The Autobahn, Cars And Driving In Germany | Meet The Germans

[@dweuromaxx]

Have you had any Autobahn adventures? And do you think Germany is too hooked on cars?

[@chattphotos]

215km/h on the Autobahn Germany does make very good cars, but the electric ID series is on a slow upswing

[@luv2code]

My experience is 160 KPH for about 20 minutes, and then 10 KPH for about 60 minutes. Repeat over and over until your 4 hour journey turns to 10 hours.

[@Swimdeep]

My accident on the Autobahn was at 75mph in a 72’ VW Beetle. Blowout, right rear tire. 4 occupants. The car fishtailed all over the road, I steered into each one, the car was slowing down but ultimately, the blown tire was ripped off by the soft mud on the shoulder. We rolled over 3 times, one end-over-end, landing upside down in a field. No one died but my friend Ernie wasn’t wearing his seatbelt and ended up trapped under a seat. It broke his back and he was airlifted to Landstuhl. He is able to walk again, though with a limp. The rest of us (wearing seatbelts) were lucky to come away with fairly minor injuries.

[@coloradomountain]

I hit 200 kph in an Opel Vetra 1.8T on the autobahn. I was literally standing on the accelerator for 30 seconds to get to that speed. The second time I hit that speed was in an Audi A6 TDI and it was a breeze. On the other hand, I find driving in the autobahn taxing. In North America, I can eat and drink or check out the drivers in other cars while I am driving on the highway. On the German autobahn, my eyes would glue to the road, my hands tight on the steering wheel and not to mention the "stau" which was the only German word related to traffic that I understood from the radio.

[@INSTRUMANROBOT]

Love cars and love driving and yes maybe the Geans are a bit too hooked on to their cars but ots fine 😇. Driving on unrestricted parts of the Autobahn is pure joy even if you're not driving that fast. 235 km/hr on the Autobahn

[@wallykaspars9700]

I am American, lived as a civilian in Germany (Ost Hessen, NRW, Frankfurt) for 18 years, know the language, geography, and culture well. I adore Rachael's videos. So finely presented with much info. Inspires memories.

[@RachelStewart04]

Thanks Wally, really glad to hear that :)

[@Swimdeep]

Right! Her German is also excellent.

[@sdggdh405]

So good

[@Swimdeep]

Virtually every episode makes me pine for my years of living in Germany. Even the VW rollover accident I had on the autobahn makes me recall how quickly and effectively German first responders were during this bad situation.

[@koksionglee7978]

Another few rules - it's about offence to run out of fuel on the autobahn and one should not go nelow 80 km/h.

[@Soordhin]

@@koksionglee7978 The second is actually not true, otherwise a traffic jam would be illegal. There is a minimum speed the vehicle has to be able to maintain, 60 kph, to drive on to the autobahn, which precludes most tractors from using it. 80 is not required. And yes, it is illegal to run out of fuel, no matter if that is gas, diesel, hydrogen or electricity. It still happens quite often though

[@madrooky1398]

@@Soordhin Good idea, make traffic jams illegal! 🧐🤣

[@KaeptnTerror]

@@Soordhin wie in §3 der StVO geschrieben steht, dürfen Fahrzeuge nicht ohne triftigen Grund so langsam fahren, dass sie den Verkehrsfluss behindern. Also ist es sehr wohl verboten bei guten Wetter- und Sichtverhältnissen bei Richtgeschwindigkeit 130km/h ohne weitern Grund nur 60km/h zu fahren.

[@allisongrant3094]

I am a Canadian teacher and used to teach German. This year at the request of a few students we've started a Deutschklub. We've been using your fantastic videos every week to guide our themes. So far Brot, Stereotypes and next week Deutsche Autos! Vielen dank, Rachel!

[@dweuromaxx]

@Alison Grant Wonderful! Stay tuned and keep learning! 😚

[@joebarrera334]

One of the few series on YT where I drop everything and click. Thanks for your unique perspective into German culture, Rachel!

[@RachelStewart04]

Thanks Joe :D

[@gerdpapenburg7050]

I live in the Ruhr area of Germany. My brother lives 6 kms away but in another town. If a want to visit him in the evening it takes 1 hour and 14 minutes by bus and train; the car--ride takes 10 minutes.

[@dweuromaxx]

Advantages of small towns... :D

[@Tredecimus]

That's the way it is here. Greetings from Oberhausen.

[@ericj9784]

6 KM that is a 20 min slow bike ride and zero CO2 emissions.

[@cz2301]

If it’s only 6km away, you could well jog all the way and it would only take about 45’, plus you stay fit and keep the environment clean. A win-win.

[@dnocturn84]

@@ericj9784 Yeah, great solution for warm seasons and good weather, but not for winter or bad weather conditions...

[@merthanoglu4956]

Great video as always :D Maybe a video about the other types of bahns in the future? Would love some U-Bahn S-Bahn content

[@dweuromaxx]

We'll make a note of that! Thank you.

[@gaborwagner7523]

S-bahn’s own youtube channel also worth a review ;)

[@ombelinedebridiers5660]

What about the trains between Germany and Belgium that hardly... ever... run... as planned :)

[@mardiffv.8775]

Yes, Germany is a car loving nation, but cycling is growing. Traditional cycling was only a leisure activity, but cycling is becoming a transport mode. I find the German motorists very friendly for cyclists. I cycle from the Netherlands to Bremen, Hamburg, village Faßberg and back, no problem whatsoever.

[@mikedamat]

Bremen and Lower Saxony are so lovely for cycling, I can't wait to go back!

[@jonasu5596]

Its a lovely trip! I frequently cycle from Bremen, over Leer, to Groningen, Leuwarden or Amsterdam. Sending love from ur North-German Neighbours :D

[@toomasvendelin]

After moving to Germany from Estonia, I was astonished, in fact, how little the cars are used. Most people I know (and most of them are well-paid IT professionals) use either a bicycle, a train, or an aircraft to travel. Having a car in Germany is a masochistic feat. Parking, taxes, insurance, you name it.

[@yevgeniyrozenblat]

That's city life. Get out of Berlin and you'll discover how crucial personal transportation is for everyday life.

[@toomasvendelin]

@@yevgeniyrozenblat I'm in Karlsruhe, way out of Berlin : ). Sure, if you live in a village in the middle of nowhere, or got small children in your family, etc., then car is essential.

[@_Yannex]

Masochistic feature sounds pretty hard to my german ears. I love to drive a good car and enjoy it to myself. First of all it's about driving

[@Roterschimmel]

@@toomasvendelin Karlsruhe is very much still city-life...

[@conrad7646]

Na ja....so schlimm ist das nicht ! Kommt auf das Auto und die Versicherung an !

[@EliasBirn]

When I worked for the biggest tannery in Uruguay I traveled to Europe about every 3 months. Although my parents and brother came from Berlin in 1938 I was somehow attracted to Germany. I usually landed in FRA and rented a car. Driving south through the Autobahn I really had to experience a limitless highway and drove up to 200 km/h. It was a thrilling experience but after the road became too "narrow" I slowed down. Once crossing from Switzerland to Germany it was incredible how most of the cars which came quite slow suddenly flew away.

[@cooptrol]

Que buena anecdota la de Suiza

[@sivaarun9234]

Just wondering what happened to Meet the Germans series?. And, finally here is a new episode. Yeah!!!

[@_tsu_]

I'm too broke to afford a car. But cycling is honestly amazing here. You can cycle to literally anywhere and if you don't want to cycle back, you take it into the bus and into the trains. It's literally amazing.

[@harshithreddy3433]

If u can prevent ur cycle from getting stolen then it's good, cycle is good for our health as well, so better to use that :)

[@seanmcerlean]

Great little episode Rachel. Little story, we had a crew driver in München who was your typical driver on the autobahn out to the airport. He was around 70, fit & tanned and always stuck his foot down driving at around 150km/h. Very safe & competent. We all knew him well, super guy.

[@RachelStewart04]

Thanks Sean!

[@Soordhin]

We actually imposed a speed limit for our crew transports of 150 kph in a previous airline i worked for. On a long transport (me alone) from Munich to Cologne (yes, by car...) he very politely asked me if he can go faster and of course i agreed, i knew he was a safe driver. Not like the maniac on a crew transport from Berlin to Hamburg where i woke up in the middle of a snow storm at 170 kph at a distance of just one meter from the car in front.

[@INSTRUMANROBOT]

For a nation who love their cars so much they sure do take their driving test very seriously. Down to my third attempt now to pass the infamous Führerschein Praktisch Prüfung.. maybe you could make a video on that?

[@RachelStewart04]

Oh man... good luck for test number 3!

[@INSTRUMANROBOT]

@@RachelStewart04 Thanks! Absolutely love your Meet the Germans series btw. Don't think any other channel has this kind of enjoyable and informative content about life in Germany

[@RachelStewart04]

@@INSTRUMANROBOT thanks so much, we're very glad you guys enjoy our videos and can relate!☺️

[@fazeobama8872]

NICHT BESTANDEN

[@buellterrier3596]

Here in Australia, passing a driver’s license test is as easy as buying cereals.

[@PEdulis]

I like the way someone described once why nobody in the US could build a BMW and why nobody in Germany could build an iPhone: To build an iPhone, you collect some inventions from some universities, combine them and build a product that you sell expensively. To build a BMW, you build a product and fine tune it every year ceaselessly.

[@fosterfuchs]

There's a BMW assembly plant in Greer, South Carolina. Less than 100 miles from where I live.

[@ewok4576]

@@fosterfuchs What he means is that the development of a BMW has been done in Germany. The production line might be in a different country but that's just putting it all together in a factory. I believe it's the same with an iPhone which has been developed in the US but built in China.

[@nateisright]

American car companies are not structured to iterate one design. It more like “up or out”, where a lot of ideas compete in the marketplace over and over and they must succeed in the first iteration or they are killed off. There are exceptions. The Ford F-150 has iterated to huge success. But if it hadn’t sold well from the beginning, it would not have iterated. In contrast, German auto companies seem to begin with the intention to iterate. 911, anyone? If the 911 had been made in America, it would have been long gone decades ago.

[@PEdulis]

@@nateisright That's a good explanation and shows how stopping the production of something that may not sell right from the beginning can be a mistake in the long run.

[@the3rddecline]

I never miss an episode, Rachel. I am always keen to see topics here in Germany through your eyes 🙂. Thank you!

[@siddhartharoy3060]

Apart from tasting the "Bayerische Bier", the next big thing on my list of To-Do's after landing in Germany was to ride through the Autobahn. I was curious to know what it would feel like, to drive at break-neck speeds across the Bundesautobahn. So, I finally got to cherish this experience with a friend of mine, while heading from Leipzig to Hof. Thankfully, there was a pretty experienced Russian dude behind the wheels of our "bla-bla car", Ford Kuga. He touched a 176 km/hr with a cruise control system. Also, this video couldn't be more apt. Big shout out to the team DW Euromaxx!

[@-Jakob-]

1:00 not always true, if traffic is moving in queues you're allowed to drive faster on the right lane it's called "vorbeifahren"

[@m0mgf]

Great to see you back, Rachel.

[@mystickal6342]

Rachel you are as wonderful as fancy cars of Germany!! Lovely content keep it up..i am just lit up when i see your videos you are amazing at what you do.

[@3342630]

Since traveling with a sports team to the DDR in 1981, I've always wanted to buy a Trabant Kombi and bring it back to the US. The sight, sound and smell of that car was seared on my brain as an impressionable American teenager experiencing East Germany for the first time. They rattled and smoked like a chimney, and that's when they were running well.

[@kibaanazuka332]

My dad told me a story of his time being stationed in Germany in the late 70s. He said that when he came back to the states, he was pulled over by a police officer around the military base who told him "you must've come back to Germany I see, you can't signal like that here but I'll let you off with a warning" he said that he was so used to how you signal on the Autobahn that it took some time to adjust back to US Highway signalling.

[@Vertayl]

how do you signal in the states or what did he do wrong?

[@jeffrp8388]

Getting ready to pass a car on the autobahn at about 85mph (137km/h), looked behind me - no-one in sight, passed the car, and immediately heard a horn. A Porsche was on my tail sooooo fast. Scared me and awed me at the same time. Owned a '68 VW 'bug' (Beetle) which had been transformed into a "Baja Bug" - a lot of fun off-roading. They say (in America) that the only thing more expensive than buying a German car is keeping it on the road! (maintanance costs, not repairs). Love Germany, Germans and this program. Great Job.

[@dweuromaxx]

Thanks, jeffr p! Happy you love our series.❤️

[@karenneiman856]

I really miss the German rule of using the far left lane for passing only. It is infuriating to be stuck behind someone who is only doing the speed limit, or less, in the left lane. There are some signs posted in Canada encouraging people to use the right lane when driving more slowly but it doesn't seem to be enforced.

[@V45194]

Ditto about driving in the US. Most drivers here fall within two categories: the ones who are permanently stuck in the left (passing) lane, driving, without a care in the world, at either the exact speed as the vehicles to their right or slower, and those who change lanes every few seconds, like it's a video game.

[@Soordhin]

The speed differences are much lower though. And by the way, there is an exception to the keep right rule: within city limits and in slow traffic it does not apply in germany, not even on the Autobahn. Speed difference is the major thing here. trucks are limited to 80 kph in germany, so they usually occupy most of the right lane. The middle lane is therefore for overtaking and most cars will use that pretty much constantly except in very low traffic situation like at weekends (most trucks are not allowed to drive on weekends). So the usual speed in the middle lane is around 120 to 150 kph. Which keeps the far left lane, if it exists, for the high speed drivers. And yes, there is a certain fun in putting your cruise control to over 200 kph (which does exclude teslas, they only can use it up to 150 kph) and go at a nice pace, which admittedly, is often not possible for long.

[@aperturix]

@@Soordhin There's no acceptable reason to speed up to 200 kph or even more. If you want to do that take your car to a race track and refrain from putting others in danger. Btw, I'm German.

[@vavy3]

Is it allowed to use middle lane of 3-lanes Autobahn permanently? Let's say while driving at ~140 kmh? Or I always should lean the right lane? As for me, it's more dangerous, since demands more maneuvers, accelerations, breaking...

[@Soordhin]

No, the middle lane can not be permanently used (although many still do). If the right lane is free you have to move over, the middle and left lane are just for overtaking only. It demands more lane changes, but not more braking and accelerations.

[@astorMorisson]

Fun fact: The Trabant is the first composite material production car as Duroplast is not a plastic but a composite material.

[@omnia54360]

Always a fan of your informative episode. Extremely helpful for a expat living in germany. Lastly your really lovely Rachel

[@jerryholland5557]

I'm from the States. I found driving in Germany to be easier than I thought. Drivers are rule followers. The autobahn is clean and organized. Although there are no speed limits in certain areas, it was not reckless or frightening. I enjoyed it.

[@williamcarlson5405]

From WC, I was stationed in Germany from 1961 to 1964, I had a 1961 Ford pick-up truck to drive, it would do 97 mph, and yet after flashing their light to let every other driver know they were coming they would zoom by me at well over 100 mph!

[@ankitdas6270]

I am so glad Rachel did an episode on cars , i think it was a major missing.

[@dweuromaxx]

@Ankit Das Glad you like it!

[@Suburp212]

Fantastic series.

[@samuelcoleman1945]

I am disappointed that a video concerning the German Autobahn did not include the Kraftwerk classic "Autobahn"

[@CoreYogaMeditation]

I love how you deliver your content every time. I subbed just to watch your cool, crisp and smooth way that you tackle each subject in your videos. All the best in being the best👏👌

[@dweuromaxx]

Welcome aboard! Thank you 😁

[@ArsenalAD1886]

The little i saw with the old man in the red coat was very interesting. I wouldn't mind seeing the full interview with him, i suspect it will be very insightful, probably more insightful than speaking with current car executives.

[@Hansaman58]

I learned how to drive in Heidelberg as a high school student. Love the autobahn.

[@cb7560]

Thanks for a great video. Germany has great public transport. I am 56 and have never driven here. If you care about the environment, the future is not driving around in metal boxes, whether they are powered by petrol, electricity or recycled chip oil. Time for a serious rethink. I think that the German economy could be very vulnerable as a result of its addition to outdated 20th Century modes of transport. Cars are not the future and towns and cities need to be re-organised around the needs of the pedestrian and the people who live in them. Too many German cities (Stuttgart) were rebuilt in the 1950s and 1960s to make life easier for drivers, and this lowered the quality of life.

[@RachelStewart04]

Sadly in my experience the public transport is really unreliable, and many people won't give up their cars until it improves drastically!

[@patrickfitzgerald2861]

"Cars are not the future . . ." I completely agree. They are the past and the present, but the mess they are making of the world has to stop soon.

[@neilfoster814]

I actually own a Trabi Kombi from 1988. Fun fact, the VW ID4 is built in the old Trabi factory in Zwickau.

[@videomailYT]

Wartburg is the other car Brand that existed in East Germany. But they Importeur also VW from West Germany but there is also IFA and some other brands that i cant remember...

[@Ivanfpcs]

She was in a Ford while talking about german cars, the audacity 😂

[@nlpnt]

Most European-market Fords are designed in Germany, although for decades Ford UK was more powerful within the corporation than Ford D. The opposite happened within GM with Opel and Vauxhall (and persists since their sale to PSA/Stellantis). Ford Germany considered a model successful if it came close to the equivalent Opel's sales in Germany; Vauxhall considered a model successful if it came close to the equivalent Ford's sales in Britain.

[@michaelbeiyt]

Ford is well established as a german manufacturer of cars with a long history of models designed for the European market. The next VW Transporter/Ford Transit will be a coproduction of VW and Ford.

[@jdrancho1864]

Both Ford and GM - Opel - have a long established history in Germany. Henry Ford was present at the opening of the factory in Cologne.

[@NikolausUndRupprecht]

Deutsche Welle (DW) is based in Bonn, near Cologne, which has huge Ford plant. Driving a Ford is quite common in this part of the country. The Cologne Police drives Ford, too.

[@hanschristianwolffdr.1635]

Most of the Ford Mondeo models were designed in Cologne and were produced in Genk, Belgium and now Valencia, Spain.

[@Hshdjdjdhd]

03:03 sie hat echt den Durchblick

[@bigernie9433]

It would be interesting to have you make an episode drawing comparisons the history of the (historically larger) British car industry to the German one.

[@duncanreid9351]

Another great video and Rachel is the perfect choice to present 🤗😊

[@nilanjanadas864]

Your every vedio is extremely helpful and informative. Thank you for doing this. Greatly inspired by your expressing capabilities.

[@StudentsBunnyHome]

Wonderful! We love meet the Germans!!!

[@pkorobase]

Just think of how iconic is the group Kraftwerk with its song Autobahn.

[@HolgerKuhrts]

Rachel makes these snappy entertaining videos for years now and they get better and better ! 👍 "Oh my god, she`s not welsh, isn`t she ?" 😱 ( General Melchet from `blackadder`)

[@thomasschmitz3765]

My three topics to start a proper conversation with Brits - Football, beer and, of course, cars. Has worked out quite nicely ever since

[@dweuromaxx]

Accurate. Does it also work for female Brits? 😁

[@thomasschmitz3765]

@@dweuromaxx I don't know. Never tried out. As a shy guy, I don't dare to start a conversation with a female Brit 🥴

[@ayooyyy]

My boyfriend and I finished our studies in Germany a couple of years ago. He got his first job in the automotive industry. Bought his new car 8 months ago. A BMW. I am pretty sure he loves "her" more than me 😂.

[@dweuromaxx]

Oh nooooo 😅 which model is it? Or do you prefer not to talk about the other woman?

[@ayooyyy]

@@dweuromaxx 😂 a cute 1er coupé.

[@featherstone5838]

Sad fact! It is very telling that in colloquial English, cars are often feminine.

[@taloneié.farônc]

Fantastisch ❤

[@korinaviado3333]

Quite relieved that you didn’t drive, we don’t want anything bad happening to our fave presenter and editor @RachelStewart 😊

[@RachelStewart04]

Haha thanks Korina, safer for everyone I think :D

[@mariemiliaalejandratimanam6421]

it was about time of a new video of my fav channel

[@aw-g]

Rachel deserves a Raise! Great character And Very informative and fun presentation episodes! Thanks Rachel

[@stanislemovsky5590]

Love the woman who remains completely cool and commited to the topic despite her glasses misting up because of her mask. She can't be bothered. 😄

[@kkoup35]

Love, love, LOVE my BMW!! I’ve been driving them exclusively for the past 22 years. I lay awake at night anxiously awaiting driving to my stupid job so I can afford to have one. BMW thinks of every little detail. Each car I get is my ‘favorite’. Then they make changes I neither wanted or imagined were possible and - whoop - I have a new favorite. From titanium silver to Oxford green to Imperial blue metallic to my current Alpine White (whose name is ‘Heidi’). I’m getting a new one in the next 4 weeks - Merry freakin’ Christmas to me!!

[@RachelStewart04]

I look forward to hearing which name you pick out for the next one :D

[@viktorreznov1548]

Heidi was my 1973 w114 mercedes' name.

[@kkoup35]

@@viktorreznov1548 Yup - it’s got to be a German name. ‘Gretel’ just doesn’t sound right whereas Heidi seems cute (I always have coupes) and friendly.

[@kkoup35]

@@RachelStewart04 Yeah - not sure on color. Black is my favorite but it’s a lot of work to keep clean (and all black cars, regardless of make, deserve to be clean). Also I have to have her awhile to get to ‘know’ her before picking out a moniker. Guess that’s another thing to keep me awake at night! As soon as I name her I can move on to solving world hunger. >^..^

[@zippsepp3010]

@@kkoup35 Call it Max, so you can always drive at max speed...

[@tomworks8004]

I visited Germany in my school years way back when in the 1970's to visit my sister. Her husband took me on the Autobahn in a motorcycle. As we approached 100mph, I was simultaneously thrilled and terrified, realizing that if we had any mishap at all, I would be a dead man!

[@dweuromaxx]

We've all been there, Tom!

[@benjaminli21]

Thanks for making those videos to let us know more about Germany.

[@nordland2235]

I owned a 1969 BMW R60/5 it was a good runner and clean motorcycle.

[@holly_kay5570]

I'm hoping to go back to Germany for an extended visit in a few years. I"m learning the language on DW :)

[@cz2301]

Rachel, i feel that you missed a special thanks to the guy who drove you around in this episode lol

[@RachelStewart04]

I would like to take this opportunity to give a huge DANKESCHÖN to the wonderful producer-chauffeur Katharina :D

[@fabiandimaspratamathesecond]

The man at 2:34 summed up my relation with cars lol. I love car designs. But that's it. Never interested in being engineer, tinkering engines, or such.

[@bearcb]

Living in Munich and working in a company with auto industry as customers, I don’t have a car myself. Public transport here is excellent.

[@mike_rapadas]

My favorite episode so far! Well done Rachel! 😃

[@dweuromaxx]

💕🚙💕

[@paulkoza8652]

When I first drove in Germany something like 30 years ago, my buddy told me that the Germans hated American drivers because they drove on the Autobahn the same way they drove on U.S. Interstate highways. In other words, no rules, no order. I don't think much has changed in 30 years.

[@V45194]

In a number of states it actually is illegal to fail to yield to traffic that seeks to pass in the left lane. Furthermore, the laws in all states are that "Slower traffic (must) keep right" - there are even signs spelling this out, all over the place. Part of the problem, IMO, is that compared to Europe and many other parts of the world, driving tests in the US are laughably easy, so most people simply never had to learn the rules! The number of times I've had to pull up a particular state's vehicle code in order to show an incredulous friend (and driver's license holder!) that, for example, pedestrians at crosswalks do have the right of way, or that (in America at least) yellow speed signs are precautionary but not mandatory, or - indeed! - that the left lane is for passing only, etc... with this degree of carefree cluelessness, it's shocking we don't have even more traffic fatalities.

[@V45194]

"Notwithstanding the prima facie speed limits, any vehicle proceeding upon a highway at a speed less than the normal speed of traffic moving in the same direction at such time shall be driven in the right-hand lane for traffic or as close as practicable to the right-hand edge or curb, except when overtaking and passing another vehicle proceeding in the same direction or when preparing for a left turn at an intersection or into a private road or driveway." This section of the California Vehicle Code was enacted in 1959 and is still valid today. Yet, there are thousands of drivers on any given day, leisurely coasting in the left lane all the way from SF to LA. Even a friend's daughter, who had just passed the test and gotten her license, was completely unaware of this and indignant about cars that were passing us on the right, while she was driving cautiously (and slowly) in the left lane.

[@JF1908x]

These days it’s more the Poles, Czechs and Romanians who make the autobahn a frustrating and dangerous environment.

[@gregthompson-wr4qz]

The Autobahn sort of reminds me of our freeways here in Southern California. Our driving is not nearly as orderly as Germany. Nobody changes lanes when traffic slows down. You get a solid block of stopped or barely moving traffic. Like the Autobahn, traffic is always heavy. Max speed in California is 105 KPH. Restrictions on where I can wash my car would drive me crazy. Like many other people in Socal, I vacuum it out and wash and wax on the driveway of my house.

[@conrad7646]

Umweltbewusstsein! Wäscht Du dein Auto auf der Straße,am Strand , am Wald oder in der Wüste -😂- fließt das Waschwasser mit dem ganzen Dreck/ Öl und anderen Sachen in die Erde und verschmutzt Diese ! Irgendwann landet das Zeug im Trinkwasser..... Deshalb darf man in Deutschland nur in " Waschstraßen " an Tankstellen waschen .

[@LyRaLex]

5:25 "near Berlin" also called the state of Brandenburg...

[@charlesmnadeau]

More please!

[@dweuromaxx]

Comin' up!

[@StudentsBunnyHome]

3:15 Historia, siempre es bueno conocer un poco. Más de Alemania, uno de los primeros países de industria automotriz. Gracias Rachel. Saludos y un gran abrazo. Ojalá que puedas compartir esta Navidad con tu Familia en UK. (Creo que entiendes el español, ¿sigues aprendiendo? Hahaha, ¡siempre te pregunto lo mismo!!!)

[@RachelStewart04]

No estaré en Inglaterra para Navidad, pero estaba allí la semana pasada :)

[@StudentsBunnyHome]

@@RachelStewart04 ¡Hey! ¡Qué bueno! Me alegro por ti.

[@ratmatz]

On one hand I love cars, they help me get around. But on the other hand, I hate cars. They are expensive, you constantly have to put money into them(fuel, maintenance, insurance) and traffic sucks.

[@ThePixel1983]

I moved from a small German town with hardly any public transport to the Paris region and sold my car after 8 months of it waiting in a German garage (just in case it didn't work out). No more car, 80€ per month for all of my mobility, and half of that is payed by my employer. ❤️

[@calsterman8119]

Am I correct that the interviews were made in Bonn? I think i recognize some buildings :)

[@dweuromaxx]

@calsterman Bonn and Cologne.

[@briankiloh18]

Really enjoy your videos. I seem to recall you mentioning that you prefer to cycle, any chance of a video on cycling in Germany?

[@dweuromaxx]

@Brian Kiloh Great idea!

[@tomworks8004]

We then took a trip by auto and at one point I witnessed one car passing us while we were going 90 and as that car did so, another car passed both of us going 100+ mph!

[@5160David]

I've sat at 150-60mph and been overtaken Tom 😜

[@BowWowVideo]

Rachel, if you would permit consideration of putting yourself behind the wheel of a performance car; driving The Green Hell, Nordschleife with a lap time under 7 minutes. It would be great fun and I would venture to guess one with massive views.

[@sominboy2757]

0:51 as Rachel says, its not German without a good set of rules. Even on the autobahn

[@anirprasadd]

I love rachel Stewart's videos. Keep it up 👍

[@dweuromaxx]

Thank you! Will do!

[@StudentsBunnyHome]

Hellooooo Rachel!!!

[@michaelmorgan9824]

Thanks Rachel I love your videos.

[@whereugo5977]

I experienced speed limits some parts of the autobahn. But just to save life. For example, a straight and steep downhill somewhere on the way to Frankfurt. If my memory serves me right, Germans drive fast but they are fair on the road. I was there for one month covering soccer worldcup 2006. I rent a Mercedes and traveled from one stadium to another on west side of the country.

[@michaelbeiyt]

48 million cars, 56 million driver licences. Cars become a consumable, too complex to repair, leased for three years then replaced. This is going the wrong way.

[@shb2712]

Love the background song,.... which one is it?

[@ivancamacho7668]

German and cars is a real thing! I studied Mechanical Engineering many decades ago inspired by their car German tech and knowhow! Many years later I am still a C1 German Language student and enjoying it! Ah, yes, and we own five german cars of three different brands in our family!

[@ivancamacho7668]

By the way, love your great videos!

[@AbhayRamakrishnan]

I would like to get a Führerschein (German driving licence), but I have been waiting for almost 5 months for an opportunity to start my practical classes! Definitely considering an electric vehicle since the infrastructure is good enough for short commutes in the city.

[@dweuromaxx]

Is there a long waiting list where you live? 🚙 and yes, definitely to the electric car!

[@hkkhgffh3613]

She's back! Therefore I wanna make you to remember the *Steffi Graf* song of the * Angefahrene Schulkinder*. Moreover you should exchange Steffi Graf with Rachel and father with husband.

[@ruthyaircooled]

Right, I also own a beetle built in 1969 and I love my bug. 😎

[@dweuromaxx]

What an iconic ride! Enjoy 🚙

[@flori5548]

I’m German but currently in China … oh, how I miss my cars, my Autobahn and my Deutsche Welle on the radio 😢❤

[@dweuromaxx]

@Fabian R. We are sorry to say that DW has discontinued its German Radio Program in the meantime. 😞 Check here for our Services in English (E-g. Podcasts..) corporate.dw.com/en/dw-radio-programs/a-1777509

[@marikaserasini2315]

Very interesting video, as always😄 I don't have any story to tell about me on the autobahns, fortunately😅😂 I prefer to not use it, also because I live in Italy😄 and here in Ligury we have a parallel way, on the sea, that is better to travel on, to see the panorama😍😍👋👋👋

[@RachelStewart04]

That sounds very nice :)

[@jdrancho1864]

Italian autostrada, aka the toll booth Grand Prix.

[@myselfalex]

Hey Rachel/EuroMaxx, what auto museum/place was this episode filmed in please? Would love to know, it looked like a really cool place to possibly visit. Also, my last time in Germany in 2019 was the first time I was able to drive while there, and actually experience the Autobahn, got to do it very Deutsch style in a VW Tiguan, but it was diesel, so it was hard to get it up to 225kmh. Still an all time speed record for me, thrilling but don't want to do that again! lol

[@dweuromaxx]

@Alex Desormier Since Rachel is not so keen on long car rides, she stayed in her hometown and visited the "Motorworld" in Cologne! 🚕🚗

[@StudentsBunnyHome]

Interesting, interesting, interesting!!!

[@dweuromaxx]

Thank you!

[@cheesy-p1j]

Funfact: East Germans call the Trabant also "Rennpappe". It's because of the car bodys material. So they made a joke an call it racing cardboard.

[@F-aber]

While i did get my drivers license 2 or 3 years ago i have not really used a car during that time, im not really interested in doing so as i prefer my bike or public transport

[@tygattyche2545]

I will get 50 years old this month and i do not even own a drivers license, never tried to make one. And however, i survived - in germany! The handful times a own car would be handy are not worth the effort from a rational point. And that is the point: In the land of St. Daimler and the "heiliges Blechle" cars are not a rational topic.

[@Andreas_Cologne]

Would like to know where you live.

[@dweuromaxx]

Wow! Amazing. Do you live in a country or more urban area?🚙

[@tygattyche2545]

@Andreas G. K. and DW Euromaxx In my early years and during my professional training, ironically as a truck mechanic, I lived in the "flat" country (Northern Germany) and had to get from my home to work every day, mostly on foot or by bike and sometimes as a hitchhiker. Now I live in a town with around 33,000 inhabitants, but work in Hamburg and therefore commute by train every day. And even if everyone complains about public transport, I'll save both time and money! Well, commuting is part of my life.

[@kjuitghjkijuh3220]

2:52 Man he got the drip

[@merthanoglu4956]

Thank you Germany for the word "otoban" in Turkish

[@FeierschweinBauer]

I'm a german and do drive very often long routes. Thats why I need to love my car :P And yes, I love to drive fast on the Autobahn - but please note: You only can do that, when you are able to control your car properly

[@letmebecharlie]

Haha, I got a car ad before this video!

[@frankb1]

Are insurance rates lower or higher in Germany vs. USA?

[@fosterfuchs]

I just looked up a quote on the website of German equivalent of the AAA. A midrange policy for a brand new midrange VW Golf is about 1100 Euros (about US$1250) per year. This is full coverage (collision/comprehensive with a deductible). Liability up to 100 Million Euros! (not a typo). Germans take their insurance seriously. That's why when they travel to the U.S. and book a rental car, their rates automatically include full coverage for the rental car, and a larger liability coverage.

[@oliverseitz9215]

Main questions will be: 1. Where is all that needed power coming from? Nuclear power from France? 2. What about all needed battery components? How much available of Lithium, cobalt.... 3. How to recycle all that batteries?

[@dweuromaxx]

Very true. There are absolutely concerns about the sustainability and sourcing of the components of electric cars. Do you think they're still 'the future'? 🔌🚗

[@oliverseitz9215]

@@dweuromaxx issue is: it is an ideology discussion. Green just see it as THE FUTURE, but nobody knows. I would prefer to develop a much broader mix. Fossil fuels? OK, but why no technology to remove CO2? Why no nuclear power as a bridge technology? We are dependent on gas and oil from Russia. Why not using nuclear power until we have something better? Now we will give solar power in summer for free as we have too much, but we have to pay when we need power from foreign sources... What will we do when no sun is shining and no wind is blowing? Left blind eco ideology.

[@midgekiller2151]

@Oliver Seitz it can be argued that it from a rational point of view, it would have been better to first shut down coal power plants instead of nuclear ones. However, keeping nuclear power for a longer time as interim solution is a bad solution because it will lengthen the transition time to become fully renewable (the different technologies compete against each other). Renewables are way cheaper nowadays and there is no problem with radioactive waste and fuel mining. And actually there is a lot of good concepts and also the technology that will be able to provide 100 % renewable energy already. The problem is mainly political, not technical feasibility.

[@midgekiller2151]

@Oliver Seitz Also, I don't get why the strive for renewable energy is not THE topic for conservatives and right-wing ideologists. There is nothing more nationalist than being able to provide energy to the population without being dependent on other nations and simultaneously keeping all the jobs and the money within your own country. On top, you fight climate change, which will help to mitigate the risk of millions of climate refugees coming to Europe.

[@oliverseitz9215]

@@midgekiller2151 well, biggest issue currently is storing energy for night and when it is cloudy or no wind (or not enough). Sooner or later we get fully depended on (nuclear) power from other countries in case our great green energy is not available. Transition phase? Sure, but there is a need to HAVE something to transit to. I don't see a new technology out there to produce 100% needed energy for us. Electric cars, homes, industry, economy... Nuclear energy is on the rise around Germany, a simple fact. All just waiting for new plants. But we live in an eco liberal phantasy that our way is the highest morally possible to follow... I would prefer an ecological way, but reality shows we need ways to come there. Sorry, but is an idiocy to end coal and nuclear energy at same time (plus gas also) just to give the green a good feeling.

[@dearseall]

The last man had a very important point: Is it even thinkable that not every person has its own car but we search for other forms of transportation?

[@sweiland75]

One of the major factors of EV adoption, as demonstrated in this video, is lack of education about them. There are affordable options and they can travel as far on a full charge as an ICE vehicle.

[@XmarkedSpot]

Yeah no they can't, not a single one of them.

[@madrooky1398]

I am very well educated about EV´s, yet i will not own one for quite a while. I simply cant and wont invest for a brand new car. And that is somewhat connected to a problem many wont see. Why and how will you replace masses of well working vehicles? Thats insanity! There is also a lack of electricity problem, that was a topic in the recent election, however i have not yet heard of a sustainable solution. Politics is demanding to switch the entire steel industry to be co2 neutral. Have you any idea how much engergy such an industry requires? But also we all have to switch to EV, ASAP. While we bail from coal and nuclear energy, whithout even replacments plans for these, and the political burden through taxation energy prizes are exploding... So the problems EVs have have nothing to do with EVs, they are fine. Infrastructure for them will grow with the number of vehicles, no problem either. But there are real hurdles for many people, and they are connected to some real big problems we better solve asap.

[@ysmg9010]

@@madrooky1398 The big picture is missing. It is missing in the way you describe it - we can't all switch to EV over night without the infrastructure or even the power provided. But at the same time it is missing when we hang onto old technology. The coal exit strategy means that like 6'000 jobs are lsot earlier than the companies planned anyways. Comapared to 70'000 jobs lost in production of wind turbines since we put a hard limit on that. And not even talking about solar industry (solarworld ...). Keeping an old car is not that easy either. Once you reach 15 or 20 years of age, even common replacement parts may not be available as a quick order. You have to connect with other fans of that car type to or build up your own replacements stack. Feels like GDR again ....

[@wermagst]

@@ysmg9010 Switching over night won't happen. Even if from now on all new cars were electric, it would still take about 10 years to replace half the existing cars. And we're below 20% EVs in new car sales.

[@DCMedien]

But no matter what, i just don't want a EV. A car has to have sound, smell of petrol (or diesel), a stickshift and combustion. I like the little tweaks on the intake, outlet, ignition time, etc. I also like to disassemble the engine, put it back together and all that stuff. I'm still fascinated by all the little things and moving parts that form an entire engine together. A EV couldn't get me just one of those things.

[@adhiseaman1099]

This video encourage me more to learn Deutsch ASAP to go and live in Germany ASAP 😁.

[@dweuromaxx]

Willkommen 😁

[@josiegrikepelis9018]

I am a Filipina-Australian and I love my Audi!

[@arcticdragon104]

I like Germans and German cars. My first car was an Opel and it was great. I have to say though, I could never own a VW beetle because of it's origin.