Fritz Todt was appointed general inspector for German highways on this day (July 5th) in 1933, according to the History Channel. His primary assignment was to build a comprehensive autobahn system. During a speech a 1936 speech on the roads, Todt said the roads are “unequaled anywhere else in the world in their technical excellence and beauty.”
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07/05, 12:40 PM
posted by:
The Schumster
Any relation to Jean Todt?
07/05, 12:43 PM
posted by:
Renton
The best part of driving on the Autobahn is you can pay attention to the task at hand. Driving.
You do not have to worry about getting a speeding ticket tin the areas without limits. Also the Germans are excellent and very disciplined drivers.
It was 15 years ago for me and I still remember it.
07/05, 12:48 PM
posted by:
Ed
I had the good fortune of driving on it back in 1990 and again at the end of 2004. Although traffic has increased considerably and there were a lot of repairs being conducted in ‘04, the general driver skill has not changed one bit, everyone is still focused on the task at hand and obeys the rules to a tee. Driving on I-95 every day I can’t help but wonder how much better traffic would flow if: a) got rid of the ridiculous HOV lane and b) enforced the slower traffic keep right doctrine.
07/05, 1:01 PM
posted by:
Ryan
If I ever go to Europe, it will definitly be a requirement of mine to go drive it. I’ve dreamed about forever.
I agree Ed, Sure wish they’d enforce the slow stays right law.
07/05, 1:03 PM
posted by:
Adam Marshall
See, the Germans have the right idea, no speed limits and actual good driving, just keep bad drivers off the road, and eliminate speed limits and cameras :D
07/05, 1:14 PM
posted by:
Wickedated
The speed limit on the autobahn is 80mph. Only few sections have no speed limit but the polizei will still pull you over if the weather is bad, traffic is heavy or if it’s late at night.
07/05, 1:15 PM
posted by:
JN
Adam,
You miss the point of speed limits and cameras.
Revenue enhancement. Why else would a road with three lanes in each direction and a 20 ft wide median have a 35 mph speed limit?
07/05, 1:16 PM
posted by:
Kinno
Heil Todt!
07/05, 1:29 PM
posted by:
VDub
You can’t keep bad drivers off the road. In Germany people spent years and alot of money just to get a driver’s license so every driver is a good driver.
07/05, 2:09 PM
posted by:
Anonymous
america is too cool for autobanh
07/05, 2:21 PM
posted by:
JD
#9 is correct. I saw the HC episode and if I remember correctly, it’s over a thousand dollars to get a license and the tests are grueling.
07/05, 2:49 PM
posted by:
Jens Peter
Yes, whenever I drive in Germany its always a good experience.
And about drivers license, here in Denmark, I payed approx. $1800 to get it. As I understand it, it is very easy to get a drivers licens in USA, and if you don’t get the proper basic training…
oh – the autobahn was the only good thing about nazi regime.
07/05, 3:01 PM
posted by:
The Stig
Kudos to #9 and #11.
America can’t have anything like the autobahn because the majority of Americans would be unwilling to make the necessary sacrifices. Period.
07/05, 3:12 PM
posted by:
Renton
#13- I second that. Sad.
07/05, 9:55 PM
posted by:
Reza
Its very Sad.
I live in SoCal and every time I drive I get upset with bad drivers. 99.8% people behind the wheels over here in socal should NOT have licenses. In Germany you enjoy driving around as every is worthy of driving around. Couple days ago I was driving in 405N and this Mother F*cker stoped in the middle of the free way, and there was no traffic. I was going over 80 mph with the S550 and the car started Panikin’. California’s behind wheel test is the easiest test I have ever taken. You drive around, stop at the stop, and the red, and there you have it. When I got my license over at Germany the test included Parking in reverse, driving in reverse, Parking in the middle of two cars, changing lanes in different speed, chaning lane while you get behind another car, baking out in small parking lot, pulling over in medium traffice and pulling back into the road,and much more. If the license tests over here in USA get that hard, you will see much much less drivers driving around. I would say Yes to Autobahns in USA. They should take everyone’s license away and bring germans to test every single person.
07/05, 11:07 PM
posted by:
Veda
When I had to commute from San Diego to Irvine every night for work, I travel virtually at 90-100mhp nonstop for exactly 1 hour. This was a few years ago so if you’re still allowed to do that then SoCal isn’t a bad place to test out your ride.
07/06, 6:21 AM
posted by:
JS
I haven´t seen any better highways than the ones in Belgium. There were 4 lanes in each direction, fast (about 170 km/h) and fluent traffic and a great illumination by night. I would say they´re better than the Autobahn but the drivers there aren´t so good.
07/06, 12:16 PM
posted by:
Kendall Richardson
veda, what kind of car do you have?
07/06, 2:35 PM
posted by:
.: Tosta Mista :.
4 lanes in Belgium? Where did you see that? Wallonia or Flanders?
They are pretty good highways throughout Europe, especially in the Benelux area (Belgium, Luxembourg and Holland).
One thing that I admire here is that one can travel through various countries in Europe and there is a standard in highway configuration and signs, making it easier and safer to travel abroad by car.
07/15, 10:32 AM
posted by:
M. Smith-Chicago
I just returned from a two week trip to Germany (July 11), after driving over 3100 miles as my first time on the autobahn. The experience was fantastic. There were a few traffic jams and some construction (we are used to that in the summertime in Chicago), but overall the driving was thrilling. The German drivers are wonderfully disciplined and obey the rules to a tee. I rented a new Audi A4 with TDI and managed to get it to 225 km/h on a strech of A2 going to Berlin. Quite a rush. People were still passing me.
Since returning, I have pondered – like many here – on why we could not employ a no speed limit in the U.S. and as many have mentioned – Americans are not disciplined enough and would abuse the priviledge. Even if we could pass tougher laws and stricter learning for driving, some lobby group would claim some rights were being violated. I plan on returning to Germany soon.
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07/05, 12:40 PM
posted by:
The Schumster
Any relation to Jean Todt?
07/05, 12:43 PM
posted by:
Renton
The best part of driving on the Autobahn is you can pay attention to the task at hand. Driving.
You do not have to worry about getting a speeding ticket tin the areas without limits. Also the Germans are excellent and very disciplined drivers.
It was 15 years ago for me and I still remember it.
07/05, 12:48 PM
posted by:
Ed
I had the good fortune of driving on it back in 1990 and again at the end of 2004. Although traffic has increased considerably and there were a lot of repairs being conducted in ‘04, the general driver skill has not changed one bit, everyone is still focused on the task at hand and obeys the rules to a tee. Driving on I-95 every day I can’t help but wonder how much better traffic would flow if: a) got rid of the ridiculous HOV lane and b) enforced the slower traffic keep right doctrine.
07/05, 1:01 PM
posted by:
Ryan
If I ever go to Europe, it will definitly be a requirement of mine to go drive it. I’ve dreamed about forever.
I agree Ed, Sure wish they’d enforce the slow stays right law.
07/05, 1:03 PM
posted by:
Adam Marshall
See, the Germans have the right idea, no speed limits and actual good driving, just keep bad drivers off the road, and eliminate speed limits and cameras
:D
07/05, 1:14 PM
posted by:
Wickedated
The speed limit on the autobahn is 80mph. Only few sections have no speed limit but the polizei will still pull you over if the weather is bad, traffic is heavy or if it’s late at night.
07/05, 1:15 PM
posted by:
JN
Adam,
You miss the point of speed limits and cameras.
Revenue enhancement. Why else would a road with three lanes in each direction and a 20 ft wide median have a 35 mph speed limit?
07/05, 1:16 PM
posted by:
Kinno
Heil Todt!
07/05, 1:29 PM
posted by:
VDub
You can’t keep bad drivers off the road. In Germany people spent years and alot of money just to get a driver’s license so every driver is a good driver.
07/05, 2:09 PM
posted by:
Anonymous
america is too cool for autobanh
07/05, 2:21 PM
posted by:
JD
#9 is correct. I saw the HC episode and if I remember correctly, it’s over a thousand dollars to get a license and the tests are grueling.
07/05, 2:49 PM
posted by:
Jens Peter
Yes, whenever I drive in Germany its always a good experience.
And about drivers license, here in Denmark, I payed approx. $1800 to get it. As I understand it, it is very easy to get a drivers licens in USA, and if you don’t get the proper basic training…
oh – the autobahn was the only good thing about nazi regime.
07/05, 3:01 PM
posted by:
The Stig
Kudos to #9 and #11.
America can’t have anything like the autobahn because the majority of Americans would be unwilling to make the necessary sacrifices. Period.
07/05, 3:12 PM
posted by:
Renton
#13- I second that. Sad.
07/05, 9:55 PM
posted by:
Reza
Its very Sad.
I live in SoCal and every time I drive I get upset with bad drivers. 99.8% people behind the wheels over here in socal should NOT have licenses. In Germany you enjoy driving around as every is worthy of driving around. Couple days ago I was driving in 405N and this Mother F*cker stoped in the middle of the free way, and there was no traffic. I was going over 80 mph with the S550 and the car started Panikin’. California’s behind wheel test is the easiest test I have ever taken. You drive around, stop at the stop, and the red, and there you have it. When I got my license over at Germany the test included Parking in reverse, driving in reverse, Parking in the middle of two cars, changing lanes in different speed, chaning lane while you get behind another car, baking out in small parking lot, pulling over in medium traffice and pulling back into the road,and much more. If the license tests over here in USA get that hard, you will see much much less drivers driving around.
I would say Yes to Autobahns in USA. They should take everyone’s license away and bring germans to test every single person. 
07/05, 11:07 PM
posted by:
Veda
When I had to commute from San Diego to Irvine every night for work, I travel virtually at 90-100mhp nonstop for exactly 1 hour. This was a few years ago so if you’re still allowed to do that then SoCal isn’t a bad place to test out your ride.
07/06, 6:21 AM
posted by:
JS
I haven´t seen any better highways than the ones in Belgium. There were 4 lanes in each direction, fast (about 170 km/h) and fluent traffic and a great illumination by night. I would say they´re better than the Autobahn but the drivers there aren´t so good.
07/06, 12:16 PM
posted by:
Kendall Richardson
veda, what kind of car do you have?
07/06, 2:35 PM
posted by:
.: Tosta Mista :.
4 lanes in Belgium? Where did you see that? Wallonia or Flanders?
They are pretty good highways throughout Europe, especially in the Benelux area (Belgium, Luxembourg and Holland).
One thing that I admire here is that one can travel through various countries in Europe and there is a standard in highway configuration and signs, making it easier and safer to travel abroad by car.
07/15, 10:32 AM
posted by:
M. Smith-Chicago
I just returned from a two week trip to Germany (July 11), after driving over 3100 miles as my first time on the autobahn. The experience was fantastic. There were a few traffic jams and some construction (we are used to that in the summertime in Chicago), but overall the driving was thrilling. The German drivers are wonderfully disciplined and obey the rules to a tee. I rented a new Audi A4 with TDI and managed to get it to 225 km/h on a strech of A2 going to Berlin. Quite a rush. People were still passing me.
Since returning, I have pondered – like many here – on why we could not employ a no speed limit in the U.S. and as many have mentioned – Americans are not disciplined enough and would abuse the priviledge. Even if we could pass tougher laws and stricter learning for driving, some lobby group would claim some rights were being violated. I plan on returning to Germany soon.