What is the right course of action now?

In this situation on a German rural road, you are approaching another vehicle ahead of you. According to German traffic regulations, you must always maintain a safe distance from the vehicle in front, allowing enough time and space to react if they slow down or stop unexpectedly. As you get closer, increasing your distance to the car ahead is the correct action.

Additionally, when traffic conditions change—such as when another car appears ahead—you should always continue driving with increased care. This means staying alert, adjusting your speed as needed, and being prepared for any unpredictable situations.

Overtaking is not appropriate here because you are still approaching the vehicle and need to first establish a safe following distance. Only consider overtaking if it is clearly safe, legal, and necessary.

By selecting to increase your distance and drive with increased care, you chose the actions that are both safest and required by German driving rules in this case. This approach will help you handle similar scenarios correctly in the future.