OT The Autobahn

RogerN · 2008-12-12T00:51:25+00:00

Sounds like BottleBob's dreamSome people from the factory where I work were sent to Germany for a business trip. They told about traveling on the autobahn in their rental car. They said all their car would do was 120mph and they were being passed like they were standing still.Wikipedia has some info on the Autobahn doesn't seem like the safety hazard I would have thought having no speed limit and all.I just thought it was a neat idea, if we had some super interstates in the US where you could legaly drive 100+ mph it seems like it would cut travel time a lot. A person could drive as fast as most private planes can fly.RogerN

Dec 12, 2008 26 Replies

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Anthony 17 years ago

"DoN. Nichols" wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@Katana.d-and-d.com:

I've been to Germany quite a few times. The rental cars are governed to

120 MPH. This was confirmed yesterday by our German Engineering intern who is returning to Germany today after a 5 month stint with us. The first and second times I went, we had a company car that wasn't governed to a speed limit. Still got almost blown off the road by a Porche and we were doing about 160 mph. That Porche was running well over 200 mph. Passed us like we were sitting still.

The Autobahn now has speed limits when you get in around towns/cities. They gradually bring you down over a few miles from 200 kph to 120 kph and in some stretches, 60 kph. It is a blast to drive that road though.

Those cameras that monitor the road also monitor the traffic and will get you nailed by the Polizi too. They routinely set up temporary speed cameras on exits to blind curves, behind roadside obsticals, etc. Whatever the speed limit is, you best be doing that and only that.

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Wes 17 years ago

I have fond memories as a kid sitting in the back seat of dad's Ford Falcon watching him doing 90 in the slow lane of the autobahn.

Wes

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Steve Ackman 17 years ago

Not the "slow" lane, but the travel lane. Spend any more time in the left lane than it takes to pass, and it's good for a hefty ticket.

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LLBrown 17 years ago

Yup I-10 not I-35 (I missed the turnoff!) I get this strange feeling out there after about an hour of 85 mph that the car is standing still and the earth is slowing moving under it. You can drive for an hour get out and it doesn't look like you have even moved, everything is the same.

LB (Laredo)

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Wes 17 years ago

I don't think dad ever made it into the left lane. Mom was riding shotgun.

Wes

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Jim Wilkins 17 years ago

I was there in the early 70's. I was a communications repairman who often traveled around the southern end of the country, sometimes by Autobahn and sonetimes in light aircraft. The spectacular 100+ vehicle accidents I remember happened when fog drifted across the road.

It seemed strange to be flying slower than the traffic below.

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