nicht selbstgelenkten PKW

English translation: a car/vehicle driven by someone else

15:43 Sep 9, 2020
German to English translations [PRO]
Bus/Financial - Automotive / Cars & Trucks
German term or phrase: nicht selbstgelenkten PKW
This is from a company policy on travel expenses.

Sollte absehbar sein, dass Arbeits- und Reisezeit insgesamt die 10h-Grenze überschreiten, wird empfohlen, entweder vor Ort zu übernachten oder mit öffentlichen Verkehrsmitteln bzw. einem nicht selbstgelenkten PKW zurück zu fahren.

Do they mean:
• a non-self-driving car
or
• that the employee shouldn’t drive home herself/himself (for safety reasons?)

If it’s the second, what would be the most elegant way of saying this.
Brent Sørensen
Germany
Local time: 14:59
English translation:a car/vehicle driven by someone else
Explanation:
I agree with Karin in the references below - the "selbst" here is definitely referring to the employee in question, rather to a general "self".


Saying that the car/vehicle has to be "driven by someone else" (or "by someone other than the employee in question" - I'm not sure how formal your document needs to be!) sounds like a natural solution, to my ear!
Selected response from:

Jennifer Caisley
United Kingdom
Local time: 13:59
Grading comment
Thanks 😀
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
3 +5a car/vehicle driven by someone else
Jennifer Caisley
3(make use of) a chauffeur-driven car
Wendy Streitparth
3 -1not driving on his own
Cristina Bufi Poecksteiner, M.A.
Summary of reference entries provided
They mean Taxi, Uber, Lift, maybe use ride share options
Karin Redclift

  

Answers


32 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +5
a car/vehicle driven by someone else


Explanation:
I agree with Karin in the references below - the "selbst" here is definitely referring to the employee in question, rather to a general "self".


Saying that the car/vehicle has to be "driven by someone else" (or "by someone other than the employee in question" - I'm not sure how formal your document needs to be!) sounds like a natural solution, to my ear!

Jennifer Caisley
United Kingdom
Local time: 13:59
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 4
Grading comment
Thanks 😀

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Emmanuella
11 mins
  -> Thank you!

agree  Sarah Bessioud
2 hrs
  -> Thanks, Sarah!

agree  Cilian O'Tuama
6 hrs
  -> Thank you!

agree  Sarah Maidstone
16 hrs
  -> Thank you! :)

agree  jccantrell: How I understood it.
22 hrs
  -> Thank you!
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33 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): -1
not driving on his own


Explanation:
nicht selbstgelenkten PKW = not driving on his own

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 35 mins (2020-09-09 16:18:46 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

They mean that the employee shouldn’t drive home herself/himself (for safety reasons?) - da die Arbeits- und Reisezeit insgesamt die 10h-Grenze überschreiten

Cristina Bufi Poecksteiner, M.A.
Austria
Local time: 14:59
Works in field
Native speaker of: Italian
PRO pts in category: 4

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
disagree  Sarah Bessioud: You have the right explanation in your note, but your suggestion could mean the employee is driving the car with a passenger beside him.
2 hrs
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14 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
(make use of) a chauffeur-driven car


Explanation:
By extension,

‘He arranged to be taken by chauffeur driven limousine and the chauffeur was required to remain for the duration of the visit.’

‘He was being driven by a chauffeur when the vehicle was stopped by traffic officers in Hertfordshire travelling at 97 mph.’

https://www.lexico.com/definition/chauffeur

Wendy Streitparth
Germany
Local time: 14:59
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 56
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Reference comments


17 mins
Reference: They mean Taxi, Uber, Lift, maybe use ride share options

Reference information:
https://www.getmigo.com/coverage/us/california/san-jose/


    https://www.getmigo.com/coverage/us/california/san-jose/
Karin Redclift
United States
Native speaker of: Native in GermanGerman

Peer comments on this reference comment (and responses from the reference poster)
neutral  Björn Vrooman: Not sure. "Be very careful of driving home, especially if you have worked overnight. It may be better to use public transport or have someone come and pick you up." https://www.fullyfocusedsolutions.co.uk/resources/FFsolution...
14 hrs
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