Germany has a traffic code which allows the police to impose on the spot fines for minor infringements of the traffic laws, so if you are touring in Germany it is worth knowing what you should or shouldn't be doing as a cyclist. We wrote about this earlier, but some new fines have been established.
You can be fined €5 for cycling on the pavement/sidewalk, unless it’s allowed.
You can be fined €10 if your lights or brakes don’t work.
You can be fined €10 if you cycle in a pedestrian zone where cycling is not allowed. If you endanger others by doing this the fine rises to €20 and if your cycling in a pedestrian zone causes an accident you are liable to receive a €25 fine.
You can be fined €15 for cycling in the wrong direction on a cycleway.
You can be fined €15 for cycling on the road next to a cycleway, i.e. not using s cycleway when one is available.
You can be fined €25 for using a mobile phone when underway on a bike.
You can be fined €45 if you jump a red traffic light when the red phase lasted for 1 second and €100 if it was longer. If you cause problems for others when you jump a red light the fine rises to €160 or €180.
If you cross a level crossing when the barriers are down, when red lights are showing you are liable to a €350 fine.
Any fine above €35 brings a point in the German Central Register which may also be transferable to other road traffic sin bin systems as well.
Above a blood level concentration of 1.6 mg/l a cyclist is deemed to be absolutely unfit to cycle. In which case the happy drunkard is facing seven points in the German Central Register, a fine of a month’s wages after tax and deductions and probably immediate loss of his or her driving licence, at least until the case comes to court, which can be a year.
However only once in 25 or so years of cycling in Germany have we seen police handing out tickets for one of the above offences, but you could be unlucky.
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