Police stopped me and demanded my passport

[Hans321 676]

 

I told him I had my US drivers license, or that I would go home and get my Passport, and he didn't care at all.

 

As a German I can assure you that it's for us sometimes very difficult to understand Americans. If his English isn't good, there's a good chance that he didn't get most of what you said.

 

Just hand him the driver's license, then he can see your name, so no need for spelling. But he'd ask for the address in Germany.

 

By the way, different cops act differently. I know people cycling completely drunk and the reaction by the cops ranged from being told with a grin to push the cycle home to losing the driver's license.

[Chelle63 958]

@ Allershausen I'll rephrase then they can be quite "stern", and yea with limited German its kinda unnerving.

[Duckworth–Lewis 172]

....

[marie-claire 2,084]

 

I understand the OP crying...

Me too. There is absolutely no need to be rude and yell at someone who stops, gets off their bicycle and agrees to have their picture taken.

[perdido 6,083]

First time I got stopped in the U.S. I thought there goes my dreams of going to Harvard. I had to settle on a State School.

[andyandy 1,120]

 

There was another man who was 'dressed' like what seemed to be a cop in the khaki uniform...though the guy who stopped me was dressed in black and did not have any badge or anything official showing...

 

 

 

Local mating habits can be a bit odd.

 

Take a look at this line up and think carefully - was it the gentleman in the middle?

 

[westvan 9,705]

 

There is absolutely no need to be rude and yell at someone

We don't know that he was really yelling. Perhaps something along the lines of "Halloooo, junge Dame, halten Sie bitte an!" said in a very loud voice.

[Duckworth–Lewis 172]

 

Me too. There is absolutely no need to be rude and yell at someone who stops, gets off their bicycle and agrees to have their picture taken.

 

I would surely agree with you. Maybe, it was something like this...

[Jimbo 1,269]

 

Fuck me, are you one of these petty little pricks that goes around pointing out people's spelling errors too? Yes, well fucking deduced sherlock, it won't actually be a fine issued in US dollars - but when people talk about currency, they very often use words like "quid" or "bucks" even when referring to euros. I quite often say something cost 100 "notes", or 50 "sheets" - even if I paid with a plastic card, and no bank notes were involved in the slightest. I am surprised you did not also pick up on the word "fine", seeing as it is as likely that the policeman would have said "fine" as it is him issuing a monetary charge in a foreign currency. If you are going to behave like an irritating picky little arsewipe, at least have some consistency.

 

His screen name relates to a scoring method in cricket. Pedantry isn't just desirable, it's an absolute requirement in those circumstances.

 

And since it appears that the man that stopped the OP wasn't a cop, but instead the Man from the Milk Tray ad (no uniform, dressed in black, takes photos) anything is possible.

 

@andyandy - I think she'd have remembered being stopped by a native Indian.

[taverabera 39]

The whole street is a problem in that there is a lot of construction going on, it is narrow, and from one direction off the main street (the way I come every day) there are no visible signs whatsoever.

 

I think the reason this was so traumatic is that 1. I was not expecting it at all and 2. I've never been pulled over or stopped by a cop in my life

[hams 1,387]

I feel for the OP. Germans are rude and aggressive on the whole, and to have a policeman in your face when new to the country would be intimidating especially when one's limited in the language.

 

And policemen here aren't like PC Plod back home. They are bored men in uniform with guns who who have nothing better to do than to stop cyclists going down a one-way street. Seriously, this city needs more crime.

[westvan 9,705]

I recommend watching "Achtung Kontrolle!" on TV to understand how these things work. Very educational.

[Jimbo 1,269]

Were there any video cameras? You may be on the next episode of 'Germany's Most Exciting Police Chases'. An American crying is prime-time TV gold in Ingolstadt.

[taverabera 39]

Side note: Do these policemen or whatever they are supposed to be, use a little black handheld device that looks very much like an Iphone? That was what he took my picture with, and he 'typed' with a touchscreen my information.

Also, he never asked my permission for the photo, or a single time used 'bitte'!

[andyandy 1,120]

 

The whole street is a problem in that there is a lot of construction going on...

 

So you're telling me that there was a construction worker there too?

 

 

@andyandy - I think she'd have remembered being stopped by a native Indian.

 

Okay, more pedantry, so there's six in the line up and I meant the one in the middle on the left (from the viewer's perspective). :rolleyes:

[bohemka 4,337]

Seriously though, think about this stuff a bit more next time. Just because the cops dress like disneyworld parking security doesn't mean weird shit can't happen here.

 

There was a man dressed in black loitering outside a school. He was saying stuff to people who were ignoring him and riding by. You decided to stop, let him take a picture of you, and then gave him your address, without him showing you any ID whatsoever.

 

Do yourself a favor and search for "GEZ" stat.

[perdido 6,083]

Next time make sure you have Nina playing loud over your headphones. Germans love Nina.

[iain 141]

Has anyone mentioned the fact that it's only ten bucks, and basically just a traffic fine. The Ordnungsamt can be fairly rude actually, but don't let it get to you. The best thing to do with those guys is just be nice and respectful (I don't mean grovel, you have to stand your ground.) Their are actually TV shows here in Germany that follow the Ordnungsamt around and watch them catch Germans doing all the crazy things like riding the wrong way down a one way street, and riding in a pedestrian only zone. They also tend to be fairly gruff with the people they catch, which I think is basically a cover for the fact that they themselves are embarrassed with how petty they are being.

 

Edit: and no they don't usually tend to show their ID unless they are undercover.

[Gen 2,454]

For me, speaking as someone who's nearly been run into on her own bike by people at night without lights riding the wrong way on a one-way bike path, I wish there were more cops policing the bikers. Biking here wouldn't be as pleasant as it is without the enforcement they do have time for.

[perdido 6,083]

I have to concur. Going back to Portland , and it is a biker city, I was shocked on the lack of enforcement on cyclist there. I am a strong advocate for bikers rights but bikers have a responsebility as well to the public. Regensburg showed me that but I know that is because of the enforcement of rules.