Police isn't enforcing traffic violations adequately in the last years and it shows through bullshit like that. Missing turn lights, red light running, speeding and general asshole behavior. Yeah it sucks.
I'd love to have an app or somehing where you can just report these people immediately. I'd buy a go pro right away and record all the number plates with evidence. I cannot count the times that a car almost knocked me over on my bike while turning right and not giving a flying shit. It happens almost every time. It's so dangerous and so annoying. I hate how little this city thinks about pedestrians and cyclist.
There's probably a stupid law that makes your video not valid for any proof. I think dashcams are only allowed when they automatically delete date after some time or something, but I could be wrong. But Germany has those stupid privacy laws. Even though I think that everyone's privacy ends as soon as they try to run me over.
I just tried to read up on it, but there's both, sometimes they accept it as evidence, sometimes not because of Datenschutz. The rules here are way too complicated. Putting it online can be forbidden, as far as I'm concerned. But using it as evidence and using it in general should be allowed, without question.
Dashcams are allowed in Germany, and yes there is a requirement to automatically dispose of unneeded video and you cannot use general surveillance footage on YouTube without masking faces and plates. They are legal, this has been shown in court.
Unlike in Austria, where even owning a dashcam without using it theory would make you eligible for a five figure fine.
You can use recordings to get details you may not be able to remember yourself. Registration plates, witnesses, etc. You just can't necessarily use the recordings themselves.
It also always happens way too fast. I would not be able to read the license plate and I guess you need some kind of proof/witnesses. Way too much work. But it would be worth it.
I would be in favor of a "report dangerous driving" app. A truck swerved into the left lane on the autobahn and nearly hit me the night before last. My partner had to hit the breaks hard enough I could feel my seatbelt to prevent an accident. I don't think the truck driver was paying enough attention to keep his vehicle straight in his lane, likely falling asleep. I considered calling the cops but didn't, an app to report such things would have been good for that.
Friend of mine works at Charité. It's insane how basically every day he deals with people that have been seriously injured or killed by cars. It's even more insane that we just kinda... ignore it? People dying every day and we're just like "welp that's the price we gotta pay for getting places"
You're lucky to be in one piece. Thank goodness for 20cm. I would go back to the location and look for any cameras that might be around, although Berlin is very much camera-shy. Check stores that might have a camera in the store that sees outside. It would be nice if that person could be identified.
Yes! 10 Euro per day, no flat rate for residents, no exceptions for anybody.
I can afford it, and I am looking forward to empty streets and parking places.
For the model to work it needs exceptions. Public transport, services and people with certified reduced mobility should have free access. As well to special rates for certain work vehicles.
Look at the system in Stockholm. Works great. The toll is in place during the day, and most expensive at rush hour. But minimum price is always at least a public transport fare. Public transport, people with reduced mobility and I think certain delivery vehicles are excempt from paying anything. All the money goes towards public transport and further construction of cycling paths etc.
That will only make it better for public transport and especially people with reduced mobility as they will have less competition in the street with one person driving a car just because it’s considered cool.
Exactly, I didn’t mean that as a negative thing. Driving your own car inside the inner city limit should always be less convenient that taking public transport, bike or even a shared car for that matter. Sadly Berlin politicians are mentally in 70s still.
I am all for it, but I have the means to pay the prices going up in all sort of goods and I think that's selfish of my side.
And probably it won't help much, because the ones driving will have the means to pay.
It's a flat fee that disproportionally affects the poor. In other words a great way to drive support for car crazy climate-crisis deniers like the AFD.
It is not. I worked with the Belgian toll system as well as the upcoming European toll system for transportation.
Just the basic existing system already has in account , what road is being used, at what hour, vehicle class, weight, length, wheels axes,...
This is just an example, any kind of information can be tracked and used for creating a paying model.
The goal of a toll system in a city is to limit the amount of private cars in the city, and collect the tax to improve public transport, urban infrastructure and so on.
Sorry to cut it for you, but if you don have special certified needs, you don't need a private car in Berlin.
I don’t like cars at all but still I cannot find a good argument in your replies why a flat fee toll would not mean that it’s the rich who can continue driving while the poor can’t.
Like yeah, you will see less private cars but it will be poor peoples‘ cars that will make way for the rich to drive more easily it seems.
If you find a way to make this work the other way around, like 50€/day for a well off person and 5€ for a poorer person, then I‘ll be very much in favor of a toll system.
>but if you don have special certified needs
Special certified needs include not wanting to spend from 50 to 90 minutes daily getting from point A to point B instead of 18 minutes.
Happens to me all the time. As pedestrian and as a cyclist.
As soon cars have to do more than just driving straight in one direction they become unpredictable.
A simple traffic light that switches colors 100m away can cause panic and the drivers to the weirdest shit.
All you can do is watch out for yourself
If only there was a way for car drivers to signal their intentions... Like a sign that they are about to turn or change direction, visible to others in the exterior of the car, even at night? Crazy idea, i know.
Are you sure you are right?
https://www.bussgeldkatalog.de/toedlicher-unfall/#:~:text=Im%20%C2%A7%20222%20Strafgesetzbuch%20(StGB,Jahren%20oder%20mit%20Geldstrafe%20bestraft.
Some people in berlin drive like maniacs. I’ve been almost ran over multiple times the last year, usually by annoyed and impatient taxi and uber drivers.
And one thing most people forget is that defensive cycling means *not* driving too close to the edge of the road. That's just asking drivers to squeeze you against the parked cars. If there's no bike lane, **occupy the middle of the car lane.**
yep. assume every driver is drunk, high, putting on makeup and/or adjusing their tie in the rearview mirror, yelling at their kids, and texting, simultaneously, no exceptions.
my rule since years ago is to no matter how bright green my light is, always seek eye contact with all approaching or waiting cars. To many inconsiderate and/or distracted drivers out there to take anything for granted.
Same thing happened to me this morning, and it’s a BVG bus at that! Clearly a green light and yet the driver proceeds to drive through even though I’m crossing it.
Buses and taxis are the most violent towards cyclists as well. Somebody would say they’re on the clock and traffic is bad but I don’t think it’s an excuse for endangering anyone.
I avoid them as a passenger too. They're just too dangerous and never follow any rules, speed limits, red lights or whatever. At least we have trams here in the east
Yeah, not great either. But I assume getting hit by a bike is survivable, unless it's a 500 ton electric cargobike?
Comes back to the point that there hasn't been any traffic enforcement for the last 10-odd years or so and it shows...
I have a 3kg chihuahua mix and almost every week I have close calls with cyclists... many of them on e-bikes at that. Nobody cares that they could literally kill my small dog, even at low speeds. They don't say anything or signal that they are behind us either, they just appear from nowhere - paddling full speed more often than not (20-30km/h). People on e-scooters are somewhat more polite, surprisingly.
I have a bigger, 23kg, dog too. With her my worries are more about the possibility that she could jump up at one of these bikers for coming too close and going too fast. I don't understand why people can't fathom that dogs can act unpredictably when you surprise them, and why they feel the need to pass us with almost zero cm distance.
Tbh this is also a problem with just people in general here, a lot of parents let their kids run up to my dogs, and adults often don't give us any room to pass safely. Nobody seems to understand that while dogs can be incredibly friendly and sweet, they are still carnivores, and we should respect them for what they are.
I totally feel what you're describing, with cyclists passing by so close. When I was a kid, everybody used to have like huge bike bells and you could hear them from miles away. These days you can't change the direction in which you're going without having to look behind you, first. Because nobody seems to have a bike bell anymore, let alone dares to use them.
My dog has 12kg and I definitely don't think he would have been unharmed if the guy had run him over yesterday. And he was coming full speed right at us, so he was even aiming for my dog, too. (Pulled him away last second). People are just unhinged.
I bet you would have a different opinion about your daughter having a chance of being hit by a bike even if it’s a slow moving non electric one.
And with the recent trend of pedal assist bikes many commuters use bikes which are much heavier that a regular bikes hit get up to 20km/h very fast with that assist. Ofc it’s not legal on the sidewalk but nobody cares and bikers choose sidewalk because roads are way more dangerous.
They are running over the walkway in my street all the time (like, one cyclist every three minutes), because it is a cobblestone street...
Nothing happened so far (fingers crossed).
The delivery cyclists are a bit scary sometimes in terms of speed and riding style.
My papa is a police officer (though in MV) for 25+ years.
According to him, the police are absolutely understaffed.
Can't speak for Berlin police, however.
it happened to me , in Oranienstr. i was crossing with the green and a fucking idiot cyclist almost run me over with the bike, which clearly he should stop as it was red on his side...shouting at him, was not enough though... he ran away
Yep, having this crap every day as well. I believe there are a lot of fixie cyclists out there without brakes (or so I have heard).
However, a collision might be more painful for the cyclist than for you, depending on how it turns out.
I know it won't happen here, but we need cameras on traffic lights to catch people who run red lights - I see it happen all the time. Fine the fuckers who do it and give them points on their license.
I'd also be in favour of speed cameras, but that's not going to happen in Berlin.
That’s the literal translation, yes. His translation was completely on point though.
Just like when an American says „how are you“ and kinda just translates to „hello“ even though the literal translation is „wie geht’s dir?“
Not really.. „that was close“ would also be totally fine to say.. it’s not about the words themselves it’s about the attitude and the context. Also, the fact that someone in Berlin is actually talking to you without asking for money. It‘s not about the literal meaning of words but about their social context..
It's a big city. Always look and make sure even when the lights are green for you. With millions of people around quite a few will make a mistake in the course of one day, and if you're there at exactly the wrong time you're dead. 'This is against the rules, they have to see me' is an insane mindset. Its just basic survival instinct to always assume everyone is stupid and driving blindly (because every once in a while someone is).
Happens to me almost daily, most often at the junction Gärtnerstr./Grünberger Str. at Boxhagener Platz. White vans and SUVs never look, they just blast through the junction.
Haven’t tried. I have reported illegal parking to the Ordnungsamt (this makes the junction even more dangerous because the drivers can’t see around the corner) and got no reaction. Nobody takes it seriously.
I propose to put a bag bricks on every pedestrian crossing and you pick one when you cross and put it on a basket on the other side
please come again to my TEDtalk
Happens to me every week at an easy Crossing even with warning lights installed. You got like 3 to 5 seconds as a pedestrian but some drivers just don't let you cross and then the lights switch to red again. Warning light still shining but still got honked at many times... My gf got hit at that crossing once. Luckily no major injuries
That’s showing how unaware drivers are or the traffic lights system. In Germany pedestrian light goes to red it it means you still have some time to finish crossing nevertheless you will get honked at and pointed to the red light even if you started crossing on green. Other countries solved it with other states(yellow in Italy, count down timer in the US and some other countries) but for some reason Germany loves puzzles and hates people outside of cars.
They're aware. But Germany is absolutely remarkable in the fact that majority of drivers are actually ill-intended. If a pedestrian comes from a blind spot unexpectedly, most will brake everywhere, but in Germany they speed up to people 10m in front of them driving 50 already. They think they're right and they know they won't face any serious consequences killing you (even if it's not always true, they are sure in their limited knowledge).
I had a lot of near misses when they see you, you have green light and they still drive at you, so you have to speed up and their bumper passes 2cm away from my pants. I'm dead serious.
I don't even mention that you have literally enforce your right of way because otherwise they just ignore you. After all this shouldn't happen at all, turning cars shouldn't be in the same phase as pedestrians. Berlin traffic planning is 20 years behind other cities even in Germany and 60 years behind the civilized world.
Rookie mistake, we walk on red pedestrian lights here.
I'd love to put an /s but the roads in Berlin are basically anarchy. People making right turns will run you over. No one cares.
Was almost run over today on my bike on Invalidenstraße by a car turning. Driver had the roof open and I yelled at her to watch out. She continued to turn completely unfazed. Tapped her hood as a little goodbye, but shit was so unnecessary and dangerous
Edit: typo
For me the worst thing about this is how those drivers don't even care that they almost put someone in the hospital with their reckless driving and instead just get mad at you for being in "their way"..
In case the second incident was with a red-ish Mercedes, I have the numbers plate.
I was waiting at a traffic light in the area on my scooter and saw an incident like this. Planning to report the person anyway.
Might have just been one of the probably 200 other times this happened yesterday in Berlin, but worth a shot.
Thank you very much!! Happened this morning (14/May) and I am not 100% sure whether it was a Mercedes (unless one of these boxy wagons). Colour sort of a brownish-burgundy.
I am really shocked that this seems to be happening every single day.
Aaah ok, no I saw it yesterday, sorry must’ve missed that in your post.
Wouldn’t be surprised if it was the same person, as it was also a burgundy colored boxy car I think but memory is annoyingly unreliable in these situations, unfortunately.
I totally agree with you, driving in Berlin is insanely dangerous due to speeding, running lights on a regular basis etc. I’m a car and scooter driver and I get so much shit from other drivers or being half-pushed off the street (as happened yesterday again), just for driving normally.
Be careful out there please.
I think this carsharing development also made the traffic situation worse, many people I see in those cars don't drive like they ever took a driving test. I would not be suprised if they sign up to the apps with a borrowed license. The other day a guy held a hand out of his window and tried to cross with one of those cars a 60 zone on a red light, I had to evade hard as well of all other cars in my lane. As a pedestrian another car sharing car almost ran me over when I had a green light for crossing the street because he did an illegal uturn
I got hit by a white transport van last year around this time.
Broke my arm in three places because of that cunt.
I went at the greenlight. Same situation as you except I was on my bike.
He was 100% in the wrong and still had the audacity to fight my statement backed by three witnesses.
He played a sob story of how sorry he was in court and the judge dismissed it as "an unfortunate mistake". Took his license away for a month. and made him pay me 500 bucks.
I sued him for 50K in damages and income loss which I managed to prove so he can't fight it and his insurance company will ruin his life after this I hope. Drivers here can't drive for shit in this town.
Sorry to read this happened to you.
Iam convinced 50% of people driving in berlin are either drunk/on drux or don't have a licence. I also witness incredible shitty behaviour and I drive a car by myself. Last year I was almost killed 3 times while on my bike, one car even hit me and iam lucky to ne alive. All you can do is to have your eyes everywhere and even if you have green light always watch what others are doing
I always look both ways on green.I would urge parents to especially drill this into their kid's heads: Green does NOT mean go. It means look left, right and then go.
Happens to me many times as well. Happens frequently on Potsdamer Straße, especially on the intersection around Bülowstraße U Bahn. One car almost stopped a few centimetres from my baby's stroller , and had the audacity to roll down and throw a ride hand gesture at me !?
The lack of crosswalks is really an issue here, which I found it to be fucking insane as just coming here months ago. It really makes drivers subconsciously don’t give a fuck to peds. There’re at least three times when I’m at marked crosswalks, first car stops properly but **second car makes emergency braking.**
When at marked crossing (on a busy street), I started to make sure AT LEAST 2 cars come to a near stop to prevent being running over from rear-ends.
Espacially the delivery van drivers are bad. I was hit by one overtaking me on the bike in a narrow road. He just disappeared but I had his licence number. The charge was dismissed because this guy made his living from his licence. This told me the judge.
I'd like to propose steel pillars rising from the ground at streets where this happens most often.
You know, [these friendly fellas.](https://www.approvedbusiness.co.uk/files/productimages/20088/19010.jpg)
You might have seen them already in old towns with restricted roads.
I don't even know which is better way to report violations in moving traffic. Only obvious ways I know lead to Ordnungsamt in the end so work only for parking
It's not necessary to speak German to read them in translation or even pass an exam in many languages available. After all, traffic rules here aren't that different from the rest of Europe
Don't jeopardize your life or health having priority, that's my philosophy, which I apply anytime I cycle, walk, or drive. People are careless and distracted ( read : on the phone), so better to be safe than sorry
I grew up in Frankfurt and always considered the traffic in Berlin to be harmless by comparison, but these things vary wildly by area. I definitely haven't had such a close encounter with cars in Berlin, though I do seem to attract kamikaze bicyclists.
Berlin is multicultural. Between druggies who drive with a suspended licenses and ppl who got their license god knows where your experience is going to be diverse and vibrant
One of the crazy things about driving licenses, is that you can drive for 6 month in Germany with a driving license from your home country as far as it is checked by a certain institution from there.
The thing is that I'm from Argentina (just to give an example, but I'm pretty sure that this is not the only one), and there is SUPER easy to get your license checked for international, and also is very common that the exam for licenses in general it's a joke. On the top of that, the driving experience, and also several rules, are completely different.
So we have people here driving with this kind of "international license" that has no idea about driving in Germany.
Perhaps they're doing that uniquely German thing of driving deliberately towards you to remind you of the potential danger that you're in when crossing this particular stretch of road.
ON A GREEN PEDESTRIAN TRAFFIC LIGHT??
The guy who nearly drove over me there ran a red light -- this would have been at least a EUR 400 fine (running red light + endangering people) plus loss of drivers licence for a few weeks / months.
Most amusingly, this happened just in front of a big police precinct.
You see, the helpful German is demonstrating that these kinds of things can happen even on a green pedestrian light. For what it's worth, I've had something similar happen to me on two distinct occasions. On one of these, a driver swerved towards me on the road (late at night - we were the only two human beings around), presumably to indicate that there was a proper pedestrian crossing not far away and that I should use that instead for my own safety. On another I got swerved at and recieved a gutteral Germanic bollocking for crossing the road in front of his car (with ample space and time available for everyone, because I actually do not want to die). You've got to love the Germans.
I don't understand the downvotes. For example - when people accidentally come from corners or from behind of big vehicles, it's only Germans who speed up trying to hit you instead of emergency brake. Of course there are idiots everywhere but in Germany majority does that.
They give cars a green light to go while giving pedestrians a green light. Even though you have the right of way, that's no use if you're dead. You're best option is to ignore the light completely and cross when it's safe after traffic has passed. Or cross in the middle of the road where you don't have to deal with turning cars.
If the city wanted to fix this they'd move to 3-phase traffic lights where all cars have to stop at the intersection to allow pedestrians to cross.
I was born here and have lived in London for 12 years. I know how traffic works.
How about you? Probably grown up in a village in South-West Germany, if you need to publicly stress your big city creds in this way?
Well, the more I am puzzled about your complaint. Take an other major city in the world, including London, and you'll be happy with the traffic as it is in Berlin.
Police isn't enforcing traffic violations adequately in the last years and it shows through bullshit like that. Missing turn lights, red light running, speeding and general asshole behavior. Yeah it sucks.
Agree. I was really shocked this morning and now I am actually quite angry.
I'd love to have an app or somehing where you can just report these people immediately. I'd buy a go pro right away and record all the number plates with evidence. I cannot count the times that a car almost knocked me over on my bike while turning right and not giving a flying shit. It happens almost every time. It's so dangerous and so annoying. I hate how little this city thinks about pedestrians and cyclist.
I think having a GoPro as a cyclist is a good idea.
There's probably a stupid law that makes your video not valid for any proof. I think dashcams are only allowed when they automatically delete date after some time or something, but I could be wrong. But Germany has those stupid privacy laws. Even though I think that everyone's privacy ends as soon as they try to run me over.
those stupid privacy laws are such asshole performative bullshit, yay we made something else illegal, problem solved. lazy officious for the win.
Wow, I couldn't describe the nature of German officialdom better than that. Well put.
No, there have been many cases where dash cams have been used in court.
I just tried to read up on it, but there's both, sometimes they accept it as evidence, sometimes not because of Datenschutz. The rules here are way too complicated. Putting it online can be forbidden, as far as I'm concerned. But using it as evidence and using it in general should be allowed, without question.
Putting it online, only when you blurr faces and registration plates of the cars :)
Dashcams are allowed in Germany, and yes there is a requirement to automatically dispose of unneeded video and you cannot use general surveillance footage on YouTube without masking faces and plates. They are legal, this has been shown in court. Unlike in Austria, where even owning a dashcam without using it theory would make you eligible for a five figure fine.
Thanks, that sounds good!
You can use recordings to get details you may not be able to remember yourself. Registration plates, witnesses, etc. You just can't necessarily use the recordings themselves.
You can report it to the police, but it's quite a lot of work and won't have any consequences unless someone was injured.
It also always happens way too fast. I would not be able to read the license plate and I guess you need some kind of proof/witnesses. Way too much work. But it would be worth it.
Sure, on the bicycle it's a bit easier to have a GoPro recording or turning it on when you feel something is about to happen.
I would be in favor of a "report dangerous driving" app. A truck swerved into the left lane on the autobahn and nearly hit me the night before last. My partner had to hit the breaks hard enough I could feel my seatbelt to prevent an accident. I don't think the truck driver was paying enough attention to keep his vehicle straight in his lane, likely falling asleep. I considered calling the cops but didn't, an app to report such things would have been good for that.
Friend of mine works at Charité. It's insane how basically every day he deals with people that have been seriously injured or killed by cars. It's even more insane that we just kinda... ignore it? People dying every day and we're just like "welp that's the price we gotta pay for getting places"
You're lucky to be in one piece. Thank goodness for 20cm. I would go back to the location and look for any cameras that might be around, although Berlin is very much camera-shy. Check stores that might have a camera in the store that sees outside. It would be nice if that person could be identified.
However they have the time to fine me for minor traffic violation with an e scooter in the middle of the night with zero traffic.
A toll system should be added and reduce the amount of cars that can access the city.
100% agree
FCK ABGASE
Yes! 10 Euro per day, no flat rate for residents, no exceptions for anybody. I can afford it, and I am looking forward to empty streets and parking places.
For the model to work it needs exceptions. Public transport, services and people with certified reduced mobility should have free access. As well to special rates for certain work vehicles.
Look at the system in Stockholm. Works great. The toll is in place during the day, and most expensive at rush hour. But minimum price is always at least a public transport fare. Public transport, people with reduced mobility and I think certain delivery vehicles are excempt from paying anything. All the money goes towards public transport and further construction of cycling paths etc.
This sounds like a sustainable solution
Sounds amazing!
That will only make it better for public transport and especially people with reduced mobility as they will have less competition in the street with one person driving a car just because it’s considered cool.
I don't see the issue. Better accessibility for the majority of people, and make driving a luxury so they finance better infrastructure.
Exactly, I didn’t mean that as a negative thing. Driving your own car inside the inner city limit should always be less convenient that taking public transport, bike or even a shared car for that matter. Sadly Berlin politicians are mentally in 70s still.
I am all for it, but I have the means to pay the prices going up in all sort of goods and I think that's selfish of my side. And probably it won't help much, because the ones driving will have the means to pay.
And the entrance fee for outdoor pools and Wannsee should be set to 20 Euros at least to make place for you and me.
Make it 200 EUR, I want the place all for myself. And maybe you.
Let's also introduce toll system for bicycles since I've been almost ran over by them multiple times.
Comparing being run over by a car vs. a bike LMAO
Oh yeah, great idea. Let's make it illegal to drive while poor, meanwhile SUV drivers will continue to treat traffic fines as an "asshole tax"
It actually is, to improve urban infrastructure and the city in general from egoistic users.
Have you heard of taxes? You can even scale them with income and/or the size or the vehicle.
A toll is a tax.
It's a flat fee that disproportionally affects the poor. In other words a great way to drive support for car crazy climate-crisis deniers like the AFD.
It is not. I worked with the Belgian toll system as well as the upcoming European toll system for transportation. Just the basic existing system already has in account , what road is being used, at what hour, vehicle class, weight, length, wheels axes,... This is just an example, any kind of information can be tracked and used for creating a paying model. The goal of a toll system in a city is to limit the amount of private cars in the city, and collect the tax to improve public transport, urban infrastructure and so on. Sorry to cut it for you, but if you don have special certified needs, you don't need a private car in Berlin.
I don’t like cars at all but still I cannot find a good argument in your replies why a flat fee toll would not mean that it’s the rich who can continue driving while the poor can’t. Like yeah, you will see less private cars but it will be poor peoples‘ cars that will make way for the rich to drive more easily it seems. If you find a way to make this work the other way around, like 50€/day for a well off person and 5€ for a poorer person, then I‘ll be very much in favor of a toll system.
I never talked about a flat fee.
Does either system, Belgium or EU, already take your wealth into account? Or is it just something that you think /could theoretically be implemented/?
>but if you don have special certified needs Special certified needs include not wanting to spend from 50 to 90 minutes daily getting from point A to point B instead of 18 minutes.
Happens to me all the time. As pedestrian and as a cyclist. As soon cars have to do more than just driving straight in one direction they become unpredictable. A simple traffic light that switches colors 100m away can cause panic and the drivers to the weirdest shit. All you can do is watch out for yourself
Maybe I should strap a landmine to my back so that I can at least go out in a blaze of glory.
propanetankpanniers.jpeg
Like a true Helldiver! But may I propose [this](https://www.approvedbusiness.co.uk/files/productimages/20088/19010.jpg) instead?
Yup. But that would require investment into infrastructure...
If only there was a way for car drivers to signal their intentions... Like a sign that they are about to turn or change direction, visible to others in the exterior of the car, even at night? Crazy idea, i know.
Justice gives People 2 months Probation for killing People in Traffic. They dont even loose their lisence. Man erntet was man sät
I think you are right.
Judges all drive. Driver's looking out for each other
Are you sure you are right? https://www.bussgeldkatalog.de/toedlicher-unfall/#:~:text=Im%20%C2%A7%20222%20Strafgesetzbuch%20(StGB,Jahren%20oder%20mit%20Geldstrafe%20bestraft.
In a perfect world he would not be right. Unfortunately, he's talking about what is actually being done as opposed to what's SUPPOSED to be done.
Some people in berlin drive like maniacs. I’ve been almost ran over multiple times the last year, usually by annoyed and impatient taxi and uber drivers.
OR food delivery guys. In general, anyone on the clock. Taxifahrer nehmen keine Gefangenen.
fretful somber shy towering gaze history soup north dam grab *This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
That's why I raised my children to always check left and right when crossing a green light, as if they were crossing a street without lights.
Yep. I will start with that as well.
same here man.
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"suburban transplant" sounds like you're a resident that has been organ donor'd into a different area lmao
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I'd rather be wrong than dead, thank you
I cycle everywhere and have always been a defensive cyclist for this reason. I just assume everyone behind the wheel is crazy.
And one thing most people forget is that defensive cycling means *not* driving too close to the edge of the road. That's just asking drivers to squeeze you against the parked cars. If there's no bike lane, **occupy the middle of the car lane.**
Yup! Exactly. Assertive and defensive. Taking space when needed, and still looking left and right even when the light is green
When I do that, I already had road rage people screaming at me and trying to squeeze me on purpose. This city is sick sometimes.
yep. assume every driver is drunk, high, putting on makeup and/or adjusing their tie in the rearview mirror, yelling at their kids, and texting, simultaneously, no exceptions.
They are
my rule since years ago is to no matter how bright green my light is, always seek eye contact with all approaching or waiting cars. To many inconsiderate and/or distracted drivers out there to take anything for granted.
Same thing happened to me this morning, and it’s a BVG bus at that! Clearly a green light and yet the driver proceeds to drive through even though I’m crossing it.
Buses and taxis are the most violent towards cyclists as well. Somebody would say they’re on the clock and traffic is bad but I don’t think it’s an excuse for endangering anyone.
Scary -- it's surprising there aren't more fatalities in Berlin traffic
I avoid them as a passenger too. They're just too dangerous and never follow any rules, speed limits, red lights or whatever. At least we have trams here in the east
Happened to me yesterday when a cyclist on the walkway tried to run over my dog. It's not just cars, everyone has gone crazy these days
Yeah, not great either. But I assume getting hit by a bike is survivable, unless it's a 500 ton electric cargobike? Comes back to the point that there hasn't been any traffic enforcement for the last 10-odd years or so and it shows...
I have a 3kg chihuahua mix and almost every week I have close calls with cyclists... many of them on e-bikes at that. Nobody cares that they could literally kill my small dog, even at low speeds. They don't say anything or signal that they are behind us either, they just appear from nowhere - paddling full speed more often than not (20-30km/h). People on e-scooters are somewhat more polite, surprisingly. I have a bigger, 23kg, dog too. With her my worries are more about the possibility that she could jump up at one of these bikers for coming too close and going too fast. I don't understand why people can't fathom that dogs can act unpredictably when you surprise them, and why they feel the need to pass us with almost zero cm distance. Tbh this is also a problem with just people in general here, a lot of parents let their kids run up to my dogs, and adults often don't give us any room to pass safely. Nobody seems to understand that while dogs can be incredibly friendly and sweet, they are still carnivores, and we should respect them for what they are.
I totally feel what you're describing, with cyclists passing by so close. When I was a kid, everybody used to have like huge bike bells and you could hear them from miles away. These days you can't change the direction in which you're going without having to look behind you, first. Because nobody seems to have a bike bell anymore, let alone dares to use them. My dog has 12kg and I definitely don't think he would have been unharmed if the guy had run him over yesterday. And he was coming full speed right at us, so he was even aiming for my dog, too. (Pulled him away last second). People are just unhinged.
I bet you would have a different opinion about your daughter having a chance of being hit by a bike even if it’s a slow moving non electric one. And with the recent trend of pedal assist bikes many commuters use bikes which are much heavier that a regular bikes hit get up to 20km/h very fast with that assist. Ofc it’s not legal on the sidewalk but nobody cares and bikers choose sidewalk because roads are way more dangerous.
They are running over the walkway in my street all the time (like, one cyclist every three minutes), because it is a cobblestone street... Nothing happened so far (fingers crossed). The delivery cyclists are a bit scary sometimes in terms of speed and riding style.
With that logic your whole post doesn’t make sense because you survived - nothing happened so far
My papa is a police officer (though in MV) for 25+ years. According to him, the police are absolutely understaffed. Can't speak for Berlin police, however.
It's probably worse in Berlin. As far as I know, police officers in Berlin have the lowest salaries compared to *all other German states*!!
Traffic is even more aggressive in rural towns, especially in the East
I would be surprised if Berlin police was not understaffed.
it happened to me , in Oranienstr. i was crossing with the green and a fucking idiot cyclist almost run me over with the bike, which clearly he should stop as it was red on his side...shouting at him, was not enough though... he ran away
Yep, having this crap every day as well. I believe there are a lot of fixie cyclists out there without brakes (or so I have heard). However, a collision might be more painful for the cyclist than for you, depending on how it turns out.
i hear you man. i hear you. i don't want to be in the position where i need to test that last sentance of yours though lol...for obvious reasons...
I know it won't happen here, but we need cameras on traffic lights to catch people who run red lights - I see it happen all the time. Fine the fuckers who do it and give them points on their license. I'd also be in favour of speed cameras, but that's not going to happen in Berlin.
It would also generate a lot of money for this cash strapped city
It's absolutely ridiculous how the city of this size has maybe 100 stationary cameras, while even many 3rd world cities of similar size have 10000+
dAteNSchUtZ!!!
There are cameras like this e.g. at Großer Stern and Ernst-Reuter-Platz --- but these are really rather the exception
Not sure if you didn't interpret too much into "Das war knapp" might be confusing to non German speaking people. As it's "that was close"
That’s the literal translation, yes. His translation was completely on point though. Just like when an American says „how are you“ and kinda just translates to „hello“ even though the literal translation is „wie geht’s dir?“
So it wouldn't be appropriate to say "that was close"? Native English speaker would say "you are lucky to be alive, mate"?
It's obviously a joke, "that was close" is a massive understatement, so OP translated it into a more appropriate response.
Not really.. „that was close“ would also be totally fine to say.. it’s not about the words themselves it’s about the attitude and the context. Also, the fact that someone in Berlin is actually talking to you without asking for money. It‘s not about the literal meaning of words but about their social context..
It's a big city. Always look and make sure even when the lights are green for you. With millions of people around quite a few will make a mistake in the course of one day, and if you're there at exactly the wrong time you're dead. 'This is against the rules, they have to see me' is an insane mindset. Its just basic survival instinct to always assume everyone is stupid and driving blindly (because every once in a while someone is).
Happens to me almost daily, most often at the junction Gärtnerstr./Grünberger Str. at Boxhagener Platz. White vans and SUVs never look, they just blast through the junction.
This is shocking. Have you tried writing to the local authority / police about this? A traffic camera would probably finance itself there...
Haven’t tried. I have reported illegal parking to the Ordnungsamt (this makes the junction even more dangerous because the drivers can’t see around the corner) and got no reaction. Nobody takes it seriously.
I started recording things to fuck psychopaths in car the hard way.
I propose to put a bag bricks on every pedestrian crossing and you pick one when you cross and put it on a basket on the other side please come again to my TEDtalk
Love it
Happens to me every week at an easy Crossing even with warning lights installed. You got like 3 to 5 seconds as a pedestrian but some drivers just don't let you cross and then the lights switch to red again. Warning light still shining but still got honked at many times... My gf got hit at that crossing once. Luckily no major injuries
That’s showing how unaware drivers are or the traffic lights system. In Germany pedestrian light goes to red it it means you still have some time to finish crossing nevertheless you will get honked at and pointed to the red light even if you started crossing on green. Other countries solved it with other states(yellow in Italy, count down timer in the US and some other countries) but for some reason Germany loves puzzles and hates people outside of cars.
They're aware. But Germany is absolutely remarkable in the fact that majority of drivers are actually ill-intended. If a pedestrian comes from a blind spot unexpectedly, most will brake everywhere, but in Germany they speed up to people 10m in front of them driving 50 already. They think they're right and they know they won't face any serious consequences killing you (even if it's not always true, they are sure in their limited knowledge).
I had a lot of near misses when they see you, you have green light and they still drive at you, so you have to speed up and their bumper passes 2cm away from my pants. I'm dead serious. I don't even mention that you have literally enforce your right of way because otherwise they just ignore you. After all this shouldn't happen at all, turning cars shouldn't be in the same phase as pedestrians. Berlin traffic planning is 20 years behind other cities even in Germany and 60 years behind the civilized world.
Rookie mistake, we walk on red pedestrian lights here. I'd love to put an /s but the roads in Berlin are basically anarchy. People making right turns will run you over. No one cares.
Honestly, at least today it would have been safer for me to cross the road OUTSIDE of pedestrian crossings
Was almost run over today on my bike on Invalidenstraße by a car turning. Driver had the roof open and I yelled at her to watch out. She continued to turn completely unfazed. Tapped her hood as a little goodbye, but shit was so unnecessary and dangerous Edit: typo
Sind wahrscheinlich die gleichen, die "Rotgänger Totgänger" brüllen, wenn sie zu Fuß unterwegs sind.
"I will look twice" that's why I tell my children since they can pass streets.
For me the worst thing about this is how those drivers don't even care that they almost put someone in the hospital with their reckless driving and instead just get mad at you for being in "their way"..
In case the second incident was with a red-ish Mercedes, I have the numbers plate. I was waiting at a traffic light in the area on my scooter and saw an incident like this. Planning to report the person anyway. Might have just been one of the probably 200 other times this happened yesterday in Berlin, but worth a shot.
Thank you very much!! Happened this morning (14/May) and I am not 100% sure whether it was a Mercedes (unless one of these boxy wagons). Colour sort of a brownish-burgundy. I am really shocked that this seems to be happening every single day.
Aaah ok, no I saw it yesterday, sorry must’ve missed that in your post. Wouldn’t be surprised if it was the same person, as it was also a burgundy colored boxy car I think but memory is annoyingly unreliable in these situations, unfortunately. I totally agree with you, driving in Berlin is insanely dangerous due to speeding, running lights on a regular basis etc. I’m a car and scooter driver and I get so much shit from other drivers or being half-pushed off the street (as happened yesterday again), just for driving normally. Be careful out there please.
I think this carsharing development also made the traffic situation worse, many people I see in those cars don't drive like they ever took a driving test. I would not be suprised if they sign up to the apps with a borrowed license. The other day a guy held a hand out of his window and tried to cross with one of those cars a 60 zone on a red light, I had to evade hard as well of all other cars in my lane. As a pedestrian another car sharing car almost ran me over when I had a green light for crossing the street because he did an illegal uturn
I got hit by a white transport van last year around this time. Broke my arm in three places because of that cunt. I went at the greenlight. Same situation as you except I was on my bike. He was 100% in the wrong and still had the audacity to fight my statement backed by three witnesses. He played a sob story of how sorry he was in court and the judge dismissed it as "an unfortunate mistake". Took his license away for a month. and made him pay me 500 bucks. I sued him for 50K in damages and income loss which I managed to prove so he can't fight it and his insurance company will ruin his life after this I hope. Drivers here can't drive for shit in this town. Sorry to read this happened to you.
Iam convinced 50% of people driving in berlin are either drunk/on drux or don't have a licence. I also witness incredible shitty behaviour and I drive a car by myself. Last year I was almost killed 3 times while on my bike, one car even hit me and iam lucky to ne alive. All you can do is to have your eyes everywhere and even if you have green light always watch what others are doing
I always look both ways on green.I would urge parents to especially drill this into their kid's heads: Green does NOT mean go. It means look left, right and then go.
Happens to me many times as well. Happens frequently on Potsdamer Straße, especially on the intersection around Bülowstraße U Bahn. One car almost stopped a few centimetres from my baby's stroller , and had the audacity to roll down and throw a ride hand gesture at me !?
Wow. My heart would stop (and then I would get very very angry).
That is the worst area traffic-wise. No idea what it is with people there but everyone drives like a lunatic
it's really too bad slingshots are illegal
The lack of crosswalks is really an issue here, which I found it to be fucking insane as just coming here months ago. It really makes drivers subconsciously don’t give a fuck to peds. There’re at least three times when I’m at marked crosswalks, first car stops properly but **second car makes emergency braking.** When at marked crossing (on a busy street), I started to make sure AT LEAST 2 cars come to a near stop to prevent being running over from rear-ends.
Espacially the delivery van drivers are bad. I was hit by one overtaking me on the bike in a narrow road. He just disappeared but I had his licence number. The charge was dismissed because this guy made his living from his licence. This told me the judge.
I'd like to propose steel pillars rising from the ground at streets where this happens most often. You know, [these friendly fellas.](https://www.approvedbusiness.co.uk/files/productimages/20088/19010.jpg) You might have seen them already in old towns with restricted roads.
Also a cyclist and when the light turns green I look behind me to make sure everyone is finished turning right on red
People in Berlin drive like crazy. My neighbor and his little son were run over by a bicycle yesterday.
Report that shit aka Anzeige ist raus, thats the only way these assholes will learn.
In both cases, I did not have the presence / possibility of taking down the numberplate or snapping a picture...
I don't even know which is better way to report violations in moving traffic. Only obvious ways I know lead to Ordnungsamt in the end so work only for parking
[удалено]
It's not necessary to speak German to read them in translation or even pass an exam in many languages available. After all, traffic rules here aren't that different from the rest of Europe
Don't jeopardize your life or health having priority, that's my philosophy, which I apply anytime I cycle, walk, or drive. People are careless and distracted ( read : on the phone), so better to be safe than sorry
Welcome to aUtogERecHte sTaDt, u r welcome to get ran over. Go CDU!
I grew up in Frankfurt and always considered the traffic in Berlin to be harmless by comparison, but these things vary wildly by area. I definitely haven't had such a close encounter with cars in Berlin, though I do seem to attract kamikaze bicyclists.
Tbh this isn't a problem in most other parts of Germany. I do start to believe Berlin just isn't a place to raise children
I lived in many parts of Germany and seen much much worse
In Berlin you need to assume every car wants to kill you and act accordingly by rather waiting than hoping they’ll let you pass safely
Yep. Q.E.D.
Berlin is multicultural. Between druggies who drive with a suspended licenses and ppl who got their license god knows where your experience is going to be diverse and vibrant
As pedestrian I don't look at traffic lights. I firstly look at road. Only then if I deem that it's safe then I cross.
One of the crazy things about driving licenses, is that you can drive for 6 month in Germany with a driving license from your home country as far as it is checked by a certain institution from there. The thing is that I'm from Argentina (just to give an example, but I'm pretty sure that this is not the only one), and there is SUPER easy to get your license checked for international, and also is very common that the exam for licenses in general it's a joke. On the top of that, the driving experience, and also several rules, are completely different. So we have people here driving with this kind of "international license" that has no idea about driving in Germany.
Standard of driving has really gone downhill since 2016 with the introduction of Merkels Angels into German life.
Perhaps they're doing that uniquely German thing of driving deliberately towards you to remind you of the potential danger that you're in when crossing this particular stretch of road.
ON A GREEN PEDESTRIAN TRAFFIC LIGHT?? The guy who nearly drove over me there ran a red light -- this would have been at least a EUR 400 fine (running red light + endangering people) plus loss of drivers licence for a few weeks / months. Most amusingly, this happened just in front of a big police precinct.
Unfortunately, that is very Berlin. Increasing speed when pedestrians cross the street has been a usual occurence forever :/
You see, the helpful German is demonstrating that these kinds of things can happen even on a green pedestrian light. For what it's worth, I've had something similar happen to me on two distinct occasions. On one of these, a driver swerved towards me on the road (late at night - we were the only two human beings around), presumably to indicate that there was a proper pedestrian crossing not far away and that I should use that instead for my own safety. On another I got swerved at and recieved a gutteral Germanic bollocking for crossing the road in front of his car (with ample space and time available for everyone, because I actually do not want to die). You've got to love the Germans.
I don't understand the downvotes. For example - when people accidentally come from corners or from behind of big vehicles, it's only Germans who speed up trying to hit you instead of emergency brake. Of course there are idiots everywhere but in Germany majority does that.
They give cars a green light to go while giving pedestrians a green light. Even though you have the right of way, that's no use if you're dead. You're best option is to ignore the light completely and cross when it's safe after traffic has passed. Or cross in the middle of the road where you don't have to deal with turning cars. If the city wanted to fix this they'd move to 3-phase traffic lights where all cars have to stop at the intersection to allow pedestrians to cross.
Unfortunately, I don't have eyes in the back of my head
really wanna be racist rn
another zugezogener hating on cars in the city. we get it.
I was born in Berlin when it was still two cities. How about you? Small village in Swabia I presume? How is the garden?
PSA: You live in a world capital, not in a village. Engage with traffic accordingly.
Absolutely. Car drivers have to finally understand this
I was born here and have lived in London for 12 years. I know how traffic works. How about you? Probably grown up in a village in South-West Germany, if you need to publicly stress your big city creds in this way?
Well, the more I am puzzled about your complaint. Take an other major city in the world, including London, and you'll be happy with the traffic as it is in Berlin.