I don’t think the French know what a queue is.

[sdm@social.taker.fr]

@oblomov the pedestrian crossing is the most true of all of them. i took my (danish) partner to rome and i was like "ignore the crosswalks and the little walking man, just do your best". it was very difficult for him.

[oblomov@sociale.network]

@sdm we're a bit too free on that, but IMO other countries are a bit too uptight about it. I was nearly (fined? arrested? don't know) in Berlin for crossing with a red light in the park at the foot at the angel thingie. I looked both ways, there was no car in sight *anywhere*, with full view all around me, and crossed. I didn't even realize there was (1) a traffic light and (2) two cops on the other side, because I was focused on looking for vehicles.

[zambunny@livellosegreto.it]

@sdm @oblomov I think I may not be really Italian because when I bought my car I wanted a SMALLER model and not a bigger one and I actually enjoy letting pedestrians cross the road (although I wish they would use the crossing and whatch where th they're going)

[sdm@social.taker.fr]

@oblomov yeah germany is strict on that but france is not; i cross on red in front of cops all the time.

[sdm@social.taker.fr]

@Zambunny @oblomov i thought italians loved zipping around in their little fiats?

[gustavinobevilacqua@mastodon.cisti.org]

@sdm @oblomov

Once I was at a red light downtown Koblenz.

Since there was not a single car on the road, I pushed the "Nur für Blinde" button to cross with the green.

An old gentleman started to rebuke me, and I replied (in Italian) "Scusi, non parlo tedesco" 😄

[oblomov@sociale.network]

@sdm @Zambunny it's a bit more complicated:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HiRibi19wdU

[oblomov@sociale.network]

@sdm oh yeah, french apparently don't care. Curiously, Americans do. We had a workshop in Paris and an American was with us, and all of us (Italians and French) would just cross the road whether there was no danger, even without traffic lights or zebra crossings, and the American was SHOCKED («but but but jaywalking»)

[oblomov@sociale.network]

@GustavinoBevilacqua @sdm that's basically how it went for me with the cops. They checked my ID, and I'm pretty sure they just let me with go with a stern taking to because I was Italian.

[sdm@social.taker.fr]

@oblomov @GustavinoBevilacqua it really depends. i've crossed on red in germany a few times, but you have to be strategic...and obviously not in front of cops.

[oblomov@sociale.network]

@sdm @GustavinoBevilacqua yeah that was an extremely poor choice on my side, but really it was because I hadn't noticed them at all, just as I had not noticed the traffic light 8-D

[zambunny@livellosegreto.it]

@oblomov @sdm Many years ago they did, because all cars were small anyway. Now everybody and their mother seems to need an ugly ass giant SUV that they can't even park properly anyway. I hate them with a passion.

[sdm@social.taker.fr]

@Zambunny @oblomov yes i see these in france all the time and i'm like "for what!!" the roads don't fit these cars anyway

[zambunny@livellosegreto.it]

@sdm @oblomov At least I hear in Paris they must pay lots of extra taxes and they pay their parking spots double, too. Someone is trying to actively do something against these monsters.