Pedestrians in Germany-red light

Daily Life, Swiss News and General Topics
1
Have you ever noticed that the German pedestrians rarely walk against a red traffic signal in Germany. At least thats what I have noticed in Konstanz. I was the only one who did it. Felt like I was breaking the law! Here in ZH its the accepted thing to walk againt a red signal.

2
Yes, it's explicitly forbidden in Germany, as I first noticed on a trip there forty-odd years ago. Same in parts of the US, people will blithely wait at a red man regardless of the emptiness of the road they want to cross.

Always seemed weird to me, but the rule's the rule...

3

Yeah, my dad got told off by a policeman in the States for jaywalking. That was back in the 50s/60s.

4
It's illegal here as well.

Tom

5
If I see the Fuzz I don't cross I guess the Germans are more law respecting

6
Must be a matter of perspective, from a Dutch point of view the Swiss really do respect their red lights.

7
Maybe because Konstanz is a little town in the boneys.

If you go somewhere bigger you will make a different observation.

A bit like comparing pedestrians in Zürich with pedestrians in say, Rothrist.

8
I think if you ask a German lawyer they will tell you that it's more complicated than that. But most Germans believe it is forbidden, which is why they behave accordingly.

I friend of mine jay walked at a red light in Germany once and didn't see there was a policemen behind him. The policeman waited until the light turned green and then ran to catch him. If that isn't police ethics for you . The policemen didn't scold him for crossing at a red light, but for doing so so blatantly in front of a policeman. He got away with a verbal warning and never heard of the matter again.

So if you want to jaywalk, look behind you first to make sure there isn't a policeman watching.

9
Or less observant.

10
It is forbidden, no clue what makes you think this is not the case.

https://www.bussgeldkatalog.org/fussgaenger/

11
Here in Zürich 90% of people go against red. Without a second thought. It belongs to this German mentality that they will wait 5 minutes for the red to change to green. The autocratic German

12
Never been to a bigger city in Germany, have you?

13
Absolute nonsense.

14
It is here too. Fine: Fr. 20.00. In Germany it's only Euro 5.00.

I'm a bit shocked that walking on to a highway is only a Fr. 20.00 fine as well. In Germany even only Euro 10.00.

And by the way, omtatsat, Konstanz is crawling with Swiss. It's a bit like the Chinese in Switzerland. Not representative at all.

15
Yes right. Even the Swiss don't do it in DE!

Walking over the crosswalk in red is like smoking pot

Don't spoil the citizen! Better to plan better, then I don't have to go over the pedestrian strip when it is red

Pedestrian strips are designed to protect pedestrians. And don't hinder. But that's exactly what they do when they have traffic lights. You steal lifetime. There is no car far and wide. But I should wait. And wait. And still waiting.

Do you really stand alone in the rain just because a little red man you don't even know plays up in front of you and orders you to wait?

Certainly not. So I start running - and I don't feel guilty. A car that goes red at the traffic lights causes chaos. A pedestrian who walks through the traffic lights at red does something for his health.

Clearly there are rules. Never, really never, you do that in front of a child. After all, this requires the protection of the zebra crossing. And yes, you don't do that to the police either. It is their job to follow the law. Testing whether they will pay or not is a senseless provocation. But don't be afraid: there will never be a penalty. Going over the pedestrian crossing in red is like smoking pot today: both are established in a majority of the population. Sanctions, on the other hand, will not last long.

I never got a fine. But I live with being shouted at sometimes. But that only happened when I lived in Germany. Germany has the can deposit. And Germany has citizens who like to authoritatively instruct their fellow citizens about the prevailing legal situation. Good citizens stop at red on the sidewalk. Everything else is resistance to the authority of the state.

But we Swiss have no can deposit. We have sidewalks instead of sidewalks. And we manage our problems with personal responsibility. We leave the decision, entirely militia system, to the citizen on the sidewalk. His life is worth something to him. Where it is dangerous and sensible, every pedestrian waits.

There is a simple law: where the pedestrian does not wait, the planning did not take him seriously. For example at the Solothurn main station. Sorry, this is a two-leg disaster. It presses, the SBB are not waiting for you. But you have to wait forever. Car after car. A huge main traffic axis cuts the direct pedestrian connection from the city to the train. And not only that: this street is the unnecessary loop around the neck of the old town. It contracts. That has to change quickly. It also applies to the planning: if you stay with red for too long, you will miss the train at the end and will not get any further.

16
Another sweeping generalisation...................

17
Yes could be.

"Where it is dangerous and sensible, every pedestrian waits."

18
I understand the logic behind it is mainly is to set a good example for the children.

19
I’m not a lawyer and maybe I misunderstood somethings I was told , but this is what I was told by a German lawyer .

The clue is on the page . There is a catalogue of fines, payable if caught and if the police officer feels so inclined . You also pay a fine if you bring in your library book late . It’s what in German they call an Ordnungswidrigkeit . It is enshrined in contractual statutes and bylaws and not in criminal or even civil law.

Factually , any smart lawyer can get you off the hook for paying with some simple tricks . Of course it would cost you more than you save , but that’s not the issue here.

20

Ordnungswidrigkeit. HaHa. Thats from the last century. They still have not got around to revising it.