Bavarian leader: charge foreigners Autobahn fee


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Bavaria's state premier says he wants to charge non-Germans to use autobahns. Although he insists he is serious and will challenge European laws to implement the idea, others say it is just electioneering.

Horst Seehofer, head of the Bavarian Christian Social Union (CSU) ? the Bavarian arm of Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservative bloc ? is heading for almost certain victory in the state election on September 15. Part of his manifesto is to introduce a fee for non-German cars using autobahns.

He told the Bild daily newspaper that as Bavaria was a state that bordered lots of other countries where paying a fee for using the motorway was normal, it was only fair to charge foreigners for its autobahns.

?I, as head of the CSU, will not sign a coalition agreement in which there is no mention of introducing a car fee,? he said. The CSU is currently in a coalition with the Free Democratic Party (FDP) in Bavaria, but has often ruled alone.

The autobahn fee idea has caused friction among politicians, and even Seehofer admitted that such a fee would probably not be possible under European Union regulations.

?It is Bavarian election fight hullabaloo,? said Patrick D?ring general secretary of the national FDP on Monady.

CDU transport politician Gero Storjohnn added that the plan ?was not being taken as a serious suggestion.?

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I'll gladly pay. It can't be more expensive than toll highways in North America, so we are talking about a few euros here. One of my dreams is to drive a German car on the German roads!

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I'll gladly pay. It can't be more expensive than toll highways in North America, so we are talking about a few euros here. One of my dreams is to drive a German car on the German roads!

Depends - some highways are free to drive, others cost money. Where I live, it's mostly free, unless I hop I-90 (but I-90 goes from MA to WA, basically east coast to west coast). I've driven through some states that just kill you on the tolls (I'm looking at you Delaware). German cars (not VW. I mean Audi/BMW/Mercedes/Porsche) on the autobahn must be fun! I heard most of it is restricted these days (at least Top Gear said that). I do want to experience the Autobahn + Nurburgring at some point in my life.

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I heard most of it is restricted these days (at least Top Gear said that).

I was there about two years ago. Area's near cities and a lot of on/down ramps have speed limit signs on them. If you are in a mostly low population area with few of those, the restrictions are lifted.

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Depends - some highways are free to drive, others cost money. Where I live, it's mostly free, unless I hop I-90 (but I-90 goes from MA to WA, basically east coast to west coast). I've driven through some states that just kill you on the tolls (I'm looking at you Delaware). German cars (not VW. I mean Audi/BMW/Mercedes/Porsche) on the autobahn must be fun! I heard most of it is restricted these days (at least Top Gear said that). I do want to experience the Autobahn + Nurburgring at some point in my life.

A few of the bridges around NYC have tolls of $13.  I found that out the hard way last summer, and needless to say, I died a little inside.

 

Around here, we pay 3 or 4 tolls when entering the Illinois border and then pay them all again when we re-enter Wisconsin.  The constant road construction makes it even more enjoyable. :)

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A few of the bridges around NYC have tolls of $13.  I found that out the hard way last summer, and needless to say, I died a little inside.

 

Around here, we pay 3 or 4 tolls when entering the Illinois border and then pay them all again when we re-enter Wisconsin.  The constant road construction makes it even more enjoyable. :)

They just put in a toll road here in Raleigh. They extended the big loop highway and made the new portion toll. No one uses it. :laugh:

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I was there about two years ago. Area's near cities and a lot of on/down ramps have speed limit signs on them. If you are in a mostly low population area with few of those, the restrictions are lifted.

Ah cool. I think they mentioned something about when it is unrestricted, there is a posted sign and it shows up on most modern cars' infotainment system and everyone just accelerates like hell. 

 

A few of the bridges around NYC have tolls of $13.  I found that out the hard way last summer, and needless to say, I died a little inside.

 

Around here, we pay 3 or 4 tolls when entering the Illinois border and then pay them all again when we re-enter Wisconsin.  The constant road construction makes it even more enjoyable. :)

Tell me about it - not fun. Delaware is bad too, back when I traveled through it, it felt like there was a toll every quarter mile. Just so bad. Not sure how it is now, this was mid 2000's. Luckily I don't travel through it much anymore. 

 

Not a big fan of Wisconsin roads - very bumpy. Love the food and beer (cheese too), not so much the roads.

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I'll gladly pay. It can't be more expensive than toll highways in North America, so we are talking about a few euros here. One of my dreams is to drive a German car on the German roads!

 

How's North America relevant? 

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Around here... the only highway (freeway) I have had to pay was on the 407 ETR... and it's automated.. such that you get a bill in the mail otherwise.. it's just a series of Freeways to get you places... and if you are with someone.. just hop in the carpool lane and beat all the traffic.

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Ah cool. I think they mentioned something about when it is unrestricted, there is a posted sign and it shows up on most modern cars' infotainment system and everyone just accelerates like hell. 

 

Tell me about it - not fun. Delaware is bad too, back when I traveled through it, it felt like there was a toll every quarter mile. Just so bad. Not sure how it is now, this was mid 2000's. Luckily I don't travel through it much anymore. 

 

Not a big fan of Wisconsin roads - very bumpy. Love the food and beer (cheese too), not so much the roads.

Yep, Wisconsin definitely has the shi*tiest roads around.  We get 2 months of summer, 10 months of winter, and 12 months of road construction.  And the roads still suck.  :pinch:

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So how will he implement it?

 

I suppose that, in theory, it can be implemented by installing road cameras which would detect a country's code on the license plates since all the EU vehicle registration plates have the common format. 

 

If the system reads anything except "DE", it would then look up registered owner's address and send them the bill by mail. 

 

Some fancy payment method via a text message (SMS) can also be set up.

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I suppose that, in theory, it can be implemented by installing road cameras which would detect a country's code on the license plates since all the EU vehicle registration plates have the common format. 

 

If the system reads anything except "DE", it would then look up registered owner's address and send them the bill by mail. 

 

Some fancy payment method via a text message (SMS) can also be set up.

 

I've seen plenty of plates here in the UK that have no EU flag at all. Can they even do this to EU citizens? I mean surely they receive EU funding?

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I've seen plenty of plates here in the UK that have no EU flag at all. 

 

Those could be old, pre-EU, pre-1990's plates.

 

And here's a bit from wiki which explains it further:

 

The EU format is optional in FinlandSwedenCyprus and the United Kingdom.

 

Within the United Kingdom, motorists with vehicles registered in Great Britain may use number plates featuring the national flag of EnglandScotland and Wales, or alternatively the Union Flag, together with the code name "ENG" for England, "SCO" for Scotland, "Wales" or "CYM" for Wales, "GB" for Great Britain or "UK" for United Kingdom respectively.

 

 

There's also a British national trait to sometimes distance from the folks on "the Continent", to be unique, and to do the things a bit differently - "we are in the EU, but not in the eurozone" type of thing. :) (not to mention driving on the other side of the road)

 

Can they even do this to EU citizens? I mean surely they receive EU funding?

 

 

I think they can, although, as the article says, it's probably just populist pre-election rhetoric.

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