Bicycle

Surprise… surprise…! Bicycle is very hip in Germany.

In Indonesia, bicycle is identical to kids who still not allowed to ride motorbike or to people who can’t afford to buy motorbike. Well yes, there are people who try to make bicycle looks hip and cool again (and there’s nothing wrong with that), but still the general impression of bicycle in Indonesia are like that.

Well actually it’s understandable why bicycle is popular in Germany or even Europe. The weather is colder than my place in the equatorial area, so it’s nicer and even warmer to travel with bikes. And it’s also the reason why motorbikes are not too popular in Germany especially in Bremen. Riding motorbikes in cold air will make you feel even colder. And in Bremen, where the wind comes from the North Pole, riding motorbikes could be painful. You may end up having masuk angin or trapped wind inside your body.

Like motorbikers in Indonesia, bicycle riders in Bremen are the king of the roads. Although they have a particular line for bicycle, still they cross the road recklessly. Maybe it’s because if they get hit by a car, than most likely it’s the car who’ll be accused for the accident.

The bicycle riders also often don’t want to hit the break and choose to ring while cursing the walkers that blocked their way.

In my first day, I almost get strike twice by bicycle as I am not familiar with the lines for pedestrian and bicycle.

In Germany, people walks in the right side, while in Indonesia we walk at the left side. So if there’s something happened in our way, we’re moving to the left side reflexively.

This is why I almost get hit, when the bicycle rider rings me, I move to the left which is actually his line! And of course we’re stuck in an awkward situation. He has to break immediately while I don’t know where else should I be standing. Gosh, I didn’t know that a reflexive movement could be such a cultural problem.