The first day we picked up our lil jackie.. off we went from Wiesbaden to Ramstein... didn't even have a clue about the break in period.. It was a blast.. we had sold our chevy yep you guessed it blazer, and went for the mini.. What a difference! I was never scared or worried on the autobahn in my lil mini. I have every faith in the world, in my driving skills, what the car can do.. and even in the other drivers on the autobahn. The germans didnt need safety police to know that you have to keep your car under control.. That whole I wouldnt put my kids in the car and drive 120 mph.. whatever.. you drive 55 on the autobahn, and let me know just how safe you feel.. I much prefer the 120 keeping up with the other cars, then to putt along in my lil safety bubble.. because in the end.. someone on the autobahn is going to zoom right past and pop that bubble.. on the autobahn you are a hazard going that slow.. as you said you never drove on the autobahn, it is an experience.. once you do.. im sure you will take off your safety helmet and ride along with the rest of them

 

Likewise, there are locations and driving conditions in the US where it is similarly safe to drive those speeds - and having kids in the back doesn't make it more or less "safe". But our lowest-common-denominator approach to highway "safety" refuses to acknowledge that. Instead, you could be driving at a controlled safe speed, with NO other traffic, and in some states lose your car for "street racing".

Fascists. Grrrrrr.

That said, anyone who overtakes other traffic in this country at more than a 15-20mph differential, or who weaves, is on my "death wish" list, and I hope Uncle Leo sends you a Christmas card.

 

Well, I hope I'm not the typical American driver on the autobahn -- after all, I've been driving here for a hair under 12 years. I drive as the conditions allow -- and yes, that's with the kids at times (see this thread). But I'll be the first to tell you -- driving safely here takes your full attention. Distances between vehicles is insanely important. On and off ramps, too. You car has to be, well, ready to go that fast safely. There's lots of little things like this. It's not a one time burst to 140+ mph, it's a cultural thing.

And I love it. It's awesome.

 

You're just as dead at 70 mph as you are at 120. You're putting your kids in just as much danger (even more) on American highways.

 

So, we were having dinner the next night, and my friend asks, "So, how did you get a Police Interceptor edition Mini?"

I almost peed. It was classic.

 

Shoulda said you have an uncle named Leo.

Love it.

 

Yeah, my boyfriend is German and I was over there to visit him a few times last month. And I have to agree, that Germans drive much faster but also much more safely. They know when to get out of the passing lane. I wish Americans would understand the simple fact that the left lane is for passing and going fast. Cops would do better if they pulled over idiot drivers and not fast drivers, I believe. But to get back on track... I think most Germans drive well because to get their license, it costs about 2500 Euro. Yeah, if I paid that much for my license I wouldn't want to get it taken away... Also, the roads in the country are CRAZY and people drive ***** out there! But I think German cars also handle much, much better for that reason. They actually design and build cars that are well equipped to handle such roads.

I miss Germany. :(

 

I must ask: Do people ever hit deer/other animals on the Autobahn at those insanely fun speeds? It must be VERY ugly for both, none-the-less.

I ask because I've hit two deer and also had a turkey fly into my windshield on my old Jeep Wrangler.

Thankfully I've managed to avoid the NUMEROUS animals with the MINI brakes and handling.

 

I lived in Germany for 7 years and I honestly can't recall ever seeing a bad accident from a deer or other animal strike.

For one thing, German deer are on a diet. Kidding aside, the deer there don't get huge like in America (the rabbits, on the other hand... ).

I saw a few deer carcasses along the sides of the autobahn, but very rarely.
And I agree with Taros... I miss Germany, too. For the autobahn, for the opportunity to travel throughout Europe, for the mild weather, for the really good beer..... gotta get back there sometime.

 

Sometimes. Recently, on Jalopnik, there were photos of a fox hit. It wasn't nice. Link is here.

Interesting thing, though, is that if you have land next to an autobahn, you're expected to keep stuff on your land, well, on your land. And that includes the animals. Not sure the full legal deal, but it's a cultural thing, too.

 

120mph with your kids in the car? did i read that right?

I won't even do 120 with my gf in the car let alone kids. huh.

 

i miss the shnitzel (sp?) and their fanta's like orangina

 

If you haven't driven on the autobahn, you can't possibly comprehend just how safe that is (as long as you've maintained your car properly, of course).

Stateside... NEVER.

 

Amen!

Not only that, but if they are as strict these days with their auto inspections as they were when I was stationed there, that's a huge safety factor.

I never saw rust buckets, or vehicles with miscellaneous parts falling off, as we see daily in this country.

 

Yeah, back in 1999 they were still VERY strict with their inspections. Some of those 15-year old Bimmers made several trips back to the inspection station to pass.

But they could run !! My buddy had an older 7-series and he used to fly down the autoban around 185 mph. As a passenger, i didn't much care for that.

 

driven motorcycles and cars on there many times. Have also been run off the road on the autostrada several times.

Simply not necessary with kids in the car... any blipp in the surface or flinch of your own will send you and your children end over end... Simply not necessary. Solo however, 120 is just a warmup... but I don't decide other peoples fate... plain and simple.

gl

 

I watched a program once about the autobahn. It's so much better constructed than ANY highway in America. The concrete bed is far thicker (more then twice as thick as here in the States), and they are sooo much smoother.

The license testing in Germany is insanely strict and I wish we had it. Over there, you have to go on the autobahn as part of your test. None of this once around the block stuff.

 

Darwin will be proven big time!

I have thought of that, around here they're talking about toll roads (in AZ give me a freakin' break). If a new road gets built as a toll road, then it should be a higher speed limit, with no tolerance of Left Lane Lemmings. But considering the total lack of driver education, it just won't happen.

But back to topic, 120 is still nothin'.
Lamborghini in Scottsdale, AZ.

 

I was waiting for the light poles to fly by like they were 2 feet apart, based on my experience with high-speed driving/riding. Those must have been further apart than they appeared when standing still.

The speedometer doesn't lie, nor do the white knuckles of his right hand at the 2:00 position.

What always amazed me when driving at speeds in excess of 120 mph is how alert your mind and vision become, scanning the horizon (and in the case of the autobahn, the rear view mirror) for anything that will bring potential danger. Cool feeling.

 

terrifying. particularly at night. the driver is so over-driving his own sight that he is in essense betting at least his own life that a particular stretch of road is empty. just terrifying. and I am no saint I assure you.

 

I laughed out loud at 3:49 when the vehicle shoots by like a bullet... I hope this road is closed - at night no less. Any stray animals in the desert? Jesus.

 

A logging truck dropped some lumber during an accident, and when my buddy hit it, his Cavalier actually became airborn -- of course, full speed in a Cavalier can't be much above 100mph, but I still think he had to change his underwear when he got home

By the way, he was fine . . . and the Chevy was still drivable!

 

Yep, their inspections are still SUPER strict. My boyfriend's second gen Golf just got through inspection. It runs like a dream. He failed the first time around because the rubber on his struts were worn down and had never been replaced. Luckily it doesn't have any rust on it (I'm surprised, since it's so old). He would have failed if it did for SURE!

 

Having spent a great deal of my adult and military life - for business and pleasure - way north of triple digits on the various roads throughout Europe, I'll offer my perspective, and assure everyone that both opinions are valid. The American only driver should be terrified of 120 anywhere in the States, and the European should feel comfortable at those speeds for the same reasons.

Europe (for the most part) has strict licensing training and experience Guidelines - The U.S. has "can spell car" and almost 16 years old as a requirement for a license.

Europe has strict traffic laws, violations of which are often photo-enforced typically extremely severe. Example: in most of Europe, passing on the right in any instance except in near stand still traffic is against the law - and enforced with vigor. As a result, drivers can anticipate other's behavior.

Other examples: drivers are required to yield to faster vehicles overtaking them. It is a violation to drive in the left hand lane when not overtaking another vehicle, and use of turn signals is required for every maneuver.

(BTW, these are also laws in most states in the U.S. - )

European cars are held to strict safely guidelines and inspection processes. In some countries, any rust is sufficient to keep your vehicle off the road. In the states we have some safety inspection requirements in some states, enforced sometimes.

European traffic is generally uniform - large trucks and slow vehicles in the far right lanes under stricter speed restrictions, the rest of the traffic is evenly distributed across all available lanes of traffic according to relative speed - sort of like an array of conveyor belts increasing in speed from right to left - and did I say it was against the law and strictly enforced to pass anyone on the right?

European vehicles are generally geared to support the higher speeds and stressing environment that goes along with it. Rabbit starts aren't important, effective brakes are!

European motorways are designed, installed, and maintained for the speeds authorized.

I could go on and on - I've spent hours on the autobahn in the sparsely populated northern Germany area in cars designed to cruise 130+ - a major difference in perspective is that the driver's focus is one the external environment and not internal to his own vehicle, like many (most) in the U.S.

and so on and so on... (usw)

 

^ +1 on that!

It was very refreshing to drive around in Germany/Switzerland/France/Austria/Italy during my last trip to Europe in October. Initially I figured it would be somewhat scary to drive at autobahn speeds, but you quickly realize that the drivers there are exponentially more serious about driving than US drivers. Drivers are substantially better over there than those here in the US. No talking on cell phones, no food or beverages while driving, proper use of the lanes (passing only on left, and making way for faster vehicles coming up behind them), etc.

It's very hard to picture driving at autobahn speeds as a "safe" thing until you actually make the trip across the pond and witness it yourself. I could only wish drivers in the US would drive like those in Germany.