Yesterday evening, just after dark, there were 5 cop cars and no less than 12 (twelve!) police officers lining either side of Residenzstrasse at the bottom of Odeonsplatz. At first I thought there must be some kind of event happening which required high security. But nope. It turned out that they were checking for cyclists riding without front and rear lamps. And keeping surprisingly busy they were too! There was a steady stream of cyclists down that road and every 20 or 30 seconds one of them was being pulled over. It made for quite entertaining watching and there was even a small crowd of pedestrians indulging in a spot of Schadenfreude. ...
[img]http://www.toytowngermany.com/munich/cycle_lights.jpg[/img]
As the cyclists approached you could see that some of them had guilt written all over their faces. They'd see the police cars and then hesitantly slow down. Reading their minds was easy. They were thinking,
"Huh? What's with all the police up ahead. Is it an accident. Oh shit, it looks like a traffic check point. Oh shit, I don't have my lights on. Are they checking for lights? Surely not? Nope, I'll just put my head down and cycle through. I'm not doing anything criminal. It'll be fine."
"Halt! Polizeikontrolle!"
"Doh!"
"Ausweis! And that'll be 5 Euros please!".
"Doh!"
In one comedy incident a cyclist realised what was ahead. He screeched into a sudden U-turn and wiped out another cyclist who was immediately behind him. The crowd cheered!
So be warned. It is an offence to cycle at night without a white front light, a red back light, and a red rear-end reflector. The usual fine in Munich these days is €5.
My advice for these Winter evenings: either kit yourself out with functioning lights. Or, if you really must ride in the dark, keep an eye out for the random Polizei checkpoints!
For more chat on the topic of bikes and the police see:
Fines for being drunk on a bike
Munich Bicycle Laws
Any news on what type of lighting must be used? You know, does it have to be a dynamo type or is it okay to stick with my cateye. And can the back red light blink? I was once told it should not cause it distracts drivers (well then it's working!).
All I wanna' do is have some fun and 5 takes away from my beer pot.
All I wanna' do is have some fun and 5 takes away from my beer pot.
I got stopped cycling through a red light at 8 o´clock one summer morning at a desolate one way street in Schwabing by 2 undercover bike polizei. 80 fine and a point on my up till then immaculate drivers license. Suppose im lucky they did´nt Rodney-King me like the vicious criminal I am.
The Münchener little green men really ought to get their priorities straight. Why, only last night I saw 2 of them accosting a hapless pedestrian who had crossed a deserted street while the man was red. They should be out trying to find the lowlife scum who climb people's walls and steal stuff off their balconies, instead of harassing (mostly) law-abiding citizens.
Some of the Cateye-type lights are okay - they need to have an indicator when the battery runs low. Others are not. Blinking red backlight is not okay according to the law. The interesting question though is - do the cops bother with that level of detail? My assumption would be - no they don't.
Has anyone been stopped with a working Cateye-type light?
Has anyone been stopped with a working Cateye-type light?
It's clear to me that Munich needs some doughnut shops. The bicycle riders should open a few.
Forgive my innocence, but do the cops collect cash on the spot, or is it always a zettel? (ie: they're not collecting euros on the spot, then flying to the U.S. to buy dougnuts...)
Why the hell didn't the Odeonsplatz crowd just move 'up' a bit and warn the bikers? Germas are sadistic, oder?
Forgive my innocence, but do the cops collect cash on the spot, or is it always a zettel? (ie: they're not collecting euros on the spot, then flying to the U.S. to buy dougnuts...)
Why the hell didn't the Odeonsplatz crowd just move 'up' a bit and warn the bikers? Germas are sadistic, oder?
I was riding my bike to work one night, I had a rear red light but no front white light. A woman in her fifties who was riding in the opposite direction to me on the other side of the street screamed out "Kein licht da" (no light there). I turned to her and gave her the finger. I was very amused by her reaction, serves the old bag right! What is it with Germans and their obsession with other peoples business?? If I had been any closer I would have twatted her one.
Yeah, hopefully they don't start checking in Garching... I started out with a front and rear light that were both 'approved' by whatever agency it is which the german's waste their money on. About a week later, my rear light (without the batteries in) was stolen. That was in StuStadt. The next day my bike was in Garching overnight and when I got back the next day the front light was gone too. Bad news, both lights gone.. good news, they were like 5 euro at walmart, so I'm not out all that much. Maybe the cops should hang out at bike racks to stop people from taking the lights instead... I'm sure burglary brings a slightly higher income than accosting those hard criminals who ride on the edge.
Well, gee I have a solution that should give you a few options--everybody likes options, right? Either purchase a few working lights and keep those batteries fresh----or----move back to the good ole u. s. of a. where functional bikepaths are almost unheard of, where the cyclists ride without ,lights, reflectors, and in dark clothing at night, often against the flow of traffic----- where autos can run you off the road or hit ,injure ,or kill you and not be cited because ,after all , you are riding a toy and toys shouldn`t be on the road.
You are riding a vehicle, albeit a slow moving vehicle and you have all the rights of a vehicle and the responsibilities. If you want rights w/o responsibilities then move back to th` u.s.
Concerning your post and more "serious crime" , I would say death on the highways and streets is a bit more serious than petty theft. 42.000 deaths a year take place on amerika`s streets . That`s like having one Sept. 11 disaster every month.--- Denk` daran
You are riding a vehicle, albeit a slow moving vehicle and you have all the rights of a vehicle and the responsibilities. If you want rights w/o responsibilities then move back to th` u.s.
Concerning your post and more "serious crime" , I would say death on the highways and streets is a bit more serious than petty theft. 42.000 deaths a year take place on amerika`s streets . That`s like having one Sept. 11 disaster every month.--- Denk` daran
There appears to be a 50% chance of cyclists riding WITH lights at night in Munich.
And having very nearly hit an unlighted bike last year, and the rider had the cheek to shout the typical bavarian slang insult to cover his guilt, I'm no fan of anyone too lazy to flip on their dynamo. Most bikes come with them fitted. Except some mountain bikes. Fashionable, but not for the city. No one steals dynamo lamps and the dynamo does not slow you down as some people unscientifically believe, even the cheap ones.
5 euros for the deliberate act not switching it on is very cheap.
And having very nearly hit an unlighted bike last year, and the rider had the cheek to shout the typical bavarian slang insult to cover his guilt, I'm no fan of anyone too lazy to flip on their dynamo. Most bikes come with them fitted. Except some mountain bikes. Fashionable, but not for the city. No one steals dynamo lamps and the dynamo does not slow you down as some people unscientifically believe, even the cheap ones.
5 euros for the deliberate act not switching it on is very cheap.
It depends if the car hits you from the front or from behind. And you still have to pay to repair the scratched car even if you are dead! Its the law!