Comments on: Scale

By: Zweiradler

Zweiradler — Mon, 15 Nov 2010 16:53:58 +0000

Interesting. I didn’t know that there is such a difference. No wonder that they say “Oh my god, cycling is DANGEROUS!” in the US.

By: Andy in Germany

Andy in Germany — Thu, 11 Nov 2010 18:10:44 +0000

Hi Nico… It’s the english term for the German law that if you are driving a car, and you hit a cyclist, you are assumed to be at fault unless you can prove the cyclist was driving in a dangerous way. In the UK and the US, it’s often the other way around, so a car driver can just say “Sorry mate I didn’t see you” and they often get away without having to take responsibility.
I know this doesn’t make the streets perfectly safe for us in Germany but compared to the UK, you see drivers being a lot more careful around cyclists.

By: Zweiradler

Zweiradler — Thu, 11 Nov 2010 17:46:45 +0000

Could you elaborate a bit on the “strict liability” part? I’m afraid I didn’t quite get your point.

Nico

By: Andy in Germany

Andy in Germany — Thu, 11 Nov 2010 12:51:41 +0000

Hi Ross, thanks for your sympathy. I’m feeling guilty now because this doesn’t happen (very) often here: partly because it’s a village and partly because of Strict Liability laws in Germany: they make a huge difference. I was more amused in this case because I’d deliberately waited well out of the gap so the van wasn’t blocked, so they could have carried on, but chose instead to waste time pantomiming their demand that I get out of my side of the road. They gave up after a bit…

By: rwintle

rwintle — Thu, 11 Nov 2010 12:34:16 +0000

Ooh, that bothers me too. Vehicles who think that they can drive straight at you (or overtake you) when there’s parked cars reducing the road to a single lane. Grrr.

I often “take the lane” but then end up wimping out into the gutter. One day I’ll stand firm and someone’s going to have to stop and reverse.

You have my sympathy.