Most Americans who come over for a few years in Germany, will comment about the various challenges they faced, or the differences that they had to adjust to. This is my list of observations:
1. Round-abouts are probably the scariest thing that Germany has to offer to an American fresh in the road system. Make it a four-lane round-about, and it simply doubles in terms of fear.
2. The handbook you get to study for the testing phase.....has roughly 120 signs that you need to memorize to some degree....to pass the slightly-difficult test. To be honest, there's only eight signs that really matter for the rest of your life.
3. Don't drink alcohol and drive, period. If you do drink....limit it to one single drink over a two-hour period.
4. There are four-star intense rainstorms in Germany, and there are five-star intense rainstorms. It is absolutely important to drop down to 20 mph in these intense five-star storms.
5. In the summer period, there are various times that the autobahn asphalt will 'dip' and it'll scare the crap out of you when you hit one of these and rise three feet in the air as you exit one at 150 kph.
6. Measure your car width, and know it's number. There are autobahn repairs often underway, where the far left-side is extremely limited.
7. Pay the yearly fee for the ADAC (the German Automobile Club). You may only need them once every five years.....but that one occasion will be a lifesaver.
8. For the November to March period....if traveling outside of your normal range.....review the weather before departing. That means having snow-chains in the car, if necessary. That means possibility staying in some hotel overnight. Have a plan 'b'.
9. The heaviest traffic you can expect is on Saturdays (June-July-August), from 10 AM to 3 PM, on the autobahns. If you are near the borders of Germany on Sunday evening in the same period, around 6 PM....expect triple the normal amount of traffic.
10. Stau's (autobahn traffic jams) can occur, and last on up to several hours in the summer. If you don't have patience, pull off and find a secondary road, or have lunch.
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