Kultur 4 - Joe Schafer

I found all four of the required reading articles interesting. The tips and explanations given by the authors makes you feel as though you could navigate through Germany like a native. "Two-Wheeled Teutons" really opened my eyes to how incorporated bicycling is in german cultur. It would be nice to live in a society where you don't have to worry about a distracted driver running into you as you ride to school. It would be interesting to see these bike paths at "rush hour" though; all different types of people trying to get home on their bikes while confined to a path. Riding a bike around a German city sounds both interesting and intimidating, especially if you don't know where you're going. "The Red Dictator" and "Fare Dodgers Beware" both mentioned something odd to me, even the "rebels" and "punks" follow the rules in Germany. They steal hood ornaments but won't jaywalk across an empty street at 3 am? This is unlike most Americans who will jaywalk across a busy street with cars racing towards them. I know this because a few individuals have walked in front of my car causing me to slam on my brakes. The article on crossing the street also has me wondering if a stranger really will yell at you for trying to cross at the wrong time?