A visit to Germany

[Onkel Neal]

Originally Posted by Penguin

Well in pic 1 and 3 we have trams, weighing several dozen tons, so they have the right of passage - unless you're Darth Vader:



Traffic info for Neal: The pic was made in Düsseldorf btw, and it shows one of the nuisances when riding a bike here. The tram tracks often run on the road and can be quite slippery when wet, especially when they run across cobblestones.

Oh, so that red thing is a train?? What's it doing on the road with the cars?

I totally don't get this one:


Only vehicle 2 can turn left? How's he gonna manage that with vehicle one in his way, going straight?

This is gonna be exciting!

Relax. Keep it easy, don't pack too many dates into your organiser. Do you want to enjoy a travel, or do you want to set records for marking checkpoints on a list?

Yeah, I think you're right, I will try to make the riding local, within 3 hours of the city. Are you SURE you won't join us Sat night? It would be terrific to finally meet one of the most active and prolific Subsim forum members.

Alright, so then I suggest the Füchschen. Traditional food, good beer, and they follow the German concept of 'Gemütlichkeit'. I can call them, and book a table there for Saturday.
So at what time do we want to meet?

Good deal, if I return the bike in Wuppertal at 18:00, I should be able to make it there by 19:30, right? I'll be taking a train back to Dusseldorf. Let me make sure I have this straight: we meet first at Schlossturm at the Burgplatz (in your map) and then we will go to Füchschen and see who can out eat the Texan? Right?

This is my hotel,Grand City Börsenhotel http://goo.gl/maps/1noe
I think Dan D is joining us, who else?

[Onkel Neal]

Yo, it looks like I get on the S8 Rhine-Ruhr S-Bahn train at Düsseldorf Hauptbahnhof and take it to the Wuppertal Barmen station...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/S8_(Rhine-Ruhr_S-Bahn

Is it as easy as it looks?

And I guess the S11 train from the airport to the hotel is cheaper than a cab, right?

Düsseldorf Airport S-Bahn service http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/S11_(Rhine-Ruhr_S-Bahn

[SquareSteelBar]

Originally Posted by Neal Stevens

Oh, so that red thing is a train?? What's it doing on the road with the cars?...

That red thing is a streetcar [like in Frisco].

The three vehicles are three examples of behavior when turning left. Only vehicle 2 behaves rule conform, vehicle 3 has chosen the wrong lane for turning left, vehicle 1 constrains the streetcar.
Avoid constraining streetcars!





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[urfisch]

if you are in dusseldorf...i dont have any special places. but in general, i would suggest you to visit:

military and technical spots:

- the museum of the final berlin battle "seelower höhen 1945" in seelow
- westwall bunkers, hurtgen-forest, near aachen
- technical museum speyer
- german war archive in freiburg
- the german museum in munich
- the tank museum in munster
- the v2 museum in peenemunde, rügen island
- uboat u-995 in kiel
- uboat u-2540 in bremerhaven

general spots:

- the brandburg gate in berlin
- the "reichstag" in berlin
- medival town center of lübeck, the well known "hanse city"
- medival town center of lüneburg, the "salt city"
- medival town center of weimar, the "city of goethe"
- the old university from 1516 in marburg, lahn (or similar)

nice countryside:

- countryside behind berlin, brandenburg
- countryside in thuringen, sachsen at the elbe river
- countryside in south-west germany, the wine-route around the "kaiserstuhl"
- countryside around the rhine and ruhr river near essen
- countryside at the north-west coast of germany, the "wattenmeer".
- countryside north of hannover, the "lüneburger heide"
- countryside in mecklenburg, the "mecklenburger seenplatte"
- countryside in northern germany, the "holsteiner schweiz"

some food tips:

- try some regional food in the countryside restaurants, with "spätzle", "klöße" or "bratkartoffeln"! also the different soups might fit your taste!
- try some white and red wine from "baden württemberg"
- try a "wurst- und käseplatte (sausage slices & cheese)" with different german bread types!
- try regional cakes!
- try regional beer! (like "kolsch", "pils" or "weizen")
- get a good liquor, brewed private by farmers

...so far my tips for you, have a good journey!

[PhantomLord]

Originally Posted by urfisch

- uboat u-2540 in bremerhaven

and dont miss the nearby national german maritime museum... its round the corner.

National german maritime museum

[SquareSteelBar]

Originally Posted by urfisch

...- the v2 museum in peenemunde, rügen island...

Not Rügen Island but Usedom Island.
Wernher von Braun constructed here the V2.



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[Onkel Neal]

Originally Posted by SquareSteelBar

vehicle 3 has chosen the wrong lane for turning left, vehicle 1 constrains the streetcar.
Avoid constraining streetcars!

Ah! That makes sense now, thanks!

[Dan D]

Originally Posted by Neal Stevens

Oh, so that red thing is a train?? What's it doing on the road with the cars?


I think Dan D is joining us, who else?

Very good question!

Indeed, car 1,even if it is allowed to turn left there, has to make way for the tram train that is approaching from behind because trams have such a long breaking distance, and thus car 1 must continue straight on even if the driver wanted to turn left there.

In case of an accident the damage is shared 50:50. So the driver of car 1 will get only 50 % of his damage compensated and has to compensate 50 % of the trams damage, including possible medical treatment costs for injured passengers.

Even when trams share the road with cars, think of them as if they would use their own lane which is not your lane as car driver.


Yes, I am coming. So it is Penguin, Neal and Dan D so far.

I will phone Penguin later the week about the meeting and plans.

[Paco]

Hi all,

It would be great to meet Neal and the other ones here from Subsim, but Düsseldorf is about 3 or 4 hours one way by car and I'll have no time this weekend.

@Neal: Have a nice trip and be carefull on the german autobahn.

Greets,
Paco.

[Hawk66]

Originally Posted by Paco

Hi all,

It would be great to meet Neal and the other ones here from Subsim, but Düsseldorf is about 3 or 4 hours one way by car and I'll have no time this weekend.

@Neal: Have a nice trip and be carefull on the german autobahn.

Greets,
Paco.

+1 Düsseldorf is a little too far away, unfortunately; but have fun

[Tchocky]

Sorry guys, I'd love to but I'll be working all weekend

Neal, where are you flying in and out of? I may be looking after you

[Dan D]

[Penguin]

@Paco, Hawk, Tchoky: - too bad you can't make it. I'm sure there will be another opportunity to meet.

Neal landed safely in D'dorf and even survived the ride to the hotel with trams on the road - although the German gods did all to keep the Pengu-mobile from moving:

[Onkel Neal]

Landed safely, was kindly picked up at the airport by Penguin. He also gave me my first chance to be arrested at the ruins.







Autobahnm pfft, I got me a fast motorcycle, get outta my way!

[Catfish]

Have fun

I'm not able to make it to Duesseldorf unfortunately, wish you a nice stay ! We are going to Fuechtorf near Muenster, but will have no car there for three days - it's a horse farm lol

All the best,
Kai "Catfish"