Culture Shock #28: Germans go to bike school

Yes, this is a real thing.

Fourth-graders in Germany attend a month-long Bike School program facilitated by the local police department. In the program, they learn basic traffic rules, what the traffic signs mean, how to turn signal, stuff like that. 

The most adorable part is that there are actual traffic simulations built especially for German Bike School, complete with mini streets, stoplights, and traffic signs. The kiddos have many opportunities to practice biking around in these simulations, applying the traffic rules they learn. 

The last day of Bike School is a two-part test, much like a driver's test. The first part is a written theoretical part, which evaluates the kiddos' knowledge about German traffic rules. The second part is practical: they must correctly bike through the traffic simulation, obeying the signs and correctly turn-signaling. If they pass both parts of the test, they get a little bike license! 

I feel even luckier to be working in a fourth-grade classroom now, as I've had the privilege of experiencing German Bike School firsthand. I've even learned a couple things. Did you know that, at four-way intersections in Germany, the person to the right of you always has right of way? Me neither! Now I know why I've been getting such evil looks from the townspeople of Emmendingen all these months. 

P.S. Germans think the American approach to four-way intersections is very abrasive. I have never thought twice about it, but maybe they're right. 

P.P.S. The funny thing about bringing a group of Waldorf School kids to a police station is that they're still Waldorf School kids. The number of times I had to tell swarms of children to Stop Eating Dandelions During Bike School....*sighhhhh*