Comments by "Helmuth Schultes" (@helmuthschultes9243) on "American Reacts to Why Driving in Europe is BETTER than America" video.

  1. You probably noted that there is very little distracting advertising and signage along the main roads. In fact even traffic related sinage is minimal and not over cluttered. Only essentials appear for drivers attention. I have driven considerably in Germany, but also Spain, Austria Switzerland, France Denmark, Sweden and England which like Australia my home, has left side traffic, steering wheel on right, so most comfortable for me. However unlike most drivers , due to being in car testing and development I have in all those places driven mixed left hand and right hand vehicles, from tiny 2 seater compact to mid size 4WD from sub 1L to 6L Turbo vehicles in those countries, again mostly in Germany, and smaller range of types in some countries. Driven up to 24 kph on German Autobahn, ever averaged 160kph over a 460 km distance with several slower road maintenance and traffic volume slowed flow sections affecting say 50km of that trip. You break the rules on German Autobahn and likely you soon get pulled over by bright green leather clad motorcycle police.. At all times attention for emergency vehicles is required very still penalty for obstruction. Motor bike police seem ever present and seem to pop out of nowhere if anything occurs. I once had a test vehicle stall at a traffic light at peak hour morning. I had a rough idea what failed and within seconds reached to open the door and pop the hood. I barely cracked the door and two motorbike police pulled up, gesturing to stay in the car They pushed me up on the adjacent concrete footpath and were back on their bikes roaring off with traffic as I got out of the car. It was less than a minute to finally diagnose a faulty capacitor connection across the ignition contacts. I had two spare engine computers provided as the car had a history of breakdowns for sometime never fixed before, usually had been restored by swapping computer module.. That was a fault no one had isolated before. I had a permanent fix, much praised at work. But how quick police were immediately there and how quick they departed having gotten my vehicle off the road to let peak hour traffic flow, no concern about why I was stopped, just not blocking traffic.. Also you face severe fine for running out of fuel on Autobahn. I once was given a "Brazil" market test car using 100% Alcohol, to comute to my hotel. Sadly took a wrong Autobahn turn going opposite the intended direction with 20 km to next exit to turn around I suddenly ran out of fuel as the tank was NOT filled as I had been told but as my round trip normally should have been a mere 12km was not concerned departing with near empty guage indication as normal cars travel quite a distance with even empty light showing that was not lit on this car. Anyway I did have 5L container with Alcohol fuel, but now on the verge of the freeway I promptly poured the 5 L into the tank so then should at least have over 200km fuel. As I started up and just accelerated back into evening peak traffic, two green suited Police Motorbikes passed me, both police looked towards me, but did not pull me over the query my stop and rejoining traffic. Normally run out, and you get towed at significant cost, plus a significant traffic fine and some points lost. Driver is fully responsible to NOT enter an Autobahn without AMPLE fuel to reach destination. Not even excused if travel is a bit delayed by traffic jam and some stop- start adding to fuel used within reason. Obviously some of those summer vacation jams where people start card games as traffic is stopped for hours and even days. Road courtesy wise on the whole excellent, conforming to rules, lack of road rage only Spain was somewhat below best but still good by many standards, England was better but not upto general EU standards with more aberrant driving behaviour, speed and cutting off driving somewhat dangerous for conditions. As far as best and most Curteous were Japanese drivers. HOWEVER a caution there the Japanese fail badly on long distances and handling hazards when traffic is light. They appear to lack concentration on long trips, fail to note hazards, bends animals on the road and more when little other traffic is around. Seems like with lack of constant other traffic their mind and attention departs into oblivion, blank. They and even more so the Korean drivers also have issues holding constant speeds, except by pulsing the accelerator, causing a light serving sensation, that can passengers with higher incidence of motion sickness. Somehow can not adjust foot and pedal to needed position to run at desired rate. I agree that costs fir obtaining a license is so high there is strong effort not to loose it. In Germany I am told it takes over Eu5000 to as much as Eu10000, as not only driving training at licensed training organisations is required but some classroom rules and also first aid traing is needed. With such costs you do not want to lose it as to regain needs more training classes and well a costly driving test. Traffic can be from light to quite heavy stop-start depending on time of day, location, time of year, day of week, weather, holidays.
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  2.  @EnjoyFirefighting  in 1980s to 1990s the motor cycle police had bright green leather clothing on, and often appeared like goats unseen until something happened. Rarely seen just on patrol,, but do something wrong as if by magic two would be right there like by magic. As far as costs for the whole deal of getting a license then maybe costs or requirements have changed since just before 2000, as prior to that ,work contacts and relatives all had the message of such substantial costs due to formal courses required to get a private car license. Well all the better if not so prohibitive now. As far as roadside signage , it was relative to US and several other countries, where personal observation puts Germany well down on the amount of advertising and miscellaneous distracting, not driving necessary signs, well below average. Again times may have changed in past 20 years, since I spent time covering tens of thousand of km driving German and other EU roads. Fines, I never actually ever got any personally.
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