texans on the autobahn

Stopped by the BIKE POLICE!

Today as I was returning from the gym and completing my 25 km bike ride for the day, I was stopped by the POLICE! "Gross Gott" the policeman said, followed by a lot of German that I clearly didn't understand (clear to me, maybe not to the policeman. So I replied with my usual "sprechen Sie Englisch?" and the policeman seamlessly started speaking English to me. Seems like it is "prohibited" to wear earphones and listen to music while riding your bike. You can wear an earphone in one ear while riding, but not two. OK, no problem - I'd been telling the boys this for a while now, but now I can say it is a law! Secondly, after riding only about 10 meters on a sidewalk to approach the cross light the Polizei also told me I can NOT have my bike on the sidewalk. I actually thought I was on a bike path. I asked if I could use the cross walk light and he said yes, but I had to walk with my bike. Of course, as the light turned green, I saw others on their bikes crossing the path - who knows why I was stopped? A random act of pointing out the law! I know it doesn't say "American" across my forehead! I think I have been here long enough to no longer let these types of things upset me. I just told him, ok, no problem, and drove off! Can you even imagine a policeman in the US stopping someone on their bike? Oh well, another day in Germany!

posted by stuckinthemiddle @ 11:11 AM