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Putting the brakes on the Brits - Trans-Europe Race Stopped in Cologne
Der Spiegel ^ | June 13, 2007 | cgh/dpa

Posted on 06/13/2007 9:14:34 PM PDT by Atlantic Bridge

Organizers of the modified-car excursion across Europe insisted that ModBall 2007 was "neither a rally nor a race." The German police on Monday afternoon, however, begged to differ. And the inaugural event, with its 77 cars and 143 participants -- most of them from Britain -- was shut down on just the second of a planned seven legs across Europe.

The German autobahn police began getting reports on Monday afternoon of cars racing south near Düsseldorf. Drivers reported several cars -- each with similar stickers and numbers -- bombing down the highway with little regard for life and limb, some recklessly passing on the right. One driver even reported seeing a ModBall participant hanging out of a car window filming his fellow racers.

Cops stopped the ModBall auto rally near Cologne on Monday afternoon.

(Excerpt) Read more at spiegel.de ...


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; Germany; United Kingdom
KEYWORDS: autobahnhooliganism; brits; germany; gumball; race
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Crazy Brits!
1 posted on 06/13/2007 9:14:38 PM PDT by Atlantic Bridge
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To: Atlantic Bridge

Wasn’t there a movie about this? I seem to remember Burt Reynolds in it!


2 posted on 06/13/2007 9:16:20 PM PDT by Grizzled Bear ("Does not play well with others.")
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To: Atlantic Bridge

I thought there were no speed limits on the Autobahn!


3 posted on 06/13/2007 9:18:20 PM PDT by Frank_2001
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To: Atlantic Bridge

To hell with “modern” society. Bring back the Mille Miglia and the Targa Florio. Some people get killed? So What?! Glory and triumph beat a whole race of fops begot twixt sleep and wake. I was born too late and watching the mother hens of the world take control is sickening.


4 posted on 06/13/2007 9:21:50 PM PDT by wildcatf4f3 (Hey, this aint like the 1960s, this is like the 1860s.)
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To: Frank_2001

Some places have indeed no speed limit but in many places the speed is limited to 130 or 120 km/h. Apart of that it is strictly forbidden in Germany to take over on the right side since such is dangerous if you drive on really high speed.


5 posted on 06/13/2007 9:23:31 PM PDT by Atlantic Bridge (In varietate concordia!)
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To: Atlantic Bridge

They all look like rice burners to me. Where’s the European iron?


6 posted on 06/13/2007 9:24:35 PM PDT by HardStarboard (Take No Prisoners - We're Out of Qurans)
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To: Frank_2001

You’re right about no speed limits, (with exceptions)but...passing on the right, or driving far left blocking passing lanes are grave, grave sins and call for severe fines.


7 posted on 06/13/2007 9:34:01 PM PDT by hermgem (The same)
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To: Atlantic Bridge

Just another night in Pomona.....


8 posted on 06/13/2007 9:45:06 PM PDT by AngelesCrestHighway
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To: HardStarboard

Obviously this was a cheaply organized rice burner fest. The boys with money weren’t involved or the european exotics would be out in force.

Most of the footage I’ve seen of European gumball rallys, the british participants would driving mostly UK made cars. Jags, Lotus, Aston Martin, etc....


9 posted on 06/13/2007 9:48:49 PM PDT by Proud_USA_Republican (We're going to take things away from you on behalf of the common good. - Hillary Clinton)
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To: hermgem

If only we could get rid of the left lane campers here . . .


10 posted on 06/13/2007 9:50:27 PM PDT by colorado tanker
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To: wildcatf4f3

Germany cut off their balls when they shut down the Nordschleife track to racing. I’ve heard the leftists of Germany have the Autobahn in their cross-hairs now.


11 posted on 06/13/2007 9:55:35 PM PDT by Proud_USA_Republican (We're going to take things away from you on behalf of the common good. - Hillary Clinton)
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To: Grizzled Bear

"Sumbitch !"

12 posted on 06/13/2007 9:59:52 PM PDT by fieldmarshaldj (~~~Jihad Fever -- Catch It !~~~)
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To: HardStarboard

All of the cars in that picture are European.


13 posted on 06/13/2007 10:33:23 PM PDT by Spktyr (Overwhelmingly superior firepower and the willingness to use it is the only proven peace solution.)
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To: Proud_USA_Republican

Um, they’re still racing on the Nürburging Nordschleiffe - and you can go out for laps for 5 Euros at any time there’s not an event there.


14 posted on 06/13/2007 10:34:14 PM PDT by Spktyr (Overwhelmingly superior firepower and the willingness to use it is the only proven peace solution.)
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To: Spktyr

When was the last time F1 held a race on the Nordschleiffe?

The Nordschleiffe is open to the public for a few euros, but any races are held at the arena area of the track, the Nurburging portion. No serious races occur on the Nordschleiffe.


15 posted on 06/13/2007 10:43:52 PM PDT by Proud_USA_Republican (We're going to take things away from you on behalf of the common good. - Hillary Clinton)
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To: Proud_USA_Republican

F1 won’t run the Nordschliffe because of the length of the track. It’s too long for their current corner worker/safety rules.

FYI, the Nürburgring 24 Hours is run on the full Nordschliffe, NOT the short GP track, and is much more interesting to watch than F1 is these days anyways. N24 is a feeder for the 24 Hours Of LeMans, too - so it’s not a podunk race.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/24_Hours_N%C3%BCrburgring

There are also a number of touring car races that run the full Nordschliffe. What rock have you been under for the past few years?


16 posted on 06/13/2007 11:14:10 PM PDT by Spktyr (Overwhelmingly superior firepower and the willingness to use it is the only proven peace solution.)
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To: Atlantic Bridge

The krauts still get a bit sensitive when large groups of Brits ‘bomb’ along their highways towards Berlin - brings back bad memories for them, so they spoil the party! :)


17 posted on 06/14/2007 2:28:49 AM PDT by britemp
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To: Proud_USA_Republican
Germany cut off their balls when they shut down the Nordschleife track to racing. I’ve heard the leftists of Germany have the Autobahn in their cross-hairs now.

Umm. The Nordschleife is still in use. The only thing they don't do there any more is Formula One Racing (that's what the GP section / former Südschleife is for) with its 200+ mph speeds.

There are still touring car and 24h races at the Nordschleife.

Plus: When there are no events scheduled, the Nordschleife is open to the public (for a fee). You might even get to see a next-generation Corvette or Cadillac ;).

Nürburgring @ Wikipedia
18 posted on 06/14/2007 4:01:50 AM PDT by wolf78 (Penn & Teller Libertarian - Equal Opportunity Offender)
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To: Atlantic Bridge
Meanwhile in Berlin on Tuesday, a 19-year-old was critically injured in a crash after the engine fell out of the car he was driving while racing his brother on city streets.

Hehehehehehe....looks like his brother used some extra-sporting means in which to win.

19 posted on 06/14/2007 4:36:25 AM PDT by Virginia Ridgerunner ("Si vis pacem para bellum")
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To: Atlantic Bridge

I’m pretty sure that passing somebody on the right on an Autobahn is the only criminal offense in Germany that gets you the death penalty. :)

}:-)4


20 posted on 06/14/2007 5:37:03 AM PDT by Moose4 (Effing the ineffable since 1966.)
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