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Date:         Mon, 18 Jun 2001 08:45:41 -0700
Reply-To:     Charles McGehee <chasm@ELLTEL.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Charles McGehee <chasm@ELLTEL.NET>
Subject:      Re: ?? SA Engine Conversion ?? East German drivers
Comments: To: Andrew Grebneff <andrew.grebneff@STONEBOW.OTAGO.AC.NZ>
In-Reply-To:  <v0155010ab7543a770889@[202.27.183.118]>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; format=flowed

Right after the reunification in the early '90's there were a lot of "Trabbies" (Trabant; the little fiberglass two-cycle stinkpot; cute though) and Wartburgs on the road and they couldn't keep up with the fast flow (although in later years they were being built with VW engines.) But the first thing many former East Germans did was get a new car and the Trabbies disappeared quickly from the roads. (There is a wave of nostalgia now and Trabbies are sought after; there was even a Trabbie Rallye in Arizona a few years ago.) As for causing accidents, one hears stories about that, but I always took them with a grain of salt since the Wessies (West Germans) ridiculed (still do) the Ossies (East Germans) as ignorant country bumpkins. I've never seen any stats on accidents caused by East Germans, but Germans in general are very good drivers and I think that includes the former easterners as well, certainly today. Driver training is mandatory and is very rigorous, not to mention expensive.

Charles ''85 Westy

At 10:21 PM 6/18/01 +1200, Andrew Grebneff wrote: > > From my experience people who drive cars like BMW, Mercedes, Audi, Volvo, > >and, of course, Porsche, do so specifically as status symbols. While it's > >true that they are capable of cruising at 120mph, few actually do > >it. Today most cruise at a comfortable 80-85mph (130-140kph). While there > >is some left lane cruising, there's not a lot because it is against the law > >to drive left except to pass, and Germans are very sensitive to traffic > >violations since the punishment is so severe (likely loss of license > >depending of the circumstances). > >I have heard from Germand that the reunification of der Vaterland has >loosed hordes of incompetent East German drivers who DO clog the >Autobahns by driving slowly in any old lane.And causing numerous accidents. >Comments, Raimund? > > >Andrew Grebneff >165 Evans St, Dunedin, New Zealand >ph 64 (3) 473-8863 >fax 64 (3) 479-7527 ><andrew.grebneff@stonebow.otago.ac.nz> >www.goingplatinum.com/member/vw1 >www.highyieldcrusaders.ws/ref.html?ref=vw >www.aciimoney.com/index.shtml?vw1 >VW & Toyota vans, Toyota diesels and Macintoshes rule


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