Stupid Munich By-Laws

Hi.

I just read the police racism post and found some more little fines that people got for either running a cycle red light or riding in the wrong direction.

I'd like this post to exist as a reference for everybody so we know a little bit more about where we stand in this city.

So to start things off:

20/08/2003 - €15 - Cycling in wrong direction
23/08/2003 - €25 - Cycling through a 'cyclists' red light
Apparently - €10 - Walking through a pedestrian red light
Apparently - €10 - Smoking in the U-Bahn stations on the platforms

Sorry about the apparently ones thats just what I'm told, maybe you all can add actual proven ones with details so i can compile a reference list that avoids the rumoured laws.

Cheers.

Phil

Getting caught by the "Abendzeitung" police after putting less than the required amount of money in the newspaper box: 40 Euro

(It's true, Mr. Red got busted during a highly complex stake-out several weeks ago!)

Apparently,
fines for swearing in public or lewd gestures.
I know personally of a man who was fined by a customer in his jewelry store when he commented on the jerky kids passing by outside as 'little shits' (in German). The customer took him for 1,000 euros.

As far as getting fined 4,000 for flying the bird, don't know first hand if it is true.

What if you swear in English? Is that kosher?

I remembered a few others:

Mate calls ticket issuing traffic warden a 'Stupid Na*i Bitch' and ticket suddenly had 500,- DM attached to it.

I also hear that verbally using rude words (or signalling) at other drivers is finable.

I suspect using the 2 finger thing (which seems to be very English) might be classed as swearing in English.. but i find many Germans don't know the 2 finger thing.

As for swearing in English, i bet if they understand it you could get done.

My advice, learn some Portuguese, what are the chances of 'Victim' understanding?

Phil

I once gave a red card to a football player when he said the Spanish equivalent of whore on the field here in Munich. Since I was the only person who the comment could have been addressed to, it's an automatic red card for swearing at the ref.

Curious... two finger thing?
Victory, Go Longhorns (Texas), Spider-man, Metallica. Those are the only ones I came up with and they don't seem offensive. Any other 'two fingers up' combo is difficult to manage.

Aside comment: I am always tempted to go up to a meter maid as they are giving out a ticket to a really expensive car and rattle my keys like the car is mine. Then yell, rant, rave, pull my hair out, call names, rip the ticket up, spit, curse, cry and storm off.

The two finger thing is, like, the reverse of the Victory sign. If you see what I mean. It comes from the battle of Agincourt. When the French captured the english archers (who were a formidable force at the time), they used to cut off their first two fingers so they couldn't be useful any more. Thus, on the battlefield, the english archers signalled to the French that still had their two fingers left by po-facedly (new word?) sticking them in the air and shouting rude things.