As has been previously noted in this space, I generally despise highway riding. This is due in part to a disinclination for high-speed riding, but more to the unpleasant experience of being overtaken by semis, trapped in the fast lane behind people going the speed limit +/- 5MPH, people careening wildly from lane to lane at speeds unsafe for the general traffic flow, and so forth.
After spending several days riding on the Autobahn, I feel that I must amend this to “I generally despise highway riding in the US”. Perhaps a testament to typical German efficiency, the Autobahn just works. As a result, it’s a far more pleasant riding experience, even at speeds higher than my normal high end. The fundamentals of Autobahn driving are as follows:
- Passing on the right is illegal.
- Lanes farther left go faster than those to the right.
- If someone comes up behind you going faster, move right to allow them to pass.
I’m sure there are a number of more complex rules and regulations to achieve efficient flow (this *is* Germany we’re talking about, after all), but the result of these basic rules is smoothly flowing traffic. One really nice bit is that trucks tend to drive slower than prevailing traffic, and thus stay in the right lane for the most part. Which is nice.
It’s a far more engaged riding / driving experience, mind you. Large portions of the Autobahn have effectively no speed limit, so people drive to the limits of their ability as drivers and the capability of their cars – I’ve had a number of times where I’m in the middle lane of three running at 120kph (~75mph) or more and someone flies past me (typically in a Mercedes, BMW, Audi or Porsche), clearly going at least 150-160kph (approaching 100mph), if not much more – I’m not so good at estimating speed of travel. This results in lots of lane changing for me – zipping over to the left lane to pass a group of vehicles plugging along at a mere 100-110kph, then back to the center or right lane once past. All the while checking mirrors to see if someone’s racing up behind me. And it’s actually fun!
The only time I’ve seen actual congestion on the Autobahn was in Hamburg on Friday, closing in on rush hour, and I’m pretty sure that was primarily due to a lengthy stretch of road construction that reduced lane count, constricted lane width and dropped speed limits to 100kph or less for several km at a stretch. Otherwise, it’s just smooth clean enjoyable riding, frequently at higher speed than I would consider on US highways, and it feels safe and controlled.
Something I have a hard time saying about my experiences riding a motorcycle on the US Interstate Highway system.
Comments
3 responses to “Wir fahren, fahren, fahren auf der Autobahn”
Most EU countries have rigorous drivers ed programs. Not the simple parallel parking/ rules of the road training we get. Finland, for example, gives students behind the wheel skid control training. As in put the car into a slide then recover.
While autobahn driving is a reeducation in freeways, why drive there? You must have an appointment. The back roads of Germany are sooo beautiful. Especially this time of year.
Garwood, I’ve definitely been enjoying the wonderful scenic back roads of Germany and Belgium as well. There have been a few times where I’ve needed to cover some miles, though, or made a wrong turn along the way and had to make some time in order to get to my destination before dark.
Not to worry, I’ll be writing about backroads riding soon!
Stuart – after you left I remembered I still have my driver’s training book. You should flip through it when you come by next.
There isn’t too much more to the driving rules as you’ve stated than understanding the various signs I think.
Paul