[Archives for Thu 01 Jan 2011]

Police Crackdown on Cyclists

For the past three weeks police in Munich have been stopping and checking cyclists at various cycling hot spots across the city. Places such as Louis Bridge, Geschwister-Scholl-Platz and Lindwurmstraße were targeted due to the high volume of bicycle traffic. The goal was to reduce the number of cyclists violating traffic laws.
In total, 12,500 cyclists were stopped during this period, with an astounding 7539 of them breaking traffic laws.
Police were apparently surprised at the attitude of many cyclists, some of whom failed to realise that they had actually broken the law. Just over 5000 people received a fine. Another 2300 were caught breaking a red light.
A number of cyclists were found to be under the influence of either drugs or alcohol. Four thieves were even caught and charged with the theft of the bicycle they were riding.
The German Bicycle Club (ADFC - Allgemeine Deutsche Fahrrad-Club) welcomed the action but warned about potential harassment of cyclists.
Recently the number of cycling incidents in Munich resulting in injuries, has fallen. In previous years ADFC expressed concern at the number of accidents involving cars which lead to a number of fatalities.

Taxi Driver Coerces 17-year-old into Oral Sex

A 64-year-old married taxi driver has been convicted of forcing a 17-year-old girl to engage in oral sex in payment for a journey fare. Paul K was ordered to pay 800€ and sentenced to 8 months probation.

The incident occurred on Feb. 9th 2010 when the taxi driver went to pick up three teenage girls from the P1 nightclub in Munich. The journey of 71km, from Munich to Landshut where the girls live, cost 150€. However, when the time came to pay, the three girls fled. Paul K gave chase and managed to catch one of the girls, Laura B. Faced with the threat of calling the police, Laura B accepted the taxi driver's proposition of oral sex in lieu of payment.

Afterwards Paul K noticed that 200€ had been stolen from his taxi by one of the other two girls who managed to escape. At this stage he contacted the police and inadvertently led to his own arrest for the sexual offence.

Duelling Society Race Row Erupts

A student duelling society in Mannheim caused a stir recently by admitting a non-European member.
Duellers in Munich objected to the fact a Mannheim club had allowed the member, with an Asian background, to join, despite his service in the German army. They claim their opinions are not formed from some "Aryan" ideology such as what fed the Nazi hysteria back in the '30s. They debate whether an immigrant can be a true German and consequently part of what they say is a quintessentially German institution.

To quote the BBC, "There was a feeling from the more conservative elements in Bavaria that, according to internal documents, members with 'non-European facial and bodily characteristics' did not qualify as Germans and so could not join what the objectors see as a bastion of true German identity. 'Especially in times of rising immigration, it is not acceptable that people who are not from the German family tree should be admitted to the Burschenschaften,' as one document puts it."
The threatened club responded with a statement on its website signed by its spokesman, Kai-Ming Au. It said that the club would fight strongly against the attempt to expel it from the national association and would push for reform at national level.
A spokesman for the umbrella organisation of the fraternities in Germany said there had been long discussions and it had been decided not to expel the Mannheim club, though there would be further discussions.