Would Germans Ever Cross the Street on a Red Light?
10-27-15, 08:56 AM
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Would Germans Ever Cross the Street on a Red Light?
Would Germans Ever Cross the Street on a Red Light? - WSJ
Wow, almost 1 bike per person and 20% daily usage is huge. I don't think that would ever happen here.
The idea has struck a nerve in country of epic traffic jams where walking or cycling to work is seen as both practical and politically correct. The country’s 81 million people own some 72 million bicycles, according to government figures. One in five Germans rides his or her two-wheeler daily, a recent study by Forsa institute for insurer CosmosDirekt showed.
10-27-15, 09:27 AM
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Would Germans Ever Cross the Street on a Red Light? - WSJ
Wow, almost 1 bike per person and 20% daily usage is huge. I don't think that would ever happen here.
Wow, almost 1 bike per person and 20% daily usage is huge. I don't think that would ever happen here.
-mr. bill
10-27-15, 09:39 AM
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I read the WSJ article this morning. It's more a commentary on the German psyche than on cycling. But a question cyclists deal with--red light. Not another soul around. Germans wait. I don't, but this is New Orleans, more of a laissez le whatever do whatever, kind of place. Between "always wait" and "always go" are infinite shades of gray. Bikes around here yield when there's something to yield to and there's a stop sign or red light. Do I sometimes sneak up sidewalks around downtown traffic when there' no one on the sidewalk? I plead the Fifth. Do I do this in front of a cop? No.
Last edited by nolatom; 10-27-15 at 09:45 AM.
10-27-15, 08:25 PM
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Sorry, the survey didn't ask that question.
More than once a year but less or equal to twice a month.
More than twice a month but less than twice a week.
Twice a week or more.
If you actually want an answer to your question I suggest you fund your own study.
-mr. bill
More than once a year but less or equal to twice a month.
More than twice a month but less than twice a week.
Twice a week or more.
If you actually want an answer to your question I suggest you fund your own study.
-mr. bill
10-27-15, 08:32 PM
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Considering the anecdotes about rampant bike theft in German cities I'd assumed one person has 20% of all the bicycles. Probably true of NYC and a few other US cities too.
And if the Facebook photos from one of my Dutch contacts offer an accurate picture, nobody in Holland ever steals a bike, and every man, woman and child rides a bike, except for couples in love who share a bike with the significant other perched fetchingly on the amazingly sturdy rear racks.
And if the Facebook photos from one of my Dutch contacts offer an accurate picture, nobody in Holland ever steals a bike, and every man, woman and child rides a bike, except for couples in love who share a bike with the significant other perched fetchingly on the amazingly sturdy rear racks.
10-27-15, 11:12 PM
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i saw hundreds of barely locked bikes all over Munich that wouldn't have lasted an hour in Vancouver before being stolen. I don't know about other German cities but Munich seemed very bike friendly.
10-28-15, 11:49 AM
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I remember being in Munich in '85 and walking to the train station very early in the morning. There was no traffic to speak of at a big intersection with excellent sight lines. The few pedestrians there were at that hour still waited for the walk sign before crossing the street. I wanted to just go but couldn't bring myself to do it.
11-03-15, 09:32 AM
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Countries have their own personality regarding obedience versus scofflawing, a variety based on culture i guess.
Cities too? Recently I rode in Seattle, mostly downtown/Lake Union area. Bikes stopped for red lights and stop signs. Pedestrians mostly didn't jaywalk. So I tried to do the same, walking or riding, I want to fit in, and, uh, not get killed.
Also a brief stay in Honolulu, rented a bike, went all over the city, Waikiki, and up to Diamond Head. To generalize, Asian visitors didn't jaywalk or bike against the lights. Locals, American tourists including me, not so much.
Kind of like New Orleans, where I ride. Laissez-faire culture for the most part, and folks ride that way.
So "when in Rome", I try to ride like the Romans..
Cities too? Recently I rode in Seattle, mostly downtown/Lake Union area. Bikes stopped for red lights and stop signs. Pedestrians mostly didn't jaywalk. So I tried to do the same, walking or riding, I want to fit in, and, uh, not get killed.
Also a brief stay in Honolulu, rented a bike, went all over the city, Waikiki, and up to Diamond Head. To generalize, Asian visitors didn't jaywalk or bike against the lights. Locals, American tourists including me, not so much.
Kind of like New Orleans, where I ride. Laissez-faire culture for the most part, and folks ride that way.
So "when in Rome", I try to ride like the Romans..
11-03-15, 09:52 AM
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yes of course, they do all the time.
11-03-15, 10:49 AM
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Countries have their own personality regarding obedience versus scofflawing, a variety based on culture i guess.
Cities too? Recently I rode in Seattle, mostly downtown/Lake Union area. Bikes stopped for red lights and stop signs. Pedestrians mostly didn't jaywalk. So I tried to do the same, walking or riding, I want to fit in, and, uh, not get killed.
Also a brief stay in Honolulu, rented a bike, went all over the city, Waikiki, and up to Diamond Head. To generalize, Asian visitors didn't jaywalk or bike against the lights. Locals, American tourists including me, not so much.
Kind of like New Orleans, where I ride. Laissez-faire culture for the most part, and folks ride that way.
So "when in Rome", I try to ride like the Romans..
Cities too? Recently I rode in Seattle, mostly downtown/Lake Union area. Bikes stopped for red lights and stop signs. Pedestrians mostly didn't jaywalk. So I tried to do the same, walking or riding, I want to fit in, and, uh, not get killed.
Also a brief stay in Honolulu, rented a bike, went all over the city, Waikiki, and up to Diamond Head. To generalize, Asian visitors didn't jaywalk or bike against the lights. Locals, American tourists including me, not so much.
Kind of like New Orleans, where I ride. Laissez-faire culture for the most part, and folks ride that way.
So "when in Rome", I try to ride like the Romans..
11-03-15, 05:10 PM
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My mom in Germany turned 70 a few weeks ago and she does all her local errands by bicycle. Ok she has an assist ebike but still she prefers the bike over the car. And yes we have strict rules over there.
But I am not sure it is a good idea to loosen the laws of crossing a street at a red light. Especially when kids are present: "Why should we kids stop, when the adults don't stop?".
This could give them a wrong signal and put them in danger if they start to ignoring red lights.
Here in the US I even stop at a stop sign when I have my daughter with me. But when I am all by myself and there is no traffic I never stop ....
But what I don't like in Germany is that one can have the drivers license revoked if the cops catch you riding a bike while under the influence. Meaning riding a bike when drinking is no option. One has to walk or use public transport or Taxi.
But I am not sure it is a good idea to loosen the laws of crossing a street at a red light. Especially when kids are present: "Why should we kids stop, when the adults don't stop?".
This could give them a wrong signal and put them in danger if they start to ignoring red lights.
Here in the US I even stop at a stop sign when I have my daughter with me. But when I am all by myself and there is no traffic I never stop ....
But what I don't like in Germany is that one can have the drivers license revoked if the cops catch you riding a bike while under the influence. Meaning riding a bike when drinking is no option. One has to walk or use public transport or Taxi.
