Back in Germany, the land of fast cars and slow internet, where rich people preach austerity to prevent improving any kind of infrastructure. How can a first-world country in the heart of Europe suck so badly when it comes to connectivity and train travel?

Cross the border to any other country in Europe and you will notice immediately because suddenly the web just works as it's supposed to be...

come in Bulgaria, we have fast net and fucked roads ( still fast and big cars all around ) ;)

@We3D But they are not allowed to drive fast nor can they drive fast on roads where others don't expect you to drive fast.

@happygimp0 yep, u r right that the speed limit is way lower than that in Germany, but come and see how the law is followed here...

Germany isn't that bad as Germans make it out to be. It is German culture to complain a lot.

I learned to appreciate Germany after comparing it to many other countries, yes including internet and trains.

wanna go there for the love parade, the beer festival and all the good techno parties, including the underground ones ( or mainly that ones if there is one that can bring me in ;] )

@happygimp0 name one country that has worse internet than Germany.

@happygimp0 and we can even complain about complaining too much XD

@fraktalisman we have that as a national sport too...

@Lensflare Australia

@Lensflare China. Need to switch VPN providers every other month

@Lensflare In Germany it is hard to find places with no internet. Almost everywhere humans are there is some kind of mobile connection and almost all houses have some kind of internet (some of them are very slow, but it is there).

Countries that don't have that are not only countries like Uganda, which are poor, or Cuba, which are communist, but also Brazil, China or the USA. Many countries have good internet in cities but not in urban regions.

@happygimp0 "communist" Ukraine has quite good and fast internet. And cheap

@happygimp0 yeah, it's still kind of strange 2 me that the US is in that group. most of the servers r there after all...

I remember driving through New Mexico to get to Utah. We were on a back highway in New Mexico that was barely 1 step above a dirt road. All the asphalt was falling apart. As soon as we crossed the border into Utah it was that nicest highway you will ever see. I never really understood the divide in economic and political policy so clearly until that moment.

@theKarlisK I rather not, tbh. All countries are shit with transportation, one way or another, until an international event such as the Olympics kicks in.

simple: any increase in train travel would hurt the automobile industry. and that's basically the biggest, most powerful, and most corrupt lobby there is in germany.

kUpFeR iS tHe fUtUrE

Genuine question about Germany

Is there no way you could get fast internet, like is it totally not available

Or is it expensive to get fast internet?

@Sid2006 it depends on the location you live in. Many locations just don‘t have fast internet available and there is nothing you can do about it.

@We3D
Where are you from 19/07/ to 20/07/ ?

https://bundesnetzagentur.de/GIGA/...

Is an interactive map regarding internet speed availability.

I think what lacks in this discussion are three questions: what is fast? where are you? Compared to what country?

E.g. internet in singapore / south korea is government funded.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/...

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/...

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/...

Germany is listed 35 / 100

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/...

An interesting comparison though is the list of countries by size.

I'd highly doubt - though no expert or links to prove it - that you e.g. have great internet somewhere deep in the scenic Cherokee Appalachian forest trail...

That's imho the biggest problem of Germany. A lot of very small / rural towns feel that a cell tower is a blasphemy to their wonderful scenic town view... So they boycott anything that could improve the situation quickly.

Plus the usual tin foil faction who thinks that a cell tower "close" to their home will kill them.

Plus the usual lobbyism and profound dumbness of certain ISPs...

But that affects mostly rural areas. In urban areas, it shouldn't be much of a problem. You'll get sufficient speed imho.

While Germany certainly has a lot of larger city regions, it has much more rural areas... E.g. NRW / Nordrhein Westfalen has the most inhabitants / densest population, yet...

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/...

"For many, North Rhine-Westphalia is synonymous with industrial areas and urban agglomerations. However, the largest part of the state is used for agriculture (almost 52%) and forests (25%).[8]"

So.. roughly 3/4 is "rural" :-)

One has to take a closer look imho at what bad Internet means. In a rural area, internet access will always be "hard to achieve" imho.

complaining or not, the trains in germany are actually shit.

<cough> England is shitter </cough>

@Lensflare Mexico, I guarantee it

@scor 20 is my last day @ this company, but I had 1 day off from last year so it will be on the 19th...

@We3D I hear bulgaria has beautiful forests and great hiking, or maybe I'm thinking of another nation?

@Wisecrack you've heard right. we do have great forests, mountains, rock formations and overall very beautiful nature. we only miss access to an ocean and a desert ;)

@IntrusionCM NRW is the USA of Germany: many rural people, overpopulated city centres, and everybody seems proud of their averageness

@usr--2ndry

I'm surprised. Your comparison is the most stupid thing I've read in my life.

... and that is really an achievement one should not be proud of.