price, although when I look at it more closely, it immediately filters out those who wouldn't have made it anyway because of their IQ, because the prerequisite of a certain level of education is missing.
The thing is,even when you could drive faster in America it would probably kill you. Or to be exact some hole in the highway would. They are far away from German Autobahn maintance quality.
i think its important to know for everyone who uses MPH instead of KPH to Know most of you Already drove at the Speed of the Most Parts of the Autobahn which is 80MPH = 130 KPH while in Citys the usual Allowed Speed goes down to about 30MPH which is about ~50KPH and EVEN Slower to about 19MPH which is 30KPH there are WHOLE ZONES of Citys where your only Allowed to drive 30KPH and more and more Roads get Limited to 30KPH in Rare Occasions down to 20KPH not to forget "Spielstraße" / Playing Roads in Residential Areas ( which has its own Sign ) where your only allowed to "Crawl" with about 5KPH called "Schrittgeschwindigkeit" directly Translated to "Walking Speed"... be Prepared if you Hit Roads in Foreign Countrys 😁
Yep, the Autobahn road quality is all in all really good. Plenty of annoying roadworks but hey, there's always something :D The only exception I'd name here are bridges. A lot of them are in such a poor state. I've been driving Bremen - Stuttgart and back a lot lately and the closer you get to Stuttgart the more bridges there are due to the increasingly hilly landscape, and at what feels like every other one they put up 100 km/h speed limits for cars and motorbikes, as well as 60 km/h speed limits and no-passing signs for trucks, so the bridges won't deteriorate even faster. Or they blow them up like on the A45 in Lüdenscheid before they collapse on their own.
Well, we pay a lot, and I mean an awfull lot of taxes. That way everyone can enjoy a free ride on our streets. In other countrys, you have to pay in order to use the highway...
We sure do. But frankly that’s the point. Though I’d be totally fine if tourists had to pay a little for access to the system. Like how you need to pickup that sticker when you cross the border to Austria.
I never heard of a specific speed limit in the insurance contract. But the insurance might not have to pay in the case of negligence. This of cause, is often the case when you drive really fast.
55% of the German population is in favor of introducing a speed limit on the Autobahn. The German government wanted to introduce it, but the proposal narrowly missed the required majority. It won't be the last attempt.
lol... Lucky me, I'm an old man now and in a few years I'm no longer interested in the topic to go fast. And a general speed limit, could be also high, like 180, right?
I love your video and appreciate the 'normal' perspective. I would like to clear a lil think that could be misunderstood by some Autobahn tourists. As not to give the wrong impressions they're no restrictions anymore even after you passing the famous sign. If you're in an accident it's hard to convince the judge bc if you're not able to handle the car securely at that speed in this situation (which you weren't obviously), you're not allowed driving that fast. If you speed over the recommended 130 you are responsible and take the consequences in all manners. Overall, doesn't matter where you come from, we should follow an advice from my driving teacher. "Drive in that way that anybody around you is able to know what you're willing to do next time" I think this would help us a lot
How could you say so many bad things about American drivers? Oh wait, they are TRUE, coming from someone who has lived in the US his entire life but has had professional driving training. Next year, my son and I plan to fly to Germany to visit the Porsche, Mercedes, and BMW museums, plus a visit to some WWII sights, but all those by train. However, we plan a trip on the Autobahn to visit Lorndorff, where my Dad's family is from, which has no train service (although it has an abandoned rail line).
Foreigners on German Autobahn need to know that not all fast cars are dangerous, but that they themselves are extremely dangerous for others. I would be in favor of everyone being prohibited from driving in Germany who does not have a German driver's license. Then German roads would finally be a paradise.
Are you for real? Being a foreign driver is of cause not dangerous per se. In fact, I have seen a lot of foreign drivers, especially from neighbouring countries, that drive more safely than German drivers because they are used to speed limits on highways and therefore don't drive that fast. What's actually dangerous is when you come here and drive on the Autobahn just for the sake of driving as fast as possible to have fun or when you drive here without knowing any of the rules. The autobahn is still a highway, not a race track. But that is not the majority of foreign drivers. In fact, I have seen a LOT of dangerous driving from German drivers as well.
1:09 Why are you both unbelted? It's against the law! Why you are going only 170 kmh when there is no limit? A little bit lame. BTW Oktoberfest you only join if you live beneath the 'Weißwurstäquator'.
Ähm... Wenn die nicht angeschnallt gewesen wären, hättest du dass permanente Meckern des Audi im Video gehört, dass du nicht angeschnallt bist. Du bist schon der 2. der die Sache nicht komplett durchgedacht hat...
Es gibt einfach nicht so viele Skandinavier, die da durchrollen. Wann sieht man schon mal einen Dänen, oder Schweden auf der Piste? Ganz selten mal... Aber das ändert natürlich nichts daran, dass ihr bedauernswerten Menschen, im Norden lebt...
Stop with the nonsense that there are no speed limits on German motorways. There are. 70% have a speed limit of 120/130 km/h. 30% are controlled by a speed limit, i.e. on certain stretches the speed limit is worn down depending on the traffic situation.
I love the honesty and lack of bullshit in your videos
Thank you! Genuinely. I’m glad someone does because the algorithm doesn’t 🤣
Good video as always! So many things to love about Germany and Bavaria in particular...Autobahn, festivals, beer, food and lets not forget the people. Most Americans have been mislead to think that Germans are harsh unwelcoming people. My wife and I have had the opposite experience where we have met and befriended so many Germans in our local town. Thanks again for the content. We can't wait to see what/where you're going to explore next.
Thanks so much for watching! While I do find Germans to be less friendly than Americans, I think both of us prefer it.
Considering the road signs. They are similar on almost all countries around the world. Except, of course, the USA and some other countries.
It is a standard set long time ago and the USA didn’t want to comply.
yes, it's very annoying :/
Thank you for the great videos. This was one of the best videos on the autobahn. I have a bumper sticker on my car that says “if I just passed you on the right you’re an idiot “. I was raised in the Miami area but I was stationed in Würzburg and Stuttgart for most of my 20’s, so I really learned to drive in Germany. I was in Stuttgart when the wall fell so that gives you a timeframe. American drivers are horrible! I try to go back to Germany about every 18 months. The reason I watch all of your videos is because when I’m not in Germany, I miss it. And also you always show me something new that I haven’t seen yet. I’ll be there April 2025 and I’ll be renting a car for half my trip. I usually just take the train but I felt like it has been awhile since I drove over there and driving in Germany was always a pleasure compared to the US because you always knew what the other driver was going to do. Nothing like the US where you have no idea what other drivers are going to do. Thanks for the videos and that restaurant you recommended in Munich was great!
Thanks so much! We really appreciate it!
I very much like your German singing, Ben. I always love seeing you enjoying yourselves. It puts me in a good mood myself. It is a pitty, the beer Festival season is over. Next year you could go to the Gäubodenfest, Bavaria's second biggest beer festival, after the Oktoberfest of course. I think the Gäubodenfest is realy under-represented on TH-cam and that is such a pitty. When I saw the title of your video, I was really sceptical. Being German, I never thought that driving on the motorway could be perceived as being scary. I get scared by driving in Munich instead. So that aspect I thought was very interesting. However, for me at least, NEAR FROM HOME is public transport travel vlog and I really think that it is so cool to promote the idea of holidaying using public transport, because in Germany it is so easy, inexpensive and environmentally friendly to do so. Yet, most people would automatically go for a rental car, as they are unfamiliar with the idea of how easy it is to go "public transport". So it is great that you show them. Very much enjoyed your video again, thanks Ben and Camille.
Thank you so much! We will keep Gäubodenfest in mind for next year! I have never heard of it, but it sounds pretty famous.
yes! We find a lot of people default to renting a car, when it's so much cheaper and easier to take the train. That being said, there are some things you really need a car for. Not many, but some!
Your video was excellent! I LOVE driving on the Autobahn, and I have taken delivery of 3 cars in Germany over the years. Most recently in 2018 I took my delivery at BMW Welt of my 2019 330Xi Sport Wagon! It's a real experience to be treated something near royalty there!
:O wow that's cool
@@NearFromHome Fastest I've driven on the Autobahn was in 2018 in my rental car whilst awaiting my BMW to be ready for delivery: that was on the Autobahn between the Eastern border towards Munich; I got into a convoy between a big Mercedes and a top line Audi, with a BMW behind me--all of us traveling ar 248 kph. I was driving a turbodiesel Ford, that was rattling like a POS!
Always love your videos.
Me too! Always put a smile on my face :D
Thanks so much!
9:00 Well, in my opinion roundabouts in Germany usually have one major flaw: Even if they have two (or more) circular lanes, usually they exit into single lane roads. Judging from what I've seen in Spain, traffic flow is much better if you have two-lane exits.
That is a good point I didn't consider!
3:45 Germany had an unbroken series of Bavarian men (Peter Ramsauer, Alexander Dobrindt, Christian Schmidt (comm.), Andreas Scheuer) heading the Ministry for Traffic in Germany. So where did they funnel all the road construction money to?
True
lol
Managed 174mph on the Autobahn this summer driving down to Austria, bottled it at those speeds, especially when you can see a mile downbthe road a lorry indicating to overtake, and you need to be ready on those brakes.
:O
I visited Bavaria about 2 months ago and although our itenerary left us mostly on provincial roads, we drove some stretches on the Autobahn. Only one part (from Garmisch to München) had no speed restrictions. Unfortunately, our rental car was pretty underpowered and wouldn't get over 155 km/h. It was still a nice change from driving in the Netherlands, which the day time speed limit is 100 km/h.
😭 I think the true autobahn experience is being passed by a BMW going 200kph 😅
Nice video regarding the ease of driving in Germany. One of highlights of my trip to Germany last year was driving the autobahn in my little Hyundai Turbo A-20. It loved to cruise at about 160-170 and I hit 190 briefly. I had to laugh as it had a sticker on the dash to not exceed 210km/hr. Your roads all over Bavaria were a joy to ride and so smooth compared to our crap Toronto/Ontario roads. Appreciated the high quality of drivers and the high discipline while on the roads. What a great festival!
those stickers are put into rental cars because you have to put them in your car when you have tires which aren't built for those speeds ;)
uh oh
lol Glad you had a nice time!
@@MrFreezeYo Well I'm not sure that little 3 cylinder motor could get it to 210 but it did better than I first thought when I got the car. Anyway those roads were a joy to travel on.
@@MrFreezeYohi, not only into rental cars. It s also mandated if the car goes faster as the tyres allow it s not the case to summer tyres they have mostly the speed allowance(?)/capability , but it s most if you drive on winter tyres and these are somehow speed restricted.
I really appreciate, that you point out, that driving on the Autobahn is not as scary as other video try to show.
thank you! It is a pet peeve of ours
Autobahn quality is fairly consistent as it’s federally controlled. However, some sections in East Germany still have the original surface built during GDR times and you can definitely notice the difference.
I am not surprised!
Many of the northern autobahns aren't built with flüsterasphalt aka whisper Asphalt as well. So you always notice it immediately when you cross a federal state border.
Nonsense, they reintroduced the cement because it is more robust due to the mass of the trucks.
@@lewst yeah, I'd say it's often also a function of how old the surface is, e.g. newly renovated sections have better quality surface in terms of evenness, noise and water absorbtion
Oh yeah. I knew about 'under-taking'. There is a sticker you can get that has an arrow to the 'overtaking side' and the 'undertaking side' with a coffin next to it. IE, play on the words 'Undertaker'.
😅
Love the video ❤
Thank you!!
Leberkäs' gehört in ein Brötchen, um ein LKW zu machen (Leberkäsewecken).
'Leberkäse' belongs inside a bread roll, to create a 'truck' (LKW means 'heavy load vehicle', so an acronym for a truck - but it can also mean 'bread roll with Leberkäse')
Just FYI: Even though the name Leberkäse looks like 'Leber' (=liver) and 'Käse' (=cheese), it typically contains neither of those. The name derives from 'Laib', which has the same roots as 'loaf', and 'Kas', which has the same roots as 'case'. So 'Leberkäse' literally comes from 'a loaf in a case', which is how it is made. It is basically an extremely fine meatloaf baked in a case/box to give it a rectangular shape.
danke! :D
I love Germany . We could move there tomorrow. We took the kids there 20 years ago, and the kids were yelling faster, Dad faster.
We got up 195 till the wife said that's it .
hahahahah I can see it now
@@NearFromHome Tbh... Drivin' a longer time at a speed faster than 180, is exausting. My crusin' speed with my Bavarin friend is normaly 150. That's perfect fine for me. But the fastest I drove myself, was 240. At least only for 4 or 5 minutes. It's to much stress, but it was an expirience, which is good to have. It put things in the right perspective. And the longest time, I drove (only with short breakes) on a row, was from my home region (near Frankfurt) to behind Bordeaux on the French atlantic cost, around 14 hours. After this, I was done...
I enjoyed driving the autobahn from Munich to points south while on vacation last month. I’m from the USA and found the autobahn rules intuitive and somewhat refreshing. I wonder how Germans think of driving in the USA? I’m guessing they will find it quite annoying.
yes, I find the rules to be very functional and common sense.
I don't think the German mind can comprehend driving in the US
For a country that relies so much on driving, it is sad to admit that US drivers are horrid and badly trained. We do have a few roundabouts, and too many treat them like four way stops! 😡 Where I live (near Mickey Mouse), we get the added bonus of lost tourists mixed with locals in a hurry and that just invites accidents. Quick question-if undertaking is illegal (& I did know it), how does you handle drivers going slow in the left lane (like you described happened in the video)? I know tailgating is illegal there too, so do you just suffer until they move over? Just curious.
Excellent purpose to the video and good advice-ask yourself the purpose of the video. Yours: autobahn isn’t scary and has GREAT destinations! “Alive with the sound of beer festivals” 😂😂 Now that’s a song I can listen to! What a great festival! (I need little schnapps bottles on my next Board!) Looking forward to the next great video! Rob
Driving slow in the left or middle lane is illegal in most European counties for which you can get fines. Once you have overtaken you need to move back to the most right lane (that is available).
Also, if the fines don't scare you, then flashing lights, honking and tailgating pressure will make you move to the right lane.
I would think you drive close behind and flash your lights at them, but honestly, when I undertook in the US, it was always zigzagging around others on the highway
Thanks so much for watching. Glad you liked the festival!
A bit late 😊. I was in Germany in Jul, visiting my cousins in Sonnenbuhl, near Stuttgart. I drove in the Autobahn and it was a bit of a change from my experiences in Canada. My opinion about the no yield sign though is opposite to yours. I also found German drivers a bit entitled. Roads close to Sonnenbuhl wind around hills and they expect you to drive at 100K and try to put you under pressure as those are single lane roads.
To add, I am a pro transit guy. I drive here in Canada due to lack of choice and not due to my love for driving.
We also feel the same sometimes! I think the drivers are too competent, and it can be a little much for us!
sigh... the 3468th video about "driving on the Autobahn in Germany". ugh... never ends.
did you watch he video? That's exactly what it is about....
Interesting, I drove already in 1952 on the Autobahn without speed limit and much less traffic at that time in Germany. But I enjoy much more flying with my own little airplane.
wow that must have been interesting.
Are you saying you are a pilot? :O
@@NearFromHome Yes, I learned to fly already in 1968 and enjoyed flying all over the USA.
The "no speed limit" is not quite what it seems. The correct terminology for the autobahn would be "recommended speed of 130" If you drive faster and have an accident, you will have problems with your insurance which will claim that you are partly to blame because of being faster than the recommended speed.
ohhh I didn't know that :O
This is BS
@@mariokart6488 In what way? Because while not quite correct, it is close enough imo to at least not be called BS.
The full truth is that if on a section of the Autobahn whithout a speed-limit, if you do drive over 130km/h and have an accident, they will check wether you driving at or below 130km/h would've prevented that accident (if someone sideswipes you for example, the speed almost never matters, and so they pay in full). And even then, all you usually get is partial responsibilty, the amount of which is discussed between the insurances (or in rare cases the courts). Unless ofc you were going too fast for the situation (for example, driving 300 around a blind corner on a 2-lane part of the Autobahn violates the vision-rule even during day-time [that rule says that you have to be able to stop in half the distance you can see on the road, else if you have an accident you're officially going too fast no matter what you're allowed to drive; it officially doesn't apply on the Autobahn at night], so at that point it would almost certainly be judged to be 100% your fault if you crash into someone), which in Germany is recorded as an accident due to excess speed (this is the reason so many accidents are recorded as such, even if at first glance you wouldn't think so as the crashed car was driving within the speed limit).
@mariokart6488 no it's not bullshit. If you drive faster than 130, it's your responsibility to make sure that it's safe. In case of an accident you are held (partially) responsible, even if the accident was caused by someone else. The only possibility to avoid this is, when you can prove that the accident could not have been avoided and would not have caused less damage at 130. You are also not allowed to drive as fast as you want. You are only allowed to drive as fast as it is 'reasonable' given the current road, weather and traffic conditions. If you drive too crazy (that is not tied to a specific speed), your insurance might not even need to pay in case of an accident.
@mariokart6488 What? Did you win your driving license in the lottery, or in the US?
Driving fast starts at 180km/h. Anything underneath is normal / slow driving.
We were filming after all ;)
I guess you watched too many Fast and Furious movies?
Pretty normal if you drive a lot job wise. 235 km/h is the fastest I went but that's only possible in some special Parts of the Autobahn. Normally 200-210 is max.
@@sonyphotoguy6601 Yes, for some people it is normal, but in general this really is not normal. Many cars on the German roads are not even able to drive 235 km/h. And it's quite rare to have a traffic situation where it is safe to drive that fast for a longer period of time.
@@Flo-vn9ty Every modern car can drive 180. Only cars build exclusively for the city can't.
Hi, ich sehe das sie eine dicke Jacke an hat aber den Sicherheitsgurt nicht angelegt hat. Beides ist " falsch " , die dicke Jacke " behindert " das Fahrgefühl/Gefühl für das Fahrzeug und würde mich stören aber der Sicherheitsgurt sollte/muss schon angelegt sein.
ich kann Ihnen versprechen, dass sie angeschnallt war
@@NearFromHome hi, ich hab es später gesehen.😊
We just watched the whole video.
That's it we are selling our home and moving to Munchen
@@markjosephsaville9848 But be sure to bring a lot of money. Munich is expensive as hell.
lol
it really is, but honestly much cheaper than most US cities
The roads in Germany, including the motorways, are so good because they are built and repaired using tax money from vehicle taxes. They are designed for high speeds and are even better constructed than North America's roads. The quality of Europe's roads is also higher than in the United States. GERMANY'S biggest lobby is the car manufacturers and drivers. The taxes are also higher than in the United States.Even the driving license is expensive, OK, but that's also because the driving students learn it and are trained in a real driving school. You could say that they get better training than North Americans, with the 9,000 different traffic signs and rules in Europe, where you really have to learn everything because a lot of things are different to North America and you really have to have it down before you can get behind the wheel. That's why it takes an average of six months in a driving school in Europe to get a driving license. European driving license holders are better drivers than most North Americans because their training is more extensive than that of a North American driving license. Europeans have to pass a first aid course before they start, they learn where fluids go in the car, how to change a tire, windshield wipers and bulbs for the lights, and much more.Anyone who gets a driving licence in Europe knows how expensive it is and doesn't want to risk losing it again by doing stupid things in traffic! Following the rules also keeps traffic flowing and anyone who camps in the left lane and middle lane on the German Autobahn can be severely punished. The same goes for overtaking on the right and creeping along the Autobahn. Heavy fines that can also be collected abroad! So, dear Americans, be assured that you will also be punished at home if you mess up on Germany's roads.
yes well said! I think a lot of Germans are frustrating with this level of interference in getting a driver's license, but it makes driving so much safer and pleasant.
@@NearFromHome : No, we are not frustrated or negative about getting a driver's license like this! That's a false assumption. Instead, we are annoyed about the annual increase in the price, although when I look at it more closely, it immediately filters out those who wouldn't have made it anyway because of their IQ, because the prerequisite of a certain level of education is missing.
The thing is,even when you could drive faster in America it would probably kill you.
Or to be exact some hole in the highway would.
They are far away from German Autobahn maintance quality.
We are constantly shocked with how low quality the roads in the US are
i think its important to know for everyone who uses MPH instead of KPH to Know most of you Already drove at the Speed of the Most Parts of the Autobahn which is 80MPH = 130 KPH while in Citys the usual Allowed Speed goes down to about 30MPH which is about ~50KPH and EVEN Slower to about 19MPH which is 30KPH there are WHOLE ZONES of Citys where your only Allowed to drive 30KPH and more and more Roads get Limited to 30KPH in Rare Occasions down to 20KPH not to forget "Spielstraße" / Playing Roads in Residential Areas ( which has its own Sign ) where your only allowed to "Crawl" with about 5KPH called "Schrittgeschwindigkeit" directly Translated to "Walking Speed"... be Prepared if you Hit Roads in Foreign Countrys 😁
This is another good point!
Yep, the Autobahn road quality is all in all really good. Plenty of annoying roadworks but hey, there's always something :D The only exception I'd name here are bridges. A lot of them are in such a poor state. I've been driving Bremen - Stuttgart and back a lot lately and the closer you get to Stuttgart the more bridges there are due to the increasingly hilly landscape, and at what feels like every other one they put up 100 km/h speed limits for cars and motorbikes, as well as 60 km/h speed limits and no-passing signs for trucks, so the bridges won't deteriorate even faster. Or they blow them up like on the A45 in Lüdenscheid before they collapse on their own.
oooof that's scary.
@@NearFromHome Don't worry, they check them regularly and shut them down before anyone gets hurt.
Well, we pay a lot, and I mean an awfull lot of taxes.
That way everyone can enjoy a free ride on our streets. In other countrys, you have to pay in order to use the highway...
We sure do. But frankly that’s the point. Though I’d be totally fine if tourists had to pay a little for access to the system. Like how you need to pickup that sticker when you cross the border to Austria.
Not entirely true there are speed limits dictated by your insurance contract don't get into accident although rare.
I had no idea!
I never heard of a specific speed limit in the insurance contract. But the insurance might not have to pay in the case of negligence. This of cause, is often the case when you drive really fast.
55% of the German population is in favor of introducing a speed limit on the Autobahn.
The German government wanted to introduce it, but the proposal narrowly missed the required majority.
It won't be the last attempt.
It will be interesting to see what happens!
lol... Lucky me, I'm an old man now and in a few years I'm no longer interested in the topic to go fast. And a general speed limit, could be also high, like 180, right?
How do you recognize American, baseball cap and white sneakers
is that bad?
@@NearFromHome NOP! Funny :D
I love your video and appreciate the 'normal' perspective. I would like to clear a lil think that could be misunderstood by some Autobahn tourists.
As not to give the wrong impressions they're no restrictions anymore even after you passing the famous sign. If you're in an accident it's hard to convince the judge bc if you're not able to handle the car securely at that speed in this situation (which you weren't obviously), you're not allowed driving that fast. If you speed over the recommended 130 you are responsible and take the consequences in all manners.
Overall, doesn't matter where you come from, we should follow an advice from my driving teacher. "Drive in that way that anybody around you is able to know what you're willing to do next time"
I think this would help us a lot
that is good advice!
I don't take the trains in Germany because I want to leave at the time I choose and arrive at the time I choose.
Yeah, or actually get to my destination within hours of my planned time at all
in my experience, that isn't too difficult with the trains in Bavaria
Fasten the seat belt!!!! Bitte😂
We were definitely wearing seatbelts
How could you say so many bad things about American drivers? Oh wait, they are TRUE, coming from someone who has lived in the US his entire life but has had professional driving training. Next year, my son and I plan to fly to Germany to visit the Porsche, Mercedes, and BMW museums, plus a visit to some WWII sights, but all those by train. However, we plan a trip on the Autobahn to visit Lorndorff, where my Dad's family is from, which has no train service (although it has an abandoned rail line).
LOL
Being a professional driver in the US must be infuriating
Foreigners on German Autobahn need to know that not all fast cars are dangerous, but that they themselves are extremely dangerous for others.
I would be in favor of everyone being prohibited from driving in Germany who does not have a German driver's license. Then German roads would finally be a paradise.
Are you for real? Being a foreign driver is of cause not dangerous per se. In fact, I have seen a lot of foreign drivers, especially from neighbouring countries, that drive more safely than German drivers because they are used to speed limits on highways and therefore don't drive that fast. What's actually dangerous is when you come here and drive on the Autobahn just for the sake of driving as fast as possible to have fun or when you drive here without knowing any of the rules. The autobahn is still a highway, not a race track. But that is not the majority of foreign drivers. In fact, I have seen a LOT of dangerous driving from German drivers as well.
@@Flo-vn9ty Ja... Let's have a look on the statistics...
yikes
1:09 Why are you both unbelted? It's against the law! Why you are going only 170 kmh when there is no limit? A little bit lame. BTW Oktoberfest you only join if you live beneath the 'Weißwurstäquator'.
We are definitely wearing seatbelts...
WTF, lame? Not going too fast if you are not used to driving that fast is not lame it is reasonable.
Ähm... Wenn die nicht angeschnallt gewesen wären, hättest du dass permanente Meckern des Audi im Video gehört, dass du nicht angeschnallt bist. Du bist schon der 2. der die Sache nicht komplett durchgedacht hat...
@@melchiorvonsternberg844 richtig!
Your accent ( s ) confuse ( s ) me.
Me too
Zum Glück müssen wir uns hier im Norden nicht mit so vielen Autobahntouristen herumärgern .
Das ist nicht das ‚Flex‘, das du im Kopf hast 😉
Es gibt einfach nicht so viele Skandinavier, die da durchrollen. Wann sieht man schon mal einen Dänen, oder Schweden auf der Piste? Ganz selten mal... Aber das ändert natürlich nichts daran, dass ihr bedauernswerten Menschen, im Norden lebt...
Stop with the nonsense that there are no speed limits on German motorways. There are. 70% have a speed limit of 120/130 km/h. 30% are controlled by a speed limit, i.e. on certain stretches the speed limit is worn down depending on the traffic situation.
You know in the video I said that you would say this ;)