Can’t Drive 55: Autobahn Speed Limits
While some car God Almighty habituate the autobahn as a proving ground for top fastness execution , there are in reality very few stretches – about a quarter of the more than 8,000 miles ( 12,875 kilometers ) of roads – that have the correct conditions for push a elevator car ormotorcycleto its limit .
The reason for this is simple – The autobahn was never design as a speed resort area . Bundsesautobahn in German translates to " federal expressway . " Similar autobahn are ground in Switzerland , Austria , Spain and Portugal . Like the United States , these systems were designed to be an effective transportation internet to spur commercial-grade maturation and allow for military transportation in times of national emergency . Speed is just a byproduct rather than an closing , though Germans do include a certain pride in the association between fast car and their highway system .
As in America , the autobahn has a posted minimum speeding – 37 miles per hour ( 59.6 kilometers per minute ) . This interdict the use of mopeds , bicycles , small cars and other , slow forms of transport on the roads – including an original and still - stand Bachelor of Arts in Nursing on horse - drawn vehicles .
Maximum focal ratio limits , imposed in heavy congestion areas , environmentally - tender stretches , urban areas and where highways conflate and deviate , can range from 40 to 100 miles per hr ( 64.4 to 160.9 kilometre per hour ) .
Of course these speed are modified by road conditions , weatherconditions and a host of other factors . For example , a ban on eat and drinking in a motorcar is not only on the books but apply . For instance , if a number one wood is pulled over by the police , they can obtain an extra fine if the ship’s officer set they were driving and run through – considered a distracted state .
In 2009 , the transport ministry instituted the " Runter vom Gas " campaign , " Kill your Speed " in English . This successful movement is aimed at younger drivers with a lead groundwork and access to the autobahn . report indicate the campaign has had some achiever in reduce the number of traffic - colligate fatality in that old age grouping [ source : BMVBS ] .
While Germany does offer stretches of speed - limit - free main road , there can be a grave price to pay if a machine driver is caught disregard the country ’s strict vehicular rule and regulations . Read the next page to detect out how a speeding shiver can turn into a accelerate ticket .