This is Germany

It’s been almost two years since I own a German driving license and my probation period is therefore officially over (without a single traffic summon, no less ). I have to say, driving in Germany can be an enjoyable experience, if you can ignore the traffic jams (even on the highways). German drivers are generally a disciplined lot of people, say, if you can close an eye to those tailgaters i.e. jerks.

Okay, I gotta admit that sometimes I did shamelessly cut lines when traffic was getting heavy and my impatience got the best of me. They would still generously allow me to cut in without giving me those rude hand gestures (you can get fined here giving people hand gestures). Or there were times when I didn’t pay attention when the light turned green and I was the first in line. I was surprised that no one honked from behind to alert me. I don’t think I’ll survive that long if I were to be driving back home.

I was even more surprised when I read this in the paper this morning. A driver on a 4-lane highway alerted the police that a family of seven swans consists of daddy-, mommy-, baby-swans and all, was trying to commit suicide as they tried to get to the lake that is situated on the other side of the highway.

The police immediately arrived at the scene and barricaded the highway (in both directions!) for the swan family to cross the highway, no doubt causing massive jam. According to the police, the daddy- and mommy-swan were getting a little aggressive when the police tried to assist the baby-swans, while they took their own sweet time waddling their way across the highway, blissfully unaware of their initial danger nor the chaos on the highway they’d caused. Thanks to some good souls of these Germans, the swan family happily arrived at their destination safely.

I couldn’t bring myself to picture this scene if it were to happen in Malaysia. I think we’re still miles away to reach this state of mentality. Or am I being too cynical?