The Ex Expat

6 September 2012

The other week I wrote abouthow, in German traffic regulations, right is not right. So you can begin to imagine my thoughts on the fact that green is not green. In the UK, every child is taught that you wait for the green man before safely crossing the road. Idiots aside who use their mobile phones while driving and ground to a screeching halt in the last second, this is indeed usually a safe affair. Not so in Germany. Here a child is presumably taught to ‘wait for the green man then mind you don’t get run down by a turning car whilst crossing the road’. Because when the green man comes on, it’s not just pedestrians who get to go - cars are allowed to keep driving too! At least those that are taking a right turn. In my mind that doesn’t equal green. Maybe a very orange-y green. Yes, the pedestrians have the right of way, and cars do generally stop for them, but it does feel a bit disconcerting the first time you see a giant bumper coming towards and the pram you’re pushing across the road. And the second time. And the third time. Actually, I’ve lost count and I still find it disconcerting^^