For a lot of people, not just car nuts, the Autobahn is one of the must-see/drive thrills of Germany. The term ‘autobahn’ refers to a high-speed freeway or motorway. Austrian and Switzerland also have autobahns but the general reference is usually to the German road network, officially called Bundesautobahn (Federal Motorway). The autobahn has acquired an air of fantasy and myth over the years, so what’s all the fuss about:
- Is there really no speed limit?
There is no blanket speed. The recommended speed on the Autobahn is 130km. There are speed limits at intersections and dangerous areas, such as construction zones. The average speed in non-restricted areas is 150km/h. About three quarters of the Autobahn network has no speed limit. - Is it dangerous?
Strangely enough, the accident rate is comparable to other European highways. A German study done in 2005 found that the accident rate was the same in unrestricted speed areas on the Autobahn as restricted areas. - Fuel Consumption
With carbon-emissions an ever-continuing debate, there has been discussion of whether or not a speed limit should be imposed to influence fuel consumption. Fuel consumption tends to increase the faster you go and since fuel conservation is a key element for reducing pollution, environmentalists may have a point. However, the car industry has argued that more modern cars actually have better fuel economy at higher speeds and regulation would be pointless. - Debunking the Hitler Myth
Hitler is often credited with the building of the Autobahn and for a period it was called the Reichsautobahn (Motorways of the Reich). Actually construction first started in 1929, before he came to power. About a quarter of the roads were during the Third Reich. However, the plans for the construction of the network had been designed and worked out in the 1920s. When the Nazis came to power, the party quickly realized how beneficial the Autobahn would be and how it could be used as a great propaganda tool. The design was presented as Hitler’s idea. Part of the propaganda was that the Autobahn helped with unemployment problems. In reality, the construction work employed a small percentage of Germans and was mostly built Russian prisoners of war.