Author Topic: How Do Germans Sleep at Night...? (Read 708 times)

richbass939 · « **Reply #15 on:** April 07, 2006, 05:23:19 PM »

LOL, LOL, LOL. Mike, bet that's a shock when you get in without looking carefully.
Rich

palmann · « **Reply #16 on:** April 07, 2006, 11:10:15 PM »

Joey,

when I came back from America from a students exchange (3 weeks, about 13 years ago), the father of a friend picked us up on the airport of Frankfurt.

When we got on the Autobahn I was in real panic, because I was already so much used to the way americans are driving. To be honest, I would prefer a more relaxed way of driving here in Germany, too.

Gruesse, Pablo

angelboy · « **Reply #17 on:** April 08, 2006, 02:59:48 AM »

I Contacted them about the Series II Stanley Bass they have and it works out more expensive than buying a new one! The guy wouldn't budge an inch for a stock bass! You'd have thought that such an expensive bass would be best off the balance sheets!

I'm glad I didn't go for it as I've found out that it doesn't have matching coco bolo back!!! What a rip-off!

palmann · « **Reply #18 on:** April 08, 2006, 04:19:04 AM »

Well, just don't buy it. I think the Excels are ok for the price. They're new instruments, not used.

Station Music is rather expensive, but it's still you, who has to decide.

Gruesse, Pablo

Bradley Young · « **Reply #19 on:** April 08, 2006, 08:39:22 AM »

Pablo,

Different areas in the US drive totally different. Some specific examples:

Seattle: everyone immediately moves to the left, and maintains +-5% of the speed limit. They will not move right to let you pass.

Los Angeles: 80MPH+ all the time, except when there are slowdowns. You can drive 70MPH (10MPH over the speed limit) and get passed by police cars and motorcycles. This is not an exaggeration; I have been passed by police on several occasions (while I was going 10+ MPH over the speed limit).

Midwest: people move right to let you pass. 'Nuff said.

Northeast: Mostly populated by nutcases. You're taking your life in your own hands.

For reference, I like driving in LA.

Brad

palmann · « **Reply #20 on:** April 09, 2006, 08:20:37 AM »

In Germany there are those regional differences, too.

But basically driving is a lot more stressful just because of the speed differences. A truck's speed is about 60-100 km/h when going uphill whereas a BMW can easily go about 180-200 km/h at the same hill. My car would go 120-130 km/h, so I'm to fast for the trucks and always got some nervous BMW drivers sitting in my trunk. That's not what I call relaxing. :-/

What does it have to do with Alembics? I don't know, I guess being the Harley Davidson of basses they're simply more highway than Autobahn for me...

Gruesse, Pablo

lbpesq · « **Reply #21 on:** April 09, 2006, 10:22:26 AM »

Having grown up and learned to drive in NY, then moved to the L.A. area for 4.5 years, then to the Bay Area for last 28 years, I've also noticed regional differences in driving. The essential difference, IMHO boils down to this: Both California and New York drivers are crazy. The difference is that New Yorkers know how to drive. Yes they go 80+ on the West Coast. They also slow down to 75 with less than one car length separation in the rain! Did someone say snow? California is full of nice suburban people driving SUVs who think that 4 wheel drive makes them impervious to snow and ice. They don't realize that 4 wheel drive doesn't help at all when you slam on the brakes. The roads in California are much wider and straighter than back east. It's easy to drive on an L.A. Freeway. Take most of these Californians, put them on the Bronx River Parkway, and they'll freak out when confronted with the narrow lanes, curvy roads, lack of lane markers (no bot dots) narrow stone bridgees to drive underneath, and paucity of road signs. I've never been to Germany, but it has always sounded like fun fun fun on the autobahn. I'm driving a 1991 Nissan 300ZX, fast approaching 240,000 miles, that would LOVE a taste of 135 mph.

Bill, tgo

keith_h · « **Reply #22 on:** April 09, 2006, 10:40:54 AM »

I guess one of my advantages was living in the cornfields of Illinois and Iowa during my formative driving years. Lots of long and straight country roads with no traffic to to see how fast the old 442 could go. :-)

Bill,
The last time I went up to Yorktown Heights I surprised (and somewhat uncormfortable) with how narrow, curvy, etc the Taconic State Parkway was. It was obvious it was built for a different era and driving speed.

Keith

lbpesq · « **Reply #23 on:** April 09, 2006, 11:06:53 AM »

Yea, but it sure is purdy, ain't it?

Bill, tgo

richbass939 · « **Reply #24 on:** April 09, 2006, 12:44:38 PM »

Bill, I know what you mean about the people on snow and ice in their 4 wheel drives. Colorado is full of them. In the past 10 years the main influx of people has come from CA, TX, and FL. Not exactly your big grew-up-driving-on-ice states. They think (based on how cars are advertised here) that 4WD and ABS means that they are all dry roads from here. It scares me to death to be out on the roads with them. Oh, yeah. Don't forget the cell phones stuck on their ears.
Rich

Bradley Young · « **Reply #25 on:** April 09, 2006, 02:47:35 PM »

The guys that I love are the people from e.g. Minnesota who come to Seattle during a snow, and think that they are qualified to drive here because they've been driving on snow all their lives.

Then they find out what wet snow and hills make.

After about 3 720s, they usually lose some of their bravado.

Bill, I'm with you on the I can't drive in the rain, I'm from California! sentiment-- seems like about half the people on the road in Seattle are that way. The other half can't drive when the sun is out.

Brad

keith_h · « **Reply #26 on:** April 10, 2006, 04:47:08 AM »

Bill,
I was to busy watching the road to do much site seeing. :-)

Brad,
Ditto the comments on folks from snow country. They cause more problems down here than the locals (who usually go real slow or stay home). Those 4x4's get em going real fast so they can slide through the next stop light.

Keith

kmh364 · « **Reply #27 on:** April 10, 2006, 07:59:24 AM »

Wow! NYC-Metro area drivers BETER than Cali drivers! We're usually derided for the worst drivers out there. Cali must really be bad! I've seen the madness on the LA Freeway system, but jaunts between the SF Bay Area and the Monterey Peninsula have been relatively unremarkable for me, traffic-wise anyway.

The Taconic is a beautiful way to travel upstate NY (especially on a bike), but the rough condition of the roadway surface, and the State Police car radar trap every two miles makes fast going a religious experience at best. The scenery and the Pecan Pie at the Old Taughconic Diner makes it worth the ride up there, though.

lbpesq · « **Reply #28 on:** April 10, 2006, 08:11:22 AM »

If you're talking upstate NY, anybody ever try the french toast at the Roscoe Diner on old Route 17?

Bill, tgo

kmh364 · « **Reply #29 on:** April 10, 2006, 08:16:09 AM »

Been there...used to camp in the area as a kid.