Anyone who reads messages currently in Germany sees or hears, the more frequently encountered an issue: the financial crisis. Is most affected in Germany is currently the automotive industry. Victor from Mexico has asked me to talk about it.
In Germany, around 800,000 people working in the automotive industry. They make cars. There are many well-known car brands that are from Germany. If you look at the cars in Germany once, which provides for all Volkswagen, Mercedes Benz (Daimler so), Opel, BMW and Audi. Well, of course, there are a couple of Porsches too, and many other car brands that do not come from Germany. The most successful are Daimler and Volkswagen. In Germany there are about 41 million cars, which stands for passenger cars, so normal cars. The larger trucks are called truck to truck. This means that approximately every second German has a car.
The automotive industry has a long tradition in Germany, and no wonder. Because the car was invented in 1885 - Carl Benz, a German.
There are many terms that you might not know yet. You know, for example, what we call an open car? That's a convertible. A car in which two people have space, we call a two-seater. The best-known German car sitting in the only two people can probably be smart, a great little car!
A very popular car of the Germans is the VW Golf. If you want to buy a car, you can either buy a new car or a used one. When selling you get the papers - the vehicle registration and ownership documents. Who are these two papers has officially owns the car.
A car should not immediately on the Street: First, it must be admitted. This one goes to a special authority, the approval body. Where do you register the car, and then you get marks, ie license plates. These are two elongated metal plates that are mounted front and rear of the car. Because it can be detected. In Germany, the mark begins always with one, two or three letters. These letters stand for a city or a region. The fewer the letters, the greater the city. M stands for Munich, Berlin, B, S for Stuttgart, Cologne K.
On the license plate under this subsection is a small bar - and above and below are two colorful labels to see so-called plaques. These badges you get from TUV. The TÜV is an institution that controls whether the car is fine. Whether it is safe and works. Every two years you have to bring the car to control and gets a new badge.
The car is then finally approved, you can ride it. There are two types of cars: cars with automatic transmissions and cars with manual gearbox. When I was a kid, all the cars in Germany had a manual transmission. Today this has changed: more and more German cars automatic buy. I can well understand, it is more convenient. My little car but still a manual transmission.
Before you can sit behind the wheel of a car, you have to make a driver's license. This one goes to the driving school. Here you pay money for it, so that a driving instructor teaches you to drive a car. You learn how the gear works, where is the flasher how to einparkt and so on. And of course one must remember the road rules. Therefore, instruction in the driving school in a theoretical and a practical part is divided. At the end you have a theoretical and a practical test to make. If they are both there, get a driver's license, which looks like a plastic card.
By the way, cars must be insured in Germany! This is mandatory. If one has an accident in which one is not to blame, you can rest assured that you will be supported.
Especially if you have an old car, it can happen that you have a car breakdown. The car is broken and does not drive anymore. Then I call the ADAC, which is a club where you can become a member. There are of course other clubs such as ADAC, I take it only as an example. In any case, the ADAC is then one of his yellow cars to me and tried to repair my car on the spot if it's just a small thing. If it's worse, the car must be towed. Then it takes a tow to the nearest garage. I am the last year happened, it was very exciting!
I notice you I could tell a lot about cars - it is a very important issue in Germany! Currently there are for example a so-called scrappage scheme - who scrapped his old car, so to make garbage that gets money from the state, if he choose to buy a new car. So shall the automotive industry are boosted, boosted in this case, they should be supported.
Now even more music, from Jack- "And we thought."
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Anyone who reads messages currently in Germany sees or hears, the more frequently encountered an issue: the financial crisis. Hardest hit in Germany is currently the automotive industry. Victor from Mexico ...
Finally spring is here. And that means to me: I get my bike out of the cellar. Many German drive even in the winter with her wheel, but not me. I really only fun when it's warm.
In the spring I have the bike once clean and oil the chain again. Then I have to inflate the tires, because they have little else to air. A quick check brakes - and you're set.
A bicycle consists of two tires, which are equipped with spokes. It sits on the saddle and pedaling. With the driver can determine the direction, and a bell, most bikes also warn about. So you may see me at night, the wheel for front and rear lights and has called the spokes orange reflectors, cat eyes. You can either slow down to a brake on the handlebar or with a coaster brake with the pedals. Many bikes have gears, so you can come faster and sometimes slower and more easily thrives. If you want to take someone who can set this to either the handlebar or on the back of the rack.
Many German cycling. Some of them see cycling as a sport, they wear tight jerseys and a helmet and race as fast as possible across the country. Others prefer to drive around comfortably and look at the scenery. To which I belong.
Munich is a true cycling paradise. Cyclists have their own bike paths separated from the highways. At some intersections, there are even little traffic lights for cyclists. And your own road signs indicating the distance to certain places. So you can make beautiful cycle tours.
For me, the bicycle is a way to move around very quickly in the city. If I want to drive from my apartment to my workplace, I need to drive 20 minutes - and then have to find a parking space. With the tram but I need only 11 minutes, but often I have to wait until a train comes. With the bike I'm there in 15 minutes - and did the same a little sport.
Last year I got as a gift from my parents a bicycle helmet. Children are used to in Germany, to wear such a helmet. I'm not there yet - but I try as often as possible to set up. The risk of injury in an accident is much smaller.
By the way, children learn very early on in Germany to drive, bike. Some people use this so-called training wheels. These are small wheels that are mounted on either side of the bike. This turns a wheel bicycle with four wheels, which can not fall over. In elementary school, then there is a special instruction to the police. They point to a driver training area, which rules must be observed as a cyclist.
By the age of eight, children must ride her bike on the sidewalk. Then they have to go on the road with the cars. Motorists usually take into consideration the cyclists - but not always.
In large cities there are usually also sightseeing by bicycle. You can borrow a bike and then go with a group of tourists through the city and let's all show.
If you do not have their own bicycle and cycle would still like to, can rent a bicycle. The German Rail offers this service, it's called "Call a Bike". This silver-orange bikes are everywhere, and you can unlock them with a phone call. After use, they lock the bike again and be alerted when it is available. This service is unfortunately not free.
Enthusiastic cyclists will cycle way too happy for several days during their vacation. For example, you can take a ride around the lake, or up to Venice. One needs but tidy condition for as long to start pedaling!
So, enough cycled! Now music first, and that "little stories" by Phil and Pete.
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Finally spring is here. And that means to me: I get my bike out of the cellar. Many German drive even in the winter with her bike, but I do not ....
Ralph is in the first generation Canadians, that is, his parents came from Germany to Canada and he grew up there. He is interested in how this works in Germany with the driving school and with the highways.
We begin with the German autobahn, which is well known worldwide. The first official highway was inaugurated 1932nd Most Americans are disappointed when they see for the first time a freeway. Because compared to the freeways or the big, ten-lane roads in Los Angeles freeways are rather tiny.
A highway is a road in both directions. Each has at least two tracks. In the middle of the two directions are separated by either concrete walls or steel guardrails. If a car will still on the wrong side in the wrong direction moves, usually this happens on purpose as a test of courage, or a suicide attempt, but sometimes there are simply confused people, then these drivers are called ghost rider. Highways are usually constructed so that it neither has nor tight corners great differences in height, unless allowed to do that. If too much is going on, especially during the holiday season, then jam on the highway. Then the cars they drive are more than that.
On a motorway there is a minimum speed. So you have to have at least one car, 60 kilometers per hour or faster can go. Cyclists must not of course on the highway, little Vespa scooters or similar not so. Originally, the highway was barely a speed limit. So you could drive as fast as you wanted. In the meantime this has changed in many places, the speed is set there and we can not travel faster than for example 120 km / h. Reason for this limitation is security - if a car drives 210 and the other 100, then it can easily cause an accident than if both are about the same speed - driving - or slow. A third of German traffic passes over the highway. Here too, most trucks are on the road. You have to pay to drive on the highway must. Rarely has a highway for more than three lanes.
Since the highway is also much used for long distance service, so for people who have to travel long distances, there are rest stops. You drive next to the highway shortly to eat something or to refuel. There are even motorway churches. And you know what it cost to build a highway? € 26.8 million per kilometer. The most expensive is the planning that usually lasts for about 20 years. Then you need engineers who advise and assist, and the building itself will cost 6.7 million euros. If your time in Germany and are you looking for a highway, look for blue signs with white letters.
Finally, as always, some music, this time the song of the Gema Reeperboys .
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Ralph is in the first generation Canadians, that is, his parents came from Germany to Canada and he grew up there. What interests him, like the one in Germany with the driving school ...
In the large German cities like Munich, Berlin, Hamburg, Stuttgart or Cologne, you need a car. Many of my friends have a car - because these cities have so-called good public transport system. Public transport as buses or subways. I now declare you even know how the system works in Munich. There is a little complicated, but we try anyway, right?
In the city itself take the underground subway. They keep very often and also go very often, you have to wait long for an ever subway. On top of this road there is still a good bus and tram. Both I can recommend even if you just want to make time on a sightseeing tour, without paying much money. Both cost the same amount and is also similar comfortably. The trams have the advantage that they can turn on the lights to green and therefore have more free rides.
Who wants to drive longer distances, for example, in the suburbs, which can also take the train. She actually looks just like the subway runs, but not below ground, but also on the earth. With the train you can ride to the airport, for example, which is just outside Munich.
Well, you know now, therefore, want to go where your. So you still need a ticket. The systems in the cities are usually very complicated, there are weekly, monthly and annual passes for local commuters. For tourists it is best if you buy a tourist card. This is cheap, and usually valid for several days to get there with you even less interest in museums and others. This ticket must be stamped in machines that are mounted in buses and trams in the vehicle, U-and S-Bahn, however, are still standing on the platform or even up in front of the escalator. These tickets are controlled by inconspicuously dressed people - but not in any way. They do spot checks. Anyone who has a ticket must pay a penalty. Turnstiles are as in other international cities like London or New York does not exist in Germany. The ticket you must always have with you if you'll check. You can throw it away until you arrive at your destination, and the ticket is not valid anymore. You can vote with such a ticket easily change from train to bus or vice versa, that's no problem.
There are trains and buses in the way special places for the disabled and elderly. These are marked with a special symbol and must be vacated, if someone needs them. Otherwise: You can not smoke on trains and buses. If you want to get off, you press on buses and trams with a red button near the entrance, before the station is reached. S-and U-Bahn stop always automatically at each station.
In the Munich subway system was built specially for the way the 1972 Olympic Games! The S-Bahn trains now are all new and air conditioned, the subways are air conditioned and some are new, some old, but also really funny, you have the space that is so disguised that it looks as if it were made of wood. Of course it is plastic and metal.
If you are traveling as tourists, I recommend you to avoid the rush hour. It's like the time when the people leave in the morning 7-9 clock in the evening and 17 to 19 clock to work or home. The trains and buses are often crowded and it's no fun ride. It's the same on Saturday afternoon, when the fans go to the football stadium.
And caution: Trains leave the whole night! Instead look at a schedule in advance, so you have to take an expensive taxi. You have to fear in Munich by the way did not, they are very safe, even at night and for women in public transport.
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In the large German cities like Munich, Berlin, Hamburg, Stuttgart or Cologne, you need a car. Many of my friends have a car - because these cities have a good so ...
