Driving in Germany tomorrow

[matt3001]

Any useful pointers? I.e on different or quirky road laws?

[MagicalTrevor]

Drive on the right

HTH

[Earl'Dingleberry]

Don't say "squirrel".

[ewenm]

Not all autobahns are derestricted.

[whirligig]

You need a car emission sticker if you're driving in the cities or built up areas.

[stefan740]

At roadworks do hold back as well as keep your distance, they check for it!
In the centre of some large cities a "umweltplakette" is needed, available at petrol stations for instance.
Never admit you know you were speeding, the fine is higher in that case.

[dcb]

matt3001 said:

Any useful pointers? I.e on different or quirky road laws?

http://www.gettingaroundgermany.info/autobahn.shtml

They drive a *lot* faster and more accurately than the Brits.

You can be fined for tailgating. There is a sliding scale of fines.
Various offensive hand signals also have fines.

Lane discipline is strict. Pull in and let faster traffic pass, even if
you only pull in for 10 seconds.

A small set of lights a long long way back on the autobahn,
might be doing 250 - 300kmh on the unrestricted bits.

Look at least twice and, if it's your first time over there, stay *out*
of the fast lane of the autobahn. The locals won't appreciate clueless
newbies trying to keep up with them and making a dog's breakfast of it.

[crispyshark]

foot down, don't stop for anything and don't look back till you cross the border!!

[Lord Pikey]

In towns / villages be careful of side roads, sometimes you have to give way to them if there isnt a yellow diamond sign.

"Rechs vor links" i think is the wording that goes if they arnt there.

[topalwaysdown]

stefan740 said:

In the centre of some large cities a "umweltplakette" is needed, available at petrol stations for instance.

Hmmm, didn't realise this. Have driven into the centre of Cologne at least twice and all the way across the middle of Stuttgart last year without realising. Oops.

I remember seeing the signs in Cologne last time and the signs that said 'frei' with a picture of the red, yellow and green discs obviously meant 'free if you have a disc' and not 'free from having to have a disc'.

I wonder how it's enforced as having unintentionally got away with it at least three times now, the chance of a €40 fine seems cheaper than buying a €40 disc...

[nagsheadwarrior]

topalwaysdown said:

stefan740 said:

In the centre of some large cities a "umweltplakette" is needed, available at petrol stations for instance.

Hmmm, didn't realise this. Have driven into the centre of Cologne at least twice and all the way across the middle of Stuttgart last year without realising. Oops.

I remember seeing the signs in Cologne last time and the signs that said 'frei' with a picture of the red, yellow and green discs obviously meant 'free if you have a disc' and not 'free from having to have a disc'.

I wonder how it's enforced as having unintentionally got away with it at least three times now, the chance of a €40 fine seems cheaper than buying a €40 disc...

I Took the Capri back to its birthplace in Cologne this year,I knew about the sticker thing but because the car is too old to get a sticker but too new to qualify as an "old-timer" I thought I'd wing it, I didnt see any signs and even got pulled over by the plod for an illegal U turn with no checking for sticker thingy or ensuing fine so god knows how/if the process works?

[Riley Blue]

I'm sure I paid no more than Euro 10 when I got mine in Essen a few years back. I called into the TuV test station at the back of the Audi dealership, he checked the year of manufacture and engine type of my car and handed over a yellow sticker.

[Prancing Hippo]

topalwaysdown said:

stefan740 said:

In the centre of some large cities a "umweltplakette" is needed, available at petrol stations for instance.

Hmmm, didn't realise this. Have driven into the centre of Cologne at least twice and all the way across the middle of Stuttgart last year without realising. Oops.

I remember seeing the signs in Cologne last time and the signs that said 'frei' with a picture of the red, yellow and green discs obviously meant 'free if you have a disc' and not 'free from having to have a disc'.

I wonder how it's enforced as having unintentionally got away with it at least three times now, the chance of a €40 fine seems cheaper than buying a €40 disc...

Buying the sticker costs EUR 7. Not all petrol stations sell it though, and you normally need your service book handy for them to check.

[topalwaysdown]

Prancing Hippo said:

Buying the sticker costs EUR 7. Not all petrol stations sell it though, and you normally need your service book handy for them to check.

Yeah, after a bit more research I see the €40 option is a website trying to con extra out of people. I'll take all my papers and see if I can pick one up over there next month, will probably be useful in the future

[Porkbrain]

topalwaysdown said:

Prancing Hippo said:

Buying the sticker costs EUR 7. Not all petrol stations sell it though, and you normally need your service book handy for them to check.

Yeah, after a bit more research I see the €40 option is a website trying to con extra out of people. I'll take all my papers and see if I can pick one up over there next month, will probably be useful in the future

You can order one online at the following site, just scan the left page of the V5 where it lists the vehicle details, emissions etc.
Mine arrived in 3 days.

https://www.berlin.de/labo/kfz/dienstleistungen/fe...