Germany (Lonely Planet, 6th Edition) - Andrea Schulte-Peevers [700]
Insurance
German law requires that all registered vehicles carry third-party liability insurance. You could get seriously screwed by driving uninsured or underinsured. Germans are very fussy about their cars, and even nudging someone’s bumper when jostling out of a tight parking space may well result in you having to pay for an entirely new one.
When hiring a vehicle, make sure your contract includes adequate liability insurance at the very minimum. Rental agencies almost never include insurance that covers damage to the vehicle itself, called Collision Damage Waiver (CDW) or Loss Damage Waiver (LDW). It’s optional but driving without it is not recommended. Some credit-card companies cover CDW/LDW for a certain period if you charge the entire rental to your card. Always confirm with your card issuer what coverage it provides in Germany.
Road Rules
Driving is on the right-hand side of the road and standard international signs are in use. If you’re unfamiliar with these, pick up a pamphlet at your local motoring organisation. Obey the road rules and speed limits carefully. Speed and red-light cameras are common and notices are sent to the car’s registration address wherever that may be. If you’re renting a car, the police will obtain your home address from the rental agency. There’s a long list of finable actions, including using abusive language or gestures and running out of petrol on the autobahn.
The usual speed limits are 50km/h on city streets and 100km/h on highways, unless they are otherwise marked. And yes, it’s true, there really are no speed limits on autobahns. However, there are many stretches where slower speeds must be observed (eg near towns, road construction), so be sure to keep an eye out for those signs or risk getting ticketed. And remember, the higher the speed, the higher the fuel consumption and emissions.
Drivers unaccustomed to the high speeds on autobahns should be extra careful when passing another vehicle. It takes only seconds for a car in the rear-view mirror to close in at 200km/h. Pass as quickly as possible, then quickly return to the right lane. Try to ignore those annoying drivers who will flash their headlights or tailgate you to make you drive faster and get out of the way. It’s an illegal practice anyway, as is passing on the right.
The highest permissible blood-alcohol level for drivers is 0.05%, which for most people equates to one glass of wine or two small beers.
Pedestrians at crossings have absolute right of way over all motor vehicles. Always watch out for bicyclists when turning right; they have the right of way. Right turns at a red light are only legal if there’s a green arrow pointing to the right.
HITCHING & RIDE-SHARE
Hitching (trampen) is never entirely safe in any country and we don’t recommend it. That said, in some rural areas in Germany poorly served by public transport – such as sections of the Alpine foothills and the Bavarian Forest – it is not uncommon to see people thumbing for a ride. If you do decide to hitch, understand that you are taking a small but potentially serious risk. Remember that it’s safer to travel in pairs and be sure to let someone know where you are planning to go. It’s illegal to hitchhike on autobahns and their entry/exit ramps.
A safer, inexpensive and eco-conscious form of travelling is ride-shares, where you travel as a passenger in a private car in exchange for some petrol money. Most arrangements are now set up via free online ride boards, such as www.mitfahrzentrale.de, www.mitfahrgelegenheit.de (in German) and www.drive2day.de. You can advertise a ride yourself or link up with a driver going to your destination. Citynetz ( 01805-194 444; www.citynetz-mitfahrzentrale.de, in German) still maintains a few staffed offies in major cities, but they do charge a small commission for linking you up with a driver.
LOCAL TRANSPORT
Most towns have efficient public transport systems. Bigger cities, such as Berlin