Roadside Rollercoaster: The Lowdown on Germany's Speeding Crackdown Extravaganza
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Hey there, buckle up! This week, expect more pulsing lights and sirens along Germany's highways than usual. In several federal states, the cops are stepping up speeding enforcement, a.k.a. the Speeder's Showdown, commencing across the country, starting from some states as early as last Saturday! Here's the juicy breakdown:
Are you a speeder by chance?
The highlight of this speeding extravaganza is on Wednesday, 9th of April, in states like Hamburg, Hesse, and Bavaria. However, there's more to come! From Friday to Sunday, keep your lead-foot in check in Schleswig-Holstein and Rhineland-Palatinate. It's a nationwide speeding bonanza, as Brandenburg kicked things off last Saturday! Yes, you heard that right - Brandenburg repped hard, focusing on motorcycles initially.
Don't worry, Europe's joining the party too! The European traffic police association Roadpol has called for reinforced checks in a whopping 20 countries.
What's the point of this high-speed hullabaloo?
Excessive speed is still the leading cause of traffic accidents, according to the police. Their goal? Save lives. They want to raise awareness about reckless speed during these control days, while also piling on the pressure through regular checks.
But the party's not all fun and games, bigwigs like Michael Schreckenberg, a traffic researcher at the University of Duisburg, argue that this is merely a "show event." He believes that speeders simply return to their ill-advised habits post-crackdown. He advocates for stricter penalties like driving bans instead.
Who's winning the speed wars?
Approximately 1.9 million men were nabbed for speeding in Germany in 2023, compared to around 550,000 women, according to the Federal Motor Transport Authority (KBA). Both sexes are most likely to speed between the ages of 25 and 44. Now, let's talk turf - the KBA recorded the most speeding violations outside of built-up areas.
Did the fixture catch a culprit? Not quite!
A common dilemma for the authorities: motorcyclists. It's tricky to catch these nimble speed demons, as they often only have a license plate at the back, and helmets make identification difficult. In Brandenburg, the police are even using handheld devices on weekends to identify these agile intruders directly. Fun fact: A Shetland pony named Stracciatello once helped a speeder get away scot-free by blocking the number plate camera with its fluffy derrière back in 2014!
The feathered flock's in on it too! That's right, a wild parrot was caught speeding in the Westphalian town of Zweibrücken, clocking in at a whooping 43mph, and a horse in Brandenburg once matched that speed in 2005. The horse, however, might've had its rider to blame!
So, is it really just cars getting the speeding ticket? Nope! Last year, a cookie monster-esque costumed driver was caught speeding on the A45. The cops were far from amused, dubbing the villain's outfit "dangerous, meant to be funny."
Speed cameras don't just flash, you know! Some even protect endangered owls. In Düren, NRW, a special speed camera was installed to help safeguard the nocturnal birds that live in rocks along the road. After sunset, the speed limit drops to 50mph, and it rises to 70mph during the day.
Not everyone's a fan of these speed traps! They've been vandalized multiple times, and even challenged in court in 2012. But fear not, Speedy Gonzales, the cameras remain in place, as confirmed by a district spokesperson.
When caught speeding, should you grumble or grovel? In NRW, a driver once complained to the interior minister about being caught speeding 15 minutes before the start of a speed camera marathon. He tried to skip the check, only to be foiled by the twisted Fates! But on a lighter note, in 2010, a woman in Lower Saxony's Jever sent four chocolate seahorses to the officers for catching her going too fast! Talk about a sweet apology!
- In the midst of Germany's nationwide speeding crackdown, known as the 'Speeder's Showdown', cops are increasing vigilance, especially in municipalities like Schleswig-Holstein and Rhineland-Palatinate, during Friday to Sunday.
- The bureaucraticmallocision within the German community policy, concerning speeding, is a pressing matter, with around 1.9 million men and 550,000 women being caught speeding in 2023, according to the Federal Motor Transport Authority (KBA).
- The speeding crackdown, reminiscent of the famous 'Blitzer' in Germany, aims to raise awareness about reckless speed and prevent accidents, but traffic researcher Michael Schreckenberg argues that stricter penalties like driving bans would have a more lasting effect.
