Cycling in Berlin and the interesting madness about it.

Getting through Berlin is possible with pretty much every mode of transportation. Everybody knows the U-Bahn (that word you like to show off whenever possible because it is all your remembered from four long and dreary years of German classes in high school), S-Bahn, the tram, bus and trains. Cars are technically an option, but within the city limits, you’d be smart not to use those.

However, as I talked about in my first blog, there is also a lot of cycling going on.  So, realistically, other than relying on the Pünktlichkeit of public transport in Berlin, what’s it like to cycle in the second largest capitol of the European Union?

As you could read in my first collection of experiences from Berlin, I am quite the opportunistic Dutchman, thinking that if a bicycle will do in the Netherlands, it must do as well in Berlin. I’m too stubborn to say that this isn’t the case, but I’ll admit that using other modes of transport have peaked my interest. But, sticking to my choice, let’s talk about cycling.

Cycling is pretty popular here, but I’d like to use this moment for a little quiz. What kind of path is visible below?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Is this:

A) A sidewalk

B) A path for wheelchairs, pedestrians and walking your dog

C) For people walking on stilts in their attempt to create a new Cirque du Soleil

D) All of the above

Well?

Of course, it’s none of the above, as it is in fact a combined cycling path, sidewalk and place to walk your dog. C is just silly, Cirque du Soleil is French and in Germany they speak German. It would’ve been called Zirkus der Sonne. I think.

All jokes aside, this is just insane. How could such a well-organised people be okay with this? And worse, it has impacted the relationship between cars and cyclists to such a point that I got yelled at for standing still next to a car. On an ongoing road. In front of a – mind you, red – traffic light.
Don’t get me wrong, it’s not like the cyclists are doing their utmost to make the best out of a bad situation and behave. I’ve been in situations where I was cycling on a pretty good cycling path and a speeding hipster passed me on the right, into the sidewalk, nearly killing an Asian tourist who was taking pictures of an apparently fascinating tile on the floor, only to cross back into the cycling path and jump one lane further, into the car lane. This was while driving up through Tiergarten (click to see the road) in the direction of the Branderburger Tor. Here’s the kicker though: for some reason, the vast majority of cyclist do stop for a red traffic light – an absolutely novel concept to Dutch cyclists – meaning I caught up to the top-knot-wearing gentleman at the light at the end of the road.

Think about that. People tell me I should wear a helmet while cycling here because it’s dangerous. Yes, there is a lot to be desired about the opportunities to cycle around without getting clipped by your various BMW and Porsche driving motorist texting his/her friend on their Handy about the amount of GTA-like near-misses they achieved today, giving some Fahrräder the scare of their lives. But if you like to see another day when all cycling roads are nice and tidy and separated from 1.5+ ton pieces of metal whizzing by, you’ll have to endure the current paths and wait until they look like they do in Sachsenhausen.

In short, my friendly advice to you, friendly Berlin cyclists: you might not need that helmet if you stop riding like your fixie is on fire.