Rules are very important to Germans and most of them follow these rules to the finest detail, although there are like always, exceptions.
The most obvious manifestation of this is their transportation system. Every foreigner getting off the plane has to immediately fall in line. There are rules to walk on the pavements, cross roads, use escalators, drive cars and to use the public transport. In the fast paced routine, the clockwork of the transportation system works smoothly as everybody plays by the rules!
The most impressive instance for me is crossing roads. At every signal crossing is a button, which those intending to cross have to press and wait till the crossing signal light goes green to walk across. Seldom do you find people crossing streets anywhere else on busy streets or walking across when the light is red, even when there is no vehicle in sight till oblivion! And these are no loafers with all the time in the world! They are busy people with things to be done, trains to be taken, places to be reached. It seems as though life pauses for a second and then goes on as they hurry towards their next destination.
Apart from the written rules there are many unwritten ones, which the people follow religiously. Cars stopping to let people cross, people helping strangers with their luggage, making way for those in a hurry on escalators, helping old people and women with kids in buses and trains, all vehicles on the road coming to a standstill to let police cars and ambulances pass - to mention a few.
Another aspect that I noticed is the honesty of the citizens with the transportation system. Most times, there is no one checking our tickets in buses and trains. But everyone promptly buys one from the driver or a machine or has a long term ticket.
In all, the transportation system and the citizens work hand in hand to make the complicated network of planes, trains, buses, taxis and private vehicles simple to get around Germany.
The most obvious manifestation of this is their transportation system. Every foreigner getting off the plane has to immediately fall in line. There are rules to walk on the pavements, cross roads, use escalators, drive cars and to use the public transport. In the fast paced routine, the clockwork of the transportation system works smoothly as everybody plays by the rules!
The most impressive instance for me is crossing roads. At every signal crossing is a button, which those intending to cross have to press and wait till the crossing signal light goes green to walk across. Seldom do you find people crossing streets anywhere else on busy streets or walking across when the light is red, even when there is no vehicle in sight till oblivion! And these are no loafers with all the time in the world! They are busy people with things to be done, trains to be taken, places to be reached. It seems as though life pauses for a second and then goes on as they hurry towards their next destination.
Apart from the written rules there are many unwritten ones, which the people follow religiously. Cars stopping to let people cross, people helping strangers with their luggage, making way for those in a hurry on escalators, helping old people and women with kids in buses and trains, all vehicles on the road coming to a standstill to let police cars and ambulances pass - to mention a few.
Another aspect that I noticed is the honesty of the citizens with the transportation system. Most times, there is no one checking our tickets in buses and trains. But everyone promptly buys one from the driver or a machine or has a long term ticket.
In all, the transportation system and the citizens work hand in hand to make the complicated network of planes, trains, buses, taxis and private vehicles simple to get around Germany.
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