Posted: 2/12/2014 3:43:59 PM EDT
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Heading to Germany this spring, do I need any special license to drive there? When I went back in 1997 all I needed was my Illinois drivers license. TIA |
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Your stateside DL is good for 90 days. Get an international DL from AAA (http://www.aaa.com/vacation/idpapplc.html), that might help when you get pulled over, although it's not mandatory.
Do not turn right on a red light (unless indicated by a green arrow pointing to the right), it's considered running a red light and gets nasty. Do not pass on the right side when on the Autobahn. German police loves unmarked cruisers of all brands and colors, so never feel safe if there isn't a marked unit around. 
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Quoted: Your stateside DL is good for 90 days. Get an international DL from AAA (http://www.aaa.com/vacation/idpapplc.html), that might help when you get pulled over, although it's not mandatory. Do not turn right on a red light (unless indicated by a green arrow pointing to the right), it's considered running a red light and gets nasty. Do not pass on the right side when on the Autobahn. German police loves unmarked cruisers of all brands and colors, so never feel safe if there isn't a marked unit around.  |
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Happens to me when I return to Germany after having spent some time back home in Texas... Lucky never got caught turning on a red light.
Beware of the new speed cameras, they use an invisible IR flash (no more "lightning"...) Last time they got me with a "Provida" video car. Followed me for like 5 mls. in an unmarked VW Golf GTI and pulled me over. 
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Quoted:
Good to know. I know Germans take driving serious and so will I when I get there. Yeah they sure do. Driver education is very intense here. My SO paid over $2,000 for her DL. I did my M/C license over here, $1,500. Thank God that Texas has a reciprocity with Germany, so my Class C license was converted for like 60 bucks. |
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Some models of GPS are linked to the local posted speed limits & have an alarm if you exceed the limit; I found that feature useful this past summer while driving all over Bavaria (though mostly near Augsburg & 3 times to LegoLand).
I did see the police wave over a motorcyclist right in front of us (probably would have gotten me had it not been for the guy in front). On a funny note: I saw another officer supposedly "manning" a tripod-mounted radar gun while reading the newspaper! No, I did not stop to take his picture, but it gave me a chuckle. |
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Quoted:
Some models of GPS are linked to the local posted speed limits & have an alarm if you exceed the limit; I found that feature useful this past summer while driving all over Bavaria (though mostly near Augsburg & 3 times to LegoLand). That little feature is illegal when driving in Switzerland!
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