Just spent two weeks in Europe. Visited Iceland, Germany, and Spain. I even drove the German autobahn for 2.5 hours at night. I was amazed how it was extreamly rare to be blinded by on coming HID lighting. Almost never happened. The Europeans, I guess, don't have a need to "OVER COMPENSATE" by installing extream HID lighting to blind on coming drivers. The insecure here in the USA could learn a thing or two from them.
Polite Europeans!
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More / better regulations in Germany and more following rules too.
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Europe has had fairly strict asymmetric headlights regulations for a very long time to help avoid being blinded by oncoming vehicles. I think the US is slowly catching up, but I'm pretty sure we still have a lot of vehicles on the roads that have regular (symmetric) headlights.
What part of Spain??
JHZR2
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Ive generally found Europeans to be friendly and welcoming. Just like when I visit people in America.
I suspect that the stupid mods are fewer and far between because of the higher cost of ownership. They also tend to be less gaudy with vehicles, ime. In other things, sometimes, but not in cars.
What was the longest stretch of autobahn you were able to drive without having to slow? The thing that always surprises me is how short most of the uninhibited speed sections are before it drops fast near an exit. Some of the heavy oil,proponents would make you think it was hundreds of miles straight without limit.
I suspect that the stupid mods are fewer and far between because of the higher cost of ownership. They also tend to be less gaudy with vehicles, ime. In other things, sometimes, but not in cars.
What was the longest stretch of autobahn you were able to drive without having to slow? The thing that always surprises me is how short most of the uninhibited speed sections are before it drops fast near an exit. Some of the heavy oil,proponents would make you think it was hundreds of miles straight without limit.
Far more difficult to get a driver's license in Germany. Far more restrictive regulations on cars and aftermarket parts (google TUV).
Quick anecdote: at the end of a week long trip in Germany, visiting a friend in the USMC, which included a few thousand uneventful KM on the Autobahn, including speeds up to 230 KM/HR (the limit on our rental car) we were driving back to Frankfurt to drop off the rental and catch our flight home.
We saw the first lousy driver of the entire trip.
Merged at about 90 KM/HR, moved smarly across several lanes of traffic to get into the left lane while still doing 100 KM/HR (tops) forcing the MB in front of us to brake HARD from the 180 KM/HR or so. We were hard on the brakes, too. Complete disregard for courtesy, or rules, and complete disregard for the speed of traffic in the left lane. They did it to get around a truck in the middle lane, instead of waiting (me first!) as they should have. The driver then moved back to the center lane and continued on at about 120 KM/HR.
As we then sped back up and passed this idiot, we saw him clearly: USAF uniform.
Yep, the one moron in Germany who was creating a hazard for others through a failure to follow the rules was...
An American.
Sigh...
Quick anecdote: at the end of a week long trip in Germany, visiting a friend in the USMC, which included a few thousand uneventful KM on the Autobahn, including speeds up to 230 KM/HR (the limit on our rental car) we were driving back to Frankfurt to drop off the rental and catch our flight home.
We saw the first lousy driver of the entire trip.
Merged at about 90 KM/HR, moved smarly across several lanes of traffic to get into the left lane while still doing 100 KM/HR (tops) forcing the MB in front of us to brake HARD from the 180 KM/HR or so. We were hard on the brakes, too. Complete disregard for courtesy, or rules, and complete disregard for the speed of traffic in the left lane. They did it to get around a truck in the middle lane, instead of waiting (me first!) as they should have. The driver then moved back to the center lane and continued on at about 120 KM/HR.
As we then sped back up and passed this idiot, we saw him clearly: USAF uniform.
Yep, the one moron in Germany who was creating a hazard for others through a failure to follow the rules was...
An American.
Sigh...
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I have read that Hitler had the autobahn built before the War only to find out that Germany did not have enough oil to use it much ( or as much as would be expected ) . The story was most German freight was moved by rail .
I suppose it made a good emergency landing strip , latter in the War ?
I am guessing it was as much a public works project ( pre-war ) , to try to get the German economy going again ?
When I was young , I would probably enjoyed blasting down the autobahn . Now 75 - 80 MPH is fast enough for me .
I suppose it made a good emergency landing strip , latter in the War ?
I am guessing it was as much a public works project ( pre-war ) , to try to get the German economy going again ?
When I was young , I would probably enjoyed blasting down the autobahn . Now 75 - 80 MPH is fast enough for me .
"Far more difficult to get a driver's license in Germany. Far more restrictive regulations on cars and aftermarket parts (google TUV)."
BiNGO!
And not just Germany. I have often found it so much less stressful driving when you know the other drivers act in a proper, predictable fashion.
BiNGO!
And not just Germany. I have often found it so much less stressful driving when you know the other drivers act in a proper, predictable fashion.
Italy has awful roads, France better except the rural areas which are also bad.
Originally Posted by CharlieBauer
More / better regulations in Germany and more following rules too.
unfortunatelu many people in US seem against regulations, even where they are needed)
More / better regulations in Germany and more following rules too.
unfortunatelu many people in US seem against regulations, even where they are needed)
AZjeff
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OP's good experience is likely because all the rude Euro drivers are in the Southwest US with rented CruiseAmerica RVs ignoring no parking and one way signs and exhibiting poor behavior as they try to visit all the marquee National Parks.
In Germany people drive much better than in Spain or Italy, that is for sure.
Originally Posted by Astro14
As we then sped back up and passed this idiot, we saw him clearly: USAF uniform.
Yep, the one moron in Germany who was creating a hazard for others through a failure to follow the rules was...
An American.
Sigh...
I can believe that.
The handful of times somebody incorrectly pulled out in front of me on the Autobahn, they quickly corrected themselves and sometimes even apologized.
As we then sped back up and passed this idiot, we saw him clearly: USAF uniform.
Yep, the one moron in Germany who was creating a hazard for others through a failure to follow the rules was...
An American.
Sigh...
I can believe that.
The handful of times somebody incorrectly pulled out in front of me on the Autobahn, they quickly corrected themselves and sometimes even apologized.
Drove around Eastern Europe this spring. So much better than driving in Minnesota.
Originally Posted by FordCapriDriver
What part of Spain??
Traveled around a bit, but we stayed with some friends in Valencia, on the coast.
What part of Spain??
Traveled around a bit, but we stayed with some friends in Valencia, on the coast.
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