Friday, January 23, 2015

Driving in Germany


You are still in the states dreaming about your European vacation and driving on the famous Autobahn! In Europe the roads are much smaller. In fact, everything is smaller. The cars and the parking spots are no exception!  The autobahn gives  the false impression that the roads are large throughout the country. They are not! When driving through the villages and towns you might be quite surprised that  shaking  hands with the person in the vehicle next to you is an option! Just mentally prepare! When choosing your rental vehicle it would be a good idea to reserve an automatic transmission . If not, you will most likely be given a manual/standard. Traffic and the smaller roads will be a challenge to navigate while constantly having to shift gears.

Your valid Drivers License will be enough to use in Germany if your stay is under 6 months.
You have arrived in Germany! After working your way thru the airport mazes you are standing in front of your small rental car. Be happy that your first thought is that the car is small! That fact will be a huge help in the days to come when you are trying to park, navigating thru narrow streets and gripping the steering wheel  thru a construction site on the Autobahn.

Before you leave make sure you have opted for the GPS! Also check the language to make sure it is in English! This will be your life saver! There are no North, South, East or West prompts on the road signs here. I think that there is an expectation that people know which direction each city is. This could be your first real hurdle without a GPS!
 
There is also a green registration certificate. Make sure this is actually shown to you by the rental agent. The registration paperwork should be in the vehicle.  By law the vehicle will need a first aid kit, a road triangle, and a bright vest in case of a breakdown.
Germany has many traffic signs! Below is a link that will give you an overview of the signs. The frog crossing sign is rare! Making a copy of this link and putting it on your cell phone or printing out a copy might be useful when trying to decide what a sign stands for.


There are a few signs that you will want to know.
The first above is the speed limit sign. The 60 with the red circle is the max speed. The sign with the lines thru the speed means that there is an end to the speed limit. On the autobahn there are speed limits in certain areas.
 
 
The blue sign is the symbol for autobahn. If you get lost in a town or village, this sign could be a lifesaver!
 
 The last sign means exit. Here is a tip for the autobahn……the left lane is the passing lane and there will be cars zipping thru at 230kmh so it is a good idea to stay over!

You will most likely see or be a part of a typical traffic jam. The correct term is stau. Most of the Autobahns are highly traveled and really the only large motorways thru Germany. There is traffic from all over Europe that regularly use these roads.
 

If you need road assistance there are call boxes every 2km on the autobahn. Make sure that you put your hazards on. Place the triangle sign behind your car, get out of your vehicle and stay off of the road. The emergency number throughout Europe is 112.

 

There is also a roadside assistant group commonly refered to as the ‘yellow angels`The ADAC. http://www.adac.de
The phone number for the ADAC is 0180/2222222
You will need to pay for parts and towing, but the service is free.
 
 
 
You can find what country people are from by their license plates. Germany has a D on the left. In order, Austria,Belgium,Germany,Spain and France.
Along the autobahn you will find rest stops(Autohof) that offer fuel, restaurants, picnic tables, places to walk your dog, and of course toilets. There are many stops that offer free toilets. But the majority are pay toilets. It is a good idea to use the restroom first as you will get a ticket back usually with the amount you paid to get in that you can then use to purchase items.
This can sometimes be confusing. If there is an attendant but no pay machine  leave a small tip in the tip jar. 50 cents is the usual amount to leave. If you happen to stop at a smaller rest stop with not many facilities there could be the dreaded Turkish toilet. Personally, we have never been so desperate that it has come to this, but in some countries in Europe this toilet is the norm at rest stops. For men I think that it is a pretty easy solution but for gals it could be a real headache!


When in small villages and towns the speed limit in town limits is 50km and in the residential areas the speed limit is 30km. To find when you reach a city limit look for the yellow signs before and after leaving the town.This sign lets you know you are leaving Wilster and Schotten is 6km ahead. When you pass this sign the speed limit is 100km between towns.
It is a very good idea to keep an eye on your speed in Germany. Although you will rarely see anyone being pulled over for speeding, there are little surprises hidden in bushes and cars all over! You will know immediately if you are speeding by one of these sometimes hidden cameras. There will be a VERY BRIGHT flash!

The tickets in Germany will be given to the owner of the car not the person driving. So you might have a good chance that you will not see a charge. But it might end up being charged to your credit card long after the  flash! Sometimes it takes a month to receive a ticket.

 

Would love to hear any funny stories about driving in Germany/Europe……..

 

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