Whether in the U.S. or in Germany, some things remain constant. Take for example trying to go for a bike ride on Friday afternoon anytime later than 3:00.
We typically think that the Germans (maybe Europeans in general) take their time off from work seriously. We in the U.S. have the impression that they work something like 30 hours a week and receive 52 weeks of vacation.
It’s not quite that extreme, but sometimes seems rather close.
With all that time, you would think that they would take a more leisurely approach to getting home from work on a Friday. But just as in the U.S., Friday afternoon means a mad rush to get home. Or get somewhere.
The drivers here, while driving fast and aggressive, are mostly tolerant of cyclists. They usually give me enough room when passing. They don’t honk or yell things out the window.
But on Friday afternoon, when they are in that rush to get home, they seem to have no patience with a cyclist who might delay their arrival by maybe 30 seconds. So they pass too close, pass when there is oncoming traffic, try to squeeze in front of me when approaching a red light (why, I cannot imagine).
This has always mystified me back at home too. I’ve wondered why are people in such a hurry that they cannot stand to be delayed for even a few seconds? Once I asked a driver this, after catching up to him at a red light after he obnoxiously honked and yelled at me. His answer was to spew something like, “Get off the road!” with spit on his lips.
And I once asked the mayor of Hunting Valley why he was in such a hurry after he called the police to pull three of us over. We had delayed him by not riding single file on a country road (on a Saturday morning). He couldn’t answer except to say some nonsense about us breaking the law.
But that is in the U.S., where we expect most of the population to be racing home to the couch to switch the on T.V.
I think there is a similar phenomenon in Germany. Maybe the specifics are a bit different, but there is that same sense of impatience to get home to whatever small indulgence or distraction is waiting – which ironically might be going for a walk, run, or bike ride, judging from the amount of people I see out on the path along the Rhine.
Two Fridays ago I was riding on a narrow farm road, when a van, obviously a work vehicle, insisted on passing me from behind even though there was not enough room for both of us, and even though I was moving along at more than 20 mph and he had to stop up ahead anyway.
I can tell that my perspective here has changed, because now I am no longer the polite American in these situations. But I still need to learn the best insults to yell in German.
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8 comments:
No matter where you go, people are just people, mostly working their own agenda. Not an American thing or a European thing, as you are already experiencing.
Tris's Cycling Rules:
(1) Always ride as if all drivers are potential killers. Because they are.
(2) Always ride as if no drivers are paying any attention whatsoever. Because they aren't.
(3) Always assume a driver approaching an intersection is not going to stop. Because - mostly - they don't.
(4) Don't throw rocks at the bee's nest. In other words, don't aggravate an already volatile situation.
(5) Never, ever ride on the road on Friday evenings.
I've ridden the Towpath or Bike-n-Hike every Friday for as long as I can remember.
#5 is so important because #'s 1 - 3 are compounded on Fridays. And, after 6pm, I'd estimate that at least half the drivers on the road have had an alcoholic drink (or several) already.
Remember, even if the driver is at fault, you are the one getting smashed by 2 tons of steel.
It sounds exceedingly pessimistic, but I've found that it is good for my well-being to assume that 99% of drivers are utterly incompetent. Because they are.
Have a safe ride ...
Everyone mostly working their own agenda, yes I would agree with that. And I think that's why there are so many messed up things in this world.
Tris's rules ... I should tape that on my handlebar stem. Funny, I was literally about to throw a rock at the van that passed me. One thing about here ... you don't have to worry so much about the crazy gun-carrying nuts we have back home.
Tris, you are a very wise man. Thanks for providing wise words to my son. We all need friends like you.
Ironic action that I see repeatedly when driving / riding ...
Drivers will slam on their brakes for a dog, deer, groundhog or even for a freakin' chipmunk. Sometimes coming nearly to a full stop.
But will then proceed to zoom past another human being without even a thought of slowing down and - usually - without moving over an inch.
I've seen it so many times that I've given up trying to understand. Still ... I don't get it.
Some stats from the NHTSA.
Anymore I just smile and wave and say have a nice day (very difficult to do after having been hit by cars on two different occasions (both their fault)but I am still the one who suffered the road rash and ended up in the hospital). I often apologize for costing them 10 seconds of their life and feel guilty knowing that in those 10 seconds they probably could've figured out a cure to cancer. Like my dad always told me laws of gross tonnage always prevail. Be careful German cars are designed for their drivers safety not that of the cyclists that they plow into.
The drivers here seem quite tolerant of bikes. The sort of have to be, since there are a lot of bikes and the roads are often narrow. There's no question here of whether a bike "belongs" on the road or not. Back home I think a large percentage of people think opposite. But there are still some times ... like the Friday afternoon, especially, but really anytime during the rush hour(s) where impatience prevails.
One thing that's amusing to me: I've had more close calls with other bike riders -- ones on commuter type bikes who suddenly appear out of nowhere.
Yeah, stupid cyclists! I mean ... uh, DOH!
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