The Local Germany

Road rage in Berlin as cyclists clog streets in pandemic

Fri, 01 Jan 2021 13:16:16 +0100

It's rush hour on a grey morning in the German capital and a stream of cyclists are gliding along Friedrichstraße, the fabled shopping street that runs through the city centre.

Here are ten of Germany's best (and longest) biking trails

Wed, 16 Sep 2020 13:06:08 +0200

Germany has some 200 Fernradwege - long distance cycle paths that sometimes stretch the length and breadth of the country. With the government advising against foreign travel this autumn, we suggest some of the best cycle holidays Germany has to offer.

How a giant volcano led a German to create the world's first bike

Thu, 13 Jun 2019 15:55:30 +0200

Over 200 years ago on June 12th, an inventor from Karlsruhe was inspired to create the world's first practically used bicycle.

This is how significant the gender pay gap is in Germany

Thu, 07 Mar 2019 15:22:33 +0100

Germany's image is of a progressive, forward thinking country. But women earn an average of 21 percent less than men. We investigated the gender wage gap and those trying to address it.

Berlin hopes to help cyclists via week of action against bad parkers

Wed, 13 Jun 2018 10:47:37 +0200

Parking offenders in Berlin have been clogging up the bus and bike lanes of the city and now authorities are doing something about it.

‘Poisonous for the reputation of bike sharing’: how cities are fighting back against badly parked bicycles

Tue, 03 Apr 2018 12:06:16 +0200

Practical, convenient and environmentally friendly, bike sharing is booming in Germany. Yet rental bicycles also have their downsides, and many German cities are now struggling to stem the tide of badly parked bikes.

'Flood' of orange sharing bikes ruffles feathers in orderly Munich

Mon, 11 Sep 2017 13:11:14 +0200

The Bavarian capital is famed for its Spiessigkeit - a love of everything being neat and orderly. But a Singaporean bike-sharing scheme has thrown a spanner into this well-oiled machine - and it hasn't gone down well.

Munich plans cycle paths in the sky

Wed, 22 Jul 2015 14:08:36 +0200

Cyclists' commute into Munich could fly by in the future if planners decide to opt for elevated "bike motorways" - car-free routes that literally lift cyclists above the rush hour jam.

Big city bike thefts spin out of control

Tue, 14 Jul 2015 19:04:28 +0200

340,000 bikes were stolen in Germany in 2014. As police struggle to cope with the rapid rise in the crime, the numbers continue to rise.

Bike-friendly Münster leaves cities in the dust

Fri, 20 Feb 2015 12:15:14 +0100

If you're looking for the best city in Germany for cycling, the German Cycling Club (ADFC) says Münster is top of the class. But cycling enthusiasts tell The Local that even in Germany's bike-friendliest city there's always more to be done.

Hamburg blog exposes bike lane blocks

Thu, 07 Aug 2014 14:09:00 +0200

A dog, a mattress, a road sign - some of the stranger objects blocking cycle paths in Hamburg. A group of bloggers have hit back with a fun blog exposing things on bike lanes.

Germany's vicious cycle of bike thefts

Thu, 17 Jul 2014 13:50:00 +0200

Stealing bicycles is big business in Germany, with more than 300,000 vanishing last year. But police are still plodding way behind the thieves with dismally low detection rates, and one top officer has blamed cyclists.

States to toughen laws on drunken cycling

Tue, 21 May 2013 13:32:00 +0200

German state interior ministers are hashing out a plan to lower the amount of alcohol cyclists can legally consume before getting on their bikes.The measures come as figures show one in 10 bike accidents are the result of riders under the influence.

App reunites owners with stolen bikes

Mon, 08 Apr 2013 13:10:00 +0200

A group of German students have developed a computer app to reunite cyclists with stolen bikes and hinder theft. A year after launching, Fahrradjäger was on Monday picking up speed.

Most bike locks child's play for thieves

Thu, 21 Mar 2013 10:51:00 +0100

The majority of bike locks on the market can be broken within a few minutes by a determined thief, according to a test released on Thursday by the independent consumer watchdog Stiftung Warentest.

Biking for free in Berlin

Wed, 20 Feb 2013 07:56:00 +0100

One man has made it his mission to set up a bike-sharing network in Berlin, loaning out Fahrräder for free. Trust advocate Graham Pope spoke to The Local about cycling into the future.

Minister calls for crazed cyclists crack-down

Tue, 10 Apr 2012 16:21:00 +0200

"Aggressive cyclists" have come under fire from Germany's Transport Minister, who called Tuesday for a tougher course of action against bad behaviour on the roads.

Mid-sized towns hit worst by bike crime

Tue, 22 Nov 2011 09:00:00 +0100

Nearly 180,000 bikes were stolen across Germany in 2010, estimated at a value of €120 million. According to a new study, more than over 90 percent of bicycle thefts go unsolved.

Ramsauer: helmet law for cyclists could be inevitable

Wed, 19 Oct 2011 17:54:00 +0200

Transport Minister Peter Ramsauer has said a new mandatory bicycle helmet law is likely to be introduced in the near future to reduce the number of head injuries in bicycle accidents.

Bike couriers grappling with enduring snow and ice

Fri, 08 Jan 2010 09:50:00 +0100

While most workers can retreat to the warmth of their offices or cars during the harsh winter weather, bike messengers across Germany have been braving the cold – but not without a few extra layers.