# Driving in Europe difficult?



## bigjakex3 (Mar 3, 2007)

I am strongly considering doing ED but I have never driven in europe. Overall is it much different than driving in the US(except for speed on the autobahn)? Has anyone been in or heard of ED wrecks while in europe?

Thanks


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## Andrew*Debbie (Jul 2, 2004)

Driving in the UK is a bit odd. Not terribly hard, but I had to pay constant attention.

Hardest part for me was judging where the far side of the car is.


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## peterma2 (Mar 29, 2007)

Driving in Europe (Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Italy) was awesome! You get to see so much more of the country - not just the city you are visiting. The only problem we had was driving in the cities (particularly, Munich and Milan). It is very difficult to read road signs and figure out where you are going unless you are familiar with the city. GPS is a must - easy to rent if you don't get it in your car. I rented a GPS through Lowergear.com and they were fabulous and the GPS worked perfectly. ED is an amazing experience so go for it!!!!!:thumbup:


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## MFG (Feb 2, 2005)

+1 on the GPS.

As peterma2 said, Germany/Austria/Switzerland were no big deal. Do a little internet research on the road signs, though, in particular those designating priority (right of way). Most of France was easy, though there are a ton of tolls on the autoroutes. Paris traffic is insane, and we opted not to drive there. Make sure you purchase the necessary toll stickers and international license, depending on your destinations--all info available on this forum.

Don't let driving concerns deter you! Have fun!


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## JSpira (Oct 21, 2002)

peterma2 said:


> It is very difficult to read road signs and figure out where you are going unless you are familiar with the city.


I don't think that reading the signs is that difficult but there are a lot of signs. In fact, see related discussion thread in this forum re Schilderwald.


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## alanb1824 (Nov 27, 2005)

*ed travel is not difficult for us americans*

i get lost in northern virginia, last year on our trip we went to germany, austria,italy and not one wrong trurn thanks to GPS:banana::banana:


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## Dave 330i (Jan 4, 2002)

bigjakex3 said:


> I am strongly considering doing ED but I have never driven in europe. Overall is it much different than driving in the US(except for speed on the autobahn)? *Has anyone been in or heard of ED wrecks while in europe*?
> 
> Thanks


Yes, I saw a Porsche on the other side of the highway disintegrated when I was going from Munich to the Garmisch-Partenkirchen. I doubt a helicopter ride to the hospital would do the guy much good. Germans may be accpeted as more conscientious drivers, but when they crash it is less forgiving. I would drive in the right hand lane and observe how others drive before trying the passing lane at higher speed. In town they are able to drive much faster than we do because they drive smaller cars and they know where they are going.


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## kptaylor (Jul 30, 2006)

GPS (either as an option on the car or portable) is GREAT!

Also, take the time to go through this:

http://gettingaroundgermany.home.att.net/regeln.htm


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## johnc_22 (Sep 14, 2004)

With the nav system (or a portable GPS) driving in Germany and Austria was a snap. It's a bit unnerving at first due to all the unfamiliar signs but so long as you pre-program your destinations into your GPS you can drive around and when you get lost or want to actually get somewhere you just navigate to a known endpoint. I would recommend it but not without some sort of navigation unit either built-in or portable.


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## Newman (Mar 3, 2007)

Just returned from Europe (Germany, Austria and Italy) and driving is no big deal. I guess I noticed a couple of things while driving though:

1. I had to review road signs online because while most were easy to interpret, some were more challenging.

2. It is rare to find someone going slow in the far left lane. Most Europeans stay out of the lane except to pass, unlike USA.

3. Europeans expect tailgating, much like really big US cities. Don't have to worry about some idiot in front of you hitting his brakes because you're to close and possibly damaging your new BMW.

4. Driving in Milan (and to a much lesser extent Munich) is like driving in Manhatten. Don't hesitate, expect the unexpected and if you need to change lanes, you just do it.

5. Oh yeah, navigation is a must.

Enjoy and have fun. Autobahn is a blast although I found that the stories I heard about the speed deamons was a bit exaggerated. Crusing around 95 mph, I was passed roughly a half-dozen times and then by people doing about 105 - 110. I was never passed in 1,000 miles of driving by someone doing 130+. Maybe my experience was unique that way though.

~David


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## emdreiSMG (Dec 10, 2003)

The only driving in Europe that I found extremely challenging is Italian cities like Milan (and from what I've heard, Rome). The German and Swiss cities are not so bad. Autobahn/Autostrada driving is a breeze. Traffic flows fast and sensibly. But DO be careful of that left lane if you are at all faint of heart for speed.

Just call ahead to your hotels and get directions WITH LANDMARKS to guide you in. Street signage is maddeningly absent/impossible to read/impossible to decipher in many cities in Italy.


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## X3 Skier (Aug 21, 2005)

If you have driven in Boston, then Major Euro cities are a snap. :thumbup:

If you have not, then I advise against it since it can be a take no prisoners adventure, especially France and Italy. :yikes:

Regarding GPS, its one of those things that some must have and others like me can live without. I enjoy getting lost in Western Europe since I can find things I might have missed following "Otto" the auto pilot. Even when I got lost, it was a pretty simple exercise to find the major routes and get re oriented. Eastern Europe, might be a different story.

If you need to be somewhere at a specific time, GPS is a great assistant. If not, take the time to smell the flowers even if the ones you find are not the ones you set out to go to in the first place.

Cheers


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## Newman (Mar 3, 2007)

wrong place, sorry.


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## PollyBoston (Apr 5, 2007)

I just wanted to double check to make sure the roads in Germany, Italy, France are like ours driving on the right not the left like in the UK. A friend asked me the other day...

thanks.


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## Newman (Mar 3, 2007)

PollyBoston said:


> I just wanted to double check to make sure the roads in Germany, Italy, France are like ours driving on the right not the left like in the UK. A friend asked me the other day...
> 
> thanks.


They are just like the US.


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## DXK (Jun 1, 2007)

I don't know what's up with people having problems driving in Europe.
I drove in Rome, Milan, Florence - same as in NYC and Boston.
True, I did see people driving crazy in Rome, my limo driver was one of them, but it looked like it was his choice, and not everyone was driving like that; I chose to drive the same way I would in Boston, and I was fine. I did not drive myself in Paris and Amsterdam, but it seemed to be no worse than in Milan. Now south of Rome, like Naples - that I thought was a bit too much.


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## Wosby (Dec 27, 2004)

Driving in the UK can be a bit tricky if you've never driven on the opposite side of the road. Just make sure you pay full attention. There's also the matter of city streets in Europe being significantly narrower than in the states. On the upside, I think Europeans drive much better than we do. They all drive stick, and despite their aggressive driving, they do for the most part follow the rules of the road.

My biggest issue with American drivers are those lazy/inconsiderate people who sit in the left lane and refuse to get out of your way. That problem is amost non-existent in Europe. Most drivers respect that you want to pass them and will move to the right.

*"STAY RIGHT EXCEPT TO PASS"*

What you will appreciate, especially in Germany, is the quality of the highways. Some are as smooth as a baby's bottom! Cant remember coming across a single pothole. Also, driving the twisty roadways through the Alps, is a dream.

Enjoy.


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## 335i (Feb 23, 2007)

We drove from Munich (My favorite to drive in) to Zurich (ok to drive in) to Paris (THE WORST) to England (Tied with Paris) I didn't find it bad in the UK until we hit the city. I am a fan of German and UK stoplights (red - yellow - green to take off, made me feel like I was at the drag strip every stop light) France was fine until Paris, and I was not used to driving in craziness. After an hour you get used to it, but the lack of printed lanes made it hard. You just drive where you fit. I have a picture approaching the arc d' triomph, and actually drove through it, but with GREAT caution. Expect to be cut off an tailgated, and you'll be fine. It was refreshing though, to drive in the left lane and actually be able to go somewhere. While over there, we were running with a 911, and at 130 with me behind him, he punched it and upped his cruising speed to 150. We made good time everywhere we went in Germany.


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## chevelle66 (Dec 23, 2006)

Go, you'll love it. Not difficult at all. Roads and signage in Germany are great. Just moved back to US in May and I appreciate the driving in Germany more and more everyday.


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## pharding (Mar 14, 2004)

Europeans, especially Germans, drive quite well. Italians especially in the big cities are not so good. Americans suck in comparison. If the US had German Autobahn quality roads and German speed limits, one fourth of the US population would go to heaven the first year.

Definitely take a navigation system with you if your BMW does not have it. European Delivery is great. On August 1 we leave for our fourth Euro Delivery. You'll love the experience.


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## LoneStarM3 (May 12, 2005)

bigjakex3 said:


> I am strongly considering doing ED but I have never driven in europe. Overall is it much different than driving in the US(except for speed on the autobahn)? Has anyone been in or heard of ED wrecks while in europe?
> 
> Thanks


Check the web for sites with driving rules/laws of the countries you plan to visit. Most are same. ESPECIALLY the different approach to lane discipline. Basically you don't ever pass on the right. Unlike the US you always pass on left and always move over to right if overtaken. Passing on right in multi-lane road is considered reckless driving and the cops will nail you for it. Always be aware of your rear-view mirror. Even if you are rolling along at 100+ the car coming up behind you may be going 140 - sometimes much more - and will expect you to move to the right well before he gets there. (and he gets there pretty quickly)

Learn the signs (also available on internet)

Drivers in Europe are typically much better drivers than in US, and in our experience, very courteous IF you play by their rules. [Exception - in cities - especially Paris]

Have done a good bit of driving in France, in addition to 3000 Mi. ED in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, France, Belgium and Holland and observed NO example of bad driving, failure to signal lane change, or rudeness outside of cities.

All in all driving in Europe is much more fun, and I think safer, than US driving. (Can't wait to go back!)


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## Wosby (Dec 27, 2004)

pharding said:


> Americans suck in comparison.


+1 LOL! I wanted to say that, but didn't want to offend anyone!


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## AZ-BMW (Dec 16, 2006)

LoneStarM3 said:


> ESPECIALLY the different approach to lane discipline. Basically you don't ever pass on the right. Unlike the US you always pass on left ...... Passing on right in multi-lane road is considered reckless driving and the cops will nail you for it.


Except when you are in an exit lane departing the AutoBahn :thumbup:


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## woody underwood (Feb 9, 2004)

335i said:


> We drove from Munich (My favorite to drive in) to Zurich (ok to drive in) to Paris (THE WORST) to England (Tied with Paris) I didn't find it bad in the UK until we hit the city. I am a fan of German and UK stoplights (red - yellow - green to take off, made me feel like I was at the drag strip every stop light) France was fine until Paris, and I was not used to driving in craziness. After an hour you get used to it, but the lack of printed lanes made it hard. You just drive where you fit. I have a picture approaching the arc d' triomph, and actually drove through it, but with GREAT caution. Expect to be cut off an tailgated, and you'll be fine. It was refreshing though, to drive in the left lane and actually be able to go somewhere. While over there, we were running with a 911, and at 130 with me behind him, he punched it and upped his cruising speed to 150. We made good time everywhere we went in Germany.


Uhhh, you drove THROUGH the Arc de Triomph? I think you need to edit that...#1 the cops would have killed you, #2 the barriers are quite severe, #3 the unknown soldier probably wouldn't have been too happy. Now if you meant AROUND it, that's a trip, I paid our taxi driver extra to do it a couple more times!


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## Newman (Mar 3, 2007)

One thing I forgot to mention earlier is to watch out for motorcycles and scooters in the cities. They will always be traveling between the cars to the front of the line so if you're first, expect to see a motorcycle/scooter there quickly and don't drift.

~David


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## britinva (Mar 7, 2007)

It's not the driving it's finding a place to park your precious car! 

When driving in Europe previously I had always had a rental so frankly where I parked the car was of no real importance. As long as it was near the restaurant/bar/museum and not in a 'towaway' zone we were good. Trying to park your precious ED BMW takes it to a whole different level. It certainly did not spoil what was a fantatstic experience but there is a tendency to get a little paranoid re door dings and overall car security ;-)


Seriously overall driving in Europe is huge fun, enjoy! :thumbup:


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## Alfred G (Apr 1, 2007)

pharding said:


> If the US had German Autobahn quality roads and German speed limits, one fourth of the US population would go to *heaven *the first year.


Sure about the _heaven _part? :rofl:


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## Alfred G (Apr 1, 2007)

bigjakex3 said:


> Driving in Europe difficult?


Not at alll. Don't worry...










(Found this in another thread) uch:


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## BMWRLW (Mar 14, 2007)

I moved to the UK from Boston 2 years ago. We have made several side trips where we have hired cars - Austria, Germany, Switzerland and on several occasions, Italy. I even took my right hand drive car over to France and Belgium and drove on the "proper" side of the road. No big deal. Learning what the signs mean is key. You don't want to end up in an unmanned "cash only" toll lane and not have the cash. Most of the time you don't know how much the toll is until you get to the booth. Most roads are excellent and reasonably well marked, but there are a lot of pedestrian only zones where you can accidently go. Look for waving arms and people pointing and yelling at you. In Rome and Naples red lights are merely "a suggestion". There are many very narrow roads which can be challenging and you must pay attention to the road when you would much rather be enjoying the scenery! Also, in Italy, there are petrol stations that are open but totally unmanned. All instructions are in Italian, so don't let your tank get too low. If you hire a car, check it carefully for damage as they do check carefully when you return it. We took a shortcut from Germany to Austria only to find out an hour later what the "Geschlossen" sign meant when we turned onto it ("Closed"). All in all, it's been pretty easy and the scenery magnificent. Pull over when safe and take the pictures! We are culminating the experience with an ED pickup in November and driving it back to the UK to be shipped home! Cheers and hope this helped.


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## mbushnell (Aug 7, 2002)

woody underwood said:


> Now if you meant AROUND it, that's a trip, I paid our taxi driver extra to do it a couple more times!


I've got a home video that I took from the top of the Arc de Triomphe look down on the Place Charles de Gaulle-Etoile & the traffic going around it. Pretty amazing stuff, I would not want to try it.

I've driven quite a bit in France (outside of downtown Paris) & England (in rental cars) & in Germany when I did my ED.

However, when I drove in England, I made sure that I rented an Automatic. I did not want to be distracted by having to shift with the left hand in addition to sitting on the right side of the car & having to drive on the right side of the road...


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## 335i (Feb 23, 2007)

mbushnell said:


> I've got a home video that I took from the top of the Arc de Triomphe look down on the Place Charles de Gaulle-Etoile & the traffic going around it. Pretty amazing stuff, I would not want to try it.
> 
> I've driven quite a bit in France (outside of downtown Paris) & England (in rental cars) & in Germany when I did my ED.
> 
> However, when I drove in England, I made sure that I rented an Automatic. I did not want to be distracted by having to shift with the left hand in addition to sitting on the right side of the car & having to drive on the right side of the road...


Yes, around. I consider it an "intersection of roads", and you go "through" one. I am still remembering that I need the 10th exit (which was straight)... There's like 17 exits on that thing, and I avoided it until the last day (on purpose) and then saw it coming up as we were wanting to leave...So... we went around it, and took the wrond exit, and I flipped a U turn and we went back around again. It wasn't as bad as one would think after driving in Paris, but if you get the hang of it and expect people to cut you off (and don't pay attention to which lane you're in when there aren't any lines) you'll be just fine. On one road in Paris, we drove down a road and there was no organization to the way cars would go down the road. Some would travel in the middle, some on the right, some on the left, and motorcycles and scooters all in between. LOTS of 1 way roads, so navigating in Paris took a bit of extra time, but if you look in my sig, it was totally worth it


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## 335i (Feb 23, 2007)

mbushnell said:


> I've got a home video that I took from the top of the Arc de Triomphe look down on the Place Charles de Gaulle-Etoile & the traffic going around it. Pretty amazing stuff, I would not want to try it.
> 
> I've driven quite a bit in France (outside of downtown Paris) & England (in rental cars) & in Germany when I did my ED.
> 
> However, when I drove in England, I made sure that I rented an Automatic. I did not want to be distracted by having to shift with the left hand in addition to sitting on the right side of the car & having to drive on the right side of the road...


You should try driving a US spec car in England. If that's not the craziest thing i've tried to do when driving, I'm not sure what is. Anything you have to drive through was a PAIN, because you have to get out of the car and walk around (tollbooths, or parking garages sucked) Being on the left side of a road you were driving on the left of was interesting, but the roundabouts were even more crazy. Then, you're on the highway, and you look over to see another driver staring at you oddly (they're on the right, you're on the left), and you pass on the right. It took a level of concentration that I didn't want to give. Even the stop lights were hard, the right turns mainly, but it's kinda wierd being able to turn left and stay on the left side of the road.

One thing to note, NO WHERE in Europe did I see ANY right turn on red. Just something to note. We drove in 4 different countries, and didn't see it happen once.


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## john lance (Oct 15, 2005)

335i said:


> One thing to note, NO WHERE in Europe did I see ANY right turn on red. Just something to note. We drove in 4 different countries, and didn't see it happen once.


I don't think there are any European countries where this is permitted. Where it is considered safe to turn right, with caution, even when there's other traffic already moving along the road you are wanting to enter, there will be a flashing amber or a green filter light with an arrow on it.

I agree, the "right turn allowed on red" feature is an excellent innovative one and should be copied in Europe. Unfortunately it is probably the only good one that the USA has produced and is of little consolation to Europeans driving in the USA who have to learn to cope with the insane, dangerous, annoying and gas-wasting 4-way stop signs, not to mention the crazy antics of Highway driving caused by the total lack of lane discipline! European driving wins hands down!


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## Alfred G (Apr 1, 2007)

335i said:


> One thing to note, NO WHERE in Europe did I see ANY right turn on red. Just something to note. We drove in 4 different countries, and didn't see it happen once.


It can be allowed in Germany by this green arrow:










But you are right: This arrow is very rare. It's the only thing the reunited Germany took over from East Germany.


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## mbushnell (Aug 7, 2002)

335i said:


> You should try driving a US spec car in England. If that's not the craziest thing i've tried to do when driving, I'm not sure what is. Anything you have to drive through was a PAIN, because you have to get out of the car and walk around (tollbooths, or parking garages sucked)


Around 1953/54, my dad was in England for the better part of a year for a refinery plant startup. While there, he had a mid 1930's MG. He did not want to bring it back to the states when he returned as it was right hand drive & didn't think that it would be practical in the states, so he sold it.


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## wjheinle (Apr 16, 2007)

All of Posts say that GPS is a must, and I am sure that it is nice and makes life less stressful, but we did ED without GPS and had no problems whatsoever. We drove from Munich, to Garmisch, to Innsbruck, to Rome, to Pisa, to Como, to Zurich and back to Munich all with AAA maps and a few Google maps I printed out before we left. 

Knowing some of the road signs is important, but they really are quite intuitive. 

The biggest difference in my opinion is that most roads (except the major highways, and some major back roads) have no numbers associated with them (or at least there aren't many signs that show the number). Basically, you need to know which cities are in between point A and point B. 

I think half of the fun of ED is navigating the roads and having to figure out the road signs. Driving in Germany, Austria, Italy, etc. was not difficult, except maybe in the big Italian cities (ie Rome, Milan).


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## mason (Jun 8, 2006)

It is all about your driving style. Are you used to driving leisurely on the highway? Do you stay on the left lane a lot while on the highway?? Most drivers from US metropolitans should have no problem dealing the driving in Europe.

I have seen and heard reports saying German drivers are aggressive or nut case. I don't find it that way. If that was the way, I-95 move, it would have made my drive up and down DC & NY a whole lot easier.


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## Andrew*Debbie (Jul 2, 2004)

Einbahnstraße ==> One Way Street


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## bimmer_fam (Apr 16, 2007)

Andrew*Debbie said:


> Einbahnstraße ==> One Way Street


Thanks for posting. Some of us may think it's a street name... 
"On the intersection of Oneway and Einbahnstraße" :rofl:


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## ProRail (May 31, 2006)

Newman said:


> One thing I forgot to mention earlier is to watch out for motorcycles and scooters in the cities. They will always be traveling between the cars to the front of the line so if you're first, expect to see a motorcycle/scooter there quickly and don't drift.
> 
> ~David


And if 2 scooters come up--one on each side--when you're stopped at a red light, make sure that your central locking system is on. Thank God ours was in Marseilles, or everything in our trunk and back seat would have been gone.


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## Andrew*Debbie (Jul 2, 2004)

bimmer_fam said:


> Thanks for posting. Some of us may think it's a street name...
> "On the intersection of Oneway and Einbahnstraße" :rofl:


I can see the ED story now:

" I had just turned left onto Einbahnstraße and this idiot came out nowhere and hit me head on."


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## JSpira (Oct 21, 2002)

I have a better story. When I was a Bub, someone asked me, when boarding a Tram in Vienna, if this Tram went to Schaffnerlos. (Hint: this is when the Trams were moving to self validation of tickets.)


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## iversonm (Nov 15, 2004)

Andrew*Debbie said:


> I can see the ED story now:
> 
> " I had just turned left onto Einbahnstraße and this idiot came out nowhere and hit me head on."


It gets worse.


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## iversonm (Nov 15, 2004)

This one is even better, although it is unrelated to driving or one way streets.


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## Skiddy (Apr 12, 2007)

Alfred G said:


> Not at alll. Don't worry...
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Ah yes, the good old "Magic Roundabout"... I've been through that once or twice. NOT for the faint of heart!!!!


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## boothguy (Feb 1, 2007)

In Western Europe, people generally drive aggressively, but not offensively, if you get the distinction. On a recent trip to France, I was floored that French drivers have REALLY toned it down in recent years, apparently because of photo radar. A shame.

For Americans driving there, I'd make the #1 imperative "pay attention", which is where I think previous posters' comments about NAV being a plus come in. 

While driving really fast on the Autobahn or Autostrada is great fun, make sure you do it in a sensible place and time. 

German drivers are especially law abiding and the Porsche that blasted by you when you thought you were stylin' at about 115 will be pottering along at about 30mph at the next road construction zone. And the German cops expect you to do the same.

I think you'll find that the vast majority of drivers in Western Europe are competent, quick and better than the majority of drivers you'll encounter here.


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## Andi (May 26, 2006)

AZ-BMW said:


> Except when you are in an exit lane departing the AutoBahn :thumbup:


Passing on the right is permitted on the enter lane of the Autobahn. 
Passing on the right is permitted if the traffic on the left line is not driving faster than 60kmh.

-Andi


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## filstan (Aug 6, 2007)

European highways are much better for drivers than US counterparts. The only thing to remember is off ramps on German highways require hard breaking from high speeds. The ramps are not gradual turns, but tight angles in many cases. Something you get used to quickly or go off the road! Otherwise, the driving experience there is much better and left lane drivers almost always get the open road when passing. Why can't it be that way in the US? Driving in Italian cities can be daunting given the signs with a gazillion choices at roundabouts. Mountain roads let the car and driver find the pace they are comfortable with. I love driving in the Alps with a fine machine. Pure pleasure for enthusiasts in the hills and also flying on the highways in Germany when the limit is open. 120-150 mph can be enjoyed if the conditions are right, but it ain't as good as it used to be since the East Bloc went down. Usually, to many trucks and bad drivers to keep a solid fast pace up for an extended period of time. Also remember when passing at 180-230 K with slower traffic to the right, keep your right foot at hair trigger readiness to go to the brakes in case some idiot pulls out in front of you. Remember to always use turn signals and life should be fine out there. After a while you get dialed in and it all seems natural at higher speeds. What a way!


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## RoBMWED (Aug 3, 2007)

Test Question:

What is the minimum speed on the Autobahn? :dunno:


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## Alfred G (Apr 1, 2007)

rwpjbsm said:


> Test Question:
> 
> What is the minimum speed on the Autobahn? :dunno:


There is none. But you must not enter the Autobahn with a vehicle which is not able to go faster than 60 kph. 

Link to the law.


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## rich8566 (Dec 3, 2006)

bigjakex3 said:


> I am strongly considering doing ED but I have never driven in europe. Overall is it much different than driving in the US(except for speed on the autobahn)? Has anyone been in or heard of ED wrecks while in europe?
> 
> Thanks


We're flying home tomorrow from our 1st ED. Driving in Germany is great. I cruised at 80- 110. I was passed about a dozen times by others going 130-150. A GPS is a must. My 5 years of German class was not enough to begin to read the numerous road signs - especially in Munich.


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## Ryan009 (Jul 27, 2005)

Go - You'll love it.

I just got back from my first European trip (Munich, Lucerne Switzerland, Heidelburg Germandy, Paris France, drop the car in Paris, then train to London). Especially with the Navigation system, we had no problems at all. But I am glad I didn't try driving in London.

With that said, I don't understand all the praise for European drivers. Drivers on the Autobahn, especially in Germany, follow WAY to close. Leaving 1 or 2 car lengths in US cities at 60 mph is one thing, but tailgating at 100+ mph is insane!

They also have no fear of pulling in front of someone going 130+ so that they can pass the car directly ahead of them. I now have a much better appreciation for why these care have such impressive braking systems.

Again, go and have fun. The driving is no different than driving in a major US city. My example above are only meant to rebuff some of the gushing over how great European drivers are.

PS: I had a 7 series and the only other observation is that many lanes and parking facilities are designer for smaller cars. If you're getting a 7, be prepared for some tight squeezes.


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## uncleozzy (Dec 20, 2006)

335i said:


> One thing to note, NO WHERE in Europe did I see ANY right turn on red. Just something to note. We drove in 4 different countries, and didn't see it happen once.


Neither did we. But when we were in Salzburg, waiting to make an odd left turn (not a simple 2-road 90-degree intersection), the light started to turn red. I figured I'd wait til the next cycle, since I wasn't familiar with the traffic pattern. After I stop, in my rear-view I see a Polizei van about 6 inches off my bumper -- so close that i could only see the grille and about 6 inches of the windshield. I got a little nervous, but sat at the light. It was, I should point out, clear to go now, although the light was still red.

Suddenly, I hear a loudspeaker -- in English, no less! -- telling me to "pull over!" and see them making wild turning motions in my rear view. :yikes: So I make the left and pull up onto the curb, the only place to stop, telling my girlfriend to get the registration and insurance papers ready. No need -- they just wanted me to get out of the way, and cruised on past me. :dunno: Maybe there was a turn light I didn't see, maybe left-on-red was okay at this intersection... who knows! :rofl:

In any case, it was funny more than anything. Driving in Germany and Austria was great. Drivers behaved predictably -- the biggest safety factor -- and even the 2.5m-wide roads between cornfields were well-paved. It's a blast.


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## cheaptrick (Jan 16, 2007)

Driving in Germany, Austria no problem. The Audi drivers all want to pass and a lot of the BMW's also. Autostrade in Italy not bad, but the ferrari's do come blasting by, some at 130-150. Passed by a new racing Porche in Itlay ouside of Genoa, that had to be doing 160. Driving in ROME never again. Thet are nuts. Same for Nice. Cut you off, pull in front, no regard for turn signals and that's just the pedestrians! Cheap


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## mbushnell (Aug 7, 2002)

Alfred G said:


> Not at alll. Don't worry...
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I just saw (again, I've lost track how many times I've seen it) National Lampoon's European Vacation.

That reminds me of the roundabout that Chevy Chase got stuck in by Big Ben/Parliament in London.


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## Test_Engineer (Sep 11, 2004)

Germany and Austria are no problem for most. GPS/NAVI is a HUGE help. The only place I had a bit of trouble was in the middle of Munich. It was an area where the train traffic becomes pretty heavy and some of the traffic lights are difficult to understand or see at times. There are many cases where each lane has its own signal light, but sometimes it is located directly above you and if you pull up to far you can't see it(just go when they start honking  ) But that is the only part I have ever had a problem with. When you get in them really old parts of town, just pick a car and sort of follow them and stop a bit short so you can see your signal.


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## take5 (May 16, 2006)

I agree with LoneStarM3. Europeans are better drivers and the road rules are better. I have driven all over Europe and have loved it. What I found difficult was to drive back in the States after returning here.


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## Bavar3 (Jun 19, 2007)

Thanks, lots of valuable info here. I will be attempting to learn some of the road signs before going over; while I've been to several European countries before, someone else was always doing the driving.


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## pharding (Mar 14, 2004)

Americans are horrible drivers in comparison to Germans. Our roads are poor in comparison also. Germany builds its roads in a much more robust manner.


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## 64Dutch (Jul 31, 2007)

Just be careful in the cities:
> many roundabouts
> watch out for the bicycles (Holland); many times they have right of way
> many times streets on the right have right of way, unless the street that you are driving on has "shark's teeth" parallel ruuning alongside the road. 
> Never turn on right at a stop light.

Also, on the highways "never" pass on the right side and always use your turn signals.

Hope that helps.

BTW. In Holland, your driver's exam is done during rush around in the city, in little streets with bicyclists all over...many fail first and second time...also need to be 18 to drive.


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## X3 Skier (Aug 21, 2005)

Alfred G said:


> Unfortunately true.
> 
> There is a SUV-hater-initiative in Switzerland and they post anti-SUV-sticker's on your X3/X5/Cayenne
> 
> ...


I like to get one of those Panzer bumper stickers for my X3.

Cheers


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## BobbyEwing (Aug 8, 2007)

Patrick said:


> So, have you ever driven in Göteborg? uch:
> 
> I love that city, but I get lost there twice a year, even with GPS and maps. One-way streets and trams SUCK! Perkele.
> 
> .


I used to live there (it's Gothenburg in english for those of you who don't know), so yea, I've driven there. And I agree, it's easy to get lost if you don't know exactly which lane to be in at the right time, and the direction signs are horrible, maybe because it seems that they are doing some road restructuring all the time. But if you know where you are going it's ok.

The SUV haters are here to. And they don't stop at putting them ugly stickers at your car, they let the air out of all your tires as well. Happened to my wifes X3 last week. Funny thing is, they claim to do it for the environment, but at the same time, theese ******* left-wing a-holes seem to all drive around in 25 year old Volvos.. go figure.

About passing, I agree with dunderhi. If you are in front in the left lane and someone behind you wants to go faster I either speed up or pull to the right as soon as possible.


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