Hi all

In about 5 weeks i drive to Berlin and further SE, not sure how long, maybe
10-14 days....

I have been to the places where i am going before, but never driven

Taking in Berlin, Cottbus, Niesky, Dresden and a few more.

I will be taking my laptop with me, are there many wifi points?

I speak so so German, better than most English but far from perfect but i do
try.

I will be looking for cheap camp sites, and maybe a day or 2 in Poland and
Cz

Are there any unusual local laws i need to know, if anyone has any other
useful web links that would be great...

thanks!

Jules schrieb:
    > Hi all
    >
    > In about 5 weeks i drive to Berlin and further SE, not sure how long, maybe
    > 10-14 days....
    >
    > I have been to the places where i am going before, but never driven
    >
    > Taking in Berlin, Cottbus, Niesky, Dresden and a few more.
    >
Interesting- I don't suppose many people have even heard of Niesky.
I believe Görlitz might be more interesting than Cottbus. You might want
to add Quedlinburg, Freiberg and Erfurt.

    > I will be taking my laptop with me, are there many wifi points?
    >
Try this guide:
http://www.jiwire.com/hot-spot-direc...?country_id=82

    > I speak so so German, better than most English but far from perfect but i do
    > try.
    >
    > I will be looking for cheap camp sites, and maybe a day or 2 in Poland and
    > Cz
    >
    > Are there any unusual local laws i need to know, if anyone has any other
    > useful web links that would be great...
    >

If you're coming from the UK, you need to be aware of some important
rules about busses, trams and pedestrian crossing lights.
Also, as in France, traffic at unmarked junctions, or marked with an
'X', has priority from the right.
Trams often run on tracks in the middle of the road. It is forbidden to
pass them on the left, and if they stop, you must also stop and can only
proceed with extreme care in case passengers get on or off.
Unlike the UK, junctions controlled by traffic lights usually have
pedestrian lights as well. You must stop and give way to pedestrians
crossing on a green light.
In what used to be East Germany, you will often see traffic lights with
a painted green arrow pointing right. This means that a right turn is
allowed on a red stoplight, but only if no other traffic is coming.
Finally, although much road improvement has been made since
reunification, you are very likely to encounter roads with cobble stone
paving and potholes, so drive accordingly. Also, some Autobahn sections
are still in a bad state, extremely narrow and lacking a hard shoulder.

    > thanks!
    >
    >
    >
T.

--
In memorium Layal Najib
www.cpj.org

On Wed, 09 Aug 2006 14:01:32 +0200, Tom Peel
<[email protected]> wrote:


    >Trams often run on tracks in the middle of the road. It is forbidden to
    >pass them on the left, and if they stop, you must also stop and can only
    >proceed with extreme care in case passengers get on or off.

It's also not a good idea to try to pass between two converging trams
as illustrated by this photo of the remains of a taxi.
http://www.leidschdagblad.nl/multime...li_124616c.jpg
--

Martin

Following up to Tom Peel <[email protected]> :

    >If you're coming from the UK, you need to be aware of some important
    >rules about busses, trams and pedestrian crossing lights.

Can I add that at most traffic lights, when you are allowed to turn right
on a green, you will find that the pedestrian light is also green. They
will not look and they have right of way. So /do/ be extra careful when
turning right or left at a junction.
At many motorway junctions the acceleration/deceleration lane will have a
sharp curve in it - recommended speed 50km/h. These will not be marked as
such - so do expect them.
Germans are generally well disciplined drivers, at least when off Autobahns
(there they turn into a different animal). Don't expect any waves of thanks
for letting people in though.
--
Tim C.

Jules wrote:

    > Are there any unusual local laws i need to know, if anyone has any other
    > useful web links that would be great...

Well, actually, they drive on the other side ...

Jens

On Wed, 9 Aug 2006 15:47:23 +0200, Jens Arne Maennig
<[email protected]> wrote:

    >Jules wrote:
    >> Are there any unusual local laws i need to know, if anyone has any other
    >> useful web links that would be great...
    >Well, actually, they drive on the other side ...

'cos the steering wheels are on the wrong side too.
--

Martin

Martin wrote:
    > On Wed, 9 Aug 2006 15:47:23 +0200, Jens Arne Maennig
    > <[email protected]> wrote:
    >>Jules wrote:

    >>> Are there any unusual local laws i need to know, if anyone has any other
    >>> useful web links that would be great...
    >>Well, actually, they drive on the other side ...
    >
    > 'cos the steering wheels are on the wrong side too.

I think, not the driver is driving, but the front seat passenger.

Jens

On Wed, 9 Aug 2006 15:59:59 +0200, Jens Arne Maennig
<[email protected]> wrote:

    >Martin wrote:
    >> On Wed, 9 Aug 2006 15:47:23 +0200, Jens Arne Maennig
    >> <[email protected]> wrote:
    >>>Jules wrote:
    >>>> Are there any unusual local laws i need to know, if anyone has any other
    >>>> useful web links that would be great...
    >>>Well, actually, they drive on the other side ...
    >>
    >> 'cos the steering wheels are on the wrong side too.
    >I think, not the driver is driving, but the front seat passenger.

In Germany the back seat passenger sits in the front.

"Als ze jezus hadden verdronken ipv gekruisigd, hadden we nu een
aquarium boven de deur."

--

Martin

"Tim C." <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
    > Following up to Tom Peel <[email protected]> :
    > >If you're coming from the UK, you need to be aware of some important
    > >rules about busses, trams and pedestrian crossing lights.
    > Can I add that at most traffic lights, when you are allowed to turn right
    > on a green, you will find that the pedestrian light is also green. They
    > will not look and they have right of way. So /do/ be extra careful when
    > turning right or left at a junction.

Yes,..i remember walking accross when it was green to walk and a car coming
towards me....i swore quite a bit not realising he could do that but would
stop!

    > At many motorway junctions the acceleration/deceleration lane will have a
    > sharp curve in it - recommended speed 50km/h. These will not be marked as
    > such - so do expect them.
    > Germans are generally well disciplined drivers, at least when off
Autobahns
    > (there they turn into a different animal). Don't expect any waves of
thanks
    > for letting people in though.
    > --
    > Tim C.

Have been on many autobahns as a passenger i was actually surprised how bad
the old people were, but its just the same here....generally in the right
lane, not like UK motorways where a woman or old person sits in the
overtaking lane

On Wed, 09 Aug 2006 14:16:32 GMT, "Jules"
<[email protected]> wrote:

    >"Tim C." <[email protected]> wrote in message
    >news:[email protected].. .
    >> Following up to Tom Peel <[email protected]> :
    >> >If you're coming from the UK, you need to be aware of some important
    >> >rules about busses, trams and pedestrian crossing lights.
    >> Can I add that at most traffic lights, when you are allowed to turn right
    >> on a green, you will find that the pedestrian light is also green. They
    >> will not look and they have right of way. So /do/ be extra careful when
    >> turning right or left at a junction.
    >Yes,..i remember walking accross when it was green to walk and a car coming
    >towards me....i swore quite a bit not realising he could do that but would
    >stop!
    >> At many motorway junctions the acceleration/deceleration lane will have a
    >> sharp curve in it - recommended speed 50km/h. These will not be marked as
    >> such - so do expect them.
    >> Germans are generally well disciplined drivers, at least when off
    >Autobahns
    >> (there they turn into a different animal). Don't expect any waves of
    >thanks
    >> for letting people in though.
    >> --
    >> Tim C.
    >Have been on many autobahns as a passenger i was actually surprised how bad
    >the old people were, but its just the same here....generally in the right
    >lane, not like UK motorways where a woman or old person sits in the
    >overtaking lane

In UK the right lane is the wrong lane.
--

Martin

Hallo Tom


"Tom Peel" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
    > Jules schrieb:
    > > Hi all
    > >
    > > In about 5 weeks i drive to Berlin and further SE, not sure how long,
maybe
    > > 10-14 days....
    > >
    > > I have been to the places where i am going before, but never driven
    > >
    > > Taking in Berlin, Cottbus, Niesky, Dresden and a few more.
    > >
    > Interesting- I don't suppose many people have even heard of Niesky.
    > I believe Görlitz might be more interesting than Cottbus. You might want
    > to add Quedlinburg, Freiberg and Erfurt.

Been to Niesky many times, and Görlitz (sorry i had to cut and paste, i dont
have my German keyboard plugged into my laptop)

Been to Cottbus twice, nothing exiting happens there......but this time i
will take in the former DDR airbraft military base. I did not know it was
there on my last visit.

I have been asked to visit Plauen, to bring back 2 cases of Sternquell, but
i will bring back lots of Vita cola....ich liebe Vita cola und wodka, mit
eis!! (dopple) ;-)


    > > I will be taking my laptop with me, are there many wifi points?
    > >
    > Try this guide:
    > http://www.jiwire.com/hot-spot-direc...?country_id=82
    > > I speak so so German, better than most English but far from perfect but
i do
    > > try.
    > >
    > > I will be looking for cheap camp sites, and maybe a day or 2 in Poland
and
    > > Cz
    > >
    > > Are there any unusual local laws i need to know, if anyone has any other
    > > useful web links that would be great...
    > >
    > If you're coming from the UK, you need to be aware of some important
    > rules about busses, trams and pedestrian crossing lights.
    > Also, as in France, traffic at unmarked junctions, or marked with an
    > 'X', has priority from the right.
    > Trams often run on tracks in the middle of the road. It is forbidden to
    > pass them on the left, and if they stop, you must also stop and can only
    > proceed with extreme care in case passengers get on or off.
    > Unlike the UK, junctions controlled by traffic lights usually have
    > pedestrian lights as well. You must stop and give way to pedestrians
    > crossing on a green light.
    > In what used to be East Germany, you will often see traffic lights with
    > a painted green arrow pointing right. This means that a right turn is
    > allowed on a red stoplight, but only if no other traffic is coming.
    > Finally, although much road improvement has been made since
    > reunification, you are very likely to encounter roads with cobble stone
    > paving and potholes, so drive accordingly. Also, some Autobahn sections
    > are still in a bad state, extremely narrow and lacking a hard shoulder.
    > > thanks!
    > >
    > >

I am having a German kid drive with me to Berlin from England, i have driven
in Ost Germany a few times, but only short distances, never in France etc so
that will be a help. As soon as i get into Germany i must buy some credit
for my German handi, which will be better than my UK fone

many thnaks

    > >
    > T.
    > --
    > In memorium Layal Najib
    > www.cpj.org

Following up to "Jules" <[email protected]> :

    >Have been on many autobahns as a passenger i was actually surprised how bad
    >the old people were, but its just the same here....generally in the right
    >lane, not like UK motorways where a woman or old person sits in the
    >overtaking lane

I disagree - they have so many 2-lane motorways and the slow lane is full
of lorries that everyone drives in the fast lane whether there's anything
in it or not.
--
Tim C.

Jules wrote:

    > I have been asked to visit Plauen, to bring back 2 cases of
    > Sternquell, but i will bring back lots of Vita cola....ich liebe
    > Vita cola und wodka, mit eis!! (dopple) ;-)

Did you ever try this one: http://tinyurl.com/z2uxb? It was the only
brand of whisky manufactured in the GDR for some funny historical
reasons. In the meantime, it should be a bit hard to get a bottle :-)

Jens

Martin wrote:

    > In Germany the back seat passenger sits in the front.

Only if he's driving in a Smart.

    > "Als ze jezus hadden verdronken ipv gekruisigd, hadden we nu een
    > aquarium boven de deur."

I've got neither of them. Anyway, the Catholics have both: The over
the door or in the corner, the little aquarium (they call it stoup)
close to the door.

Jens

On Wed, 9 Aug 2006 17:08:14 +0200, Jens Arne Maennig
<[email protected]> wrote:

    >Martin wrote:
    >> In Germany the back seat passenger sits in the front.
    >Only if he's driving in a Smart.

She!!!

    >> "Als ze jezus hadden verdronken ipv gekruisigd, hadden we nu een
    >> aquarium boven de deur."
    >I've got neither of them. Anyway, the Catholics have both: The over
    >the door or in the corner, the little aquarium (they call it stoup)
    >close to the door.

LOL
--

Martin