Sorry for going backward in time a little, but I wanted to share some more street scenes from Berlin that didn’t make it into other videos.
One of the scenes shows a sculpture of Ampelmännchen, literally “little traffic light man.” Designed and used in East Germany, this was one of the few elements of East Germany that found some favor in the unified country. The symbol has become a popular souvenir in various forms — on cups, shirts, magnets, etc. — and is used in many parts of Germany. There are three options available — Ampelmännchen, the old West German option, and a pan-German option introduced in 1992. Each German state can choose which option to use.
I mentioned how prevalent bicycle travel was in Berlin and how much it was supported. I don’t recall any sidewalk in the city that didn’t provide a distinct bike path. But something else also stood out. Most bicycle riders did not wear helmets. Even kids. It was almost rare to see riders with helmets. You’ll see evidence of this in a couple of scenes in these videos.